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Newport, The Clydach Gorge and Rural Mon.
Including Basseleg, Rogerstone, Caerleon, Ponthir, Sudbrook and the rest of rural Monmouthshire.
Henllys and Oakfield     Cwmbran     Pontypool     Abersychan     Blaenavon     Risca     Newbridge     Abertillery     Ebbw Vale     Sirhowy Valley     Rhymney Valley     Newport and Rural Mon      
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Newport and Rural Mon. at 'Industrial Monmouthshire - The Leftovers'

Just brief notes for now but there will be separate pages for each main area.

CLYDACH GORGE

Clydach

Clydach Ironworks SO 2288 1322 The remains of the ironworks have been excavated and conserved. The Llammarch Tramroad comes down the incline to the West of the ironworks to cross the river on the iron bridge in front of the ironworks. This is probably not the original bridge as it appears to be for road traffic.



Clydach Ironworks in 1979
Clydach Ironworks in 2010

Gilwern

Llanelly Ironworks SO 2329 1386 Site cleared and no obvious remains.
Llanelly Forge pond SO 2349 1398 A large retaining wall, possibly the dam wall itself.
Llanelly Forge House SO 2352 1398 Now a private house, this was once part of the Forge complex and is believed to have been a tinplating works. The bridge over the river carried a spur of the Llammarch Tramroad which led to stables on the South bank.
Llanelly Forge SO 2354 1406 Site cleared and no obvious remains.
Llammarch Tramroad SO 237141 runs alongside the river from Llanelly Forge, with a number of stone tramroad sleepers visible and terminates at Gilwern canal dock.
Clydach Railroad SO 2349 1451 This left Maes-y-gwartha Road at Machine House, built in 1810, at SO 2416 1439 to drop down and cross the Llammarch Tramroad just before the dock. After passing through a substantial stone tunnel under the canal at SO 2440 1450 the route carries on as a road to Glangwyney Forge.
Gilwern dock SO 2435 1451 The dock is now used as a boat hire centre but the course of the canalside tramroads is clear. The buildings here are believed to be later constructions.
Llanelly Wharf SO 2424 1469 A branch of the Clydach Railroad continued along Maes-y-gwartha Road from Machine House to Llanelly Wharf and limekilns. These are heavily overgrown but can be viewed from the towpath, (preferrably in Winter).



Llanelly Forge House 2010
Llanelly Forge site 2010
Llammarch Tramway
stone sleeper 2010

Llammarch Tramway
tunnel under canal 2010
Llammarch Tramway
tunnel under canal 2010
Course of tramway beside
canal 2010

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NEWPORT CITY

including Basseleg, Caerleon, Ponthir, Rogerstone.

Caerleon and Ponthir

Caerleon Tramroad
- wharf and route		 ST 3407 9028 You can just make out the remains of the wharf here, the final terminus of the Caerleon Tramroad. The tramroad passed between the river and 'The Hanbury Arms'and along the lane between the new apartments to meet the main road at the sharp bend. It then, rather obviously, went up 'Tram Lane', across the main Usk road and under the railway to Caerleon Ironworks.
Caerleon Tramroad Milestone ST 3309 9058 The only surviving milepost from the Caerleon Tramway is in front of the school here. It was dredged from the Afon Llwyd close to where it would have stood beside the tramroad.
Caerleon
Afon Llwyd railway bridge		 ST 3424 9115 The foundations of the aborted Caerleon to Usk Railway can be seen if you peer down over the Southern parapet. Watch the road, it's busy! This, and the embankment clearly visible Eastwards from here are the only reminders of this scheme.
Caerleon
Forge and Ironworks		 ST 3688 9158 Opened in the 1750s, the site has been used since the 1940s by various light engineering companies. The remaining buildings are corrugated iron but still worth a look. The leat can be seen next to the main road.
Caerleon
Tramroad bridge under Ponthir Road		 ST 3329 9205 The Ponthir Road bridge was built to cross the GWR mainline when it opened in the 1870s. Two small arches crossed the tramroad and the works leat as well. The leat used the lower, Southern arch and the tramroad used the other. The tramroad arch was used for some kind of experiments in the 1960s and 70s using a small headframe. To the South, the tramroad disappears into the works yard but the leat is still present next to the main road as it gets closer to the works. To the north, the course of the tramroad and original turnpike road can be seen going through the field in front of the old farmhouse.
Ponthir
Penrhos (Star) Brickworks		 ST 3335 9215 The chimney of the old Penrhos (Star) Brickworks still dominates the surrounding area. The woods to the South conceal a few tramway remains and the ford over the river to the claypits.
Ponthir
Tinplate Works		 ST 3250 9262 The site of Ponthir Tinplate Works has reverted to agricultural use, a modern barn having been erected on top of the massive foundation walls. The tree-lined Southern boundary of the field is the course of the tramroad to the riverbank but no trace remains of the river bridge. In the field, parallel to the tramroad, are two depressions which were the outlet leats. To the North, beside the lane, the stonework of the inlet leats is very well preserved up to the site of the weir.

The works were established around 1755 and generally continued in use until the 1920s, for many years owned by the Jenkins family. Originally connected the the tramroad, a siding was laid into the works from Ponthir Station from around 1875. According to the 1881 Census, my Gt. Gt. Grandfather worked here and lived in Laburnam Cottages on the main road.

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CALDICOT

including Penhow, Sudbrook, Portskewett, Black Rock and Severn Tunnel Junction.

Penhow and Wentwood

Wentwood ST 4028 9261 A narrow-gauge 'Jubilee' wagon body lies upside-down beside the path between Wentwood Gate and Yewtree Cottage. I guess it may have come from Penhow Quarry or Wentwood Reservoir but was there another railway in this area?
Penhow ST 4220 9113 A pair of well-preserved limekilns and what appear to be charcoal burners platforms on the track to the West of the disused quarry.

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THE WYE VALLEY

including Chepstow, Tintern, Angiddy, Tidenham.

Tintern and Wyndcliff

Tintern ST 5340 9960 Double limekiln under restoration in old quarry near Reddings Farm. Lots of small quarries in the hillside behind them.
Tintern ST 5237 9777 Very derelict and almost buried double limekiln near Porthcasseg Farm. A small quarry is to the South.
Wyndcliff ST 5298 9866 An air shaft in Wyndcliff Woods from ancient lead mines, turn right at the top of the '365 steps'

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THE USK VALLEY

Abergaveny and surrounding area

Penpergwm SO 3217 0962 Derelict WW2 brick-built pillbox in the middle of a field.
Llanover SO 3123 0779 Rhyd-y-meirch Mill breached dam.
Llanover SO 3066 0735 Gwenffrwd Flannel Factory.
Llanover SO 3080 0733 Pantglas Mill.

Usk and surrounding area

Bettws Newydd SO 3518 0585 Derelict WW2 brick-built pillbox next to the lane from Chain Bridge.
Coed-y-pain ST 3400 9828 Restored double limekiln at entrance to Cilgwri Farm.

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Photo Gallery

Many photos of the Newport and Clydach Gorge area are on my photo gallery website :- 'Transport and Industry - The Leftovers'

The Clydach Gorge - The Clydach Gorge gallery

Newport City and the rest of Monmouthshire - The Newport and Rural Mon. gallery

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Other Locations

A comprehensive sortable 'Excel' spreadsheet of all known sites is on The Home Page

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All rights reserved - Phil jenkins