Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Caersws bridge
Caersws, Powys, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Caersws, Powys, designated on 5 November 1996.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Transport
- Date of designation
- 5 November 1996
- Locality
- Caersws
- Community
- Caersws
- Unitary authority
- Powys
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 52.51475, -3.42734
- Cadw reference
- 17546
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
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1608 map "(13) Cambriae Typus." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1608 · (13) Cambriae Typus. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1637 · Particular description of Wales. Cambria seu Wallia (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1899 · 164 Llanidloes (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 14. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
The bridge carries the A.489 Newtown to Machynlleth Road over the River Severn immediately at the S end of the village.
History
The present bridge was built for the First District Turnpike by Thomas Penson, the Montgomeryshire Turnpike and County Roads Surveyor, in c.1821 to replace an earlier 2-arch stone bridge, then found to be in poor condition.
Exterior
Built of local stone, of three unequal elliptical arches, with one ring of V-jointed voussoirs set slightly forward, with central keystone, set on 2 water piers with pointed cutwaters upstream. Square string course following the cambered carriageway, and 3-course parapets with through stones projecting and rock-faced each side, with flush copings, possibly of later date when the breakwaters on the upstream side were added, ?1843. The outer ends of the bridge are splayed to terminal piers.
Fourteen tie bars with ribbed iron terminal plates added to strengthen the bridge later. Penstrowed stone breakwaters were added in the river bed later.
Reason for designation
Included as a well preserved major county bridge by the eminent surveyor Thomas Penson, and a good and well detailed example of a masonry bridge.
Nearby in the register
- Dol-aethnenDomesticunder 1 mi
- Caersws Roman Fort and Vicus: section in SE part of vicusVicusunder 1 mi
- Caersws Roman Fort and Vicus: section in southern part of vicusVicusunder 1 mi
- Caersws Roman Fort: Section of South Western DefencesFortunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.