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King's College Bridge — Landmark, City Centre, Cambridge

King's College Bridge

A Grade I listed stone bridge of 1819, designed by William Wilkins, on the Backs beside King's College.

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King's College Bridge carries the name of King's College and spans the River Cam along the Backs. It is Grade I listed, and counting the Cam's bridges in order it is the eighth overall and the fourth on the middle stream through Cambridge.

From timber to stone

A wooden bridge stood here as early as the 15th century. The stone structure that replaced it was designed in 1818 by William Wilkins and built the following year by Francis Braidwood. It has therefore been in place for well over two centuries.

Seeing it

The bridge is best appreciated from the river or from the Backs, where it forms one link in the chain of crossings that includes Clare Bridge, the next one along the Cam. Because it belongs to a working college, public access across it follows the college's own rules, so check at the college before planning a walk over it. For most visitors, a punt trip or a stroll along the grass of the Backs gives the clearest view of the span and the water beneath it.