Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Quay walls at former Upper Bank Works
Bonymaen, Swansea, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- No class recorded
- Date of designation
- 22 October 2003
- Locality
- Morfa
- Town
- Swansea
- Community
- Bonymaen
- Unitary authority
- Swansea
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.64035, -3.93016
- Cadw reference
- 81961
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
On the E bank of the Afon Tawe some 350m NE of the junction of the A4217 and Foxhole Road.
History
Quay walls, part of the stone quays and tidal basins, which by the early C19, almost continuously lined the 4.8km dredged and navigable length of the lower Afon Tawe. This quay enabled sea-going vessels to service the Upper Bank Works on the E side of the river. The works were founded mid C18 by London merchant Chauncey Townsend initially smelting lead and zinc. The main activity changed to copper-smelting around 1775 and, as a result of George Muntz patenting ''yellow metal'' for the sheathing of ships, zinc-smelting was reintroduced on a large-scale in 1838-42. The works closed in 1928.
Exterior
Quay walls of squared rubble stone originally with rounded slag coping. Some 100m in length with curve in one third of way along and at the S end, the curves serving to angle the quay out of the river current. Only a short length at the N end has original copings.
Reason for designation
Listed as early industrial quay walls and for group value with Morfa bridge and quay.
Nearby in the register
- Former smelter sheds at Upper Bank WorksNo class recordedunder 1 mi
- Morfa QuayMaritimeunder 1 mi
- Morfa Bridge and QuaysBridgeunder 1 mi
- Morfa BridgeNo class recordedunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.