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Llandeilo Bridge (
The earlier bridge had been criticised as not even wide enough for a horse and cart, therefore the new bridge was wide enough for a double carriageway. A single arch spanned 143 ft (43m) across the river, rising 35 ft (10.5m) above it (at the time it was the third longest single arch in Britain). The height of the bridge essentially reduced the gradient of the road towards the town. The bridge, arch soffits, parapets and buttresses are faced with chisel- or hammer-dressed masonry, while the
Llandeilio Bridge - its history
{{coord, 51.8796, -3.9953, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Bridges completed in 1848 Bridges in Carmarthenshire Llandeilo Concrete bridges in Wales Grade II* listed bridges in Wales Grade II* listed buildings in Carmarthenshire Road bridges in Wales Bridges over the River Towy
Llandeilo Bridge (Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, of or about Wales
* Welsh language, spoken in Wales
* Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales
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* Welsh, Arkansas, U.S.
* Welsh, Louisiana, U.S.
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* Welsh Basin, during t ...
: ''Pont Llandeilo'') is a Grade II* listed road bridge crossing the River Towy
The River Towy (, ; also known as the River Tywi) is one of the longest rivers flowing entirely within Wales. Its total length is . It is noted for its sea trout and salmon fishing.
Route
The Towy rises within of the source of the River Teif ...
in Llandeilo
Llandeilo () is a town and Community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated where the River Towy is crossed by the A483 road, A483 on a 19th-century stone bridge. At the 2021 United Kingdom census, 2021 census the community had ...
, Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire (; or informally ') is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. ...
, Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
. It carries the main A483 road
The A483, officially described as the Swansea to Manchester Trunk Road, although now ending in Chester, is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs from Swansea in Wales to Chester in England via Llandovery, Llandrindod Wells, Oswestry and ...
towards Ffairfach
Ffairfach is a village south of the market town of Llandeilo in the eastern part of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is close to the confluence of the Afon Cennen and the River Towy. Population is 516 according to 2017 census.
Etymology
The Welsh la ...
.
History and description
The single-arch bridge was designed by Llandeilo's William Williams, the county bridge surveyor, and built between 1843 and 1848. It replaced a previous three-arched bridge over the river than had, in turn, replaced the medieval seven-arch bridge which had collapsed in 1795. The construction logistics defeated Williams' builder, Morgan Morgan, who was sacked after the entire budget of £6000 was spent building the difficultfoundations
Foundation(s) or The Foundation(s) may refer to: Common uses
* Foundation (cosmetics), a skin-coloured makeup cream applied to the face
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. Williams died before the bridge was completed and, in 1846, Edward Haycock took over the project. It eventually cost a massive £23,000.
The earlier bridge had been criticised as not even wide enough for a horse and cart, therefore the new bridge was wide enough for a double carriageway. A single arch spanned 143 ft (43m) across the river, rising 35 ft (10.5m) above it (at the time it was the third longest single arch in Britain). The height of the bridge essentially reduced the gradient of the road towards the town. The bridge, arch soffits, parapets and buttresses are faced with chisel- or hammer-dressed masonry, while the voussoir
A voussoir ( UK: ; US: ) is a wedge-shaped element, typically a stone, which is used in building an arch or vault.“Voussoir, N., Pronunciation.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, June 2024, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/7553486115. Acces ...
s of the arch are lengthy and finished with ashlar
Ashlar () is a cut and dressed rock (geology), stone, worked using a chisel to achieve a specific form, typically rectangular in shape. The term can also refer to a structure built from such stones.
Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, a ...
. Large stone buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient (typically Gothic) buildings, as a means of providing support to act ...
es marked each end of the arch, and similar buttresses continued in either direction from the bridge supporting the long causeways towards Llandeilo and Ffairfach.
The bridge became Grade II*
In the United Kingdom, a listed building is a structure of particular architectural or historic interest deserving of special protection. Such buildings are placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, H ...
listed in 1966.
See also
*List of bridges in Wales
This list of bridges in Wales lists bridges of particular historical, scenic, architectural or engineering interest in Wales. Road and railway bridges, viaducts, aqueducts and footbridges are included.
List
Bridges are listed under the names u ...
References
External links
Llandeilio Bridge - its history
{{coord, 51.8796, -3.9953, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Bridges completed in 1848 Bridges in Carmarthenshire Llandeilo Concrete bridges in Wales Grade II* listed bridges in Wales Grade II* listed buildings in Carmarthenshire Road bridges in Wales Bridges over the River Towy