A466 road

Last updated

UK road A466.svg
A466
Wye Valley Road
Bigsweir Bridge.jpg
The A466 crossing the River Wye (and the England–Wales border) at Bigsweir Bridge
Route information
Length30.0 mi [1]  (48.3 km)
Major junctions
North end King's Thorn
51°59′11″N2°44′2″W / 51.98639°N 2.73389°W / 51.98639; -2.73389 (A466 road (northern end))
Major intersectionsUK road A49.svg A49
UK road A40.svg A40
UK road A4136.svg A4136
A48
UK-Motorway-M48.svg M48 Junction 2
South end Chepstow
51°37′14.55″N2°40′23.84″W / 51.6207083°N 2.6732889°W / 51.6207083; -2.6732889 (A466 road (southern end))
Location
Country United Kingdom
Primary
destinations 		Monmouth, Chepstow
Road network
← UK road A465.svg A465 → UK road A467.svg A467

The A466, also known as the Wye Valley Road, is a road from Hereford, England to Chepstow, Wales via Monmouth, Tintern and the Wye Valley.

Contents

The road was largely developed during the late 18th and early 19th centuries by turnpike trusts in Herefordshire and Monmouthshire. It replaced the River Wye as the principal means of transport to Tintern before the construction of the Wye Valley Railway in the late 19th century. The A466 remains an important route for local residents and tourists, and now provides access to the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway.

Route

The A466 is about 30 miles (48 km) long and runs through the counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire in England, and Monmouthshire in Wales. It runs south from Kingsthorne, on the A49 south east of Hereford to Monmouth, crossing the A40. After crossing the River Wye at the Wye Bridge, Monmouth and Bigsweir Bridge near Llandogo, it follows a picturesque route south down the Wye valley through Tintern and Chepstow to the M48 motorway at junction 2. The road crosses the border between England and Wales at three places along its length: at Buckholt, Redbrook, and Bigsweir. [1] It runs through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is popular with tourists, offering good views of the area around the Wye valley. [2] [3]

Most of the road is maintained by the respective county councils except for the southernmost section from Chepstow to the M48, which is a trunk road and funded by the National Assembly for Wales. [4]

History

Turnpikes

Between Kingsthorne and Monmouth, the road passes through open countryside several miles to the west of the River Wye, and the villages of Wormelow Tump, St Weonards, Llancloudy and Welsh Newton. This part of the road was turnpiked incrementally in short stages in the late eighteenth century and became known as "The Great Road to the Town of Monmouth". The initial turnpike in 1730 ran as far as St Weonards, and was extended to Llancloudy in 1769. A tollhouse survives at Monkgate, Monmouth. [5] The Wye Bridge at Monmouth has existed in one form or another since the Middle Ages. The current bridge was built in 1879 by Edwin Seward of Cardiff from red and bluff sandstone. [6]

After crossing the river at Monmouth, the road passes through Redbrook, Llandogo, Tintern and St Arvans, in the deeply incised river valley, before reaching Chepstow Racecourse and the town of Chepstow. Until the early nineteenth century, the road between Chepstow and Monmouth passed through St Arvans, Devauden and Trellech (the current B4293); the riverside villages of Llandogo, Brockweir and Tintern, with their associated tourism, metalworking and shipbuilding industries, were more easily accessed by river. The route between Monmouth and Redbrook was part of the main road between Monmouth and Coleford. [7]

The road between Crossway Green, just north of Chepstow, and St Arvans was improved soon after 1760 by Valentine Morris, the owner of the adjoining Piercefield estate, and again around 1800 by its subsequent owner Mark Wood. In about 1809, proposals were made to cut a new road along the valley, to improve access to Tintern in particular. Little progress was made until 1824, when legislation was passed "for Making a Turnpike Road from Redbrook to St Arvans" and a bridge at Bigsweir, under the authority of the Monmouth Turnpike Trust. The new road was constructed between St Arvans and Tintern in 1825, and by 1829 the road had been opened along its whole length. [8] Bigsweir Bridge was opened in 1827 as part of the new road. [9] Two turnpike houses from this period are still standing; one at St Arvans is Grade II listed, while another is by Bigsweir Bridge. [10] [11] The trusts were wound up in 1873, with control ultimately passing to the relevant county councils. [11] The turnpike was superseded in 1876 by the Wye Valley Railway, which led to a huge increase in tourist traffic to the valley and Tintern. [12]

