Bangor Fund supports School of Arts and Humanities' project to celebrate the Menai Suspension Bridge Bicentenary History Day
This year marks the bicentenary of Telford’s iconic Menai Suspension Bridge, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to celebrate a remarkable feat of engineering on our doorstep. At Bangor University, we are proud to mark this important milestone by connecting our students and local community with the bridge’s rich history and lasting cultural significance.
With the support of the Bangor Fund, the School of Arts and Humanities, led by Prof Ruth Mcelroy, has been able to create a vibrant, bilingual programme of activities that brings this celebration to life. Through fieldtrips, creative writing and documentary film projects, and public engagement opportunities, students from across undergraduate and postgraduate levels are exploring the story of the Menai and Conwy suspension bridges and their enduring impact on Wales and beyond.
This initiative reflects Bangor’s strong sense of place and commitment to community engagement. By working in partnership with local archives, schools, and community groups, we are not only enriching the student experience but also strengthening vital connections across North Wales. At its heart, the programme highlights the powerful interplay between science, engineering, and the arts; just as it was understood in Telford’s heritage. Through this multidisciplinary approach, we are enabling students to engage with history in meaningful, hands-on ways, while developing skills that will support their future careers.
Persida Chung, Development Officer, said:
“Our sincere thanks go to the alumni whose generosity through the Bangor Fund has made this remarkable opportunity a reality, allowing our students to be part of a historic celebration. Through alumni giving, the Bangor Fund enriches the student experience by opening doors to experiences beyond the everyday.”
The Bangor Fund is made up of alumni donations, managed by the Development and Alumni Relations Office, with the primary purpose to add an element of additionality to the student experience.
A few highlights from our students’ film projects, created as part of their film making module
Exhibition celebrates 200 years of the Menai Suspension Bridge
A special event was held to launch the annual Archives and Special Collections exhibition which this year draws attention to the Menai Suspension Bridge which is celebrating its 200th anniversary. The preview of the exhibition in the Council Chamber Corridor was accompanied by this year’s annual Colclough organised by the Stephen Colclough Centre for the History and Culture of the Book. Over 40 guests had the opportunity to listen to a very entertaining lecture by Dr Karin Koehler, senior lecturer in nineteenth-century literature in the School of Arts and Humanities. In her presentation, ‘"Hail, matchless monument of skill divine": Engineering as Art in Responses to the Menai Bridge', Karin discussed a variety of literary works and narratives inspired by the bridge. The Colclough Centre is most grateful for support from the Bangor Fund in hosting this event.
The Archives and Special Collections team has curated an exhibition that highlights documents from the University’s collections which trace the long history of plans to construct a bridge across the Menai, including early proposals, local opposition, and the extensive work involved in its eventual construction. Lynette Williams, University Archivist, who curated the exhibition, said,
I love putting together an exhibition and this year I have learned so much about the history of the Menai Suspension Bridge, which is such an iconic and important landmark for the people of the area.
The exhibition is located in the Council Chamber Corridor and will run until the end of the year. Colleagues can also explore the material online via the Archives and Special Collections webpages or view it on Sway.
Menai Suspension Bridge Bicentenary History Day success
The Menai Suspension Bridge Bicentenary History Day took place on 31st January. The event was organised by the University and the Menai Bridge Community Heritage Trust, coordinated by Dr Marc Collinson and Dr Lowri Ann Rees from the Schoo of Arts and Humanities, and supported by the Bangor Fund and Bangor City Council. This celebration of the Menai Suspension Bridge's bicentenary was a big success, attracting over 200 attendees in the Eric Sunderland Lecture Theatre. Professor Enlli Thomas, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Welsh, EDI, and the Region, delivered the welcome address. This was followed by an interdisciplinary panel of speakers including Dr Mike Roberts from the School of Ocean Sciences, Dr Karin Koehler from the School of Arts and Humanities and Dr Lowri Ann Rees, alongside John Cole, Dr Warren Kovach, And Kerry Evans from the Menai Bridge Community Heritage Trust. Dr Collinson, lecturer in Political History, said:
The event was a real privilege to organise, and we are pleased that so many from the community joined us to celebrate this major event. With support from across the university, and the community, alongside support from the Bangor Fund and Bangor City Council, we were able to commemorate a transformative event in local and national history, the opening of the Menai Suspension Bridge.
Dr Lowri Ann Rees, senior lecturer in Modern History, added:
We would like to thank the wide group of colleagues who presented at, helped us organise, or attended the event. The event was the first in a series of events, the next of which is the Menai Bridge 200th Anniversary Concert, organised by Bangor University's Music Department: https://www.pontio.co.uk/en/events/buso
Connecting Wales: Bangor Fund supports student visit to Telford’s Landmark Heritage
Students from the School of Arts and Humanities took part in the “Connecting Wales” field trip, visiting the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the Conwy Suspension Bridge - two of Thomas Telford’s most significant structures. Supported by the Bangor Fund and forming part of a wider programme celebrating the bicentenary of the Menai Suspension Bridge, the project enabled our students to connect and deepen understanding of the cultural, historical, and environmental significance of infrastructure. The visit, led by Dr Karin Koehler, senior lecturer in Nineteenth-Century Literature, brought together literature and history through an interdisciplinary approach. With this initiative, students engage with nationally significant heritage sites.
Karin Koehler said: “We are grateful to our alumni for their continued support of the Bangor Fund. This support has enabled students to visit these important infrastructural landmarks, reflect on their cultural and historical significance, and place the Menai Suspension Bridge within wider political, economic, and cultural networks. While Telford’s works are celebrated as feats of engineering, they also inspired literature, highlighting the important role the arts play in understanding the cultural, social, and environmental impacts of infrastructural development in the past and present.”
Dr Lowri Ann Rees, senior lecturer in Modern History, added:
This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to experience Telford’s historic structures up close. Stepping beyond the classroom to encounter these sites firsthand deepens their understanding of the industrial past and the ways in which it has shaped the built environment. The visit brought to life the accounts of nineteenth-century travellers, whose impressions of these historic landmarks echo the same sense of wonder they continue to inspire in the twenty-first century.