Land Off Derllwyn Road Tondu Bridgend County Borough

LAND OFF DERLLWYN ROAD TONDU BRIDGEND COUNTY BOROUGH

ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVALUATION

CA PROJECT: 1406 CA REPORT: 02090

Author: Richard Young

Approved: Mark Collard

Signed: …………………………………………………………….

Issue: 01 Date: 30 September 2002

This report is confidential to the client. Cotswold Archaeology accepts no responsibility or liability to any third party to whom this report, or any part of it, is made known. Any such party relies upon this report entirely at their own risk. No part of this report may be reproduced by any means without permission.

Land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

CONTENTS

SUMMARY ...... 3

1. INTRODUCTION ...... 4

The site ...... 4 Archaeological background ...... 5 Archaeological objectives ...... 6 Methodology...... 6

2. RESULTS ...... 7

Trench 40 ...... 7

3. DISCUSSION ...... 8

Tramroad and leat ...... 8 Other industrial remains ...... 9 Conclusions...... 9

4. CA PROJECT TEAM ...... 9

5. REFERENCES ...... 9

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS ...... 10 APPENDIX 2: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS AND STRUCTURES ...... 11

1 Land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

Fig. 1 Site location plan Fig. 2 Trench location plan Fig. 3 Plan of archaeological features within Trench 40 Fig. 4 Detailed view of Sir Robert Price’s Tramroad, looking north Fig. 5 General view of the north-facing section across leat

2 Land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

SUMMARY

Site Name: Land off Derllwyn Road Location: Tondu, Bridgend County Borough NGR: SS 8930 8440 Type: Evaluation Date: 30 July – 2 August 2002 Location of Archive: To be deposited with the National Museum and Galleries of Wales Site Code: TON 02

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken by Cotswold Archaeology in July and August 2002 at the request of Rhys-Davies Services Limited on land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu. In compliance with an approved project design, one trench was excavated across the development area.

The evaluation has demonstrated that Sir Robert Price’s tramroad and leat survive in the northern part of the site. The work has shown that although the rails and fittings have been removed, the sleepers and ballast bedding of the tramroad do survive and that the course of the tramroad can still be followed. Similarly the location and the majority of the form of the leat has also been established. In addition to the tramroad and leat the evaluation uncovered the remains of supply pipes associated with the gasworks that once stood on the site, and part of another tramway that once crossed the site.

The evaluation has characterised the archaeological potential of the study area, and has indicated that archaeological remains associated with the Tondu Ironworks survive in a relatively undisturbed state at a depth of 1.05m below the modern ground surface (61.50m AOD).

3 Land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 In July and August Cotswold Archaeology (CA) carried out an archaeological evaluation for Rhys-Davies Services Limited on land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu (centred on NGR: SS 8930 8440; Fig. 1). The evaluation was undertaken to obtain information regarding the character, degree of preservation and exact course of Sir Robert Price’s Tramroad and the leat which ran along its western side, and in particular the state of preservation and depth below present ground level in the northern half of the site.

1.2 The evaluation was carried out in accordance with a detailed project specification produced by CA (2002b) and approved by the Local Planning Authority (LPA) acting on the advice of Glamorgan and Gwent Archaeological Trust (Curatorial) Ltd. The fieldwork also followed the Standard and Guidance for Archaeological Field Evaluations issued by the Institute of Field Archaeologists (1999). It was monitored by Mr N. Maylan of Glamorgan and Gwent Archaeological Trust (Curatorial Division), including a site visit on 2 August 2002.

The site

1.3 The site lies off Derllwyn Road in Tondu, Bridgend, Glamorgan. The site overlies part of the former industrial complex of the Tondu Ironworks and occupies a raised position to the west of Maesteg Road, at approximately 60m AOD (Fig. 2). Immediately to the south-west of the site lies the upstanding remains of part of the former Ironworks, which include the Coke Ovens, Calcining Ovens and Engine Houses. These structures, along with a small portion of the development area, are scheduled as an Ancient Monument under the 1979 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act.

