Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Cornish Engine House of Penprys Colliery
Llangennech, Carmarthenshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Industrial
- Date of designation
- 12 January 1999
- Locality
- Penprys
- Community
- Llangennech
- Unitary authority
- Carmarthenshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.69610, -4.11370
- Cadw reference
- 21103
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
On waste land 50m north of the A4138, 200m west of the minor road to Porth Dafen.
History
An engine house at Penprys colliery. It is associated with St David's colliery (a Scheduled Ancient Monument in Llanelli Rural community, near Penprys Uchaf, about 500m to the south). Penprys was one of the collieries acquired by the Llangennech Coal Company in the early C19. It was sunk in the late 1820s and worked intermittently until 1908. The engine house was built c1890 to house an engine taken from Old Castle Colliery (closed 1888), and probably constructed to the same dimensions as the house at Old Castle. The Penprys site is marked as 'old shaft' on 1918 Ordnance Survey 25" scale map. The set of engine beds related to it are believed to be intact and complete.
Exterior
The ruin of a small Cornish engine house built of local sandstone with dressings to the openings in brick. The masonry is informally coursed with dressed larger stones at the corners. Door openings at south and east. Windows at north and at high level in the east gable. Cambered arches with timber inner lintels. Some of the masonry on the west side has collapsed. The engine house survives for full height but is now roofless. Foundations of associated machinery have been recorded on the west side of the engine house, and are included in the Ancient Monument scheduling, but have been covered by undergrowth and tipping.
Interior
The basement is about 3m below ground level, with a central cross wall.
Reason for designation
Listed as the well-preserved remains of a late-C19 engine house, believed to be the last colliery beam-engine house built in Wales.
Ancient Monument no. Cm 266 (and associated with Ancient Monument no. Cm 265, St David's Colliery in Llanelli Rural Community).
Nearby in the register
- Penprys Pit Engine HouseEngine Houseunder 1 mi
- St David's CollieryCoal Mineunder 1 mi
- Maescanner Baptist ChapelReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- Church of St Michael and all AngelsReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.