Southeast Wales Industrial Ironworks Landscapes Year 6: The Aberdare-Hirwaun-Penderyn Corridor and Eastern Valley March 2010 A report for Cadw GGAT report no.2010/026 by Richard Roberts BA (Hons) Project no.GGAT 80 The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust Ltd Heathfield House Heathfield Swansea SA1 6EL Southeast Wales Industrial Ironworks Landscapes Contents Page 1 Introduction and Acknowledgements ..................................................................................... 6 1.1 Introduction..................................................................................................................... 6 1.2 Acknowledgements......................................................................................................... 7 1.3 Copyright Notice............................................................................................................. 7 2 The Study Area ....................................................................................................................... 8 3 Purpose of the Report – aims and applications....................................................................... 9 4 Methodology......................................................................................................................... 12 4.1 General Methodology................................................................................................... 12 4.2 Year Six Methodology.................................................................................................. 12 4.3 Task Breakdown........................................................................................................... 14 5 Industrial Ironworks Landscapes (after year 4 report).......................................................... 16 5.1 Review of Project: Year 1 The Core Ironwork Areas................................................... 16 5.2 Review of Project: Year 2 Transport Networks............................................................ 20 5.3 Review of Project: Year 3 Water Management Features.............................................. 27 5.4 Review of Project: Year 4 Extraction Areas................................................................. 30 5.5 Introduction to the Year 6 Extraction Area Based on Year 4....................................... 34 6 Year Six Study Area Report ................................................................................................. 36 6.1 Extractive Areas Visited During Year 6 Fieldwork...................................................... 49 6.2 Water Management Features Visited During Year 6 Fieldwork ................................ 142 7 Conclusions and Recommendations ................................................................................... 148 Bibliography ............................................................................................................................... 155 Cartographic and Aerial Photographic Sources.......................................................................... 158 Appendix I Geological Details of Year 6 Areas ......................................................................... 161 Appendix II Plates....................................................................................................................... 166 Figures......................................................................................................................................... 224 1 Southeast Wales Industrial Ironworks Landscapes List of Figures Page Figure 1a. Location of areas visited in relation to core ironwork areas (Western area)………………… 225 Figure 1b. Location of areas visited (1st edition OS map background 1868-1890) …………………… 226 Figure 1c. Extractive features and areas identified during Year 4, distinguishing between those visited and not visited…………………………………………………………………………… 227 Figure 2. Bryn Defaid and Llwydcoed: Aberdare Ironworks Cinder Tip……………………………… 228 Figure 3. Bryn Defaid and Llwydcoed: Croesdy Patch and Ysgbubor-wen………….………………… 229 Figure 4. Bryn Defaid and Llwydcoed: Fothergill’s Patches (west), Bryn-defaid Patch and Tir-yr-argae……………………………………………………………………………………………… 230 Figure 5. Bryn Defaid and Llwydcoed: Tre-Gibbon (north and south) ………………………………… 231 Figure 6. Bryn Defaid and Llwydcoed: Fothergill's Patches (east), Carn-y-frwydr…………………… 232 Figure 7. Bryn Defaid and Llwydcoed: Gelli-isaf……………………………………………………… 233 Figure 8. Bryn Defaid and Llwydcoed: Mountain Pit………………………………………………… 234 Figure 9. Blaennant (Ffynnon Lassa)…………………………………………………………………… 235 Figure 10. Cwm Nant-yr-Hwch Quarry, Pen-y- 236 waen.………..................................…………………….. ……………………………………………… Figure 11. Hirwaun Common, East: Mynydd Cefn-y- 237 gyngon.