Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Pont Sarn-Ddu (also known as 'Roman Bridge')
Dolwyddelan, Conwy, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Roman Bridge Railway Station, Dolwyddelan, Conwy, designated on 17 March 1953.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Transport
- Date of designation
- 17 March 1953
- Locality
- Roman Bridge Railway Station
- Community
- Dolwyddelan
- Unitary authority
- Conwy
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 53.04598, -3.92397
- Cadw reference
- 3157
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1896 · Sheet 7. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1899 · 119 Snowdon (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
Spanning the Afon Lledr and carrying the road from Dolwyddelan to Blaenau Dolwyddelan some 300m N of Roman Bridge railway station.
History
Original crossing point over the Afon Lledr of the primary (Roman) road from Ffestiniog to Dolwyddelan, and apparently always bridged rather than forded; shown as such in a map of 1794. Although the construction of the bridge gives few clues as to its antiquity, it is not inconceivable that, despite alterations and partial rebuilding, the piers might be Medieval or earlier. Lateral projections on the piers suggest anchoring points for timber struts, implying that the bridge was originally of timber on rubble piers, and only later provided with slatestone lintels. The parapetted approaches are probably C18 or early C19.
Exterior
Clapper bridge of 8 spans, approximately 18m long with long parapetted approaches of similar length, rising slightly at the bridge ends. Rectangular rubble piers, rounded upstream as cutwaters; massive lintels of slatestone. Downstream the piers have slatestone projections on their N and S (inner) faces, half way up, which possibly relate to timber supporting struts in the original construction. The two northern-most piers and their abutments appear to have been rebuilt. Above, modern concrete kerbs and low slatestone copings for steel balustrade; simple datestone to this of 1955. The rubble approach parapets have roughly-dressed slate-slab copings and are splayed slightly at the S end.
Reason for designation
Listed for its special interest as a particularly long, historic clapper bridge of probable early origins.
Nearby in the register
- Ty'n y Ddol Medieval Long HutPlatform houseunder 1 mi
- Castell DolwyddelanCastleunder 1 mi
- Dolwyddelan CastleDefenceunder 1 mi
- Tomen y CastellMotteunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.