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Newbridge at 'Industrial Monmouthshire - The Leftovers'
including Cwmcarn, Abercarn, Treowen, Crumlin and Kendon.
CWMCARN
Disastrous Industrial Cwmcarn
| Flannel Factories and levels |
ST 2200 9310 |
Two small coal levels existed close to the upper flannel factory prior to 1902 but have disappeared with the building of Cwmcarn Colliery branch and later reclamation work.
The old cottages in the 'hole' give a flavour of what was here. The lower flannel factory was at ST 2100 9300 between the new bypass and the canal but, again, only
the site remains.
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| The Reservoir and Disaster |
ST 2193 9394 |
The reservoir that flooded the lower Nant Carn valley was opened in 1792 as a feeder for the Monmouthshire Canal. It was retained by a substantial earth dam across the
valley. On Wednesday 14th July 1875, not unusually for South Wales, there was a downpour, the Nant Carn overflowed and the dam failed, probably in the centre
where the streambed would have been. This raced down the valley,sweeping away the upper flannel factory (ST 219930) One tale was that a haystack jammed into the culvert under
the canal embankment which eventually gave way, taking the lower flannel factory with it. Tragically 12 people lost their lives in the chaos. The remains of the dam are over
30ft / 10m high and on the South side of the stream adjacent to the Cwmcarn Scenic Drive approach road. The outlet is nearest the road and appears to have crossed the valley
to the North on a launder, then ran down to the canal beside Feeder Row.
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Old Cwmcarn Pit
or Beesom Makers Pit |
ST 2360 9383 |
This small colliery dated from 1836 as part of the Abercarn Colliery workings as their 'No 6' shaft, known sometimes as 'The Beesom Maker's Pit'. It had been closed by 1880
and was later used as a cesspit. Nothing to see (or smell) now, I'm afraid.
A small quarry, disused by 1901, is just a little North of the site.
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Cwmcarn Colliery
Cwmcarn corn mill |
ST 2363 9342 |
Cwmcarn Colliery began life in around 1876 as a shallow shaft known as 'Abercarn No 6', a downcast shaft for the Prince of Wales Colliery, Abercarn but was marked as
disused by 1902. In 1912 it was revitalised by EVSIC as Cwmcarn Colliery and the upcast shaft was sunk in 1914. There was a small quarry on the hillside above with an
incline down to the collieryThe colliery closed in 1968, being landscaped for the 'Scenic Drive' though a dram and half a winding wheel mark the site.
Cwmcarn corn mill and farm was working beside the colliery throughout it's existence, just above the present-day lake, and odd foundations can be found.
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| Henllys Colliery drainage level |
ST 2495 9640 |
A level was opened here by 1879 as a separate venture but by 1900 there seems little doubt it connected with Henllys Colliery, Cwmbran, and was used as a drainage level.
A steady stream of orange water shows it's still connected with the old workings. |
| Very old quarries |
ST 2590 9550 |
An old quarry at the head of Nant Carn is shown on the 1882 OS map where earthworks and tips can be seen. The track leading away from it towards Pant Gwyn has all the
engineering appearance of a tramway, level and easy curves through a cutting and down an incline but seems to be incompatible with the size of the quarries.
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| Jamesville quarries |
ST 2192 9394 |
This quarry was operating by 1902 and after 1938. An incline with a half-way passing loop ran down to Park Street, Cwmcarn at SO 2220 9370. The incline can be walked up to
the overgrown quarries where some cuttings and well-defined track formations can be found.
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The lost farmsteads of Cwmcarn
Hollybush Cottage
Cnwc
Pen-y-pant
Rhyswg Fach
Boundary Stone
Pwll Tra
Pant Gwyn
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ST 2290 9395
ST 2424 9396
ST 2384 9408
ST 2406 9412
ST 2445 9480
ST 2588 9488
ST 2506 9432
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Islwyn Ramblers team up with the Twmbarlwm Society to search out the lost farmsteads of the Nant Carn valley. First on the list is Hollybush Cottage, found after snaking our
way up the hillside, hidden away off the beaten track. But not so hidden that the local children hadn't found it and built their own den there. Next is the Cnwc (pronouced
Genook, so it seems), a much more extensive premises altogether. Once again it's been re-cycled as someone has installed a stainless steel barbecue in a suitable-sized slot.
A beautiful stroll through a tunnel of gnarled, old beech trees dripping with moss, an ancient field boundary way before the conifers, brings us to a mystery, Pen-y-pant.