………………………………………….. …………………………………………………… Figure 12. Hirwaun Common, East: area west of Waungron …..…………………………………… 238 Figure 13. Cwmbach Extractive Area: Gnoll Quarry, Graig-y-Gilfach, and Tunnel Pit..……………… 239 Figure 14. Lletty Shenkin Extractive Area: Lletty Shenkin Quarry.……………………………………. 240 Figure 15. Gadlys Extractive Area: Merthyrdare Colliery………….………………………………… 241 Figure 16. Gadlys Extractive Area: Craig Colliery and Craig Rhiw-ddu Quarry..…………………… 242 Figure 17. Gadlys Extractive Area: Level Fach ……………………………………………………… 243 Figure 18. Blaengwawr Quarry ……….……………………………………………………………… 244 Figure 19. Bwllfa and Nant Melin Collieries: Craig Nantmelyn …………………………………….. 245 Figure 20. Hirwaun Common, West: Twyn Canwyllyr ……………………………………………… 246 Figure 21. Hirwaun Common, West: area north of Bute Pit and Knobby Drift………………………… 247 Figure 22. Hughes's Patch..…………………………………………………………………………… 248 Figure 23. Llwydcoed Quarries: Old Ironstone Level………………………………..………………… 249 Figure 24. Pontbren Llwyd Quarry……………………………………………………………………… 250 Figure 25. Penderyn-foel……………………………………………………………………………… 251 Figure 26. Old Quarries, east of Pontbren Llwyd……………………………………………………… 252 Figure 27a. Location of areas visited in relation to core ironwork areas (Eastern area)……………… 253 Figure 27b. Location of areas visited (1st edition OS map background 1868-1890). ………………… 254 Figure 27c. Extractive features and areas identified during Year 4, distinguishing between those visited and not visited…………………………………………………………………………… 255 Figure 28. Varteg-hill Colliery and Craig-ddu Quarry………………………………………………… 256 Figure 29. Varteg Waste………………………………………………………………………………… 257 Figure 30. Gallowsgreen and Waun-Hoskin…………………………………………………………… 258 Figure 31. Lasgarn Wood: Nant-y-mailor and Cwrt-yr-eos Quarries………………………………… 259 Figure 32. British Ironworks Extractive Area: Pant-glas Slip………………………………………… 260 Figure 33a. Location of water management features visited in relation to core ironwork areas……… 261 Figure 33b. Location of water management features visited (1st edition OS map background 1868-1890)………………………………………………………………………………… 262 Figure 34. Hirwaun Water Management Sub-system on 1st edition map background (1875-1885) … 263 Figure 35. Llwydcoed (Aberdare) Water Management sub-system on 1st edition map background (1868-1890)………………………………………………………………….…………… 264 Figure 36. Gadlys Water Management Sub-system on 1st edition map background (1868) ………… 265 2 Southeast Wales Industrial Ironworks Landscapes List of Tables Page Table 1. Identified core ironworks areas................................................................................. 16 Table 2. The core ironworks areas: condition and archaeological value................................ 19 Table 3. Ironworks transport networks giving condition and archaeological value/significance and associated ironwork core areas....................................................................................... 22 Table 4. Water management systems in relation to individual ironworks using reservoirs and leats (survival value B only) as indicators of survival.......................................................... 28 Table 5. Assessment of water management systems using reservoirs and leats as indicators of survival.................................................................................................................................. 29 Table 6. Estimated valley area survival as a percentage of the original valley area resource identified from first edition OS maps categorised by extractive landscape based on combined extractive areas within valley groupings.............................................................. 32 Table 7. Extractive Areas visited during Year 6..................................................................... 46 Table 8. Subsidiary point and polyline features within EA001A ........................................... 49 Table 9. Subsidiary point and polyline features within EA001B ........................................... 50 Table 10. NMR Registers within EA001B ............................................................................... 51 Table 11. Subsidiary point and polyline features within EA001C ........................................... 57 Table 12. NMR Registers within EA001C ............................................................................... 58 Table 13. Subsidiary point and polyline features within EA001D & E.................................... 60 Table 14. Subsidiary point and polyline features within EA001F............................................ 64 Table 15. NMR Registers within EA001F................................................................................ 64 Table 16. Subsidiary point and polyline features within EA001G ........................................... 65 Table 17. Subsidiary