Shropshire--has failed after 123 years of life. It was worn out by old
age, whereas the Roman bridge at Rimini, and the medieval ones at St.
Ives, Bradford-on-Avon, and countless other places in this country and
abroad, are in daily use and are likely to remain serviceable for many
years to come, unless these ponderous trains break them down.

The interesting bridge which crosses the River Conway at Llanrwst was
built in 1636 by Sir Richard Wynn, then the owner of Gwydir Castle,
from the designs of Inigo Jones. Like many others, it is being injured
by traction-trains carrying unlimited weights. Happily the Society for
the Protection of Ancient Buildings heard the plaint of the old bridge
that groaned under its heavy burdens and cried aloud for pity. The
society listened to its pleading, and carried its petition to the
Carmarthen County Council, with excellent results. This enlightened
Council decided to protect the bridge and save it from further harm.

The building of bridges was anciently regarded as a charitable and
religious act, and guilds and brotherhoods existed for their
maintenance and reparation. At Maidenhead there was a notable bridge,
for the sustenance of which the Guild of St. Andrew and St. Mary
Magdalene was established by Henry VI in 1452. An early bridge existed
here in the thirteenth century, a grant having been made in 1298 for
its repair. A bridge-master was one of the officials of the
corporation, according to the charter granted to the town by James II.
The old bridge was built of wood and supported by piles. No wonder
that people were terrified at the thought of passing over such
structures in dark nights and stormy weather. There was often a
bridge-chapel, as on the old Caversham bridge, wherein they said their
prayers, and perhaps made their wills, before they ventured to cross.