Pont Gihirych

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of the remains of a bridge, dating to the post-medieval period. Pont Gihirych is a highway bridge built in the mid 18th century, which formerly took the carriage road from the Swansea Valley to Defynnog over the Gihirych brook. The road was diverted to the east in about the 1920's to take a more level course. It is constructed of rubble stone and has a single segmental arch. The arch has dressed voussoirs and a keystone, with a corbelled arch ring above. A recessed stone plaque on the downstream or north-west side reads 'John Downes 1764'. There are long curving wing walls with parapets of rubble stone and random rubble copings set vertically, continuing across the deck. The road surface across the bridge and either side is of large limestone blocks with crushed limestone infilled. The formation on either side falls steeply to the bridge, illustrating the poor grading of pre-turnpike roads.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of post-medieval construction techniques and transportation systems. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.