Menai Suspension Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Menai Bridge Pont Grog y Borth
The Menai Suspension Bridge from a viewpoint on the A5 near the Britannia Bridge.
Carries	2 lanes of A5 (Great Britain), cyclists and pedestrians
Crosses	Menai Straits
Locale	Anglesey, North Wales
Heritage status	Grade 1 Candidate: World Heritage Site
Characteristics
Design	Suspension Bridge
Material	Wrought Iron Stone
Total length	417 metres (1,368 ft)
Width	12 metres (39 ft)
Height	30 metres (98 ft)
Longest span	176 metres (577 ft)
Number of spans	Main: One Arches: Eight
Piers in water	Five
Design life	1893: wooden deck replaced in steel 1938/40: iron chains replaced in steel.
History
Designer	Thomas Telford
Construction begin	1819
Opened	30 January 1826

The Menai Suspension Bridge (Welsh: Pont Grog y Borth) is a famous suspension bridge in Wales. It connects the island of Anglesey to the mainland of North Wales. The bridge was designed by a clever engineer named Thomas Telford. Building started in 1819 and the bridge was finished in 1826.

Why the Bridge Was Needed

Before the Menai Bridge was built, getting to Anglesey island was quite tricky. People could only cross the water by ferry from Holyhead. The water in the Menai Strait was often rough and dangerous. This made it very hard for people to use their own boats or even swim across.

People on Anglesey raised cattle to sell. These cows had to swim through the dangerous water to get to the mainland. Many cows often died during this risky journey. If they survived, they were then sent to places like London to be sold.

Building the Bridge: A Big Idea

An engineer named Thomas Telford was working nearby. He saw how difficult it was to cross the strait. He thought it would be a great idea to build a suspension bridge to Anglesey. A suspension bridge would be tall enough for large ships to sail underneath.

Telford asked the British Parliament if he could build the bridge. They agreed, and work began in 1819.

How the Bridge Was Built

The first parts built were the tall towers on both sides of the strait. These towers were made from limestone rock found in Penmon. They were built hollow inside.

After the towers were ready, 16 strong chains were put into place. These chains were made from 935 bars of iron. They were long enough to support the 176-metre (577 ft) main part of the bridge. Iron can rust, so the chains were soaked in linseed oil and then painted to protect them. The chains were 522.3 metres (1,714 ft) long and weighed 121 tons. The Menai Bridge officially opened on January 30, 1826.

Making the Bridge Stronger

Menai Suspension bridge being painted in August 2005

The road over the bridge was not very safe when strong winds blew. So, workers made the bridge stronger in 1840. The original road was made of wood. In 1893, this wooden road was replaced with steel to make it more durable.

At first, only cars and trucks weighing up to 4.5 tons could cross the bridge. This made it hard for big trucks to deliver goods to the island. To fix this, in 1938, the original iron chains were replaced with stronger wrought iron chains.

In 1999, the bridge had to close for one month. During this time, the road was repaired and the bridge was made even stronger. When it was closed, people had to use the nearby Britannia Bridge to get to Anglesey.

One part of the bridge was closed for six months starting in February 2005. This was because the bridge was being painted for the first time in 65 years! It was fully reopened in December of that year.

What's Around the Bridge?

The Anglesey Coastal Path, a walking trail, goes right under the bridge. There is also a special memorial near the bridge on Anglesey. It remembers the victims of the Aberfan disaster.

The Bridge in Pop Culture

The closest town to the bridge is actually named Menai Bridge. The bridge has even appeared on British one pound coins. These coins were made in 2005. The Menai Bridge is also mentioned in the famous book Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll.

Images for kids

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  A plan of the bridge made in 1820, during its construction.

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  An 1840 picture of the bridge.

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  The bridge around 1880, showing how the cables looked before they were replaced in 1938.

See also

In Spanish: Puente colgante de Menai para niños