Former Lewis Merthyr Colliery Bertie winding engine house

Cadw's description

Location

Located facing Coedcae Road at the W side of complex.

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 Bertie winding engine house was built in 1878. Its steam winding engine was replaced in 1961 by an electric winding engine; the extant winding drum was installed in 1920.

Exterior

S elevation is of snecked rockfaced sandstone, long side elevations E and W of rubble sandstone with rockfaced stone dressings and red brick N; Welsh slate roof. A single main storey rectangular gabled building of 5 bays to side and 3 to gable ends. S elevation has tall pilasters either side of central round arched doorway with 6 panelled double door and radially glazed fanlight flanked by 2 long multipane windows with renewed glazing; quoins and plinth. Side E and W elevations have round arched windows with renewed multipane glazing with rockfaced voussoirs, keystone, quoins and sill. N gable has 4 round headed windows to give view of headframe and a pair of winding cable slots at centre and was formerly of timber with different pattern of fenestration but partly rebuilt in brick early C20, though rockfaced stone to sides; stone bases of headframe supports attached at corners. Roof has 2 ventilators.

Interior

Open to timber framed roof; brick pilasters to side together with rest of interior painted black. Electric motor powering the large winding drum occupies N floor area, the rest used for audio visual presentations.

Reason for designation

Listed grade II* despite renewed windows as a rare surviving winding house with an electric winding engine and for group value in this important colliery complex.