Aqueduct at Pontrhydyfen

Image: © Alan Hughes Taken: 19 Jul 2026

Viewed from the slopes of Mynydd Penrhys. The Pontrhydyfen Aqueduct, known locally in Welsh as Y Bont Fawr ("The Big Bridge"), is a massive four-span stone structure built between 1824 and 1827 by ironmaster John Reynolds. Spanning the Afan Valley near Port Talbot, it was originally constructed to carry water to power giant industrial waterwheels.Construction and PurposeDesign & Size: Engineered by John Reynolds, the bridge reaches over 75 feet (23 meters) high and roughly 135 to 140 meters long. Upon completion in 1827, it stood as the largest aqueduct in Britain.Industrial Fuel: It carried a watercourse fed from the River Afan to supply the massive waterwheels operating the blast furnaces of the Oakwood and Pontrhydyfen Ironworks.Later Changes and Modern UseConversion: Its original life as a water channel was brief; by 1841, the site shifted management and the water channel was eventually filled in to serve as a tramway or railway line.Cultural Landmark: The structure is famous not only for its engineering history but also for historical photographs of village-born actor Richard Burton walking across it.Preservation: Designated as a Grade II* listed building and scheduled monument, the bridge underwent major stone conservation by the local council and Cadw. Today, the former aqueduct forms part of the national cycle network as a pedestrian and cycle path.

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