British Listed Buildings

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Rhandirmwyn Bridge (partly in Llanfair-ar-y-Bryn community)

A Grade II Listed Building in Cilycwm (Cil-y-cwm), Carmarthenshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.087 / 52°5'13"N

Longitude: -3.8002 / 3°48'0"W

OS Eastings: 276753

OS Northings: 244708

OS Grid: SN767447

Mapcode National: GBR Y4.BN0J

Mapcode Global: VH5DJ.2TV0

Entry Name: Rhandirmwyn Bridge (partly in Llanfair-ar-y-Bryn community)

Listing Date: 5 September 2018

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 87778

Building Class: Transport

Location: Crossing the River Towy approx. 2km NW of the village of Rhandirmwyn

County: Carmarthenshire

Community: Cilycwm (Cil-y-cwm)

Community: Llanfair-ar-y-Bryn

Traditional County: Carmarthenshire

History

Built 1913 as a replacement for two fords and a footbridge across the River Towy at a point on its upper reaches where it is joined by the Gwenffrwd river. A new section of road was built to the NE at the same time (replacing the path from the footbridge) to the farm of Broncwrt and then joining the road from Rhandirmwyn. Designed by HA Ellis Engineer of Swansea and built by Rees & Kirby Ltd of Morriston using a Warren truss design. The Warren Truss had been patented by James Warren and Willoughby Theobald Monzani in 1848 and enabled bridges to be strong and light using lighter weight elements in its construction and ideal for modular prefabricated bridges. Rhandirmwyn bridge would have been fabricated in Swansea and transported to its remote location (probably by train to Llandovery) in kit form, or possibly partially assembled, and then finally constructed in situ.

Exterior

Road bridge, steel construction of Warren type truss girders with rigid joints and 3 braced cross beams. Tarmac surface to the road deck, deck supported by cross beams. Cast plate at end ‘RHANDIRMWYN BRDIGE 1913 – H.A. Ellis SWANSEA ENGINEER – REES & KIRBY LTD MORRISTON BRIDGE BUILDERS’. Stone roadside curtain walls with piers and brick dressings attached to both NE and SW sides.

Reasons for Listing

Included for its special architectural interest as a rare example of a Warren truss bridge, an unusual type of steel road bridge. Its form of construction using lightweight prefabricated components is well suited to the remote location of the upper Towy valley. It is also of historic importance as an example of an improvement to road transport in a rural area of Wales.
This structure has been afforded Interim Protection under the Planning (Listed Building and Conservation Areas) Act 1990. It is an offence to damage this structure and you may be prosecuted.
To find out more about Interim Protection, please visit the statutory notices page on the Cadw website. For further information about this structure, or to report any damage please contact Cadw.

Recommended Books

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Rhandirmwyn Bridge (partly in Cilycwm community)
    Crossing the River Towy approx. 2km NW of the village of Rhandirmwyn
  • II Broncwrt
    Situated some 600m NW of Nant-y-Bai, to the left of the road leading to Llyn Brianne. Stone walled farmyard to right of house, with L-shaped farm ranges.
  • II Nant y Bai Mill
    At Nant-y-Bai, below and to the left of the road leading to Llyn Brianne.
  • II Capel Salem
    Situated down drive off the road leading to Llyn Brianne, NW of the centre of Rhandirmwyn.
  • II Ty'r Ysgol
    Situated approximately 450m NE of the crossroads at the centre of Rhandirmwyn.
  • II Troedrhiwbeynon
    Situated on S side of Gwenffrwd valley on road from Rhandirmwyn to Cwrtycadno, some 1.5 km NW of Rhandirmwyn Bridge.
  • II Cowshed at Troedrhiwbeynon
    Situated on S side of Gwenffrwd valley on road from Rhandirmwyn to Cwrtycadno, some 1.5 km NW of Rhandirmwyn Bridge.
  • II Church of St Barnabas
    Situated in Rhandirmwyn some 300m W of the crossroads in the village centre.

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