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
18439
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
07/05/1997
Date of Amendment
07/05/1997
Name of Property
Saundersfoot Railway Tunnel (South)
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Pembrokeshire
Community
Saundersfoot
Town
Locality
Coppet Hall
Easting
213905
Northing
205251
Street Side
Location
On the coastal pedestrian route between Saundersfoot and Wiseman's Bridge, known now as the Miners' Walk. It is one of a group of three tunnels on the Countryside Commission's Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Description
Broad Class
Transport
Period
History
These tunnels are part of the Saundersfoot Railway, which was authorised under an Act of 31 June 1829, promoted by Sir Richard Philipps and others. The planned branch to Wiseman's Bridge was estimated to cost £2131. It was not immediately built, but the S tunnel was in use by 1832 and the others by 1834. The railway was laid to the gauge of 4 ft (1.2 m), and the tunnels were built to a width and height of 2.4 m. They served the important traffic between Saundersfoot and Stepaside, which was especially important as the iron industry there developed. The railway was never used officially for public transport. In 1874 a locomotive was introduced on this line for the first time, specially constructed for the limited dimensions of the tunnels. The track was re-laid to carry it. The locomotive was a saddle-tank design by Manning Wardle. The railway remained in use until 1939 when the rails were scrapped. The route is now a public walk.
Exterior
The S tunnel joins The Strand in Saundersfoot to coppet Hall. (The middle and N tunnels are on the continuation route N past Coppet Hall).
Tunnel N portal and partial lining in local Carboniferous sandstone. In places where firmer strata were encountered the native rock was left unlined. The lining is generally 0.3 m in thickness. The width is 2.4 m and the walls 1.2 m high vertically with a semicircular vault. The tunnel is about 50 m in length, mostly lined.
Interior
Reason for designation
Listed as an important relic of an exceptionally early railway and for group value with the other listed relics of the railway.
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