Crickhowell Bridge

Crickhowell Bridge and town viewed from the southwest
Crickhowell Bridge

Crickhowell Bridge is an 18th-century bridge that spans the River Usk in Crickhowell, Powys, Wales. The main A4077 road to Gilwern crosses it. The bridge is claimed to be the longest stone bridge in Wales[1][2] at over 128 metres (420 ft).

History and description

The bridge is first documented in 1538[3] and is believed to have existed since medieval times, originally constructed from timber.[4] In 1706 it was completely rebuilt in stone with additional arches,[3] at a cost of £400. It was replaced by a temporary bridge in 1808 after being severely damaged by flooding[4] and the repaired bridge, in 1810, was widened on the northwest (upstream) side (the downstream side remains original to 1706).[3] The bridge engineer was Benjamin James (of Llangattock) and the cost totalled £2,300.[5] In 1828–30 the northeast end was altered, reducing the upstream length by one arch[3] by combining the two largest upstream arches into one.[6] The bridge was substantially repaired in 1928 and again in 1979, to repair cracking caused by motor vehicles.[4] In 2011 part of the parapet was demolished by a car, following a police chase.[7]

Crickhowell Bridge is unusual (due to the 1828 alterations) in that it has a different number of arches upstream (12) from downstream (13).[4] On the (original) downstream side, the arches are recessed, though not on the upstream side. The bridge has V-shaped cutwaters to both sides with pedestrian refuges above. Construction is of rubble masonry with flat coping stones on the parapets.[3] The bridge is 128 metres (420 ft) long and has a minimum width of 4 metres (13 ft) between parapets.[6]

The bridge became a Grade I listed structure in 1998, being "one of Wales' finest early bridges". It is also a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Winn, Christopher (2007), I Never Knew That About Wales, Ebury Press, p. 24, ISBN 978-0-0919-1858-3
  2. ↑ "Crickhowell". Explore Mid Wales (Powys County Council). Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Crickhowell Bridge (partly in Crickhowell community), Llangattock". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Crickhowell Bridge Survey – River Usk, Fish Passage Proposals" (pdf). The Wye Usk Foundation. 8 March 2012. pp. 1/2. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  5. ↑ Skempton, Alec, ed. (2002), A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers – Volume I – 1500–1830, Thomas Telford Publishing, pp. 356/7, ISBN 0-7277-2939-X
  6. 1 2 "Crickhowell Bridge". Engineering-Timelines.com. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "Crickhowell Bridge damaged during police car chase". BBC News. 31 October 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2015.

Coordinates: 51°51′23″N 3°08′31″W / 51.8565°N 3.1420°W / 51.8565; -3.1420

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