Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Cwmdu Air Shaft & Fan
Cyfarthfa, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales
A scheduled monument in Cyfarthfa, Merthyr Tydfil, recorded as Air Shaft (Post Medieval/Modern).
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Air Shaft
- Period
- Post Medieval/Modern
- Date of designation
- 26 July 1994
- Community
- Cyfarthfa
- Unitary authority
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.73705, -3.40386
- SAM number
- GM460
- Cadw record number
- 606
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesUniversity Library, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamBayerische Staatsbibliothek, MunichUniversity Library, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1588 map "Ortelius, Abraham: Theatro De La Tierra Universal. 0" (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1588 · Ortelius, Abraham: Theatro De La Tierra Universal. 0 (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich)
- 1608 · (13) Cambriae Typus. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 231 Merthyr Tydfil (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- [Kaart] (University Library, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
- Sheet 7 South Wales (University Library, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)
Cadw's description
Summary description and reason for designation
The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.
The monument consists of an air shaft, probably dating to the 18th or 19th century. Cwmdu Air shaft is a small colliery ventilation fan and shaft associated with nearby 19th and 20th century workings. The air shaft consists of a low spoil mound with a narrow circular shaft at its centre, lined in brick and stone with foundations and mountings for the fan engine. The fan box itself is still in place, with a sheet metal inlet tube and box, with small evasee. The axle of the fan carries a strengthening framework and the remains of a number of blades.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance and illustrate our knowledge and understanding of the development of the mining industry in Wales. It retains significant archaeological potential, with the strong possibility of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. An air shaft may be part of a larger cluster of industrial 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.
Nearby in the register
- Cwm Glo ChapelChapelunder 1 mi
- Blaen Canaid FarmhouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- Black Pins early ironstone workingsQuarryunder 1 mi
- Cwm Glo pit and ironstone tipCollieryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.