Conwy Suspension Bridge

Conwy Suspension Bridge was built between 1822 and 1826 by Thomas Telford to carry the Chester to Holyhead road across the River Conwy, replacing a ferry notorious for its tides; at 99.5 metres it is one of the oldest bridges of its kind still standing. Telford chose the site under the medieval castle for its solid foundations and designed the toll house beside the starburst gate, where in the 1890s David and Maria Williams kept the bridge open every day of the year, taking tolls around the clock and selling vegetables from their garden to people crossing. The last car crossed in November 1958 once the road bridge opened, and when Conwy residents voted in 1965 to demolish it the National Trust raised the money to save it. Today it is free to walk or cycle across, with the 1890s toll charges displayed above the toll-house door and a small garden of flowers and vegetables at the far end. Reviewers come for the views of the castle and estuary and to look closely at the ironwork. One tip: there is no parking at the bridge itself, so use the pay-and-display car parks in town.