Small Tramroad bridge over Nant Cedfyw, Shwt

Cadw's description

Location

Situated at the confluence of the two streams in Cwm Cedfyw. Reached via a long track following the line of the old tramway, N of the farmstead of Shwt Uchaf and in the cwm E of Tyle-coch.

History

Small scale drift mines at Shwt developed 1820s and a tramway down the Cwm Nant Cedfyw was built 1828 by Vaughan Edwards Vaughan to transport the coal. This linked via an Incline Plane W of the Llynfi with the Dyffryn Llynfi Porthcawl Railway established 1825 primarily to transport iron from the works in the Llynfi Valley. Coal from Shwt was used by the early ironworks at Tondu to SW in 1830s under Robert Price, who, in order to avoid paying tolls to the Railway, extended this tramroad to Tondu; known as Sir Robert Price's Private Line, it ran along the W bank of the Llynfi, roughly parallel with the Railway though at a lower level, together with a leat built to provide water to the ironworks. This bridge, near the beginning of the line, crosses the stream to the right of the main track leading to Shwt and probably served the small mines along the tributary; some of the adits and ventilation shafts can still be traced.

Exterior

A small low arched rubble stone bridge across the Nant Cedfyw now bearing a track and formerly the horse-drawn tramway.

Reason for designation

Listed as an unaltered structure dating from the early period of mining in the area and with strong connections both with the Dyffryn Llynfi and Porthcawl Railway and with the Tondu ironworks.