Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
13497
Building Number
Grade
I
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
25/05/1962
Date of Amendment
26/02/2001
Name of Property
Pontypridd Bridge
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Rhondda Cynon Taff
Community
Pontypridd
Town
Pontypridd
Locality
Pontypridd
Easting
307418
Northing
190421
Street Side
Location
Spanning the River Taff on the N side of the town centre.
Description
Broad Class
Transport
Period
History
Pontypridd Bridge was completed in 1756 and was the last of 4 bridges designed and built in the same place by William Edwards. The first bridge, of 3 arched bays, was begun in 1746 but was swept away two years later. The second bridge, of a single span, collapsed in 1751. Edwards solved the problem of the pressure on an unusually wide arch by piercing the spandrels. This has proved successful and together with its high arch has formed the distinct character of the bridge. For 40 years the bridge was the widest span bridge in Britain (until Sunderland Bridge of 1796) and the widest in stone until London Bridge of 1831.
William Edwards (1719-89) was an Independent minister and a self-taught civil engineer. The Pontypridd bridge is his chief work, although he also built bridges at Usk, Pontardawe, Betws (Glamorgan), Aberavon and Glasbury.
Exterior
A graceful high-arched bridge with a single span of 42.7m. Of rubble stone, it has stone parapets with plain copings, at the apex of which is a renewed tablet commemorating the efforts of William Edwards and the repair of bridge in 1798 by Edward David and Thomas Evan. The distinct character of the bridge is derived from the 3 circular holes pierced in the spandrels of 2.7m, 1.8m and 0.9m diameter respectively, in ascending order. The deck now has renewed concrete steps. The parapet on the S side is attached to the parapet of the adjacent Victoria Bridge.
Interior
Reason for designation
Listed grade I as an C18 civil engineering achievement of national British importance.
Scheduled Ancient Monument Gm 015.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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