Heading over the Menai Suspension Bridge

Heading over the Menai Suspension Bridge for the first time. After the Bank Holiday weekend, the weather had gone colder and wetter. Wasn't like this all week in North Wales though!

Heading from the Bangor, Gwynedd side of the bridge over to the Menai Bridge Town side on the Isle of Anglesey.

The Menai Suspension Bridge was designed by Thomas Telford and opened in 1826.

It carries the A5.

The Menai Suspension Bridge (Welsh: Pont Grog y Borth) is a suspension bridge to carry road traffic between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales. The bridge was designed by Thomas Telford and completed in 1826 and is a Grade I listed building.

Menai Suspension Bridge

History

Built 1818 to 1826 by Thomas Telford. This renowned bridge completed the London to Holyhead Turnpike Road. The site was chosen because its steep banks enabled the erection of a high bridge to satisfy the Admiralty's requirements. The construction was a development of Telford's own design for an unexecuted bridge over the Mersey and that by Captain Brown for a bridge over the Tweed. Opened 30 January 1826 - 100ft high (30.5 metres), 28ft ( 8.5 metres) wide roadway and with a single suspended span of 579ft ( 176.5 metres); 130ft (39.6 metres) longer than any previously built bridge. Reconstructed 1938-40 by Sir Alexander Gibb, for Dorman Long and Company. The chains were moved from their original central position to their present location and the toll house on the Anglesey side was demolished, the suspending members being anchored to either side of the new roadway. Work was completed and the bridge freed from tolls on 31st December 1940

Exterior

Coursed rubble Penmon masonry with ashlar facings to the tapered suspension towers or 'pyramids' from which the deck is hung on a system of 16 chains (originally iron, now steel) with pins. These are carried down at either end to a point deep into the rock. Four arches to Anglesey side and 3 to Bangor side, over tapered piers; voussoirs, impost bands and bracket cornice above. The later metal pedestrian walkways are further bracketed out; originally there was just the narrow central pavement. Each carriageway passes under the towers through semicircular arched openings, matched above by paired blind recesses over inscribed tablets. The handrails continue as far as the low tapered piers with pyramidal caps at each end and on the mainland side trellised railings continue to either side and sweep round to terminate in similar piers with panelled recesses.

Reasons for Listing

Listed Grade I as an exceptional example of early C19 engineering work, remarkable for its structural virtuosity and the resulting aesthetic effect. An essential part of Telford's great scheme to link London and Holyhead.

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Taken in: United Kingdom / Wales / Gwynedd (show map)

Taken on: May 8, 2018

Tags:

Bangor

Wales

Great Britain

Gwynedd

Bangor, Gwynedd

Caernarfonshire

car

tree

trees

Anglesey

Isle of Anglesey

Ynys Mon

Menai Bridge

Menai Bridge Town

Porthaethwy

Y Borth

Menai Strait

Menai Suspension Bridge

Thomas Telford

Grade I listed

Grade I listed building

London to Holyhead Turnpike Road

Alexander Gibb

Dorman Long and Company

Coursed rubble Penmon masonry with ashlar facings

deck is hung on a system of 16 chains (originally iron, now steel) with pins

rain

raining

Pont Y Borth « less

Sets appears in: • Bangor • Menai Suspension Bridge

Groups appears in: • Bridges of the World • Historic Bridges more » • Thomas Telford • Anglesey - Ynys Mon • (Officially) Wales's Best Buildings • Wales' Best Buildings and Monuments • 2018 In The UK and Ireland « less

Camera: Panasonic DMC-FZ72, f/4.1, 1/320 sec, 10.3mm, ISO 160 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Panasonic DMC-FZ72
Aperture:	f/4.1
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/320)
Focal Length:	10.3mm
ISO:	160
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Gain Control:	Low gain up
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Ver.1.0
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