Φωτογραφίες

The Menai Bridge was built between 1819 and 1826 to link the Isle of Anglesey to mainland Wales. Following the Act of Union of 1800 when Ireland became part of the United Kingdom traffick had increased dramatically between London and Ireland via the port of Holyhead on Anglesey and it was decided to replace the ferries that crossed the Menai Straits between Anglesey and Caernarfon with a bridge.

The bridge itself had to be at least 100ft above sea level so as to allow clearance beneath the bridge for the passage of sailing ships through the straits. Thomas Telford (1757-1834) a Scottish born civil engineer won the contract with his design for a suspension bridge consisting of 16 massive iron chains
strung between two stone towers holding up the road surface which had a clear span of 579 feet between the towers.

The iron chains were replaced with steel chains and the bridge strengthened in 1938-40.

Telford was also responsible for building the A5 trunk road between London and Holyhead of which the Menai Bridge was a part.