Hot & Cold Rolling Mills, Kidwelly Tinplate Works

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

The monument consists of the remains of an industrial monument, dating to the 19th century and includes the machinery of the Hot and Cold Rolling Mills at the Upper Works, Kidwelly. The hot mills date to 1879 and were powered by two large, vertical single-cylinder steam engines, which drove first six and then eight sets of rolls producing thin iron plates for tinning. Pairs of rolls are still attached to the southern engine. The Cold Rolling Mills date to 1918 and were powered by a tandem, horizontal compound engine which drove a large flywheel linked to three smaller flywheels powering three pairs of mills in a lean-to building outside the engine house.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of 18th or 19th century industrial practices. It retains significant archaeological potential, with a strong probability of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. The structure itself may be expected to contain archaeological information concerning chronology and building techniques. An industrial monument may be part of a larger cluster of monuments and their importance can further enhanced by their group value.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive.