King’s Bridge, Berwyn, near Llangollen

button-theme-canalKing’s Bridge, Berwyn, near Llangollen

This is no ordinary canal bridge, as it might seem when first viewed from the towpath. The arch over the canal feeder channel is one of five. The others cross the river Dee.

The bridge was intended as a “permanent memorial” of the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902, when the local council decided to build it. Contractor John Strachan of Cardiff began construction in July 1903. He was an experienced builder, having worked on numerous railways as well as docks in Cardiff and Bristol.

The king gave his approval for the bridge’s name, via the Home Office, in May 1905. By then, people had started using the King’s Bridge although it wasn’t officially open. One of them stopped on the bridge to play God Save the King on a piano he was transporting from Llangollen to Llantysilio!

The bridge carried a new road from Thomas Telford’s London to Holyhead coach road (now the A5) to Llantysilio. South of the bridge, the road passes under the railway viaduct near Berwyn station.

John Thomas of Llantysilio Hall (north of the bridge) contributed £100 towards the construction but died two years before the bridge was finished. Indian tea plantations had contributed to his family fortune. His racehorses had won him various trophies at Indian racecourses.

Another £1,000 came from Royal Navy captain John Charles Best of Plas-yn-Vivod Hall (south of the bridge) along with his wife Mary and their son, Captain William Best of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

Other contributors included Denbighshire County Council (£1,000), ironmaster Sir Henry Robertson (£300) and the Great Western Railway (£250).

Postcode: LL20 8BS    View Location Map

Canal & River Trust website – Llangollen Canal

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