Virtually nothing remains here but nettles and an old iron tank, not even clear foundations. But the mystery is that the ground seems to be colliery waste but no evidence of
mining. Just next door is Rhyswg Fach, proper walls and a friendly lizard, home from home. A long, hot walk up the valley past the boundary stone recording the end of the
dispute between the Hanburys and the Llanovers', the inscription reads 'Boundary of Minerals Settled by Act of Parliament, 1839'. What goes up, comes down, only to go up again steeper than ever. We need a break but we have to suffer Rob's recitation of
the legend of Pwll Tra before he'll let us rest. After lunch we find a modern hidey-hole from the 1970s, an eco-house complete with campbed and fireplace. Alright in the
summer, I suppose, but those Cwmcarn winters??? Pant Gwyn is the last lost farmstead, a mix of old and not-so-old with the stark chimney still standing. Now we're on the
downward trail past the only inhabited and working farm in the valley. So despite the modern forestry and leisure industries the much older traditions still survive - just!
Commentary from Islwyn Ramblers - 'The Talk of the Walks' at www.islwyn-ramblers.co.uk
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ABERCARN
The upper and lower tinplate works at Abercarn (will be here)
The site of Celynen South Colliery at ST 215959 has been completely cleared but an interesting relic of the aerial ropeway still exists. The ropeway ran from the colliery
to the tips at ST 222968. At some time it appears bucket No. 33 fell off the ropeway, spilling its contents and ending up in the undergrowth where it still remains at ST 218963.
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NEWBRIDGE
Celynen North Colliery downcast shaft was sunk in 1913, followed by the upcast and the Graig fawr house coal shafts in 1924. After an uneventful life Graig Fawr closed in 1961
and the rest of the colliery in 1989. Latterly it was connected underground to Oakdale Colliery. The site has been cleared and supports an industrial estate and some waste land.
A set of steps on the Eastern side of the A467 lead up through the woodland (ST 214977) where the frame of a 2'6" gauge wagon lies in the undergrowth.
The frame is split just behind the axlebox, either as a result of its fall down the hillside or the cause of its being dumped. Further up the hillside above the wagon is a large 2 chamber
water tank with a dire warning about trespassers from the NCB! This was the site of wooden cooling towers for the colliery, hot water being pumped up, condensed and piped back down.
A tramway ran Southwest down to the colliery, presumably the route of the wagon.
To the South of the tank are the foundations of the Abercarn UDC isolation Hospital (ST 214975) which was in use from the early 1900's until the 1930s.
The site of Celynen South Colliery at ST 215959 has been completely cleared but an interesting relic of the aerial ropeway still exists. The ropeway ran from the colliery
to the tips at ST 222968. At some time it appears bucket No. 33 fell off the ropeway, spilling its contents and ending up in the undergrowth where it still remains at ST 218963.
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CRUMLIN
A small fragment of the GWR station footbridge, built into the side of the adjacent building, can be seen from the old roadbridge across the Ebbw Valley line.
The Western parapets of Crumlin Viaduct can be found in the undergrowth at ST 211985. The Eastern parapet is a good viewing platform at ST 214986.
Crumlin Navigation Colliery was built 1907-1911 at ST 211987. The Navigation complex is a grade2 listed building, having been used for various businesses since closure, but is
unused, fire damaged and decaying rapidly. All the buildings remain in 2009, including the engine houses and a chimney, but for how much longer?
Aberbeeg South (also known as 'Budds') to the North of Navigation at ST 211992 was the house coal pit and opened in 1924. The site has been cleared, a brick wall next to Navigation
and a large flat concrete area near the tips at ST 213993 remain. Both collieries closed in 1967.
Tramway to Trinant levels
An incline from Crumlin at ST 211986 climbed up the hillside and carried on as a tramway, now the Ebbw Valley Footpath at ST 209990.
This can be followed, above the Crumlin and Aberbeeg collieries around the hillside, past minor levels, to connect to Trinant level where the tips are visible at ST 209996.
The tips of another old level can be seen across the valley at ST 211999.
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Photo Gallery
Many photos of the Newbridge area, including the Celynon Collieries are on my photo gallery website :-
'Transport and Industry - The Leftovers'
from Cwmcarn to Crumlin - The Newbridge gallery
Other Locations
A comprehensive sortable 'Excel' spreadsheet of all known sites is on The Home Page
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