Former Navigation Colliery Fan House and Fan Drift

Cadw's description

Location

Located on a lane N from Kendon Road near the centre of Crumlin. At the S end of the colliery complex at road level, paired in position with the Power House on the other side of the Heapstead.

History

Navigation Colliery Crumlin was built by the firm of Partridge Jones and Company between 1907 and 1911. The firm was one of the largest coal combines in S Wales, owning 9 collieries in the Gwent valleys. Navigation Colliery was a show-pit of the period with high quality buildings and up-to-date machinery. One of the earliest collieries in S Wales to be built in brick rather than local stone with brick dressings. Closed 1967 and disused since. Fan Engine is a Horizontal Triple Expansion Steam Engine by Walker Bros of Wigan in which the drive was transmitted to the fan by ropes via a 16 feet in diameter (c 4.9m) pulley-flywheel of 15 tonnes.

Exterior

Single storey Fan House with attached curved Fan Drift to right joining the Heapstead. Irregular plan consists of a 4-bay gabled left (S) wing, a flat-roofed tower breaking forward to centre, similar to rear, and to right (N) projecting further forward a lower 4-bay frontage with a short single-pitched roof extending to the parapet, and a lower lean-to 2-bay wing adjoining the Fan Drift which is stepped back to right. Of high quality red and yellow engineering brick, the yellow brick slightly projecting and partly stepped to quoins, pilasters, plinth and cornice, forming a grid pattern. Welsh slate roof, not intact, with overhanging eaves and gabled ridge ventilator to left bay. Fan Drift is of rubble with cambered vault. Windows to Fan House, left wing, are round-headed with keystone and multipane metal frames; centre left doorway. To right wing windows are smaller with cambered heads. 3-bay S gable end has similar round-headed windows, altered to doorway left, with iron-framed gable roundel above.

Interior

Lined with fine quality yellow, white and red brick moulded and stepped to surrounds.

Reason for designation

Listed II* as an important building in this nearly complete colliery complex of national importance. Group value with other listed former colliery buildings.