Pont-y-Bryn including walls and parapets to carriageway adjoining to the E and W

Cadw's description

Location

Carrying the road over the flood plain of the River Dee as a continuation of the Pont Fawr, which adjoins to the E.

History

C17 or C18 road bridge erected in the flood plain of the Dee a short distance to the E of the Pont Fawr. The two bridges were linked by a raised, parapeted carriageway, probably in the late C18 or early C19, at which time the bridge was doubled in width on the N side.

Exterior

Five-span road bridge incorporated within a raised parapetted carriageway. This connects the bridge to the main Dee bridge, the Pont Fawr, approximately 60m to the E. Of rubble construction, the carriageway raised up approximately 2.5m above the flood plain and with rubble parapets standing to an average height of 0.80m; slate-stone slab copings. The bridge section is approximately 25m in length and has five segmental arches. These have rough-dressed voussoirs recessed below archrings of narrow stones, and have low triangular cutwaters to the primary (southern) section, with flat surmounting buttresses. On the N side are similar flat dividing buttresses.

The carriageway section to the W of the bridge has a rebuilt parapet to the N side, though the original slab copings have been reused. Immediately W of the bridge is a 4-span flood arch arrangement with flat slatestone lintels; this is contemporary with the raised carriageway. To the E of the bridge section the parapet walls continue for some 30m on either side; on the N side, immediately E of the bridge, is a modern replacement section with large platform buttress to the river side (dated 1983-4).

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a C17 or C18 5-span bridge, widened and linked to the neighbouring Pont Fawr in the early C19.