Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Charcoal Blast Furnace at Abercarn
Abercarn, Caerphilly, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Scheduled monument
- Site type
- Blast Furnace
- Period
- Post Medieval/Modern
- Date of designation
- 24 October 1995
- Community
- Abercarn
- Unitary authority
- Caerphilly
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates (centre of the scheduled area)
- 51.64711, -3.13419
- SAM number
- MM250
- Cadw record number
- 1441
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesBayerische Staatsbibliothek, MunichUniversity Library, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1588 "Ortelius, Abraham: Theatro De La Tierra Universal. 0" (Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich).
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 Industrial blast furnace, dating to the 18th century and fuelled by charcoal. The remains include a square stone stack on the bank above the river, stone charging house, waterwheel pit and wireworks. The charging house was later used as a forge. The furnace is probably the successor of an earlier furnace situated some distance to the east up the valley of the Nant Gwyddon.
The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance and illustrate our knowledge and understanding of the development of the iron industry in Wales. It retains significant archaeological potential, with the strong possibility of the presence of associated archaeological features and deposits. A blast furnace 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
- Abercarn War MemorialReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
- The GablesDomesticunder 1 mi
- Terraced steps at The GablesGardens, Parks and Urban Spacesunder 1 mi
- Welsh Presbyterian ChurchReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.