Former Blast Furnace and attached building

Cadw's description

Location

Situated the lower of the 2 stone buildings in builders merchants down drive off the SE side of Abbey Mead.

History

This was part of the iron works established here in 1748 by Robert Morgan, and probably dates from that time. In 1750, about 150 tons of bar iron was produced here. Before 1760 the furnace produced guns and shot for the Board of Ordnance. By 1788, production had risen to 400 tons. Morgan also had tin mills on the site from 1761. The tin works suffered a disastrous fire in 1823 and the works closed in 1826, but resumed production in 1831, and flourished for the remainder of the century, with 5 mills in operation. The works finally closed in 1900, unable to compete following the loss of the American market with the McKinley tarriff.
The blast furnace is shown in a painting of the ironworks in Carmarthen Museum, and illustrated in Lodwick and James. Now part of Jewson timber merchants premises.

Exterior

Blast furnace, square plan with high battered walls of rubble stone laid in regular courses, and furnace arches in SW and SE sides. Attached to SW is former casting shed with stone walls to ground and first floors, second floor of C20 brick with C20 windows, and C20 hipped roof (also over blast furnace). Five windows to second floor, 4 and loading door to first floor, all with concrete lintels and C20 windows. Ground floor has arched doorway to left with stone voussoirs, and 2 windows and door to right, the door against edge of blast furnace.

Reason for designation

Included for industrial archaeological interest, as remant of a major Welsh iron works.