Henllys Vale Colliery Chimney

Cadw's description

Location

Situated on W bank of the Afon Twrch, some 1.4 km N of Brynhenllys Bridge, reached by long track or riverside footpath.

History

Colliery chimney built for Henllys Vale Colliery, an anthracite drift mine that operated from 1898 to 1918, initially owned by the Black Mountain Anthracite Co., later by the New Henllys Anthracite Co. Ltd. The tall chimney served the boilers for the steam engines, notably a haulage engine which operated the drift. It was unusually tall owing to the constricted valley setting. Most of the colliery buildings were demolished in the 1950s but the chimney and adjacent limekilns were restored under a land reclamation scheme c1986. The limekilns, served by the incline railway into the Black Mountain predate the colliery by a few years.

Exterior

Colliery chimney of exceptional quality, over 30m high, circular on an octagonal base. Red brick of varied shades, banded in alternate courses of headers and stretchers. The base is octagonal, rising to about 3m, and has an archway on the south side for a flue. The chimney shaft tapers gradually to a corbelled ring at the top.

Reason for designation

Listed as a fine example of a Victorian industrial chimney and for group value with the adjacent bank of lime-kilns.