Design Bigsweir

Local Information

In between Gloucestershire, England and Monmouthshire, Wales, one can find the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is within this area that Bigsweir may be found just 2 miles north of Llandogo, 3miles west of St Briavels and 2 miles south of Whitebrook.

While there is not a village located in Bigsweir, it is known by hikers and nature enthusiasts as a great place to get some exercise. Back in 1827, a beautiful cast iron bridge was built over the top of the Wye Valley which connects Chepstow and Monmouth. This elegant bridge was built as part of a turnpike which connected England and Wales and even has a long since abandoned toll house on the Welsh side of the bridge.

This single arch cast iron bridge spans 50 meters in length and was designed by Charles Hollis, who at the time was living in London and the bridge itself was cast by Merthyr Tydfil. The bridge itself is very narrow and because of this, only one vehicle can pass at a time. Since it is part of the A4666, a traffic signal located on both ends of the bridge control the traffic which crosses over it.

Just 600 meters downstream from this antique cast iron bridge, you can find the ancient fishing weir as well as a ford which is known as Bigsweir. Where you can find the weir and ford, not too far away you will also be able to locate the Bigsweir House. This area is also known to be the furthest upstream which one can navigate up the Wye and likewise is also the end of the Gloucester Harbour Trustees jurisdiction in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.