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Gilwern Embankment is a post-medieval aqueduct located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument. The structure was constructed to carry water across the landscape, serving the industrial or domestic needs of its era. Built upon bedrock of Lower Devonian age, the embankment rests on sandstone and conglomerate deposits laid down during the Early Devonian period, which provide a relatively stable foundation for the waterway.
The engineering of the embankment reflects the practical demands of post-medieval water management, a period when such infrastructure became increasingly important to support growing communities and industrial activity. The interbedded nature of the underlying sandstone and conglomerate would have presented both opportunities and challenges to those constructing the embankment, affecting drainage and structural stability.
Today, Gilwern Embankment survives as evidence of historical hydraulic engineering in Wales. Its designation as a Cadw monument recognises its significance as a surviving example of post-medieval infrastructure. The site's geology continues to influence its preservation and the management decisions required to maintain this important historical structure.
Gilwern Embankment is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MM251. View the official record →
Gilwern Embankment is a post-medieval aqueduct located in Wales and protected by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument.
Gilwern Embankment dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a aqueduct. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Gilwern Embankment 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 MM251.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Pwll Du Tunnel (4.5 km), Brake Engine on Hill Pits Tramroad Incline (4.6 km), Blaenavon Upper Brick Yard (4.8 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Gilwern Embankment'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.
Gilwern Embankment stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.