Aber Bridge - Caernarfon, Gwynedd, North Wales, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 53° 08.334 W 004° 16.753
30U E 414429 N 5888486
A swing bridge across the estuary of the River Seiont in Caernarfon.
Waymark Code: WM412P
Location: North Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 06/21/2008
Views: 40
The bridge is a footbridge leading to the western edge of Caernarfon. The estuary sees the River Seiont enter the Menai Straight between Gwynedd and Anglesey.
It is closed to all pedestrians between 11pm and 7am overnight.
Caernarfon online reports the following:
The Town Council began discussing plans for building a bridge in 1897, and the old Aber Bridge was officially opened on St. David's Day, 1900. Prior to the turn of the century, people crossed over by a ferry boat owned by David Charles Pritchard, better known in Caernarfon as Dafydd 'Rabar, and he charged a halfpenny per person, one way.
Being that David Pritchard was about to lose his livelihood, he qualified for compensation and although the exact amount is not known, it was regarded at the time as substantial as it enabled him to invest in another business. He bought a property, a Bakehouse and Shop in Bryngwyn, Llanrug, and in 1903 put the business up for sale by auction, which was held at the Sportsman Hotel, Castle Street.
An example of how compensatory payments were calculated became common knowledge when the Menai Suspension Bridge was built. The ferry owner there was given a sum of money to compensate him for the loss of 30 years takings, based on the last 12 months the ferry was operational. In his case it amounted to a sum well in excess of £29,000. Such a figure in 1826 must have appeared phenomenal. It was, nevertheless true.
The old Aber Bridge was demolished prior to the 1969 Investiture, and for a short period during that time a Bailey Bridge was erected by the Army, but taken down shortly after the event. The present Bridge was then built in the early 1970's and like its predecessor is a Swing Bridge, thus enabling marine craft to enter and leave the Slate Quay.
Bridge Type: Swing Bridge
Built: 01/01/1970
Pedestrian Traffic: yes
Bicycle Traffic: no
Vehicular Traffic: no
Railway Traffic: no
Span: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the bridge and record the exact coordinates where the picture was taken.