Wessex Archaeology
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Wessex Archaeology The Maritime Archaeology of the Welsh Coal Trade Ref: 53111.02s-3 April 2009 ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES IN RELATION TO THE PROTECTION OF WRECKS ACT (1973) THE MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE WELSH COAL TRADE Prepared by: Wessex Archaeology Portway House Old Sarum Park Salisbury Wiltshire SP4 6EB Prepared for: CADW Welsh Assembly Government Plas Carew Unit 5/7 Cefn Coed Parc Nantgarw Cardiff CF15 7QQ April 2009 Ref: 53111.02s-3 © Wessex Archaeology Limited 2009 Wessex Archaeology Limited is a Registered Charity No.287786 The Maritime Archaeology of the Welsh Coal Trade Wessex Archaeology 53111.02s-3 THE MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE WELSH COAL TRADE Ref: 53111.02s-3 Summary “It is the great quantities of Bulksome Commodities that multiplies ships” - Thomas Tryon, 1669 Wessex Archaeology was commissioned by CADW to undertake a thematic desk-based study of the maritime archaeology of the Welsh coal trade. Although now in serious decline, the coal industry was fundamental in shaping the development of modern Wales, particularly in the south. For a brief period of time in the late 19th and early 20th centuries it was arguably also Britain’s greatest single export and Welsh ‘steam coal’ powered the industrial and transport revolutions taking place across the world. The coal industry bestrode Wales like a behemoth. Most of the coal was exported and therefore the coal trade was by necessity largely a maritime trade. Both South and North Wales had separate coal industries. The coalfields of North Wales were in the north-east. The South Wales coalfield extended across a wide area, from Abersychan in the east to St Bride’s Bay in the west. The famous steam coal, ideal for use in steam engines, is found in parts of the South Wales coalfield. The origin of these coalfields can be traced back to the medieval period. Output and coal exports grew slowly but steadily in the Post-medieval period, partly promoted by the development of iron smelting industry close to the collieries. However, it was not until the modern period that development of canal and then railway links between inland parts of the coalfields and the coast made trade in large quantities of coal economic. This coincided with a world of rapidly industrialising countries and created an explosion in demand for Welsh coal. This led to a huge rise in output and trade volumes and the building of massive coal ports to handle the large numbers of ships needed to transport the coal away to market. The report provides a synthesis of available data concerning the history of the coal trade and of the coal ports and discusses by period the different types of vessel used to export coal. Available primary and secondary sources have also been used to compile an archaeological audit of both known losses and known wrecks of vessels carrying Welsh coal within a loosely-drawn study area comprising UK territorial and near-territorial waters around the Welsh coast. A total of 592 known losses of coal carrying ships have been traced, of which 533 were carrying coal loaded in Welsh ports. The great majority were sailing vessels, although significant numbers of steamships were also lost from the second half of the 19th century onwards. Searches of UKHO records and selective secondary sources have, by contrast, identified only 32 known wrecks of vessels carrying Welsh coal in a similar but slightly smaller study area. Available data concerning all of these wrecks has been compiled and discussed. Only four of the 32 wrecks are those of sailing vessels. None of the wrecks appear to have been subject to archaeological investigation and data concerning their current condition is fairly sparse. This assessment is by necessity not a complete study but is in effect a scoping study. It is clear that the maritime archaeology of the coal trade has not received the research attention it deserves and has not produced the public benefits that it is capable of providing. The report therefore makes a number of recommendations for further related work. i The Maritime Archaeology of the Welsh Coal Trade Wessex Archaeology 53111.02s-3 THE MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE WELSH COAL TRADE Ref: 53111.02s-3 Acknowledgements This investigation was commissioned by CADW and the assistance provided by Sian Rees is gratefully acknowledged. Wessex Archaeology is particularly grateful for the advice and assistance provided by Dr David Jenkins, Senior Curator, National Waterfront Museum, Swansea. Wessex Archaeology would also like to thank the following people and organisations, in alphabetical order: x Amgueddfa Cymru / National Museums Wales (Dr Eurwyn William, Deputy Director General; Kevin Thomas, Senior Photographic Officer) x Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau / National Waterfront Museum, Swansea x Archifdy Caernarfon / Caernarfon Record Office (Lynn C. Francis, Senior Archivist) x Archifdy Sir Ddinbych / Denbighshire Record Office (Lorna Williams, Archivist) x Brecon SAC (Phil Norman) x Caernarfon Maritime Museum (Anne Venables) x Cardiff Octopus Club (Mandy Berry) x Carmarthenshire County Council (Gavin Evans) x Chris Holden x Cwmtawe SAC (David Atkins) x Dave Parham, Bournemouth University x Dive Magazine Forum x Flintshire County Council (Deborah Snow) x Flintshire Record Office (Steven Davies, Archivist) x Glamorgan Record Office x Gwasanaeth Archifau Ynys Môn /Anglesey County Archives Service (Anne Venables) x H.M. Deputy Receiver of Wreck Rebecca Tye x Ian Cundy x Lleyn SAC (Mike Duke) x Newport Museum and Gallery (Rachael Anderton) x Prif Swyddog Amgueddfeyd / Flintshire County Council (Debbie Snow, Principal Museums Officer) x Puffin Diving Club (Colin Deller) x Royal Commision on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales x Simon Adey-Davies x South Glamorgan SAC x Torfaen SAC (Gail Salter and members) x United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (June Dillon and others, Wrecks Section) The report was compiled by Graham Scott, with contributions by Niall Callan, Kevin Stratford, Sue Nelson and Sue Davies. Kitty Brandon prepared the illustrations. Steve Webster edited the report and managed the project for Wessex Archaeology. ii The Maritime Archaeology of the Welsh Coal Trade Wessex Archaeology 53111.02s-3 Data Licences Material derived from the UKHO is subject to licence 820/020220/11 and the conditions on end-users and third parties contained therein. The following chart has been added to Schedule 1 Annex A: Digital use of Chart 2209 (dated 2006). The chart used in Figure 1 was obtained from the UK Hydrographic Office. The following notice applies: This product has been derived, in part, from Crown Copyright Material with the permission of the UK Hydrographic Office and the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office (www.ukho.gov.uk) All rights reserved. NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION. WARNING: The UK Hydrographic Office has not verified the information within this report and does not accept liability for the accuracy of reproduction or any modifications made thereafter. iii The Maritime Archaeology of the Welsh Coal Trade Wessex Archaeology 53111.02s-3 THE MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE WELSH COAL TRADE Ref: 53111.02s-3 Contents 1. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Assessment Background................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Document Parameters .................................................................................................... 1 1.3. Objectives ........................................................................................................................ 1 2. METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 1 3. THE COALFIELDS....................................................................................................... 3 3.2. The South Wales Coalfield............................................................................................. 3 3.3. The North Wales Coalfield............................................................................................. 4 4. THE SOUTH WALES COAL TRADE........................................................................ 4 4.1. Pre-medieval (to 1066 AD)............................................................................................. 4 4.2. Medieval Period (1066-1540) ......................................................................................... 4 4.3. Post-medieval Period (1540-1799) ................................................................................. 5 4.4. Modern (1800-Present)................................................................................................... 7 5. HISTORY OF THE NORTH WALES COAL TRADE ........................................... 11 5.1. Pre-medieval (to 1066 AD)........................................................................................... 11 5.2. Medieval Period (1066-1540) ....................................................................................... 11 5.3. Post-medieval Period (1540-1799) ............................................................................... 12 5.4. Modern (1800-Present)................................................................................................. 13 6. THE COAL PORTS ..................................................................................................... 14 6.1. South Wales..................................................................................................................