Govilon Yard Bridge ( Canal Bridge No 97 )

The Govilon Yard Bridge, also known as Canal Bridge No. 97, is a canal bridge dating from the early 19th century. It was constructed as part of the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal, which was promoted in 1792 to connect the upper Usk valley with the Monmouthshire Canal. The canal's construction occurred in stages between 1797 and 1812, initially under Thomas Dadford, then Thomas Cartwright, and finally William Crosley. The canal facilitated the trade of iron, lime, and coal and later merged with the Monmouthshire Canal in 1865 before being abandoned in 1962 and subsequently undergoing restoration work.

The bridge itself is a standard single-arch structure built of coursed rubble. The segmental arch is formed of voussoirs; the keystone on the east side bears the number 97, while the west side lacks a keystone due to a widening of the bridge. This widening occurred in 1821 when Bailey’s tramroad from Nantyglo Ironworks crossed the bridge. The evidence of this widening is visible as a straight joint and the remains of the original voussoirs at the base of the widened section. The bridge has rubble abutments and simple, rebuilt parapets, which are ramped on the original side and straight on the widened side. The bridge is listed for its group value alongside other listed structures at Govilon Wharf as a surviving early 19th-century canal feature.