23067

 

II  

Designated  

29/03/2000  

29/03/2000  

Tramroad bridge over Skewen Cutting, Tennant Canal (partly in Dyffryn Clydach Community)  

 

Neath Port Talbot  

Coedffranc  

 

Tennant Canal  

273233  

197196  

N  

Spanning the Tennant Canal to SE of Skewen village on the E side of a minor road from Neath Abbey Industrial Estate and N of the A465.  

Transport  

 

The Tennant Canal was built 1820-4, engineered by William Kirkhouse. The head of the canal was at Aberdulais, where it joins the Neath Canal, and ended at Port Tennant on the E side of the River Tawe in Swansea. Traffic was carried on the canal until the 1930s. Skewen Cutting is a stone-lined bed and was laid in 1821 to counter problems with quicksand. The bridge is possibly contemporary with the cutting and is shown on the 1844 Tithe map. It was used to carry coal to the nearby Mines Royal Copper Works and is first shown on the 1844 Tithe map.  

A high rubble stone bridge over a segmental arch with tooled voussoirs. The abutments and parapet curve outwards at the ends, the latter having renewed concrete copings. A battered revetment is added to the SW jamb of the arch. The flat deck, built for a single track, is laid with concrete.  

 

Listed for industrial archaeological interest as an early tramroad bridge and for group value with other listed items associated with the Tennant Canal. Scheduled Ancient Monument Gm 394.