Former forge and rolling mill at Neath Abbey Ironworks

Location

On the E side of the River Clydach some 220m N of the Neath Abbey railway viaduct.

History

Former forge and rolling mill built by the Neath Abbey Iron Company in 1825. The Neath Abbey Ironworks were developed by two Quaker families, the Foxes of Falmouth from 1792 and Joseph Tregelles Price from 1817. Under Price the works became famous for high-quality engineering products including locomotives, stationary engines and steamships. The works closed in 1886. The forge and rolling mill has an early iron roof of wrought iron and cast-iron made at the works. The original designs dated 1821 are marked 'Roof for the Forge at Cwm Felin' and have written on them '10 couple wanted'. The machinery in the mill was powered by a waterwheel on the E side. The building was converted to a woollen mill in the 1870s and continued as such until 1974 when some of the later C19 machinery was removed. The mill then became a clothing factory.

Exterior

Former forge and rolling mill, Pennant sandstone walls with C20 painted roughcast render, dressings of Pennant sandstone ashlar and slate roof. The SW side elevation originally had an open arcade of five semicircular arches alternate smaller and larger, since blocked and rendered over, now with C20 inserted windows in the arches. Two C20 windows above, one under a low gable The SE gable end has 3 blocked circular openings with stone voussoirs above the outline of the head of a doorway with keystone dated 1825. Window to left.

Interior

Said to have inserted floor supported on cast-iron pillars. The iron roof trusses have cast-iron compression members (angled struts) and rafters and wrought-iron tension members (iron rod ties and inverted-V rods from ridge to tie-rod).

Reason for designation

The building is of special technological interest for its iron roof trusses and of special historical interest as part of the former Neath Abbey Ironworks. The Neath Abbey Ironworks are a Scheduled Ancient Monument (GM389).