1.4 The underlying geology of the area is mapped as coal measures overlying limestone of the Carboniferous era (British Geological Survey 1981)

1.5 The site is currently derelict land, having been cleared of buildings by the National Coal Board (NCB) in 1991. It now consists of areas of concrete and tarmac hardstanding surrounded by scrub and young trees, with more mature trees occupying the westernmost parts of the site.

4 Land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

Archaeological background

1.6 Archaeological interest in the development site arises as it occupies part of the site of the former Tondu Ironworks which commenced production in 1839 and continued in operation until c. 1896. The site was then used for coke production and light engineering. After nationalisation of the coal industry after World War II, the site was an administrative and engineering centre for the NCB before ultimately becoming the regional headquarters for the West Wales area until the site was closed completely in 1986.

1.7 The Ironworks, and its associated industries, ancillary services and housing, covered an extensive area. Most of the buildings of the ironworks, and those from later uses of the site, have been demolished to ground level. The visible surviving upstanding structures (including the Coke Ovens, Calcining Kilns and Engine Houses, and some other buried remains) are scheduled as an Ancient Monument under the 1979 Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act. This scheduled area was extended in 2001 to include the site of the former rolling mills of the ironworks, part of which extends into the area of development. A programme of archaeological investigation has been carried out by Oxford Archaeological Unit within the main scheduled complex in and around the standing remains, which now form part of a Heritage Park, but no previous archaeological investigations have been carried out within the residential development site (although see 1.8 below, and CA 2002a).

1.8 An investigation of the extent and nature of contamination on the site, involving the excavation of 39 machine-dug trial pits by the Site Engineers, Integral Geotechnique in April 2002. These works were monitored by Cotswold Archaeology and the archaeological results are summarised in a report prepared on the works (CA 2002a). The results of the contamination testing show that the leat and the northern part of the tramway lie in areas of hydrocarbon contamination, as shown on the accompanying plan and may be affected by remediation measures to remove this contamination.

5 Land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

Archaeological objectives

1.9 Following this trial pit exercise, and having reviewed the previous geotechnical information available for the site, it is considered that it would be useful to obtain further information regarding the character, degree of preservation and exact course of Sir Robert Price’s tramroad and the leat which ran along its western side, and in particular the state of preservation and depth below present ground level in the northern part of the site. Information recovered from the evaluation will be used to assess the impact of the proposed development of the site on the buried archaeological remains, and to allow the formulation of detailed foundation, drainage and service installation methodologies to mitigate that impact.

Methodology

1.10 The fieldwork comprised the excavation of one trench measuring 25m by 2m.

1.11 All trenches were excavated by mechanical excavator equipped with a toothless grading bucket. All machine excavation was undertaken under constant archaeological supervision to the top of the first significant archaeological horizon or the natural substrate, whichever was encountered first. Where archaeological deposits were encountered they were excavated by hand in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 1: Excavation Recording Manual (1996).

1.12 Deposits were assessed for their palaeoenvironmental potential and, where appropriate, sampled and processed in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 2: The Taking of Samples for Palaeoenvironmental/Palaeoeconomic Analysis from Archaeological Sites (1994). All artefacts recovered were processed in accordance with the CA Technical Manual 3: Treatment of Finds Immediately After Excavation (1995).

1.13 The archive and artefacts from the evaluation are currently held by CA at their offices in Kemble. Subject to the agreement of the legal landowner the site archive (including artefacts) will be deposited with the National Museums and Galleries of Wales.

6 Land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu: Archaeological Evaluation © Cotswold Archaeology

2. RESULTS

2.1 One evaluation trench 25m long by 2m wide was excavated during this evaluation. To avoid duplication of numbering and to facilitate comparison of the results of this evaluation with those of the contamination testing the evaluation trench was designated Trench 40. No artefacts were recovered from the evaluation trench and no uncontaminated deposits worthy of palaeoenvironmental sampling were encountered.

