Cymmer Bridge

Cadw's description

Location

Spanning the Afan river approximately 300m NW of the centre of Cymmer, and carrying an unclassified road from Cymmer to Abercregan and Glyncorrwg.

History

Built in 1925 at a cost of £11,251 and opened in 1926. It was part of a scheme for road development formulated by Glamorgan County Council and the Ministry of Transport, although it was maintained by Glyncorrwg Urban District Council. The bridge was designed by W.P. Jones, Surveyor to the Glyncorrwg UDC, in association with the engineers L.G. Mouchel & Partners of London, pioneers of ferro-concrete construction. The contractor was John Sutherland of Abercynon. The bridge was constructed using pre-cast component parts, which were subsequently rendered. The deck is 90 feet (27.5m) above the river bed. When built, its span of 150 feet (45.7m) was one of the longest single-span ferro-concrete road bridges in Britain.

Exterior

A double carriageway, ferro-concrete bridge consisting of a pair of arch ribs braced together and springing from main rusticated piers. The arch ribs carry vertical spandrel columns to support the decking and parapet. The main piers are carried up above the parapets and have saddleback copings. The open-work parapets are constructed in sections and have narrow vertical panels, and moulded copings. They curve out at the ends (except the SW) and terminate in square rusticated piers. The SW pier has an inset bronze plaque with lettering in relief recording the erection and opening of the bridge. The flat deck is laid with tarmac with footways on each side.

Reason for designation

Listed as a notable surviving example of a concrete road-bridge of the inter-war years with a long single span, and for its association with Mouchel & Partners, pioneers of ferro concrete in architecture and engineering from the beginning of the C20.