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
16143
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
04/07/1995
Date of Amendment
04/07/1995
Name of Property
Timber Aqueduct over Former Taff Bargoed Railway
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Merthyr Tydfil
Community
Town
Town
Locality
Cwmbargoed
Easting
307834
Northing
206132
Street Side
Location
Located on the deep railway cutting west of Cwm Bargoed coal preparation plant.
Description
Broad Class
Water Supply and Drainage
Period
History
A timber aqueduct for the complex system of water supply to Dowlais Ironworks. The watercourse system was developed on Cwmbargoed Mountain from c1818, and the Sarn Howell Watercourse at around this point was in operation by 1839. At this time, the Dowlais Ironworks was the largest in the world, and made use of large amounts of water for water balance winding gears at its mines, water power at the ironworks, steam engines, and cooling. Watercourse and reservoirs evolved into a uniquely large and densely developed industrial water control system which was described by John A. Owen in 1977 as ‘truly the work of genius.’ This was in use until the 1960s. The aqueduct was built c1876 to cross the Taff Bargoed branch of the joint Rhymney and Great Western Railway. Such timber structures were common on railways in the nineteenth century, but are now rare. The remains of a similar but collapsed structure lie just to the west.
Exterior
The aqueduct is constructed of traditional techniques of joists and planks. It has two spans, from masonry and brick abutments across two timber trestle piers. The plank sides of the aqueduct are held in place by timber cross members above and below them, tied vertically be wrought iron rods. The whole structure is some 32m in length.
Interior
Reason for designation
Listed as a rare surviving timber aqueduct and as a significant feature of the important water power system supplying Dowlais Ironworks.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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