Old Bridge Of Urr

The Old Bridge of Urr is a two-arch stone bridge spanning the Water of Urr, situated on the boundary between the Kirkpatrick-Durham and Crossmichael parishes. It likely dates to the late 16th century, though it has undergone substantial rebuilding. The bridge was widened to the north in 1772 and the parapets were rebuilt in the mid-19th century, with further repairs carried out around 1900. The total span is approximately 50 feet, with an original width of around 9 feet 8 inches, now widened to 13 feet 1 inch. The bridge is constructed of granite rubble, featuring two asymmetrical, near semi-circular arches springing from rubble abutments and a central solid pier with cutwater buttresses on both the upstream and downstream sides. A sandstone panel above the southern buttress, now badly eroded, is recorded to bear a lion rampant, a crown, the initials "IR" on the upper stone, a dexter hand, and the date 1580 on the lower stone. The parapets have been recently repointed. Historic records, including notebooks of the County Commissioners of Supply, document the 1772 widening.