Govilon Bridge (Canal Bridge no 98)

This is a single-arch rubble canal bridge, known as Canal Bridge no. 98, 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 to the Monmouthshire Canal. The section of the canal incorporating the bridge was completed in 1805, under the direction of engineer Thomas Cartwright. The bridge is a "change-over" type, meaning it switches the towpath from the north to the south side of the canal, a necessity linked to the construction of Govilon Wharf and Bailey’s tramroad from Nantyglo Ironworks, which would have prompted a remodel around 1821. The bridge is constructed from coursed rubble masonry, and features a segmental arch with voussoirs and a keystone, simple parapets that sweep outwards, and a gently ramped single-track roadway. The west face bears the number 80, although the bridge is sequentially numbered 98. The bridge is listed for its group value with Llanwenarth Baptist Chapel and Chapel Cottages, and its historical significance as a surviving early 19th-century canal bridge from the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal.