Monday March 16th 2026
Kalemouth Bridge, near Eckford
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
A ‘magnificent’ but decaying Borders bridge which has served the region for two centuries is to undergo a major restoration after securing a £250k boost from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Kalemouth Bridge, which crosses the River Teviot just above its confluence with the Kale Water near the village of Eckford, has been closed to traffic for five and a half years.
The bridge, between Jedburgh and Kelso, is a Category ‘A’ Listed structure and a fine example of a historic wrought iron chain-bar suspension bridge with timber deck.
It closed to vehicular traffic in August 2020 when substantial decay was discovered in some of the main timber deck elements.
At almost 200 years old Kalemouth Suspension Bridge is both one of the earliest examples of a wrought iron chain suspension bridge and one of the last of its kind in Scotland.
Its importance has now been underlined with Scottish Borders Council securing £249,999 of support for restoration plans from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Caroline Clark, The National Lottery Heritage Fund director for Scotland said: “Kalemouth Suspension Bridge is a magnificent piece of engineering and serves both as an important crossing for walkers and cyclists, and as a landmark and monument to local heritage.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, Heritage Fund investment will support the project with essential restoration work and new interpretation panels to share the story and significance of the bridge.”
In addition to historic value SBC see a continuing important role for it as a crossing point supporting sustainable transport options such as cycling, wheeling and walking.
Councillor John Greenwell, SBC’s executive member for Roads and Public Spaces, said: “This is an exciting new step in realising the important aspiration of the council and the local community to see the bridge restored.
“With this support now in place, we can continue to move the project forward and work through the remaining detailed planning and funding stages needed to safeguard the bridge’s future.”
With The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s support secured, the Kalemouth Suspension Bridge Restoration Project takes a major step forward as the council continues to progress plans and secure the further funding required.
Late last year a planning bid submitted to SBC was approved to replace all timber elements on the bridge, renew the diagonal bracing beneath the deck, rub-down and repaint ironwork where required and re-point and repair masonry.
These works will refurbish the bridge and allow it to be safely used by pedestrians and cyclists.
But members of Crailing and Nisbet Community Council, whilst supporting its reopening, have expressed the hope that further progress can be made, with the aim that the bridge could be fully restored to enable it to carry light vehicles again.
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