Blast Engine House at former Gadly's Ironworks

Cadw's description

Location

In the Gadlys area of the town on old road set back from modern relief road; at entrance to Cynon Valley Transport Depot and Works.

History

Dating after l827 when Matthew Wayne, ironmaster and coal owner of Merthyr, established a single furnace at Gadlys (in conjunction with G R Morgan and E M Williams). The engine house may be dated as late as l855-6 when the last two furnaces (out of 4) were built. Blast furnaces shut down completely l875-6.

Exterior

Distinctive tall and narrow 3-storey plus part-basement engine-house with snecked rubble facings, bull-nosed quoins, yellow brick dressings and stone sills. Modern slated roof with wide eaves. 4 windows wide, cambered heads and long and short quoins in pale brickwork (some large blocks), modern small-pane sash and case windows (as original). Built-up brickwork quoins to ground floor centre above later external stair to red brick platform on left of front. One window side elevations with boarded door to left end and tall arched opening through 2 storeys with modern glazed infill (and proposed canopy) to right end.

Similar detailing to rear elevation linked to adjacent masonry revetment by rubble wall at W end and reached by modern high-level metal bridge through brickwork opening to centre. Bull-nosed quoins and yellow-brick voussoirs to three stepped arches (blocked) at basement level facing massive revetment wall. This revetment forms 3-sides of a rectangle and joins the corner of the main furnace bank to N of engine house.

Interior

Modernised (l989) interiors retaining original floor levels and substantial fabric of the massive transverse beam wall (originally supporting the beam for the blowing engine).

Reason for designation

Important group value with the casting house and blast furnaces at former Gadlys Ironworks.