The road scheme’s expense was justified by the importance of the sea crossing from Holyhead to Dublin. Before the bridge was built, the only way people could get to Anglesey island was by a ferry from Holyhead. An engineer named Thomas Telford was working near Holyhead when he thought it would be a good idea to build a suspension bridge to Anglesey. The Menai Suspension Bridge This bridge had the longest span in the world, 176 metres, when it opened in 1826. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Go to the small park at the base of the bridge for uninterrupted views of this imposing structure. Meeting Times. It runs from the island of Anglesey to Holyhead. Note the depiction of iron towers above the road deck, and a central walkway. Discover 2020's top Menai Bridge attractions. The chains were 522.3 metres (1,714 ft) long and weighed 121 tons. The closest town to the bridge is called Menai Bridge. One part of the bridge was closed for six months starting on February 28, 2005. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. It was reopened on December 11. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The built-up area including Llandegfan had a population of 4,958. In 1800, Ireland joined the UK through the Act of Union. We have reviews of the best places to see in Menai Bridge. This allowed tall sailing ships navigating the seaway to pass underneath, whilst spanning the Straits at its narrowest point. Popular culture. Things To Do . It overlooks the Menai Strait and lies by the Menai Suspension Bridge, built in 1826 by Thomas Telford, just over the water from Bangor. The coins were made in 2005. Menai Bridge apart from also being the name of the bridge over the Menai Straight is also the name of the small town at the Anglesey end of the suspension bridge built between 1818 and 1826 by Thomas Telford. A suspension bridge was big enough that tall ships could go underneath them. Walking Tours in Menai Bridge Private Tours in Menai Bridge. They started building it in 1819 and it was finished in 1826. History Museums in Menai Bridge. So, the people who made the chains soaked them in linseed oil and the painted. Copyright © 2021 Menai Bridge Community Heritage Trust -, Registered Charity (1082013) & Limited Company (03469982) -. The pretty town offers a slower pace of life and expansive views of mainland Wales. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In part, Brunel's words reflected the fact that Thomas Telford had chosen the easiest point at which to cross the Straits when he built his Menai Suspension Bridge, which meant Stephenson was faced with span of 1,475 feet (461 metres), compared with Telford's more modest span of 1,007 feet (305 metres). Top Things to Do in Menai Bridge, Island of Anglesey: See Tripadvisor's 16,538 traveller reviews and photos of 17 things to do when in Menai Bridge. Stone axes have been found from the Neolithic Period (3000-2000BC), as have burial urns and axes from the Bronze Age (2000-1000BC). Current local time in Menai Bridge, United Kingdom. This made it hard for big trucks to bring goods to the island. There are two bridges over the strait. It was designed by Thomas Telford. A plan and view of the bridge made in 1820, prior to completion. Along with Telford’s other improvements to the road, the journey time was cut 36 hours to 27. The bridge spans the Menai Strait and was built as a trade link between Anglesey and mainland Wales. Iron can rust. If the cows survived the trip, they were sent to London and other places to be sold. They started building it in 1819. The bridge has a central span 560 feet long and 100 feet high above high water. Top Things to Do in Menai Bridge, Island of Anglesey: See Tripadvisor's 16,525 traveller reviews and photos of 17 things to do when in Menai Bridge. The route from London to Holyhead became an important roadway, representing a physical link between parliament and Ireland. Update - The closure of the Menai Bridge for repairs in 1999 caused severe traffic problems on the Britannia Bridge. Things to Do in Menai Bridge, Island of Anglesey: See Tripadvisor's 16 520 traveller reviews and photos of 17 Menai Bridge attractions. Other Outdoor Activities in Menai Bridge. For centuries, travel to Anglesey from the mainland was often hazardous. In 1819, a civil engineer called Thomas Telford began working on ambitious improvements to journey between London and the port of Holyhead. He asked the British Parliament if he could build the bridge and they said yes. The bridge has a span of 327 feet across the River Conway, Carnarvonshire. In 1999, the bridge closed for one month. The first thing to be built were the towers that are on both sides at Holyhead and Anglesey. There is a memorial to the Aberfan disaster victims at the bridge on Anglesey. Search for restaurants, hotels, museums and more. They were long enough to support the 176-metre (577 ft) long bridge. There is a memorial to the Aberfan disaster victims at the bridge on Anglesey. Walking Tours in Menai Bridge Private Tours in Menai Bridge. The bridge only allowed cars and trucks that weighted up to 4.5 tons to go over the bridge. Take a visit to Menai Suspension Bridge, completed in 1826 by Thomas Telford and is a grade 1 listed structure. The Menai Suspension Bridge (Welsh: Pont Grog y Borth) is a suspension bridge in Wales. Travel seaward to either Llanddwyn Island, a rocky peninsula of outstanding beauty surrounded by white sandy beaches or Puffin Island and its seal colony and swarms of varied birds. