Water Wheel House between slab mills at Felin Fawr Slate Works

Cadw's description

Location

Located between the slab mills at Felin Fawr Slate Works.

History

The wheel was made at the de Winton Foundry in Caernarfon and erected at the Felin Fawr Slate Works in 1846. Fed by underground pipes from Afon Galedffrwd upstream of the works, this 36 ft (10.97m) diameter water wheel powered the sawing and dressing machines in the adjoining dressing sheds. The Felin Fawr workshop complex was formerly the principal slate and slab manufacturing yard for the Penrhyn Slate Quarry, one of the most productive in Wales. The wheel house was in very poor condition at time of Survey.

Exterior

Rectangular plan building, aligned roughly north-south. Reddish brown brick laid in Flemish garden wall bond; gable-ended slate roof, collapsed at northern end, collapsing and with majority of slates missing to southern end at time of Survey. 2 surviving full-height openings with slate lintels to eastern wall; tall rectangular window (joinery gone) with slate cill and lintel in south gable end. Northern gable end collapsed.

Interior

Interior retains overshot wheel set low in a brick-lined wheelpit; wheel has cast-iron frame with only the lower wooden paddles intact. Drivegear and related machinery remain along with the ironwork header tank and panelled angle pilasters over the northern part of the wheel-pit.

Reason for designation

Included, notwithstanding the very poor condition of the wheel house, at II* on account of its exceptional importance in the context of the major manufacturing works for the Penrhyn Slate Quarry, one of the most important and productive slate quarries in Wales; the wheel itself is one of the finest remaining industrial water wheels in Wales.