Pont Llandeilo-yr-ynys (partly in Llanegwad Community)

Cadw's description

Location

Across River Towy 8km east of Carmarthen.

History

A less-known bridge designed by the Rev William Edwards of Eglwysilan (1719-89), the designer of Pontypridd bridge (1755) and other important South Wales bridges, or by his son David. It was built for the Llandilo Rwnws Bridge Trust established in 1784, the purpose of which was to exploit the Llanddarog lime and limestone traffic which had previously crossed the Towy by a ford at this location. It was completed in 1787 at a cost of £1200.
This was a bridge at which the charging of extortionate tolls was a factor in the Rebecca Riots. The gate was at the southern approach, the tollhouse on the west side. The tolls were later rented from John Jones, of Ystrad (Capel Dewi) by the trustees of the Three Commotts Turnpike Trust, to whom the ownership was eventually transferred in the early C19. After the turnpikes reorganisation of 1845 the bridge was operated by the County Roads Board. It was restored in 1931 after serious flood damage and also in 1933.
Also known as Pont Llandeilo'r-ynys, Rhynnws Bridge, Pont-newydd or Newbridge.

Exterior

A fine limestone bridge of three equal 15m spans, in randomly coursed masonry. The carriageway is about 3.6m wide between parapets. The arches are semicircular, formed with deep narrow ashlar voussoirs; there are no keystones. The cutwater buttresses between the arches both upstream and downstream are carried up to form pedestrian refuges. The parapets have large flat rock-faced copings. At each end they fan out slightly.

Reason for designation

Listed as a fine late-C18 bridge by an important architect/builder with special social historical interest in connection with the Rebecca Riots.