Dovey Bridge

Looking upstream at the bridge

The Dovey Bridge, or Pont ar Ddyfi (sometimes spelt Dyfi), north of Machynlleth (and also known as Machynlleth Bridge), is an old bridge at an even older crossing point. Dating back to 1805, the current structure replaces a much older bridge dating from 1533 on the same site. The older bridge seems to have been substantially repaired in 1681, presumably after having been damaged in a civil war battle which took place near here.

The current crossing consists of five stone arches across the river channel. The arches are of a wide, shallow type common in Mid Wales at the time, and yet are still inadequate when the river is in flood, with both the bridge and the wide flood plain to the south becoming submerged and so flooding the road. The bridge carries a narrow S2 carriageway, without pavements, a fact which contributed to the construction of Machynlleth Millenium Bridge upstream. This is a footbridge built to carry the NCN8 cycleway.

There are small triangular cutwaters on the piers of the bridge, although these are often submerged under the water. They rise to the parapets as shallow pilasters. In addition, the first pier from the south bank has some unusual wooden bracing across it on both sides, while the others make do with the more common tie rods through the structure.

Former Junction alignment

Immediately at the north end of the bridge, the A487 turned sharply to the east, with the A493 Aberdovey Road joining from the west at a simple, cramped T junction. Large vehicles often had to wait for other traffic to pass before attempting to negotiate this junction, or indeed cross the bridge.

Replacement

In 2020, legal orders were published to construct a replacement for the bridge and realignment of the trunk road. New Dyfi Bridge was opened on 2 February 2024.

Links

legislation.gov.uk

• The Fishguard to Bangor Trunk Road (A487) (New Dyfi Bridge and De-Trunking, Machynlleth) Order 2020