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The bridge as pictured in a Staffordshire stoneware plate in the 1840s. The bridge road was made of wood, and in 1893 it was replaced with steel. They were carrying a … The towers were made out of limestone from Penmon. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in April. Thomas Telford’s Menai Suspension bridge (Pont Menai), Opened in 1826. (From the home of J L Runeberg). Islands in Menai Bridge Gardens in Menai Bridge. DISASTER struck over the Menai Strait on May 23 1970 when a group of teenagers accidentally set the Britannia Bridge alight. Menai Bridge UTC/GMT offset, daylight saving, facts and alternative names The water of the The Menai Strait (Welsh: Afon Menai, the "River Menai") is a narrow stretch of water which separates the island of Anglesey from the mainland of Wales.It is in the northwest corner of Wales. Islands in Menai Bridge Gardens in Menai Bridge. The Menai Bridge not only made Telford’s reputation as a civil engineering superhero, it also dramatically reduced the time and danger it took to travel from London to Holyhead. What's more, the weather shouldn't be a problem – 96 of the attractions are indoors. You can turn them off with the Reject button. It was designed by Thomas Telford as the crowning glory of his road from London to Holyhead. This, plus the increase in traffic that inevitably will be caused by the building of a new dual-carriageway across Anglesey, means that there have been new calls locally for a third crossing to be built across the Strait. Workers made the bridge stronger in 1840. The … Menai Bridge Tourism: Tripadvisor has 16,520 reviews of Menai Bridge Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Menai Bridge resource. Menai Bridge sits at the narrowest point of water between Anglesey and mainland Wales, next to the structure that gives the town its name. After the towers were built, 16 chains were installed. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Completed on 30 January 1826, the Menai Bridge was a triumph of civil engineering – the biggest suspension bridge in the world at the time. With a population of 3,376, it is the fifth largest town on the island. Cross over to the island on the old iron suspension bridge and make the town your first stop on a journey around Anglesey. The road was fixed and the bridge was made stronger. Find what to do today, this weekend, or in May. Menai Bridge, suspension bridge spanning the Menai Strait from Bangor, Wales, to the island of Anglesey, a distance of 580 feet (176 metres). Visit top-rated & must-see attractions. This page was last modified on 13 April 2021, at 09:59. The bridge is mentioned in Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll. Completed in 1826, the Menai Suspension Bridge, was, at the time, the largest of its kind and considered a ground-breaking feat of engineering. Book Snowdonia National Park and 3 Castles Tour, Taste of North Wales - 6 Hour Private Tour from Bangor + Scenic Anglesey and Castles Day Tour tours. These cookies do not store any personal information. The water of the Menai Strait is very rough and dangerous, so it was hard for people to use their own boats or swim to the island. The road that went over the bridge was not very safe because of the strong winds. The Menai Suspension Bridge from a viewpoint on the A5 near the Britannia Bridge. The site on which the town of Menai Bridge now stands is believed to have been inhabited for thousands of years. Appointment of a Museum Development Consultant, New Book – Llewod Pont Britannia / The Lions of Britannia Bridge, Menai Heritage Museum Reopening, Spring 2021. It is 1,265ft long with a central span of 579ft. Completed on 30 January 1826, the Menai Bridge was a triumph of civil engineering – the biggest suspension bridge in the world at the time. Designed and instructed by Thomas Telford, who had been employed to improve what was previously, a treacherous and long journey between London and the port of Holyhead on Anglesey. Finding the right Menai Bridge day out for your family is easy – simply explore the links below or use the filters at the top of the page to plan your next … Here at Day Out With The Kids we've found 196 fun things to do in Menai Bridge for you and the family to discover, including beaches, indoor and soft play areas and tourist attractions. The closest town to the bridge is called Menai Bridge. Recognising the danger to travellers that crossing the Straits involved, Telford designed a groundbreaking piece of civil engineering – the Menai Bridge. British one pound coins have drawings of the bridge. 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