Motor traffic

The southernmost section of the A466 is the Wye Valley Link Road, which was a project built in conjunction with the first Severn Bridge. It opened to traffic in 1963. [13] The remainder of the road north of this is under local government control; the Ministry of Transport dismissed calls in the late 1960s for them to improve the road to deal with increasing congestion. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wye Valley Walk</span> Long-distance footpath in Wales and England

The Wye Valley Walk is a long distance footpath in Wales and England following the course of the River Wye.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River Wye</span> River in Wales and England

The River Wye is the fourth-longest river in the UK, stretching some 250 kilometres from its source on Plynlimon in mid Wales to the Severn estuary. For much of its length the river forms part of the border between England and Wales. The Wye Valley is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Wye is important for nature conservation and recreation, but is affected by pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chepstow</span> Human settlement in Wales

Chepstow is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about 2 miles (3 km) above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the western end of the Severn Bridge. It is the easternmost settlement in Wales, situated 16 miles (26 km) east of Newport, 28 miles (45 km) east-northeast of Cardiff, 18 miles (29 km) northwest of Bristol and 110 miles (180 km) west of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monmouthshire</span> County in Wales

Monmouthshire is a county in the south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the south, and Torfaen, Newport and Blaenau Gwent to the west. The largest town is Abergavenny, and the administrative centre is Usk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A48 road</span> Trunk road in Great Britain

The A48 is a trunk road in Great Britain running from the A40 at Highnam, 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Gloucester, England, to the A40 at Carmarthen, Wales. Before the Severn Bridge opened on 8 September 1966, it was a major route between England and South Wales. For most of its route, it runs almost parallel to the M4 motorway. During times of high winds at the Severn Bridge, the A48 is used as part of the diversion route and is still marked as a Holiday Route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tintern</span> Human settlement in Wales

Tintern is a village in the community of Wye Valley, on the west bank of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, Wales, close to the border with England, about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of Chepstow. It is popular with tourists, in particular for the scenery and the ruined Tintern Abbey. Modern Tintern has been formed through the coalescence of two historic villages; Tintern Parva, forming the northern end of the village, and Chapel Hill, which forms the southern end. The village is designated as a Conservation Area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tidenham</span> Human settlement in England

Tidenham is a village and civil parish in the Forest of Dean of west Gloucestershire, England, adjoining the Welsh border. Tidenham is bounded by the River Wye to the west and the River Severn to the south. Offa's Dyke runs through the western part of the parish, terminating at Sedbury cliff above the River Severn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Briavels</span> Village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England

St Briavels, is a medium-sized village and civil parish in the Royal Forest of Dean in west Gloucestershire, England; close to the England-Wales border, and 5 miles (8 km) south of Coleford. It stands almost 800 feet (240 m) above sea level on the edge of a limestone plateau above the valley of the River Wye, above an ancient meander of the river. To the west, Cinder Hill drops off sharply into the valley. It is sheltered behind the crumbling walls of the 12th century St Briavels Castle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llandogo</span> Human settlement in Wales

Llandogo is a small village in Monmouthshire, south Wales, between Monmouth and Chepstow in the lower reaches of the Wye Valley AONB, two miles north of Tintern. It is set on a steep hillside overlooking the River Wye and across into the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, England. The 2011 census population was 547.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wye Valley</span> Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales

The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brockweir</span> Human settlement in England

Brockweir is a village in Hewelsfield and Brockweir civil parish, in the Forest of Dean District of Gloucestershire, England. The civil parish also includes the separate village of Hewelsfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redbrook</span> Village in Gloucestershire, England

Redbrook is a village in Gloucestershire, England, adjoining the border with Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located on the River Wye and is within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bigsweir Bridge</span> Bridge in Monmouthshire, Wales

