Stepaside/Kilgetty Ironworks

Cadw's description

Summary description and reason for designation

The following provides a general description of the Scheduled Monument.

The monument comprises the remains of an ironworks established by the Pembrokeshire Iron and Coal Company between 1847 and 1849 following the successful introduction of anthracite smelting at Ynyscedwyn in 1836, and worked only sporadically until 1887 owing to the difficult conditions of the iron trade at the time. As the site was little redeveloped it stands as one of the most complete examples of mid nineteenth century iron making practice. The remains consist of a bank of iron ore and lime kilns, the furnace bank, the site of two furnaces and hot air stoves, the double cast house, a double blowing engine house, workshops, and the sites of refineries and ancillary structures together with evidence of the tramroad network that served them.

The monument is of national importance for its potential to enhance and illustrate our knowledge and understanding of the development of the iron industry. The ironworks forms part of a larger industrial complex served by the Saundersfoot Railway which includes the associated Grove Colliery (scheduled Monument PE489) its importance enhanced further by their group value.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described and areas around them within which related evidence may be expected to survive and is bounded on the north by the river bank and the field boundary north of the workshops, on the west by the field boundary west of the upper tramroad, and on the south by the southern end of the furnace bank and cast house.