Three Limekilns at Goytre Wharf

Cadw's description

Location

About 3000m north of the Church of St. Illtyd approached down a track from the Old Abergavenny Road.

History

The Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal was promoted in 1792 to connect the upper Usk valley to the Monmouthshire Canal at Pontymoile and from there to the sea at Newport. Construction began in 1797, with Thomas Dadford Jnr. as engineer, and the first section, from Gilwern to Llangynidr was completed in that year, with the stretch as far as Brecon following in 1800. Work then stopped for a time with the result that the section to the Blaenavon Road east of Govilon was not completed until 1805, now with Thomas Cartwright as engineer. Further funds had to be raised and the last section from west of Llanfoist to Pontymoile was completed betwen 1809 and 1812, with William Crossley as engineer. Linked to the tramroads the canal was an important artery for trade in iron, lime and coal. In 1865 the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal Company merged with the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company who owned the connecting canal from Pontymoile to Newport. Later still in 1880 the MR&CC was bought out by the Great Western Railway and gradually the canal was run down until it was abandoned finally in 1962. Restoration work was begun in 1964, and the canal is once again open between Pontymoile and Brecon with the title Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal. Goytre Wharf was opened in 1812 and the buildings there must date from then or very soon after.

Exterior

Three double lime kilns constructed of neatly squared and coursed local sandstone rubble. The right hand kiln is set slightly forward and slightly higher than the other two and may be a later addition, but the design and workmanship are exactly the same. Three double kilns each with paired semi-circular openings for the fire-holes with neatly cut voussoirs and keystones. Above these is a weathered string and a plain wall supporting the bank of the charge-holes. The right hand pair is separated by a flight of stone steps and is more strongly buttressed at the right hand end. The charge bank is directly beside an arm of the canal forming a dock and quay for the coal and limestone.

Reason for designation

Included for its special interest as an exceptionally fine and well built set of limekilns, one of the structures surviving from the early C19 Brecknock and Abergavenny canal and a part of the important and attractive canal group at Goytre Wharf.