 However, by 1835 it was stated that the Wye ""can scarcely be considered a commercial highway"" above Monmouth, and by the 1880s Brockweir bridge was the effective upper limit of navigation.As the 19th century progressed, the valley's industries gradually declined, and management of the woodlands lessened when there was no longer a ready market for their products.The Wye Valley witnessed the birth of British tourism in the 18th century.