South Bridge, Edinburgh is a Grade B listed building in the City of Edinburgh local planning authority area, Scotland. First listed on 14 December 1970. Bridge. 5 related planning applications.

South Bridge, Edinburgh

WRENN ID
gilded-attic-juniper
Grade
B
Local Planning Authority
City of Edinburgh
Constituency
Edinburgh East and Musselburgh MP: Chris Murray (Lab)
Country
Scotland
Date first listed
14 December 1970
Type
Bridge
Address
South Bridge, Edinburgh, EH1 1LL
OS grid reference
NT 259 734
Coordinates
55.94873, -3.18684
Source
Historic Environment Scotland listing

Also on this page: related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The South Bridge in Edinburgh, built between 1786 and 1788, is a 19-span road bridge designed by probably Alexander Laing and Robert Kay. It features a single visible round arch over the Cowgate, while other rubble arches are concealed beneath later buildings. The exposed arch is made of ashlar stone, and the piers have channelled rustication. The bridge is topped with a dentilled parapet and has cast-iron railings along the street side.

In 1929, an extension was added to the west elevation facing Cowgate, which includes a segmental key-stoned arch and three windows above, each with raised architraves.

Local climate

South Bridge, Edinburgh sits in a wetter-than-average part of the UK, with an average of 970 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 76% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 53% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 43 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 81% of listed buildings. Of these, 25 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • No EPC on record for this property
  • No sale records on file
  • Related listed building consents — 5 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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  3. 34, 35, 36 South Bridge, 53, 55 And 57 Niddry Street, 212 Cowgate Edinburgh Grade C 20 m
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  10. 42, 43, 44 South Bridge, Edinburgh Grade C 41 m