Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Pontsarn Railway Viaduct (also in Pant Community)
Vaynor, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II*
- Broad class
- No class recorded
- Date of designation
- 22 August 1975
- Locality
- Pontsarn
- Town
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Community
- Vaynor
- Unitary authority
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.77976, -3.38522
- Cadw reference
- 81196
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
Crossing the Afon Taff Fechan just N of Pontsarn and some 600m NW of the remains of Morlais Castle.
History
Railway viaduct, built 1866 by Henry Conybeare and Alexander Sutherland for Savin and Ward. The viaduct carried the former Brecon and Merthyr Railway over the Afon Taff Fechan and was built of limestone from railway cuttings. The viaduct was designed for double-line working but a single track only was installed, on the N side. In deteriorating condition at time of survey.
Exterior
Railway viaduct of 7 arches; abutments, tall slender piers and parapets of coursed irregular sized rock-faced limestone blocks and seven segmental arches with limestone voussoirs . The piers have a projecting impost band and a projecting string course below the parapets. The viaduct is built on a straight line some 138m long and has a maximum height of approximately 28m.
Reason for designation
Included at II* as an historically important and architecturally impressive railway viaduct. Part of the same railway engineering project as the Cefn Coed viaduct (Grade II*).
Nearby in the register
- Pontsarn Railway Viaduct (also in Vaynor)Transportunder 1 mi
- Road bridge near former Pontsarn StationNo class recordedunder 1 mi
- Pont-sarnTransportunder 1 mi
- Pont-SarnTransportunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.