Pont-y-wern

Cadw's description

Location

In park landscape about 500m to the east of Golden Grove, carrying the private drive from the East (Llandeilo) Lodge to the Mansion. It crosses a small stream in a deep narrow valley.

History

Ornamental bridge on the former principal approach drive through Golden Grove Park.
The architect's drawing for this bridge (received from London, and so very probably from the office of Wyatville) is in the Cawdor Papers, in a bundle of c1831 date. It was perhaps built during the construction of the house to facilitate bringing materials from the direction of Llandeilo. The bridge appears on the 1839 Tithe Plan.
The architect's instructions left it to the mason to decide whether the outer lengths of the parapets were to be plain or formed with balustrades.

Exterior

A fine single-arch estate bridge in limestone. 12m span, carrying a road about 5m in width. Deep segmental arch. Thin voussoirs nearly ½m in depth; thin keystone. Two shallow buttresses each side carried up to form piers in the parapets.
The parapets are in ashlar masonry, each in three lengths articulated by little piers; the central length each side incorporates three sets of balusters. The parapet has a weathering at foot and the top course is chamfered with a slight weathering to the exterior.

Reason for designation

A fine estate bridge contemporary with Golden Grove mansion.