The bridge is one of only two surviving fortified bridges in the United Kingdom,[96] the other being in Warkworth, Northumberland.[22] There, the gatehouse stands on land at one end of the bridge, rather than on the bridge itself, and is described by the archaeologist John Steane as "less impressive" than the "superb" Monnow Gate.[97] A recent (2016) appreciation by the historian Richard Hayman describes the Monnow Bridge as "arguably the finest surviving medieval bridge in Britain".[98] Such bridge towers were common across mainland Europe and, to a lesser extent, in Great Britain from medieval times.[64] British examples included the Mardol Gate in Shrewsbury[99] and Froome Bridge in Bristol.[100] Continental examples include the Frias Bridge, near Burgos in Spain, and the Pont Valentré, in Cahors, France.[101] But urban expansion, the lessening of defensive requirements, and the substantial increases in traffic and trade from the 18th century onward led to the destruction of many of what was once a common bridge type.[102] The rarity of Monnow Bridge and Gate is reflected in its status as a potential World Heritage Site,[1] a scheduled monument,[103] and a Grade I listed building;[7] its listing describing it as "an outstanding medieval fortified bridge, now unique in Britain".[7]