Tramway Office at Broomfield

Cadw's description

Location

Located above the SW garden of Broomfield, by the side of the former tramway.

History

The Hay to Brecon horse tramway was built to carry coal, lime and other commodities from the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal to Hay-on-Wye and Eardisley, replacing the earlier erratic and dangerous transport by river. The route was originally surveyed by Thomas Dadford in 1793, and received royal asset on 25th May 1811. Due to delays in commencing construction, it was resurveyed by William Crosley, and was constructed by John Hodgkinson, engineer, from 1816, and finally opened to horse drawn traffic in 1818, being operated by William Bridgewater of Hereford. It had L-shaped iron rails, set to a 3ft 6in gauge, set in flat chairs on stone sleepers, some of which remain. The line was later merged with The Brecon and Merthyr and the Mid Wales Railway companies in 1864, and, in 1874, was leased to the Midland Railway who finally purchased it in 1885. The rail depot at Broomfield, known at the time as Glasbury wharf, included compartmented stores for the coal and lime and other goods, the remains of which survive to the NE of Broomfield House. The railway closed for passenger traffic in 1962.

The drivers of consigments from both Hay and Brecon met up at Broomfield, exchanged horses, and each returned to his point of origin. This structure was probably erected either for a the traffic superintendent to take tolls on goods or to act as a waiting place for the first arrival.

Exterior

A rectangular structure approximately 3m x 2.5m, of local sandstone rubble, formerly of 2 storeys, with a monopitch roof, the roof and first floor now missing. Door from rear to upper floor, and ground floor has a window with one splayed reveal facing up the line. Small fireplace. Front probably boarded, with a door to the line to intercept the rail traffic.

To the east, and 20m E of the house, are a series of open storage bunkers for lime, coal etc. built in the early C19 in association with the tramway, and connected by a wall with arched opening to a pair of storehouses, facing E, now adapted for garden use.

Reason for designation

Included for group value with Broomfield as the remains of a scarce building type on this important early railway.