Former Plas Power Colliery Heapstead

Cadw's description

Location

A long sandstone terrace at the eastern end of the group of former Plas Power Colliery buildings now known as Southsea Industrial Estate.

History

Plas Power Colliery was established in 1875 by the Old Broughton Coal Company (later the Broughton and Plas Power Coal Company). Its directors in 1881 included three of the most important industrialists in Wales, Henry Robertson, W.H.Darby and C.E.Darby, who were also the owners of Brymbo Steelworks. The colliery was one of the largest and most modern in North Wales at the turn of the century, and at its peak employed 1,100 men, The steam coal produced was used in railways and shipping, notably supplying companies such as Cunard, P&O, the Great Western Railway, and the Great Indian Peninsular Railway. The colliery closed in 1938. The heapstead was part of the original construction of the colliery in 1875, and was the base upon which the headframes stood and through which coal was raised for tippling onto the adjacent screens and rail sidings to the N.

Exterior

The heapstead is constructed of dressed sandstone, patched in places with brick, and with timber baulks and iron fixings. It forms a terrace in an 'L'shape from the NE corner of the eastern winding engine house to the N side of the western winding engine house. It is roughly 6 to 8m high and strongly battered from bottom to top. Lines of putlog holes can be seen where the screens for sizing the coal were fixed to the wall, and a stone-lined tunnel enters the heapstead from an arch on the N side which would formerly have connected to the shaft.

Reason for designation

Listed as an impressively constructed and unusually complete example of a colliery heapstead, and for group value with other buildings from the former Plas Power Colliery.