18957

 

II*  

Designated  

02/10/1997  

02/10/1997  

Cast house at Cefn Cribwr Ironworks  

 

Bridgend  

Cefn Cribwr  

Cefn Cribwr  

Cefn Cribwr  

285102  

183467  

W  

The ironworks lies at the bottom of the Nant Iorwerth Coch. The casting house adjoins the furnace on the N side.  

Industrial  

 

John Bedford came from Kings Norton near Birmingham to Monmouthshire, and moved to Cefn Cribwr c.1771-2, where he started an ironworks, a colliery and a brickworks close to the same site. He considered himself expert in furnace building, in quarrying, the production of compass needles and in the casting of ordnance, and wrote of his theories, probably to the detriment of completing the ironworks, which was not achieved until 1782. Bedford died in 1791, and the ironworks with the other enterprises on the same site, were taken over by Bryant & Co. in 1824, possibly in anticipation of the opening of the Duffryn, Llynfi and Porthcawl Tramway in 1828, relocating the iron production on another nearby site. The ironworks was acquired by Ogwr Borough Council in 1987 and the casting house consolidated in 1991 and laid out as an important element in the Waun Cimla Country Park.  

The casting house, adjoining the furnace to the N, is built of rubble stonework, approximately 12.2 metres long and 9.75 metres wide, originally with a low pitched slate roof. One N gable door with three large oculi over for ventilation and smoke extraction, and openings in the side walls, one on the E, with an 18in brick arch, having rail access for tramway trucks. The building has lost its roof, the S gable where it adjoins the furnace, and part of the side walls after the works went out of use.  

The sand casting floor has been reconstructed after 1987.  

Included at Grade II* as a part of the small ironworks of the late C18, which has survived largely unaltered as production moved elsewhere. Of group value with the other listed items of the ironworks. Scheduled Ancient Monument: 4/3487GM417(BRI)R.