Bigsweir Bridge is an 1827 road bridge crossing the River Wye, straddling the boundary between the parish of St. Briavels, Gloucestershire, England, and Llandogo, Monmouthshire, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wye Valley Railway</span> Disused railway in England and Wales

The Wye Valley Railway was a standard gauge railway that ran for nearly 15 miles (24 km) along the Lower Wye Valley between the towns of Chepstow and Monmouth, crossing several times between Wales and England. Opened on 1 November 1876, it was leased to, and worked by, the Great Western Railway (GWR), before being fully absorbed by the GWR in 1905.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Penterry</span> Human settlement in Wales

Penterry is a small rural parish of 479 acres (1.94 km2) in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located between the villages of St. Arvans and Tintern, about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Chepstow, within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the border with England. It now contains an isolated parish church adjoining the site of a deserted village, and a few farms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Briavels railway station</span> Former railway station in Wales

St Briavels Station was a station along the Wye Valley Railway. It was built in 1876 during the construction of the line on the Monmouthshire side of the River Wye at Bigsweir, and was intended to serve the nearby villages of St Briavels, across the river in the Forest of Dean, and Llandogo, which is further down the Wye Valley. It was closed on 5 January 1959 when the line was closed to passenger services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wild Hare Inn, Tintern</span> Building in Monmouthshire, Wales

The Wild Hare Inn is a pub with rooms in Tintern located 5 miles (8.0 km) to the north of Chepstow, Monmouthshire, Wales. It is situated beside the A466 road, across the road from the River Wye, on the corner of an unclassified road to Devauden and Trellech. It is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trellech United</span> Community/Electoral ward in Wales

Trellech United is a community and electoral ward in the county of Monmouthshire, Wales. It lies south of the county town of Monmouth next to the Wales-England border.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wyndcliff</span>

The Wyndcliff or Wynd Cliff is a steep limestone cliff rising above the western bank of the River Wye in Monmouthshire, Wales, some 1 mile (1.6 km) north-east of the village of St Arvans, 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Tintern, and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north of the town of Chepstow, within the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The cliff rises to 771 feet (235 m) at its summit, the highest point on the Monmouthshire bank of the Wye. The area is traversed by the Wye Valley Walk, and is also a popular venue for rock climbing. Access is provided by the A466 road which passes along the valley immediately below the cliff face.

References

  1. 1 2 "Directions to A466". Google Maps. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  2. ↑ "Wyndcliff and Eagles Nest". Wye and Dean Tourism. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  3. ↑ "Sun-dappled trails: exploring the Wye Valley AONB". Visit Wales. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Trunk Roads Map" (PDF). National Assembly for Wales. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  5. ↑ Hurley, Heather (2007). Trackway to Turnpike: The Old Roads of South Herefordshire. Ross-on-Wye: Fineleaf Editions. pp. 35, 45–47. ISBN   978-0-9534437-4-1.
  6. ↑ "Lower Wye Valley". Glamorgan and Gwent Historical Society. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  7. ↑ Victoria County History – Gloucestershire. Vol. 5, Bledisloe Hundred, St. Briavels Hundred, the Forest of Dean. British History Online. pp. 195–231. Retrieved 28 August 2016.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  8. ↑ Waters, Ivor (1955). Chepstow Parish Records. Chepstow: The Chepstow Society. pp. 112–113.
  9. ↑ Victoria County History – Gloucestershire. Vol. 5, Bledisloe Hundred, St. Briavels Hundred, the Forest of Dean. British History Online. pp. 247–271. Retrieved 28 August 2016.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  10. ↑ "Milestone on the A466 at the foot of the Wyndcliff, St Arvans". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Turnpike Cottage, St Arvans". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  12. ↑ "Lower Wye Valley". Glamorgan and Gwent Architectural trust. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  13. ↑ "Road Programmes (Schemes)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . 8 May 1963. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  14. ↑ "A466 Road (Wye Valley)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . 18 March 1968. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  15. ↑ "Wye Valley Road". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) . 14 April 1969. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
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