Thomas Telford's Menai Suspension Bridge opens (1826)

Thomas Telford's Menai Suspension Bridge opened on 30 January 1826, connecting Anglesey to the Welsh mainland. Designed as part of the Holyhead Road, it was one of the first major suspension bridges for vehicular traffic. The structure remains a Grade I listed landmark carrying road traffic.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The Menai Strait separated Anglesey from the Welsh mainland, necessitating ferries for transport. In 1815, Parliament authorized the Holyhead Road, assigning Thomas Telford to survey the route. Telford proposed a suspension bridge at Porthaethwy to cross the fast-flowing waters, a plan accepted by Parliament in 1819.

Construction. Telford, a Scottish civil engineer, oversaw the bridge's construction between 1819 and 1826. It was one of the world's first major suspension bridges and the second designed for vehicular traffic. The town of Menai Bridge expanded to accommodate workers during construction, reflecting the project's significance to the local area.

Opening. The bridge was opened to much fanfare on 30 January 1826. It spans the Menai Strait between Anglesey and the mainland, carrying the A5 trunk road. The structure is a Grade I listed building and remains in use for road traffic, with coastal paths passing below and over it.

People involved

Sources

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