Former Lewis Merthyr Colliery fan house

Cadw's description

Location

Located to E side of the Trefor pithead.

History

Lewis Merthyr Colliery was established in the mid 1870s by W T Lewis (later Lord Merthyr) as an amalgamation of the Coedcae and Hafod Collieries both established in 1850. The present buildings are grouped around 2 shafts sunk c1880 and c1890. By c1900 the colliery was one of the largest in Wales producing a million tons of coal a year. It was taken over by Powell Duffryn in 1929 and the National Coal Board in 1947. It closed in 1983 and subsequently has been redeveloped as the Rhondda Heritage Park. The site contains one of the most complete groups of colliery buildings remaining in Wales. The fan house was built 1891 to ventilate the Trefor and Bertie workings via the adjacent upcast shaft. Following the Coal Mines Act 1911 an airway was constructed beside the original air drift to enable air flow to be reversed. Fan and fan house were superseded in 1950s when a Sirocco fan was installed elsewhere at the site, but were retained for emergencies.

Exterior

Of sandstone rubble and rockfaced stone; brick and stone evasees and ducts to N; Welsh slate roof. Single main storey rectangular gabled structure of 7 bays to sides and 1 bay to gable ends. S elevation of sandstone rubble with rockfaced dressings has 4 26-paned metal framed round headed windows with voussoirs, keystone and sill and 3 similar shaped doorways, the centre flanked by pilasters; E elevation of snecked rockfaced sandstone has single blind round headed arch with voussoirs, keystone and sill between pilasters with oculus above; N has blocked windows and blocked yellow brick basement arches. Louvred ventilator to roof. To W building extended by gabled corrugated metal roof to join Trefor pitbank. To N fan chamber is a flat roofed yellow brick and stone block extending at eaves height and joined from W by sloping duct from fan drift of rubble sandstone with corrugated metal covering. Square red brick evasee attached to NE corner of fan chamber.

Interior

Open to metal framed roof; corbels on side pilaster. Brick dressings to windows. Area which would have housed fan engine converted to classroom but 14ft (4.28m) diameter Schiele iron fan 1891 still in situ; its shaft has a pulley wheel with grooves for 10 cotton belts, the means by which power was transmitted from engine. Bearing of shaft can be seen on N exterior of building in recess under timber lintel. Interior of fan drift of yellow brick with round headed arches, some with deep brick intrados, and access passage.

Reason for designation

Listed as a rare surviving colliery fan house and for group value in this exceptional colliery complex.