A narrow stone arch crosses the Kip Water on a six-foot-wide deck, traditionally but misleadingly called the Roman Bridge.
Quick facts
- Date
- Probably about 1650–1700
- Architect / designer
- Builder unknown
- Type
- Narrow single-span stone bridge
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB12468)
- OS grid reference
- NS 22307 72549
Architecture and continuing use
The single-span bridge is built of stone with a narrow deck between low parapets. Its packhorse scale and simple arch suit a pre-modern route, while the confined width shows why it no longer carries ordinary traffic.
Its story
HES cautiously dates the bridge to about 1650–1700 and places quotation marks around the traditional Roman name. By the time of listing in 1971 it was recorded as not in use.
Why it is included
It preserves an early transport structure and demonstrates the importance of challenging inherited names when architectural evidence points to a later date.
What to notice
- The single stone arch over the burn.
- A deck only about six feet wide.
- Low parapets following the rise of the arch.
Reading the surroundings
Do not assume the old deck is a usable route. View from lawful paths only, keep back from water and unstable banks, and avoid the site during flooding or poor weather.
Timeline
- About 1650–1700 The narrow packhorse bridge was probably constructed.
- 10 June 1971 The bridge was listed at Category B and recorded as out of use.
- 2026 Its designation remained current while the traditional Roman label continued to require qualification.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The date is approximate and the structure’s safe physical accessibility was not independently tested.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Old Bridge over the Kip Water, LB12468 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and significance.
- Transport Scotland: Inverkip local environment — Current official historic-environment assessment for the village and nearby designated assets.
- Inverkip Village: local history — Community-maintained account of routes, transport and settlement change.
- Trove search: Roman Bridge Kip Water Inverkip — National collection search for site records, surveys and archive material.
Location
OS grid reference NS 22307 72549 · Location confidence: High for the current national designation point; public text separately states access, component-identity and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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