Crickhowell Bridge
Crickhowell Bridge is an 18th-century bridge that spans the River Usk in Crickhowell, Brecknockshire. The main A4077 road to Gilwern crosses it. The bridge is claimed to be the longest stone bridge in Wales[1][2] at over 420 ft.
History and description
The bridge is first documented in 1538[3] and is believed to have existed since mediæval 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 north-west (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 north-east 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 420 ft long and has a minimum width of 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]
References
- ↑ Winn, Christopher (2007), I Never Knew That About Wales, Ebury Press, p. 24, ISBN 978-0-0919-1858-3, https://books.google.com/books?id=LW-7nmW_diEC&pg=PA24#v=onepage&q&f=false
- ↑ "Crickhowell". Explore Mid Wales (Powys Council). http://tourism.powys.gov.uk/crickhowell.php. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Crickhowell Bridge (partly in Crickhowell community), Llangattock". British Listed Buildings. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk./wa-20716-crickhowell-bridge-partly-in-crickhowell-i. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Crickhowell Bridge Survey – River Usk, Fish Passage Proposals" (pdf). The Wye Usk Foundation. 8 March 2012. pp. 1/2. http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/news/consultations.php. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ 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, https://books.google.com/books?id=jeOMfpYMOtYC&pg=PA357#v=onepage&q&f=false
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Crickhowell Bridge". Engineering-Timelines.com. http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=1377. Retrieved 1 January 2015.
- ↑ "Crickhowell Bridge damaged during police car chase". BBC News. 31 October 2011. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-15517782. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
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Outside links
- Location map: 51°51’23"N, 3°8’31"W
