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.
Date of Designation
07/08/1997
Date of Amendment
07/08/1997
Name of Property
Bridge 60, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Unitary Authority
Torfaen
Locality
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
Location
At the north end of New Inn Community about 800m south west of Mamhilad and providing access to Govera Cottage and Lower Govera Farm.
History
The Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal was promoted in 1792 to connect the upper Usk valley to the Monmouthshire Canal at Pontymoile and from there to the sea at Newport. Construction began in 1797, with Thomas Dadford Jnr. as engineer, and the first section, from Gilwern to Llangynidr was completed in that year with the stretch as far as Brecon following in 1800. Work then stopped for a time with the result that the section to the Blaenavon Road east of Govilon was not completed until 1805, now with Thomas Cartwright as engineer. Further funds had to be raised and the last section from west of Llanfoist to Pontymoile was completed betwen 1809 and 1812, with William Crossley as engineer. Linked to the tramroads the canal was an important artery for trade in iron, lime and coal. In 1865 the Monmouthshire and the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal Companies merged becoming the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Company. Later still in 1880 the canal was bought out by the Great Western Railway and gradually the canal was run down until it was abandoned finally in 1962. Restoration work was begun in 1964, and the canal is once again open between Pontymoile and Brecon with the title Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
Exterior
Accommodation bridge on a slight skew over the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. Semi-elliptical arch with voussoirs; squared, faced and coursed stone; parapet with slab coping; curving abutments. Bridge number on south face of arch. Towpath runs beneath bridge arch on east side. Great Western Railway 'No locomotives..' sign at east end of bridge. The arch has been reinforced by steel rails, presumably by the Great Western Railway.
Reason for designation
Included for its special interest as one of the surviving early C19 bridges on this canal.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]