2.2 This section provides an overview of the evaluation results; detailed summaries of the recorded contexts are to be found in Appendix 1. Details of the relative heights of the principal deposits and features expressed as metres above Ordnance Datum (m AOD) appear in Appendix 2.

Trench 40

2.3 The undisturbed natural clay (4029) was encountered at several points along the base of the trench. In the eastern two-thirds of the trench this clay had a level upper surface which lay 1.20m below the present ground level. In the western third of the trench it rose gently towards the west, where it lay 0.60m below the present ground level.

2.4 The excavation of the trench revealed the remains of Sir Robert Price’s tramroad. The extant remains of the tramroad comprised a pair of sandstone sleepers (4026 and 4027) set within a layer of large irregular sandstone fragments (4028). The sleepers displayed the impressions of the metal shoe and two bolts that would have held the rails of the tramroad. The upper surface of the easternmost of the two sleepers also displayed a rust deposit presumably indicating the original position of the eastern rail of the tramroad. The gauge of the tramroad as surviving was 1.4m or 4ft 7ins. The remains of the tramroad were located 1.05m below the present ground level, 61.50m AOD.

2.5 The evaluation also revealed part of the leat [4014] that supplied the ironworks with water. The excavation demonstrated that the eastern side of the leat lay approximately 1m to the west of the tramroad. The full width of the leat could not be determined as the western side had been truncated by the installation of a pair of modern drains [4012]. The position of these drains also precluded the determination

of the true depth of the leat. It was possible to demonstrate that the leat was cut into the undisturbed natural clay, that it had no lining and that it had a gently sloping concave profile. The eastern edge of the leat was located 1.10m below the present ground level. The leat was filled with three deposits of very dark grey waterlogged silt (4015, 4016 and 4017). There was no sign of any surviving original fill.

2.6 In addition to the tramroad and leat the evaluation revealed a number of cast iron pipes [4020, 4022 and 4024], which had presumably carried gas from the nearby gasometers. Two such pipes in the southern half of the trench had truncated both the tramroad and the leat. Also located was an apparently in situ wooden sleeper (4019) that would appear to be associated with one of the later rail/tramways first depicted on the 1875 Ordnance Survey map. This sleeper had been overlain by a layer of concrete (4018) presumably associated with a later structure. The upper surface of this concrete lay approximately 0.60m below the present ground level.

2.7 All of the features described above were sealed by a substantial deposit of compacted black coal dust (4010 and 4011). The very eastern end of this deposit contained a number of scrap rails that appeared to have been dumped, perhaps after the installation of the gas pipes in this part of the trench. This deposit would appear to be the result of the prolonged dumping of rubbish and waste from the ironworks and associated industries. This deposit was overlain by the modern topsoil (4001, 4002 and 4003) and a modern tarmac path (4006).

3. DISCUSSION

Tramroad and leat

3.1 The evaluation has demonstrated that both Sir Robert Price’s tramroad and leat do survive in the northern part of the site. The work has shown that although the rails and fittings have been removed, the sleepers and ballast bedding of the tramroad do survive undamaged at a depth of 1.05m (61.50m AOD) and that the course of the tramroad can still be followed. Similarly the location and the basic form of the leat has also been established.

Other industrial remains

3.2 The evaluation has demonstrated that, in addition to the tramroad and leat, the remains of supply pipes associated with the gasworks that once stood on the site and part of another tramway that crossed the site do survive. The uppermost of the gas pipes survives at a depth of 0.75m below the present ground level (61.80m AOD). The remainder of the features lie at a similar level to the tramroad, (61.50m AOD).

