There is evidence of financial support towards the up keep of a bridge in Govilon. A 17th Century will for a Mrs Dassie Morgan, resident at Llanwenarth House, provided support. The bridge is believed to have existed close to the ferry site and may have been washed away during flooding in the River Usk. There are several reported serious floods on the Usk. In October 1772 it was reported that "In Monmouthshire, one of the greatest floods ever known in that country, did incredible damage, by bearing down bridges, carrying away cattle, destroying mills, sweeping away houses with their inhabitants."
Chris Barber, a well known local author, published an article in the Abergavenny Chronicle in 2003 on local bridges. He wrote "One day last summer, the Rev Don Rossitter brought to my attention the remnants of the old bridge which once spanned the river Usk at a point near Llanwenarth Citra Church. Flood water had exposed a chunk of masonry which had at one time been a stone abutment for a wooden bridge.
"We know that such a bridge existed from the will of Dassie Morgan, dated 7th October 1620, in which an instruction was given that the sum of 10 shillings should be provided for the repair of the bridge. It was used by Govilon folk particularly on Sundays when they crossed the river to attend services at Llanwenarth Church.
"When this timber bridge was washed away in a flood it was replaced with a ferry. The annual sum of £3 was granted from church funds to pay the ferry charges for conveying parishioners across the river and in flood conditions it must have been a dangerous crossing. It is even recorded that on one occasion a rope gave way and the fully laden boat was swept down river as far as Llanfoist Bridge."
