Coldstream Bridge (That Part In England)

The Coldstream Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Tweed, situated a few hundred metres below the town of Coldstream and marking the border between England and Scotland. Built in 1763 by John Smeaton for the Tweed Bridge Trustees, the design incorporated earlier work by Robert Reid, the resident engineer. The bridge underwent repairs in 1922, alterations in 1928, and further work from 1960 to 1961, including widening of the deck.

The bridge is constructed from squared and tooled sandstone blocks, with ashlar dressings and whinstone rubble infill for the occuli. It is a large, multi-span structure featuring five segmental river arches, and a low, semi-circular flood arch on either side. A large weir, known as the Cauld, was constructed downstream in 1785 to mitigate erosion of the bridge.

The segmental arches are distinguished by arch bands and triple keystones, which broaden and increase in height towards the bridge's centre. These arches rise from an impost band, which forms the base of the caps of the triangular cutwaters. Keyed occuli are set within the spandrels. A dentil cornice runs above the arches, topped by a parapet ornamented with shallow pilasters on both faces and slightly arched coping. Concrete cantilevered footpaths were added in 1960-61. The flood arches at either end have raised surrounds and pendent keystones.

The southern, English approach is bordered by walls with flat coping, culminating in round end piers with domed caps. This approach has been realigned at some point; on the east side, a wing wall diverges and sits at a lower level than its successor, along with the lower section of its end pier. The northern, Scottish approach is defined by a curving west wall that ends in a stepped pier with a low-domed cap. The eastern wing wall connects with the 'Wedding House', a former Toll House.

A plaque on the northern flood arch records a flood in February 1851, marked partway up the opening. A plaque on the inner face of the eastern parapet details the bridge’s erection and subsequent alterations. A plaque on the inner face of the western parapet commemorates Robert Burns’s crossing of the bridge in 1787, erected in 1926.