Llawhaden Bridge is a Grade II*

listed Listed may refer to: * Listed, Bornholm, a fishing village on the Danish island of Bornholm * Listed (MMM program), a television show on MuchMoreMusic * Endangered species in biology * Listed building, in architecture, designation of a historicall ...

medieval stone arch bridge spanning the

Eastern Cleddau The River Cleddau ( cy, Afon Cleddau) consists of the Eastern and Western Cleddau rivers in Pembrokeshire, west Wales. They unite to form the Daugleddau estuary and the important harbour of Milford Haven. The name of the combined estuary – ...

river near

Llawhaden Llawhaden ( cy, Llanhuadain) is a village, parish and community in the Hundred of Dungleddy ( cy, Daugleddyf), Pembrokeshire, West Wales. The community of Llawhaden includes the parish of Robeston Wathen, part of Narberth and the hamlet of Gell ...

village in

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

, in the

community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...

of Llawhaden and about upstream of the river's tidal limit at

Canaston Bridge Canaston Bridge is the location in Pembrokeshire, southwest Wales where the A40 road, A40 trunk road crosses the River Cleddau#Eastern Cleddau, Eastern Cleddau. It is on the edge of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, northeast of Pembroke, P ...

. It is a scheduled ancient monument.

Location

The bridge carries a minor road indirectly from the village of Llawhaden across the river towards

Clynderwen Clynderwen ( cy, Clunderwen; ) is a rural linear village and community (Wales), community, Historic counties of Wales, historically in Carmarthenshire in Wales, but administered as part of Pembrokeshire. It lies on the A478 road, A478 Tenby to Ca ...

and Narberth. The bridge is on the

Landsker Borderlands Trail The Landsker Borderlands Trail is a waymarked long distance footpath in the United Kingdom running through Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire in West Wales. The route is circular. The route The route takes the walker away from the popular tou ...

.Ordnance Survey

History

The present structure dates from the mid-18th century. The Royal Commission states that the bridge dates from the 18th century, but says this is disputed. The earliest known illustration of a bridge below the castle is 1740. The original bridge was probably altered or rebuilt by the Skyrme family of Llawhaden House when they established a corn mill and a new left-bank road in 1765. The bridge fell into decay over the rest of the 18th century and John Rees (another reliable source says James) of Nevern was contracted to repair it in 1809. His contract for £190 included maintenance for seven years, and part of the works included new parapets and river walls. The west arch, originally over the tail-race of the mill, became a land arch when the race dried up following the mill's falling out of use. Other remedial work was carried out subsequently.

Structure

A 1740 engraving of

Llawhaden Castle Llawhaden Castle ( cy, Castell Llanhuadain) is a ruined castle in Llawhaden, Pembrokeshire, Wales, east of Haverfordwest. A motte-and-bailey castle is thought to have previously occupied the site and the present structure was built by the bi ...

shows the bridge with five arches and another in 1769 shows the bridge with possibly more than seven. The bridge was not named on a pre-1850 parish map, but is marked as an ancient monument on modern maps. The 1809 reconstruction reduced the bridge to three semicircular arches. The central arch spans about , with the other two arches slightly smaller. The carriageway is wide. The two piers have cutwaters, which rise to pedestrian refuges. The east pier, and the only one now standing permanently in water, has had modern protective work. The east parapet extends some way beyond the bridge. The main arches are constructed of ashlar limestone, and the parapets are rubble stone.

References

{{reflist Bridges in Pembrokeshire Grade II* listed buildings in Pembrokeshire