Cresswell Bridge

Cadw's description

Location

400 m N of Cresswell Quay, the bridge carries the lowest road crossing the tidal estuary of the Cresswell River. It is partly in Jeffreyston Community.

History

Possibly contemporary with the nearby ruined residence in Lawrenny, associated with Bishop Barlow, and if so perhaps of C16 origin. The arches may survive from the original structure.

The bridge was adopted as a County Bridge. The carriageway was raised and parapets rebuilt. The style of workmanship indicates that it may have been repaired by John Evans in the early years of the C18; the construction of the parapets is recognisably similar to other bridges by Evanns, such as Ford Bridge.

Exterior

A bridge in uncoursed hammer-dressed masonry of local sandstone, with two low segmental arches each of about 5 m span, and cutwaters both upstream and downstream. The voussoirs are deep and rough. The bridge crosses the stream at about 30 degrees. Above the cutwaters are pedestrian refuges with some additional corbelling (on the downstream side) to support them. Some masonry on the downstream side is apparently a repair, in a different stone.

The whole bridge including its long N approach is about 100 m in length, and 3.6 m wide between the parapets. The road is carried at a high level above the adjacent fields to be clear of the water level at spring high tide.

The bridge parapets have upright coping stones weathered outwards, and bond-stones into the mass of the parapets at intervals. There is a stile and steps down to the right bank below the bridge.

Reason for designation

Listed as a good example of a County Bridge as repaired C.1800, well preserved, and retaining earlier arches.