:Crickhowell Bridge
{{Short description|Bridge in Crickhowell, mid Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox bridge
|bridge_name = Crickhowell Bridge
|native_name =
|native_name_lang =
|image = Crickhowell, Wales IMG 0406.jpg - panoramio.jpg
|image_upright = 1.3
|caption =
|carries = Vehicles and pedestrian traffic
|crosses = River Usk
|locale = Crickhowell, Powys, Wales
|id =
|designer =
|design =
|material = Rubble stone
|length = {{convert|128.00|m|abbr=on}}
|width={{convert|4.00|m|abbr=on}}
|height =
|load =
|spans =
|pierswater =
|clearance =
|below =
|traffic =
|begin = Origins 1538, rebuilt 1706, expanded 1810
|complete =
|open =
|closed =
|toll =
|coordinates = {{coord|51.8564|-3.1423|region:GB|display=inline,title}}
|extra = {{Designation list
| embed = yes
| designation1 = Grade I listed building
| designation1_offname = Crickhowell Bridge (partly in Crickhowell community)
| designation1_type =
| designation1_criteria =
| designation1_date = 21 October 1978
| delisted1_date =
| designation1_number = 20716
| designation2 = Scheduled Monument
| designation2_offname = Crickhowell Bridge
| designation2_type =
| designation2_criteria =
| designation2_date =
| delisted2_date =
| designation2_number = BR005}}
}}
Crickhowell Bridge is an 18th-century bridge that spans the River Usk in Crickhowell, Powys, Wales. The main A4077 road to Gilwern crosses it. The bridge is claimed to be the longest stone bridge in Wales{{Citation|author=Winn, Christopher |title=I Never Knew That About Wales |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LW-7nmW_diEC&pg=PA24 |publisher=Ebury Press |page=24 |year=2007 |isbn=978-0-0919-1858-3}}{{cite web |title=Crickhowell |url=http://tourism.powys.gov.uk/crickhowell.php |publisher=Explore Mid Wales (Powys County Council) |accessdate=8 January 2015 |archive-date=18 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718063758/http://tourism.powys.gov.uk/crickhowell.php |url-status=dead }} at over {{convert|128|m}}. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled monument.
History and description
The bridge is first documented in 1538{{Cadw|num=20716|desc=Crickhowell Bridge (partly in Crickhowell community)|grade=I||access-date=3 September 2023}} and is believed to have existed since medieval times, originally constructed from timber.{{cite web |title=Crickhowell Bridge Survey – River Usk, Fish Passage Proposals |url=http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/news/consultations.php |publisher=The Wye Usk Foundation |pages=1/2 |date=8 March 2012 |format=pdf |accessdate=1 January 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101162453/http://www.wyeuskfoundation.org/news/consultations.php |archive-date=1 January 2015 |url-status=dead }} In 1706 it was completely rebuilt in stone with additional arches, at a cost of £400. It was replaced by a temporary bridge in 1808 after being severely damaged by flooding and the repaired bridge, in 1810, was widened on the northwest (upstream) side (the downstream side remains original to 1706). The bridge engineer was Benjamin James (of Llangattock) and the cost totalled £2,300.{{Citation|editor=Skempton, Alec |title=A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers – Volume I – 1500–1830 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jeOMfpYMOtYC&pg=PA357 |publisher=Thomas Telford Publishing |pages=356/7 |year=2002 |isbn=0-7277-2939-X}} In 1828–30 the northeast end was altered, reducing the upstream length by one arch by combining the two largest upstream arches into one.{{cite web|title=Crickhowell Bridge |url=http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=1377 |publisher=Engineering-Timelines.com |accessdate=1 January 2015}} The bridge was substantially repaired in 1928 and again in 1979, to repair cracking caused by motor vehicles. In 2011 part of the parapet was demolished by a car, following a police chase.{{cite news|title=Crickhowell Bridge damaged during police car chase |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-15517782 |work=BBC News |date=31 October 2011 |accessdate=8 January 2015}}
Crickhowell Bridge is unusual (due to the 1828 alterations) in that it has a different number of arches upstream (12) from downstream (13). On the (original) downstream side, the arches are recessed, though not on the upstream side. The bridge has V-shaped cutwaters to both sides with pedestrian refuges above. Construction is of rubble masonry with flat coping stones on the parapets. The bridge is {{convert|128|m|ft}} long and has a minimum width of {{convert|4|m|ft}} between parapets.
The bridge became a Grade I listed structure in 1998, being "one of Wales' finest early bridges". It is also a Scheduled monument.{{Cadw|uid=1703|num=BR005|desc=Crickhowell Bridge|class=SM|access-date=3 September 2023}}
See also
References
{{reflist|colwidth=35em}}
{{Commons category|Crickhowell Bridge}}
Category:Bridges over the River Usk
Category:Transport infrastructure completed in 1706
Category:Grade I listed bridges in Wales
Category:Grade I listed buildings in Powys
Category:Road bridges in Wales
Category:Bridges completed in 1706