The Usk Bridge, Usk, Monmouthshire, carries the A472 over the

River Usk The River Usk (; cy, Afon Wysg) rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain (''y Mynydd Du''), Wales, in the westernmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially forming the boundary between Carmarthenshire and Powys, it flo ...

. It is the town's oldest crossing of the river and is a Grade II* listed structure.

History and description

The existing stone bridge is constructed of

Old Red Sandstone The Old Red Sandstone is an assemblage of rocks in the North Atlantic region largely of Devonian age. It extends in the east across Great Britain, Ireland and Norway, and in the west along the northeastern seaboard of North America. It also ext ...

and is attributed to the Welsh bridge builder

William Edwards William Edwards may refer to: Arts and entertainment *William Edwards (architect) (1719–1789), Welsh architect of the Pontypridd bridge in south Wales * William Camden Edwards (1777–1855), Welsh engraver *William Augustus Edwards (1866–1939), ...

. It was built between 1746 and 1747. It has five arches with pointed cutwaters between each arch. The bridge was widened in 1836-7, the widening maintaining the original appearance. The evidence of reconstruction can be seen in the arch

soffit A soffit is an exterior or interior architectural feature, generally the horizontal, aloft underside of any construction element. Its archetypal form, sometimes incorporating or implying the projection of beams, is the underside of eaves (to ...

s. The bridge was designated a Grade II* listed structure in 1974. The architectural historian John Newman described it as "traditional but well-proportioned". It has been subject to considerable damage by traffic in the 21st century.

Notes

Sources

* {{Commons category, Usk Bridge, Usk, Usk Bridge, position=right Bridges over the River Usk Infrastructure completed in 1747 Grade II* listed bridges in Wales Grade II* listed buildings in Monmouthshire Road bridges in Wales Stone bridges in the United Kingdom

History and description

See also

Notes

Sources