Bank of Limekilns beside Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal east of Bridge No 131

Cadw's description

Location

Situated immediately to the east of the bridge that carries Forge Road up over the canal.

History

Bank of three limekilns contemporary with the construction of the canal between 1797 and 1799. The first two kilns are said to have been made in December 1797 and a further two commissioned the following year; either only one more was built or one kiln has been lost subsequently.

The Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal was promoted in 1792 to connect the upper Usk valley with the Monmouthshire Canal at Pontymoile and from there to the sea at Newport. The first section, between Gilwern and Talybont and including Llangynidr, was cut between 1797 and 1799, with the upper section between Talybont and Brecon opened in 1800, both sections engineered by Thomas Dadford. The lower section between Gilwern and Pontymoile was completed in 1812 and was engineered by William Crosley. In 1865 the Brecknock and Abergavenny and the Monmouthshire Canals merged to become the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, which was later incorporated into the Great Western Railway. The canal was an important artery for trade in iron from the works in the north-east corner of the coalfield and for lime and coal to supply the Usk Valley. The last toll was taken on the canal at Llangynidr in 1933. Restoration of the canal began in 1964.

Exterior

The kilns are unusually built into the bank of the canal and were therefore charged from the level of the towpath. This arrangement can be paralleled at Govilon but it is more common to have the draw arches at towpath level and charging at a high level (eg Llangattock and Talybont on Usk). Each kiln in this long bank has a pair of vaulted draw arches with voussoirs to the outer arches.

Reason for designation

Listed for its special interest as a surviving bank of limekilns dating from the period of original construction of the canal.