Tramroad Bridge over Sychnant River

Cadw's description

Location

Bridge carries public footpath over river Sychnant, which follows line of tramroad incline between Dan-y-coed and the former quarries at Darrenfelen. Approximately 2 km SW of Clydach.

History

Built 1811, as part of the Llam-march tramroad, begun in 1794 by John Dadford, engineer. The tramroad was built to link the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal at Gilwern to the collieries and iron-ore quarries at Llam-march, via the Clydach Ironworks, which was set up c. 1793 by Edward and John Kendall, who sub-let the works to Edward Frere and Thomas Cooke. The Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal Company resolved to allow Frere, Cooke and Edward Kendall to build a railroad on 28th May 1794 from Llam-march to the ironworks, the iron company paying a rental of 8% a year of the cost of construction and to be responsible for all repairs. By June 1795, the railroad was largely complete. In 1800, the Brecon and Abergavenny Canal was completed from Brecon to Gilwern, and by 1812, the canal was extended to link with the Monmouthshire Canal at Pontymoile, which enabled direct links with Newport and the Bristol Channel . With the expansion of the canal system, the Clydach Iron Company successfully applied in 1809 to extend the Llam-march tramroad to the canal at Gilwern, where they built a wharf and warehouse. Several improvements were made to improve the steep route between the ironworks and Darrenfelen in 1811, including the provision of an incline plane, which involved the partial diversion of the Sychnant to pass under the bridge at right angles.

Exterior

Rubble construction. Single segmental arch with stone voussoirs, the arch springing from the rock-face of the narrow gorge. No parapet. C20 metal rails.

Reason for designation

Listed as a well-preserved early C19 tramroad bridge, a prominent surviving structure of important industrial landscape of the Clydach Gorge.