Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Bridge over Tennant Canal to S of entrance to Neath Abbey
Dyffryn Clydach, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Transport
- Date of designation
- 29 January 1980
- Locality
- Neath Abbey
- Town
- Neath
- Community
- Dyffryn Clydach
- Unitary authority
- Neath Port Talbot
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.66014, -3.82690
- Cadw reference
- 11834
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Crossing the Tennant Canal just S of the entrance to Neath Abbey.
History
Canal 'roving' bridge, where towpath changed sides, probably built 1821 by canal engineer William Kirkhouse. The canal opened in 1824 from the Neath Canal at Aberdulais to Port Tennant, Swansea. Traffic declined from the 1860s due to competition with railways but the canal did not close to commercial traffic until 1934.
Exterior
Hump-backed canal bridge, rubblestone with single segmental arch of dressed sandstone voussoirs. Low parapets with coping of rectangular cast blocks of copper slag, some with Roman numerals cast in. Abutments splay outwards slightly on each side extended as wall on SW side. Former tow path crosses from S to N side of canal over bridge.
Reason for designation
Included for historic transport interest as an early C19 canal bridge retaining its character.
Nearby in the register
- Bridge over River Clydach to S of Neath AbbeyTransportunder 1 mi
- Clydach Aqueduct on Tennant CanalTransportunder 1 mi
- Neath AbbeyAbbeyunder 1 mi
- The Smiths ArmsCommercialunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.