Strait talk: Could a new bridge featuring a 120ft mythological king create a symbol for modern Wales?
Ryan Pugh looks at the design that celebrates Welsh culture - which some say cannot be true of the country’s imperialist-built castles
An ambitious, thoroughly Welsh design for a third bridge over the Menai Strait – featuring a 120ft-statue of a mythological king – has captured the imaginations of many. Plans for the bridge celebrate Bendigeidfran, or Brân the Blessed, and are to be considered by the Welsh government to help ease traffic over the strait, which separates the mainland from the northwestern island of Anglesey.
The idea has picked up interest on social media, with the account @PontBendigeidfran – Bendigeidfran bridge – gaining more than 2,000 followers on Twitter. Local politicians have endorsed the plans and the Welsh government has promised to look at “all options”.
The design was put forward by engineer Benji Poulton from Bangor, who said other ideas were “underwhelming”. His own concept originates from an ancient myth documented in ‘The Mabinogion’, a book of 12th and 13th century Welsh legends. Poulton was inspired by the story of Bendigeidfran, who rescues his sister Branwen from the cruel Irish king Matholwch.
When Bendigeidfran hears of his sister’s abuse at the hands of Matholwch, he wades across the Irish sea, his soldiers sailing alongside him. On his arrival, Matholwch burns a bridge to stop his progress. Using his giant frame, Bendigeidfran positions himself over the river and utters: “A fo ben, bid bont” – if you want to be a leader, be a bridge – allowing his soldiers to cross.
Poulton argues: “If you are going to build a bridge in Wales with a nod to our culture, then something related to Bendigeidfran is always going to be a great choice.” His video presentation on the idea recently won the Institute of Civil Engineering’s “Pitch 200” competition. He’ll be competing in the global final later this month.
The story of Bendigeidfran continues in Game of Thrones style, with betrayal, skull crushing and resurrections. The king ends his campaign, is beheaded at his own request by his soldiers, and taken back home. His head lives for a further seven years, feasting and laughing, before being buried in the Tower of London.
While the novelty and scale of the Bendigeidfran bridge design has been praised, it’s the uniquely Welsh feel that has resonated with so many.
Poulton believes that buildings and infrastructure are a “huge untapped resource” for promoting Welsh history, culture and tourism. He notes that “a huge amount of money” is due to be spent on infrastructure in the country over the next few years.
Poulton has a point – Welsh identity and culture is often concentrated around institutions. Wales punches above its weight in sport and has kept its language alive but rarely do its modern buildings evoke a distinct ‘Welshness’. At least not in the same way as Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower or the Kremlin represent the UK, France and Russia.
This isn’t to say a modern Welsh aesthetic doesn’t exist. It does. It is best exemplified by the Welsh Millennium Centre and the Senedd government buildings in Cardiff; modernist in design and distinguishable by the materials. Wood, glass and metal combine to celebrate the industrial heritage and natural resources of the country. When combined with characteristic slate exterior, these buildings have a subtle but elusive Welshness. Tasteful, but not internationally recognisable.
The ambitious new bridge aims to be that internationally recognisable symbol for modern Wales. Many will point out that the country already has a wealth of historical buildings and bridges. However, for some, these cannot represent a modern Welsh identity. Much of this is due to their connection to ‘English’ imperialism.
World Heritage Site castles such as Conwy and Harlech (Wales is often quoted as having the most castles per square mile of any country) were built by Norman invaders to oppress a rebellious Welsh population. Stately homes, such as Penrhyn Castle near Bangor, were built for English-speaking lords. Their riches were accumulated through Welsh labour in the coal and slate industries, and foreign slavery in the Caribbean.
Even the coal mining industrial landscape of Blaenavon, also a World Heritage Site and a reminder of the industrial revolution’s footprint in Wales, can be seen as a testament to the exploitative practices of the British Empire.
To some, this is nationalistic nonsense that should be left in the past. To others, this association between Welsh structures and ‘English’ imperialism is unshakeable, and modern examples even crop up today.
For example, linking Wales with its prince is a point of contention. Two of the most recognisable modern structures in Wales, the Millennium Stadium and the Second Severn Crossing, were recently renamed the Principality Stadium and the Prince of Wales Bridge, sparking outrage for those wishing to distance Welsh symbolism from the royal family.
Pont Bendigeidfran therefore offers relief. Its vision is tied not to the experiences of the Welsh people at the hands of empire, but to cultural heritage.
However, ambitious designs also invite risk. The primary purpose of the bridge is to relieve traffic bottlenecks when crossing to the mainland from Anglesey during rush hour. Justifying design decisions is relatively simple when you have an economic business case based on improvements to traffic. Attempting to forecast increases in tourism or quantify the effect of improved civic pride on the local economy is almost impossible. These difficulties can lead designers to disaster.
The Millennium Bridge and the Garden Bridge are two such examples. It’s now almost a cliche in engineering circles to mention the Millennium Bridge being the one that wobbled when it first opened, before it was fixed.
The Garden Bridge Trust spent so much time and money trying to find out how to be iconic that the public turned against it and the project was cancelled. It had used £46m of public money without laying a single brick.
But aiming high can reap rewards. The Peace Bridge in Derry, Northern Ireland, is widely regarded as a successful symbol for peace in the town, connecting the unionist Waterside with the nationalist Cityside.
The bridge opened in 2011 and Derry became the inaugural UK city of culture in 2013. It was also described by the Lonely Planet as the fourth best city in the world to visit. Increases in tourism are also reported, although how much of this is attributable to the bridge is contestable.
With the Welsh government stating it will consider “all options” when it comes to the third crossing over the Menai Strait, hope still remains for Benji Poulton and the Welsh king.
Perhaps we can learn a lesson from the town closest to the bridge on how publicity stunts that seem daft or ambitious can work. In 1860, this town decided that in order to attract tourists, they would change its name to be the longest in the world. Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch now attracts 100,000 visitors per year.
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