West Port is a 16th century stone town gateway and is one of the few surviving town gates in Scotland. In a building contract drawn up on the 18th May 1589, the gate was to be a copy of Edinburgh's Netherbow Port but in 1843 the port was completely renovated, with some structural alterations. The large vehicular entrance is flanked by two semi-octagonal gun-looped turrets and the two side walls have been pierced with later pedestrian arches. A modern carved panel now replaces the weathered coats of arms, specified in the original contract. There is no evidence to show that St Andrews was ever a walled town, only the street boundaries were closed by ports or gates. At the eastern end of South Street is The Pends.