26776

 

II  

Designated  

19/07/2002  

19/07/2002  

Row of kilns at former Afon Wen Portland Cement Works  

 

Flintshire  

Caerwys  

 

Afonwen  

313162  

371700  

E  

Approximately 180m NE of the junction of the A541 and B5122 and on the E side of Heron's Retreat Holiday Park.  

Industrial  

 

Built in the early C20 as part of the Afonwen Portland Cement Works, which was built in the final quarter of the C19 on the site of a paper works shown on the 1871 Ordnance Survey. The kilns were used for firing a mixture of lime and clay at high temperature.  

A bank of 10 former kilns built into a steep bank. At the lower level is a battered wall with segmental-headed draw arches of varying heights, and impost band (except to the 3 R-hand kilns which are possibly later), above which are joist holes and tie plate. The arch second from the L is repaired. The kilns themselves are segmental-vaulted and are infilled to the front but incorporate round-headed openings. The kilns at the N and S ends have mostly collapsed while the remainder are in varying conditions. At the L (N) end are brick steps to the upper level. The interior of the draw arches have narrow pits where the cement was drawn, and above them the structure widens out to the main chamber of the kilns which have battered back walls.  

 

Listed for its industrial archaeological interest as a rare surviving bank of cement kilns forming a visually impressive group.