Old Bridge

The Old Bridge in Bridgend is a medieval stone footbridge with two visible arches that crosses the River Ogmore. It stands in the town centre, where the Welsh name Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr means ‘the head of the bridge on the Ogmore’. Pilgrims once used the bridge on their way to St David’s Cathedral. The structure was built around 1425 and repaired after a flood in 1775. Later restorations in 2005 and 2011 returned the cobbled footway to its original condition. The bridge is recognised as a scheduled ancient monument and a grade II* listed structure. Its western arch spans 13.7 metres and the eastern arch 6.9 metres. A third arch lies hidden behind an 1830 office building, and a fourth was uncovered in 2015 inside a shop basement. The bridge was last used by cars in 1920 and now carries only pedestrians. Visitors see a narrow 2.6-metre-wide footbridge lined with traditional lime mortar. The port hole in the shop wall lets people glimpse the hidden fourth arch. The river below and the town’s older buildings frame the scene. The bridge remains a quiet reminder of Bridgend’s medieval past.