This book brings together, for the first time, the history of the Guthrie Rolling Bridge – an innovative military structure patented in 1862 by the little-known English engineer Charles Thompson Guthrie. Despite its widespread use across British defensive works, including in Malta, the bridge has remained largely undocumented, with information confined to scarce and inaccessible technical sources.
 
The book originates from the author's involvement in the restoration of the Guthrie Rolling Bridge at Fort Rinella, undertaken by Fondazzjoni Wirt Artna. Faced with a lack of reliable documentation, the project required extensive research, drawing on fragmented historical records, earlier archaeological work in the UK, and a chance discovery of the original operating instructions that proved crucial to understanding the bridge's function.
 
In parallel, the study revisits the life and work of Guthrie himself, addressing long-standing uncertainties about his role and contributions. It also challenges misconceptions about the bridge's design and use.
 
Structured in three parts, the book examines Guthrie's life, the development and operation of the rolling bridge, and the process of reconstructing the only working example today. It is intended both as a record of that restoration and as a foundation for further research into a largely overlooked aspect of military engineering history.