Conclusions

3.3 The results of this evaluation and of the monitoring of the contamination test pits indicate that Sir Robert Price’s tramroad and leat have been relatively undisturbed by later activity on the site. It has also been demonstrated that the remains of other industrial processes and transport links associated with the Tondu Ironworks are similarly preserved across the site.

4. CA PROJECT TEAM

Fieldwork was undertaken by Richard Young, assisted by Derek Evans. The report was written by Richard Young. The illustrations were prepared by Lorna Gray. The archive has been compiled by Richard Young and Derek Evans, and prepared for deposition by Ed McSloy. The project was managed for CA by Mark Collard.

5. REFERENCES

CA 2002a Land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu, Residential development phases 2 and 3: Archaeological Watching Brief

CA 2002b Land off Derllwyn Road, Tondu, Residential development phases 2 and 3: Method Statement 2: Archaeological evaluation of Sir Robert Price’s Tramway and Leat

APPENDIX 1: CONTEXT DESCRIPTIONS

Trench 40

4001 Topsoil: dark brown sandy silt, 0.80m thick 4002 Topsoil: dark brown sandy silt, 0.26m thick 4003 Topsoil: dark brown sandy silt, 0.28m thick 4004 Modern footpath kerb 4005 Concrete bedding for 4004 4006 Tarmac surface for modern footpath, 0.06m thick 4007 Stone bedding for 4006, 0.28m thick 4008 Modern footpath kerb 4009 Concrete bedding for 4008 4010 Extensive deposit of compacted black coal dust with frequent lenses of ash, slag and clay, and fragments of brick and concrete. 0.70m thick 4011 Extensive deposit of compacted black coal dust with frequent lenses of ash, slag and clay, and fragments of brick and concrete. 0.62m thick 4012 Modern drain cut 4013 Fill of 4012: mixed topsoil, coal dust and other debris 4014 Leat: gently sloping concave feature cut into the undisturbed clay. The base and western side were not visible within the trench. The feature is at least 2.50m wide and over 0.80m deep. 4015 Fill of 4014: very dark grey waterlogged silt with frequent inclusions of brick, concrete, glass, timber and other debris. 0.42m thick 4016 Fill of 4014: very dark grey waterlogged silt with frequent inclusions of brick, concrete, glass, timber and other debris. 0.20m thick 4017 Fill of 4014: very dark grey waterlogged silt with frequent inclusions of brick, concrete, glass, timber and other debris. At least 0.32m thick 4018 Sub-rectangular concrete ‘plinth’: 3.70m by 0.60m 4019 Wooden sleeper: 3.30m long 4020 Gas pipe cut, aligned N-S 4021 Fill of 4020: mixed topsoil, coal dust and other debris 4022 Gas pipe cut, aligned N-S 4023 Fill of 4022: mixed topsoil, coal dust and other debris 4024 Gas pipe cut, aligned E-W 4025 Fill of 4024: mixed topsoil, coal dust and other debris 4026 Stone sleeper from Sir Robert Price’s Tramroad: 0.50m by 0.25m 4027 Stone sleeper from Sir Robert Price’s Tramroad: 0.30m by 0.15m 4028 Tramroad ballast: layer of irregular sandstone fragments up to 0.25m3 4029 Undisturbed natural clay: light to mid orangey brown silty clay

APPENDIX 2: LEVELS OF PRINCIPAL DEPOSITS AND STRUCTURES

Levels are expressed as metres below current ground level and as metres above Ordnance Datum, and are based upon a plan supplied by Rhys-Davies Services Limited.

Trench 40 Current ground level 0.00m (62.55m) Sir Robert Price’s 1.05m Tramroad (61.50m) Top of leat 1.15m (61.35m) Undisturbed clay 1.20m (eastern end of trench) (61.35m) Undisturbed clay 0.60m (western end of trench) (61.85m) Limit of excavation (in 1.90m the area of the leat and (60.55m) with the trench edges battered back)

Upper figures are depth below modern ground level, lower figures in parentheses are metres AOD.