14 Upper Colliers Row

Cadw's description

Location

Situated SE of Heolgerrig, some 500m W of the remains of the Ynysfach Iron Works and just W of the A470.

History

Cottage in a row of early C19 industrial workers'' houses with catslide roofs to rear, typical of industrial housing of the period. Since 1975 all have been thoroughly altered, but they remain one of the very few early rows to survive in the Merthyr region. The row is shown on surveyors'' drawings of 1814 and 1826 and detailed on subsequent 6" OS maps from 1875 onwards. The cottages were part of the Dynevor Estate during the C19, housing colliers working the Cyfarthfa mines but the roadway before the houses originally lead to the Ynysfach Iron Works (established in 1801) and it is possible that some of the inhabitants worked there. Certainly, it was conveniently located adjacent to both the Cyfarthfa Canal basin at Llwyn-celyn and the Cyfarthfa Tramway.
Originally the cottages were of stone with stone heads to openings, stone-slab roofs and stone chimneys, one-window and door (Nos 2 and 7 are now 2-window) with small upper windows and probably sash glazing. The upper window heads were under the eaves. The interiors had joisted floors rather than beams with thin joists, the fireplaces had winding staircases adjacent, of stone or timber.

Exterior

No 14 has painted roughcast cladding, stone right end stack shared with No 15. Late C20 porch to left with arched entry and window each floor to right, aligned.

Interior

Not available for inspection. It is said that the interior has joisted floors, fireplace to right with winding stone staircase adjacent.

Reason for designation

Included notwithstanding modern alterations as part of one of the last surviving rows of industrial workers'' houses in the Merthyr region.