Cyfarthfa Tramroad Section at Heolgerrig

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 early horse-drawn tramroad, dating to the 18th century. The tramroad was associated with Cyfarthfa Ironwork and was part of an extensive network of tramroads constructed to supply it with limestone, coal and iron ore to the ironworks. The network was built in the late 18th century and consisted of plateways, with flanged plates fixed to stone sleeper blocks. This tramroad connected coal and ironstone levels south of Pen-yr-heolgerrig with the principal line at Heolgerrig, which carried traffic to the works yard. It was probably built in the 1790s, and is recorded as in use on maps surveyed c. 1825, c. 1879 and c. 1905. The route is marked for most of its distance by a double row of stone sleeper blocks with peg holes, occasionally with the remains of wooden pegs, and wear marks from plates and shoes. Alternate blocks have one or three peg holes.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance our knowledge of the development of industrial transportation in the 18th and 19th century. The track bed, bridges, drainage systems, embankments and revetments may all be expected to contain archaeological information in regard to construction techniques and functional detail.

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