This picture is taken from a hand-coloured engraving of the attractive old stone bridge which crosses the River Usk at Crickhowell.
The engraving probably dates from around 1840, at the beginning of Queen Victoria's long reign.

There was a bridge over the river at Crickhowell by the 15th century, but it was rebuilt in 1706.
The pointed stone supports (called cutwaters) seen above were to smooth the flow of the water through the arches. Like other rivers in the more mountainous parts of Wales the River Usk can quickly rise to fast-flowing flood conditions.
This attractive old bridge is famous for having 12 stone arches on one side and 13 arches on the other !

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