Waterloo Bridge

Waterloo Bridge is an early cast-iron bridge that spans the River Conwy at Betws-y-Coed in north-west Wales. The bridge was designed by the civil engineer Thomas Telford and built in 1815. It is one of six cast-iron arch bridges designed by Telford, and it is the only one to survive without modification. The bridge has a single span of 32 metres, made up of five segments. National symbols of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales are cast into the spandrels. The bridge commemorates the Battle of Waterloo, which ended the Napoleonic Wars. An inscription on the bridge reads: "this arch was constructed in the same year the Battle of Waterloo was fought". The names of Telford and the iron founder and works foreman appear in raised lettering on the outside of the bridge deck. The bridge was designated a Grade I listed building in 1996, recognising its importance as an early example of iron technology. Visitors to the bridge find a single-span structure supported by stone abutments on the riverbanks. The bridge deck is supplemented with a reinforced concrete deck, cantilevered to allow for the road to be widened. The cast-iron parapet railings were re-erected on the outsides of the footpaths but protected with additional railings. The bridge offers views of the River Conwy and the surrounding landscape.