A chain or suspension bridge has spanned the River Dee at this location since 1817. The first bridge was erected by Exuperius Pickering to transport coal, lime and bar iron from the Ellesmere Canal across the River Dee to the Holyhead Road (A5), avoiding the tolls on Llangollen Bridge (NPRN 24051). The first bridge became dilapidated in the 1870s and was reconstructed around 1876 on the same design as the first. The second bridge was damaged by flooding in February 1928. Henry Robertson the owner of the bridge decided to erect a new bridge on the same lines as the Menai suspension bridge, reusing the old chains. The wrought iron chains that previously supported the decking from below were re-used becoming the new suspension chains above the bridge. Brymbo Steel Works rebuilt the bridge in 1929 and it was in use until 1984 when it was closed on safety grounds. It is believed that the chains on the bridge are the oldest known surviving suspension chains still in use.
Rachel Leung, RCAHMW, 1 April 2010.
Resources
DownloadTypeSourceDescription
application/mswordPCU - Pontcysyllte UNESCO Workplace Bursary ArchiveDigital notes of an extract in French, with a translation, realting to Llantysilio Chain Bridge, from an original volume by J. Dutens, entitled "Memoires sur les publics de l'Angleterre", held by the British Library.
application/pdfDSC - RCAHMW Digital Survey CollectionSurvey depiction in pdf format from an RCAHMW survey of Llantisilio Chain Bridge, carried out by Susan Fielding and Rachel Leung, February 2009.
application/mswordDSC - RCAHMW Digital Survey CollectionDigital archive coversheet from an RCAHMW survey of Llantisilio Chain Bridge, carried out by Susan Fielding and Rachel Leung, February 2009.
application/mswordPCU - Pontcysyllte UNESCO Workplace Bursary ArchiveDigital notes concerning the construction of Llantysilio Chain Bridge, transcribed from The Monthly Magazine 32 (1812) by Rachel Leung.
