Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Castle Bridge
Brecon, Powys, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Transport
- Date of designation
- 16 December 1976
- Town
- Brecon
- Community
- Brecon
- Unitary authority
- Powys
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.94907, -3.39285
- Cadw reference
- 6859
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 LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1608 "(13) Cambriae Typus." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
Spanning the River Honddu at the bottom end of Castle Street.
History
Perhaps early-to-mid C19, but with earlier origins. The River Honddu is notorious for flooding and sweeping away its bridges. Theophilus Jones believed the bridge to have been originally the drawbridge to the castle, and Hugh Thomas, writing in C17, describes the bridge thus; "a stone bridge of two arches, one of them being to be drawn up at pleasure". In the Bucks' print, the bridge appears to rise more steeply following the approach to the castle. Although damaged in the great flood of 1853, Castle Bridge was one of only 3
bridges over the Honddu to survive. In the early C20, footways (now removed) were added to both sides of the bridge. Major restoration 2004/2005 when parapets were reinstated in stone.
Exterior
Stone bridge of 2 deep segmental arches with massive central pier. Reinstated stone parapets.
Reason for designation
Historic bridge linking the old town with the castle. Group Value with adjacent listed buildings.
Nearby in the register
- 18 Castle StreetDomesticunder 1 mi
- 13 Castle StreetDomesticunder 1 mi
- Stone Wall to NE of Castle Hotel which faces River Honddu, including Stone Outbuilding at N endTransportunder 1 mi
- 19 Castle StreetNo class recordedunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.