contents - Wrexham County Borough Council

Engraved portrait of Thomas Telford published on front cover of Atlas to the Life of Thomas Telford - Civil Engineer in 1838. Engraved by W. Raddon from a painting by S. Lane.
what the man would say
www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk
Wherever you look in life, it’s always the
same story: it’s only by working together
that we achieve great things.
People sometimes say that I built
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. That’s not true.
What I mean is, I didn’t do it on my own.
I had help.
Everyone that played a part – every
tradesman, labourer and horse – left their
mark on the world.
Because it’s still here today. Still telling its
story to the hundreds of thousands of
people who visit every year. Just like its older
brother, Chirk Aqueduct, the Horseshoe
Falls and the other canal structures we built.
We put them together piece by piece.
With guts, belief and vision.
And although the human race has done
great things since my day – split the atom,
put a man on the moon, invented
penicillin – Pontcysyllte still excites
people. Still exhilarates. Inspires.
I was proud of it in 1805. And if I was
among you today, I’d still be proud.
When you experience it, I hope you feel
the same.
Thomas Telford
Civil engineer 1757-1834