Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Pair of former Quarry Workers' Cottages
Llanycil, Gwynedd, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Arenig, Bala, Llanycil, Gwynedd, designated on 22 October 2001.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Industrial
- Date of designation
- 22 October 2001
- Locality
- Arenig
- Town
- Bala
- Community
- Llanycil
- Unitary authority
- Gwynedd
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 52.93842, -3.73666
- Cadw reference
- 25813
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. b. Frstenthum Wales: Shire: 37-40 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 120 Corwen (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
Cadw's description
Location
On the roadside, in the hamlet of Arenig.
History
Pair of early C20 quarry workers' cottages of corrugated iron-clad construction. The cottages were erected as provisional accommodation for workers at the Arenig Quarry. This was founded in 1905 by Evan Jones as the Arenig Granite Co. Ltd., and quarrying continued here until c1980. It provided granite chippings for railway ballast and road building, as well as paving setts. Such temporary corrugated iron architecture was commonly employed in the later C19 and early C20. This cheap, adaptable and prefabricated material was especially suited to industrial, military and pioneering use throughout the then Empire; good surviving late C19 and early C20 examples are, however becoming scarce. This pair of cottages is the last surviving one of apparently several originally built to serve the former quarrying community at Arenig.
Exterior
Single-storey pair of two former quarry-workers' cottages, arranged as a reflected pair. Of timber-framed construction with corrugated iron cladding on a rubble plinth; continuous slate roof with plain wooden bargeboards. The cottages are sited on the roadside and are built out over a steep gradient to the rear. Shared squat central chimney of red brick, with cornicing and paired ceramic pots. Each unit has a central projecting porch with catslide roof and entrance to the E (R) return; that to the R has a 6-panel door of late Victorian type, the door to the L unit is missing. Flanking the porch are single windows to each unit, relating to a 2-room interior arrangement; both right-hand windows retain their 9-pane sashes, whilst those to the L have been blocked-up.
Interior
The interior was not inspected at the time of survey.
Reason for designation
Listed for its special socio-historic interest as a scarce surviving example of a corrugated iron-clad designed pair of early C20 quarry workers' cottages.
Nearby in the register
- Pant LlwyniDomesticunder 1 mi
- Pont Rhyd-y-FenTransportunder 1 mi
- Arenig Fawr CairnRound Cairn2 mi
- Capel Celyn Memorial ChapelCommemorative2 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.