According to John R. Hume, the bridge was built by James Kennedy, who died in 1465, but the first recorded mention was in 1512.

[4] The bridge features on the 2007 and 2016 series of £5 notes issued by the Bank of Scotland, alongside the statue to Robert Burns, that is located in Dumfries.

[9] The line of the cobbles in the roadway is cranked, due to the belief that this pattern would stop witches from crossing.

[7] It is used as the setting for the final verse of the Robert Burns's poem "Tam o' Shanter".

He is just able to escape her by crossing the bridge (over a running stream), narrowly avoiding her attack as she is only able to grab the horse's tail which comes away in her hands: The carlin caught her by the rump And left puir Meg wi' scarce a stump.