Footbridge and walls of Baglan brook around churchyard of St Catharine

Cadw's description

Location

On the E and SW sides of the churchyard

History

Structural details suggest that the bridge was built in the period 1875-82, contemporary with the church and to the design of John Prichard. Cast iron railings are dated 1882.

Exterior

The footbridge is built of coursed rock-faced stone and has a single chamfered segmental arch over the stream. The parapets have battered outer faces, ashlar saddleback copings and terminate in big square piers with pyramidal caps. On the outer side are double wooden gates with reeded muntins, open panels and fleur-de-lys cast iron cresting.

The bridge spans the Baglan brook which runs through a stone-lined channel with rock-faced stone walls and plain iron railings facing the road cast by W. Davies of Briton Ferry and dated 1882, and enters a culvert at the S end below Church Road through a segmental-headed arch. The churchyard wall returns along the SW side, facing Church Road, with cast iron railings on a dwarf wall and intermediate stone piers with saddleback copings. On the N side of the bridge is a revetment wall abutting the stone-lined stream at right angles, which retains the upper part of the churchyard. The boundary wall has a short return at the N end, comprising a concave wall with 2 square dressed stone piers and double cast iron gates.

Reason for designation

Listed for group value with the church of St Catharine and the ruins of St Baglan.