Sandbed Street Bridge

Heritage listing

Category C Date Added 01/08/2002 Local Authority East Ayrshire Planning Authority East Ayrshire Burgh Kilmarnock NGR NS 42806 37934 Coordinates 242806, 637934 — 1762; later addition and repairs. Single span, segmental-arched bridge Coursed sandstone ashlar of varying colours, inset ashlar voussoirs; coursed tooled and droved rubble parapet. NE AND SW ELEVATIONS: abutments concealed by later coursed rubble and brick retaining walls of buildings adjoining riverside; single segmental arch with slightly recessed ashlar voussoirs breaking into parapet, coursed ashlar and rubble spandrels; drip mould leading to slightly recessed rubble parapet, flush rectangular copes surmounting. NW & SE ELEVATIONS: fairly narrow tarmac road with parapet sides joining Sandbed Street to the junction of Strand and Bank Streets. — Sometimes referred to as the "Old Bridge" or "Town Bridge", Sandbed is the oldest bridge in Kilmarnock. It stands over the Kilmarnock Water and links Cheapside and Bank Street with the Sandbed (Street). When Timothy Pont visited Kilmarnock in 1612, he described its predecessor as "a faire stone bridge" but by 1658 Richard Franck thought it to be "wretchedly ancient". A new bridge followed and was repaired in 1753 after a devastating flood. This "new" bridge was constructed and it carried the main Glasgow Road through the town before King Street was opened up. It was also the venue for the town's market until the Flesh Market Bridge (on the site of the present Burn's Mall) was constructed in 1770. An enclosed bridge can be viewed to the NE, this carries King Street to The Cross and has a row of shops (formerly Victoria Place) on it. A sculpture of a swimmer and fish can be seen on the pavement of King Street marking the spot where the Kilmarnock Water passes beneath.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.