The Industrial Archaeology of the Sirhowy Valley

The Sirhowy Valley at 'Industrial Monmouthshire - The Leftovers'

The River Sirhowy runs from Risca to Trefil in the Brecon Beacons, passing through Wattsville, Cwmfelinfach, Ynysddu, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood, Markham and Tredegar. The Sirhowy Tramway was one of the earliest industrial railways in South Wales and responsible for growth of Newport as a major coal port and ultimately, a city.

As this page develops, it will be divided into separate pages for each main area.

LOWER SIRHOWY VALLEY

from Wattsville through Cwmfelinfach and Ynysddu to Wyllie and Gelligroes.

Wattsville

Full Moon	ST 2102 9128	The LNWR offices and platelayers hut are used by the Sirhowy Valley Country Park wardens.
Penllwyn Tramway Bridge	ST 2035 9108	The bridge crossing the River Sirhowy and the tramway embankment can be traced for a few hundred yards to the West.

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Cwmfelinfach

Nine Mile Point Colliery	ST 1930 9130 ST 1956 9110	Nine Mile Point Colliery was developed between 1902 and 1905 with three shafts, West, East and Rock. It was also known as Coronation or Sirhowy Valley Colliery. Famous for two particular incidents, one was a stay-down strike in 1935 and the other is the threatened engulfing of Capel y Babel by its growing tip, unusual in that it was on the valley floor. The 'Nine Miles' refers to the distance from Newport along the Penllwyn and Sirhowy Tramways. The colliery closed in 1964, and the site is now an industrial estate. One abutment of the bridge over the river from the Sirhowy Valley line at ST 1956 9110 still exists and is used for abseiling.
Tips, aerial ropeway and pylon	ST 1775 9060 ST 1838 9085 ST 1895 9097	Nine Mile Point Colliery's tips are at ST 1775 9060 and were connected to the colliery by an aerial ropeway. A very rusty and partly buried bucket is deep in the woods at ST 1838 9085. One of the towers still stands complete at ST 1895 9097 beside the Wentloog Colliery tramway.
Wentloog Colliery	ST 1853 9090 ST 1861 9084 ST 1874 9099	Wentloog Colliery consisted of two adits an earlier adit at ST 1853 9090 and a later one at ST 1861 9084, both connected by a long, shallow incline and tramway to Ynysddu Brickworks. The route of the tramway is a forestry track and at the site there is a brick culvert under the tramway near the earlier adit and a brick pit at the later adit, where an engine house once stood. An old level at ST 1874 9099, disused by 1901, connected to the Sirhowy Tramway by a short, steep incline past Ynys Hywel.
Cwmfelinfach quarries	ST 1860 9210 ST 1859 9226	This quarry was open by 1922, probably with the building of the village, A smaller quarry lies just to the North, marked 'old' in 1922.
Cwmfelinfach drainage adit and level	ST 1860 9210 ST 1881 9231	Opposite the larger quarry , over the stream, is what appears to be a small but well-cut drainage or escape adit, possibly from the old level above it. Little remains of this adit but the depression and some ironmongery protruding from the ground in front.
Ty-Cae-Brith level	ST 1917 9262	Further up the valley another small adit existed at Ty-Cae-Brith. This is still used as a water supply with a filled but clear, stone-lined entrance and a roof collapse just behind. There is also signs of an adit and tip on the opposite side of the field.
Nant-y-draenog Reservoir	ST 1890 9350	Nant-y-draenog Reservoir was built in 1894 before Cwmfelinfach village was built and closed in 1979. There are two primary and one covered secondary filter beds. The roof of the main filter house has disappeared but the ironwork and walls remains. Quite a lot of iron and pipe work still remain at this remote site.

Nine Mile Point Colliery aerial ropeway	Wentloog Colliery culvert	Cwmfelinfach LNWR water tower
Cwmfelinfach level	Cwmfelinfach level	Nant-y-ddraenog filter beds

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Ynysddu

Ynysddu Brickworks

ST 1803 9172

Ynysddu Brickworks opened after 1901 and closed after 1938. Lots of foundations in the undergrowth and the site is littered with bricks. This was the end of the tramway from Wentloog Colliery.

Wyllie and Gelligroes

Wyllie Colliery	ST 1694 9237	Wyllie Colliery's site has been completely cleared and a housing estate is being built there. This modern colliery was constructed between 1924 and 1926 and closed in 1968, after a very short and uneventful life.
Wyllie Colliery tips	ST 1696 9266	The tips on Mynydd Bach have been landscaped but traces still remain.
MynyddIslwyn Quarry (or Caerllwyn Quarry)	ST 183936	Begun before 1880 and working until the 1960s
Caerllwyn Colliery	ST 183941	Caerllwyn Colliery was working by 1880 and closed 1921.
Gelligroes Level (1880s) Gelligroes (Heol-Ddu) Level (1950s) small quarry tramway	ST 1731 9460 ST 1735 9453 ST 1747 9447 ST 1741 9491	The first Gelligroes Levels were working before 1880 but closed by 1901. The modern level penetrated the old workings for about 50 yards. Tips and a drainage chamber are beside Heolddu Lane with the modern level, tramway and quarry through the gate to the South. The original tramway from the lane is over the stile to the ran North and can be traced through the fields, past another level, to the by-pass which now covers the final level and airshaft of Gelligroes.
Coedcae Level (main adit) (second adit)	ST 1817 9504 ST 1794 9477	Coedcae Level was active in the 1920s but turned out to be unproductive. The second adit is just identifiable in a small quarried area to the right of the footpath beside Gelligroes Quarry

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Pontllanfraith

Penllwyn Colliery

ST 1796 9567
ST 1787 9528

A old colliery working from the 1940s to the 1870s. A strongly fenced area beside Tram Road protects a drainage adit. A little further South is a poorly fenced and very waterlogged area, 'The Dingle', that was the site of an 'old level' in 1880.

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UPPER SIRHOWY VALLEY

from Markham through Hollybush, Pochin, Bedwellty Pits and Tredegar to Trefil.

Hollybush, Pochin, Bedwellty Pits and Troedrhiwgwair

Hollybush Station House	SO 1660 07335	The Station House is now a private house.
Hollybush Station subway	SO 1659 0349	This subway is partially filled in and once provided access to the footpath down to New Hollybush Colliery.
New Hollybush Colliery	SO 1663 0368	The sites of the levels and odd stonework can be found beside the river over the footbridge.
New Hollybush Colliery ventilation level and airshaft	SO 1667 0401	The tramway from the levels up to the gated ventilation level runs parallel and to the left of the forestry track. Just past the level, the fenced airshaft is up the bank to the right.
Pochin Colliery	SO 1620 0480	Pochin worked from 1876 to 1964 but has been pretty well cleared but there are some odd remains to see.
Troedrhiwgwair Level	SO 1596 0630	Open from the 1900s to the 1930s, probably an alternative exit from the colliery, this is a well-preserved gated level and tips set in woods along with a number of older tips and filled levels in the surrounding area.
Troedrhiwgwair Colliery	SO 1570 0703	At the end of a long siding from Tredegar Gas Works and a tramway from Peacehaven, this colliery was open from c1900 to the late 1920's in an old quarry. The course of the tramway, the top of the adit and some brickwork from the haulage engine are reminders of it's existence.

New Hollybush Colliery

Bedwellty Pits Quarry

Troedrhiwgwair Colliery

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Photo Gallery

Many photos of the Sirhowy Valley area are on my photo gallery website :- 'Transport and Industry - The Leftovers'

from Wattsville to Brinore - The Sirhowy Valley 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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