Full Report for Listed Buildings
Summary Description of a Listed Buildings
Date of Designation
27/07/2000
Date of Amendment
27/07/2000
Name of Property
Railroad Bridge at Maesygwartha
Unitary Authority
Monmouthshire
Location
Bridge located on sharp bend of by-road between Maesygwartha Chapel and A465 Heads of the Valleys Road. Approximately 2.5 km SW of Maes-y-gwartha.
History
Built 1794 as part of the Clydach Railroad, which was engineered by John Dadford as a horse-powered railway to connect Wain-Dew Colliery at Beaufort to Glangrwyne Forge on the River Usk. The Glangrwyne Forge was established c. 1720, charcoal-fired at first. When coke-firing was introduced, access had to be made to the nearest collieries, and in June 1793 the Monmouthshire Canal Company ordered that the railroad proceed, connecting the forge with Edward Frere’s colliery at Gellifelen. John Dadford was engaged as engineer, at a fee of £210. The rails were obtained from the Penydarren Works at Merthyr, and William Prichard of Cardiff, builder, successfully tendered to construct the bridges over the rivers Usk and Clydach. Work began in July 1793, and by late 1794, the line was completed
Exterior
Rubble construction bridge across steep river ravine, carrying earth revetment above. Tall narrow single arch with round head, stone voussoirs; string-course above.
Reason for designation
Listed as an impressively designed and well-preserved late C18 tramroad bridge, a prominent surviving structure of important industrial landscape of the Clydach Gorge.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]