WORK has started to repair and preserve the historic toll house which guards the Welsh side of Bigsweir Bridge.

In recent years the building has suffered greatly from decay and vandalism, but now concerned public bodies have stepped in to stop the rot.

The famous Bigsweir Bridge, over the River Wye on the A466, is one of the iconic views in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) as it crosses over from Wales to England, and its toll house has recently been covered in scaffolding.

Work on the Grade2 listed building has been supported by Welsh Assembly Government's Sustainable Development Fund in the Wye Valley (AONB), which has enabled a grant of £19,000 to be made.

Together with grants from Trellech Community Council, the Welsh Churches and a donation by the building's owner, Charles Hopkinson, the money will help stem the tide of decay and make the building watertight and safe.

The cast iron road bridge was built in 1827 as part of the new turnpike road constructed up the lower part of the Wye valley between Chepstow and Monmouth. The bridge comprises a single arch of 50 metres, and was designed by Charles Hollis of London and cast at Merthyr Tydfil. The toll house was operated as a turnpike until 1879.

Since the turnpike system was abolished it has taken on many guises until it was finally abandoned. In the 1980s works to reroof and upgrade the building were undertaken. Unfortunately these works and the theft of lead and roof tiles led to increased dampness and decay and it became a sad, sorry and unsafe place.

Survey work was undertaken to determine the extent of the decay and methods to halt the rot and bat survey work was carried out by the Monmouthshire Bat Group throughout the summer of 2011. The resultant report indicated that the toll house hosts a range of our Wye Valley bat species including the rare Lesser Horseshoe bat. Monmouthshire Bat Group have agreed to monitor the bats over the coming years.

The work will take six weeks and will be carried out by Lydney-based builder Nigel Jenkins.