Remains of Blast Furnaces at Banwen

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

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

The monument comprises the remains of an ironworks. Founded in 1838, the ironworks proved to be short-lived and unsuccessful. As a result, the works at Banwen remained small scale and representative of a relatively rare single phase development.

The complex of stone-built buildings includes two substantially intact blast furnaces with their associated charging platform, the engine house and the site of the chimney. The two furnaces are constructed of roughly coursed large grey stone with archways on all four sides with pecked detailing to the quoins. While the site was in use, material to charge the furnaces would be weighed at the weighbridge (un-scheduled), then brought to the edge of the charging platform (which exploits a slight natural cliff) and taken over a bridge onto the tops of the furnaces. Power for the forced draught (blast) was provided by a steam engine located in the engine house.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the industrial revolution. Indeed, this ironworks represents the most intact example of its kind located on the anthracite coalfield. The monument retains significant archaeological potential and forms an important element in the wider south-Wales industrial landscape.

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