The first known of the three bridges across the Towy at Llandeilo was a graceful seven-arch structure built in the early 1500s. It was probably built by local magnate Sir Rhys ap Thomas (1449-1525) to connect his estates south of the Towy with those north of the river. A flood swept the bridge away in 1798. This view, taken downstream on the Ffairfach (south) bank, is by Nicholas Pocock around 1789.
J.M.W. Turner painted this watercolour of the first Llandeilo Bridge and Dinefwr Castle in 1795 during one of his several sketching and painting tours of Wales. A recent flood had carried away one of the stone supports and Turner shows its alarmingly flimsy wooden replacement.
M.A. Rooker's watercolour just a year later in 1796 shows yet another of the bridge's supports has been destroyed. Just two years later in 1798 a massive flood swept away the entire bridge
After the flood of 1798 swept away the seven-arch bridge a temporary ferry was used until a new three-arch bridge was built in the early 1800s, as shown in this drawing of 1816 by Frenchman George Orleans Delamotte. The two arches (voids) on the Ffairfach (south) bank are for flood release
Emilius Nicholson's engraving shows the three arches in 1840, drawn from downstream
By 1840 the foundations of the three-arch bridge were already dangerously eroded by the river and a new bridge had to be built. The third bridge we have today is a single-arch structure built 1843-1848. This aerial view in 1998 shows the sweep of the arch with its single flood-release void (far left) on the Ffairfach (south) side
Here we see sheep on the bridge in 1910. Photograph: D.C. Harries
This photograph by Llandeilo photographer D.C. Harries in 1928 shows a bus belonging to the Ammanford Bus Company having crashed through the parapet just above the flood-release void on the Ffairfach (south) side of the bridge
Llandeilo bridge from the Ffairfach bank in 2007 showing the charming houses of Bridge Street. Photograph: Terry Norman, 2007
Panoramic view of Llandeilo Bridge and the town from the east (upstream) in 2004
