Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Morfa Bridge
Bonymaen, Swansea, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Morfa, Swansea, Bonymaen, designated on 22 October 2003.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- No class recorded
- Date of designation
- 22 October 2003
- Locality
- Morfa
- Town
- Swansea
- Community
- Bonymaen
- Unitary authority
- Swansea
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.64184, -3.93158
- Cadw reference
- 81960
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
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1636 · Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ... (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1637 · The fourth table of England. Cornub. Devonia, Somerset etc. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1865 · England and Wales. England No. 6. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1891 · Sheet 10. Ordnance Survey of England and Wales. . (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1897 · 247 Swansea (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
Across the River Tawe, beside the entrance to Swansea Athletic Stadium.
History
Iron and timber bascule bridge built 1909 for Williams, Foster and Company. It provided a rail link between the Morfa Works and waste tips on the E side of the Tawe. The bridge has a water tank under its W end which when filled caused the main deck of the bridge to lift clear of its timber supports.
Exterior
Iron and timber bascule bridge with coursed rubble abutments with raked revetment walls, raised twin piers with pyramidal cappings. Timber deck with modern handrails supported by braced timber piers with raked supports. Wider centre bay with square timber pier on W bank supports ironwork girder frame to counterpoised lifting deck (formerly with hydraulic power but now fixed).
Reason for designation
Included as a rare survival of the historically important lifting and swivelling bridges on the lower Afon Tawe. Scheduled Ancient Monument GM392.
Nearby in the register
- Morfa BridgeTransportunder 1 mi
- Morfa Bridge and QuaysBridgeunder 1 mi
- Morfa QuayMaritimeunder 1 mi
- Quay walls at former Upper Bank WorksNo class recordedunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.