Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Beaufort Pond Dam
Wye Valley, Monmouthshire, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Water Supply and Drainage
- Date of designation
- 29 September 2000
- Locality
- Pont-y-saeson
- Town
- Chepstow
- Community
- Wye Valley
- Unitary authority
- Monmouthshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.70055, -2.71135
- Cadw reference
- 24054
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
About 500m above Old Furnace with the Trellech road crossing the dam crest.
History
The dam was built to provide power to the bellows of the blast furnace, the remains of which are displayed about 500m downstream. The present structure is probably mostly C18 with some reconstruction in the C19 and the early C20, but the dam may originate in the C16 when the blast furnace first opened. The furnace ceased working in about 1826.
Exterior
The dam is constructed of rubble sandstone walling with the parapets much more carefully squared having been built by the County Council in the early C20 to make it suitable to carry heavier road traffic. The upstream side has four low arches with elliptical heads for the sluices. The downstream side has the spillways from these. The dam provides a 2-2.5m head of water in its current state. The dam is about 40m long and about 3.5m wide at road level.
Reason for designation
Included as a well preserved small mill dam dating possibly from the C18, and as a part of an important group of surviving relics of the metal industry in the Anghidy valley.
Nearby in the register
- Tintern Upper Wireworks (New Tongs Mill)Leatunder 1 mi
- Furnace CottagesDomesticunder 1 mi
- Old Furnace Blast FurnaceBlast Furnaceunder 1 mi
- Fish Pool DamWater Supply and Drainageunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.