3235

 

II*  

Designated  

08/10/1981  

05/05/2006  

Toll house at Conwy Suspension Bridge  

 

Conwy  

Conwy  

Conwy  

Afon Conwy  

278592  

377549  

 

On the E side of Conwy Suspension Bridge.  

Recreational  

 

Conwy suspension bridge was built 1822-6 on the Chester to Holyhead Road. Its engineer was Thomas Telford who probably also designed the contemporary adjacent lodge. According to Samuel Lewis, it was in 1833 a lodge for the bridge surveyor (there was a toll house on the town side of the bridge) but it was a toll house by 1891, when the road was part of the public highway but a toll was still payable to cross the bridge. Its function ceased when the new Conway Bridge opened in 1958 and since 1965 has been owned by The National Trust.  

A castellated single-storey toll house of ashlar on a slightly battered base, and a cruciform plan comprising higher central bay and lower outer bays. Each has hipped slate roof behind embattled parapet, and higher round corner turrets with blind loops and battlements. The entrance is in the central bay, a Tudor-headed door with vertical ribs, studs and strap hinges. It is flanked by narrow leaded windows. Above it is a renewed frieze of octagons. A central blind upper opening has a renewed painted toll board, flanked by blind loops. Outer bays and end walls have Tudor-headed windows with diamond-leaded glazing. The rear has a similar window in the central bay, and similar openings to blind windows in the outer bays. The central bay also has a frieze matching the font.  

The central bay is 2 rooms deep. Rooms have late C19 fireplaces.  

Listed grade II* as an early C19 well-preserved and well-designed lodge, and for group value with Conwy Suspension Bridge.