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Cynon Corn-Drying Kiln is a post-medieval or modern agricultural structure located in Wales, now protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw (reference GM546). The kiln stands on bedrock formed from the South Wales Upper Coal Measures, a Westphalian-age geological sequence dominated by mudstone, siltstone and sandstone layers interspersed with coal and ironstone deposits. This mineral-rich foundation reflects the industrial character of the South Wales valleys, where coal and iron extraction shaped the landscape.
Corn-drying kilns were essential structures in pre-industrial and early industrial farming communities, used to artificially dry harvested grain and prevent spoilage in Wales's damp maritime climate. The surviving example at Cynon represents a significant record of agricultural practice and technology in the region. Such kilns typically featured a furnace chamber beneath a drying floor, allowing heat from wood, coal or other fuel to circulate through the grain stored above.
The monument's survival and protection reflect its importance in understanding rural Welsh economic life and agricultural methods beyond the dominant industrial narrative of the coalfield. The kiln remains a tangible reminder of the working landscape where farming and mineral extraction coexisted.
Cynon Corn-Drying Kiln is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM546. View the official record →
Cynon Corn-Drying Kiln is a post-medieval or modern agricultural structure located in Wales, now protected as a scheduled monument by Cadw (reference GM546).
Cynon Corn-Drying Kiln dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a corn drying kiln. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Cynon Corn-Drying Kiln is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is GM546.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Margam Medieval Bath House (8 km), Half Moon Camp (8.2 km), Mynydd y Castell Camp (8.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Cynon Corn-Drying Kiln's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Cynon Corn-Drying Kiln stands on South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation, bedrock that formed in the Westphalian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone, sandstone, coal, ironstone and ferricrete.