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Iron Furnace SW of Clydach is a post-medieval and modern ironworks situated in south Wales. The furnace exploited the region's rich mineral deposits and accessible fuel resources, positioning it within the broader expansion of iron production across South Wales during the industrial period. The site rests on Lower Devonian rocks—a foundation of sandstone and conglomerate laid down in the Early Devonian period—geology that characterises much of the surrounding landscape and would have influenced both the site's selection and the practical challenges of construction.
The furnace represents the technological and economic shifts that transformed rural Wales into an industrial heartland. Such works required substantial investment in infrastructure and labour, drawing on local coal reserves and iron ore to feed growing demand from manufacturing centres. The physical remains visible today document the scale and methods of iron production during this era of industrial intensification.
The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, under reference BR160. This designation recognises its historical significance as evidence of Wales's crucial role in Britain's industrial development and the material culture of ironworking that shaped communities and landscapes across the region during the post-medieval and modern periods.
Iron Furnace SW of Clydach is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference BR160. View the official record →
Iron Furnace SW of Clydach is a post-medieval and modern ironworks situated in south Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference BR160.
Iron Furnace SW of Clydach dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a ironworks. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Iron Furnace SW of Clydach 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 BR160.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Brake Engine on Hill Pits Tramroad Incline (4.1 km), Old Coal Pits, Blaenavon (4.4 km), Garn Road Powder House 300m ENE of Ashgrove Bungalow (4.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Iron Furnace SW of Clydach'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.
Iron Furnace SW of Clydach stands on Lower Devonian Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Early Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.