Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
16073
Building Number
Grade
II*
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
11/05/1995
Date of Amendment
19/12/2002
Name of Property
Ynysfach Engine House
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Merthyr Tydfil
Community
Cyfarthfa
Town
Locality
Ynysfach
Easting
304524
Northing
206096
Street Side
Location
Located at the W of Merthyr College and just N of the remains of the Ynysfach blast furnaces.
Description
Broad Class
Industrial
Period
History
Engine House, built in 1836 for the adjacent furnaces of Ynysfach Ironworks, a subsidiary of the successful Cyfartha works owned by the Crawshay family. The Ynysfach Ironworks were founded in 1801 when 2 blast furnaces were built to plans by Watkin George, engineer and foundry manager at Cyfarthfa from 1792. In 1836 2 more furnaces were built together with the engine house which replaced an earlier one painted by Penry Williams c1815. The new engine house contained a beam blowing engine made at the Neath Abbey Ironworks. The Ynysfach works closed in 1874 and the engine house fell into disuse. It was restored between 1986 and 1989 and converted to a heritage centre and offices. The building was formerly part of the scheduled ancient monument Gm 331, which was revised to exclude the building following its conversion to a heritage centre and offices. The heritage centre was closed at the time of survey (2002).
Exterior
Blast engine house, 4-storey rectangular building of dressed blue Pennant sandstone with white-ashlared limestone quoins and dressings and hipped slate roof with deep eaves, in the house-style of the Crawshay ironworks. Windows have segmental heads with deep voussoirs and dressings, and small-paned replaced sash windows. N elevation has the main entrance through a round-headed arch approached by a modern stair, and one window above. The principal facade, to the E, is 4 bays long with equally spaced windows on 3 storeys, a semi-basement with round-headed arches, and cast iron brackets at the N end. The S end, facing the furnaces, has no windows. The W elevation has 6 irregularly spaced windows, cast-iron fittings, and a tall blocked archway at the S end.
Interior
Not accessible. Said to have new floors and partitions inserted, the bob wall for the beam engine passing through the centre of the building, and cast iron brackets for the engine''''s supporting structure and components visible in many places.
Reason for designation
Listed grade II* as one of the most important remaining ironworks blowing engine houses in Wales, and as the prime example of the architectural house style of the Crawshay ironworks.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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