18734

 

II  

Designated  

07/08/1997  

07/08/1997  

Bridge 56, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal  

 

Torfaen  

New Inn  

Pontypool  

Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal  

329877  

201146  

 

North of the Usk Road about 200m south of Ty-poeth Farm.  

Transport  

 

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.  

Accommodation and footpath bridge 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.  

 

Included for its special interest as one of the unaltered surviving early C19 bridges on this canal.