Gwynedd Archaeological
Trust Regional Historic Environment Record
Suspension Bridge, Conwy
Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 12743 Trust : Gwynedd Community : Conwy Unitary authority : Conwy NGR : SH785775 Site Type (preferred type first) : POST MEDIEVAL BRIDGE Status : Listed Building I
Summary : In 1821, an Act of Parliament was passed providing £40, 000 for the erection of a bridge at Conwy in response to complaints made about the ferry men at this point. Rather than using a plan submitted by Rennie in 1802, which included a high-level bridge and a roadway through the castle, Thomas Telford was employed to construct the Conwy suspension bridge. The first stone was laid in 1822, and the bridge opened in 1826.
The wide Conwy estuary is blocked by an embankment, over 600m long, across the eastern channel of the river to the formerly isolated rock known as Ir-Ynys-Tuor-y-Castell. From this rock to the west shore below Conwy Castle is Telford's suspension bridge, which has a total span of 99.5m.
The wrought iron chains which suspend the deck are supported by two pairs of solid ashlar limestone towers, over 12m tall and nearly 4m in diameter. Each pair of towers is linked by castellated walls containing the 3m-wide carriageway arches.
The present deck was added in 1896. The original was probably made up of a light iron framework braced by bars on the underside, which carried two layers of fir planks. In 1904 a footbridge for pedestrians was added to the downstream side of the bridge.
A new road bridge was constructed in the 1950s, at which time it was proposed that Telford's bridge be demolished. This led to outcry and so the bridge, which no longer carries traffic, has been in the care of the National Trust ever since.
Description : 1826, Thomas Telford single span, chains carried on plain stone towers with battlement cresting. <1>
Telford's great suspension bridge, which carried the Holyhead Road over the Menai Straits, was the most difficult and ambitious project on this vital route linking London and Dublin. Schemes had been put forward for the bridging of these perilous waters by Golborne, Jessop and Rennie, but the Admiralty stipulated that shipping must at all times have a clear passage through the Straits, even during construction. Any bridge would thus require unprecedented span and height built by an entirely new method. Telford solved the problem by designing a suspension bridge. (He had gained experience of this type of bridge while working on an abortive scheme at Runcorn, when he also met Sir Samuel Brown). Built between 1818 and 1826, the Menai Bridge has the very great span of 580ft (130ft longer than any hitherto) with headroom of 100ft. <2>
A suspension bridge designed by Thomas Telford, and built 1822-6 as part of the London to Holyhead road. It crosses the channel between a small island in the river to the rocks on the west shore, and consists of two supporting pillars which carry two sets of 4 chains. The pillers are designed as twin battlemented towers with central gateway in order to harmonise with the castle. The remainder of the river was crossed by a long causeway. (Berks and Davidson, 2006)
Excavation of four trenches to investigate whether the original road and surface and structure of the suspended railway had survived. Excavation was unable to have more than five trenches du to the location. Disappeared features of the bridge before investigation - suspended pipe bridge on the south side and a foot bridge on the north side. (Latham and Barfoot 1995)
Events : 41488 : Conwy Estuary Strategic Route Development (year : 2004) 40652 : Ports and Harbours of Gwynedd: A Threat Related Assessment (year : 2006) 45405 : Thomas Telford's Holyhead Road: The A5 in north Wales (year : 2003)
