Scheduled MonumentsWalesRoyal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill
Post Medieval/Modern · Nitrating House

Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill

Wales
Cadw SAM MM352
Period
Post Medieval/Modern
Site type
Nitrating House
Broad class
Defence
Nation
Wales
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw

Overview

History & significance

Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill is a nitrating house constructed as part of the Royal Naval Propellant Factory at Caerwent in Monmouthshire, Wales, dating to the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. The structure represents the industrial infrastructure developed to manufacture explosives for naval purposes during the period of imperial naval expansion. The nitro-glycerine hill, a characteristic feature of munitions factories of this era, was designed as a dispersed production unit where the hazardous process of nitrating glycerine could be conducted with some spatial separation from other factory buildings to mitigate the risk of catastrophic explosions. The site exemplifies the strategic importance placed by the British state on secure domestic production of advanced propellants and explosives during the modern period.

Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference MM352. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill?

Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill is a nitrating house constructed as part of the Royal Naval Propellant Factory at Caerwent in Monmouthshire, Wales, dating to the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference MM352.

What period does Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill date from?

Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill dates from the post medieval/modern period, and is classified as a nitrating house. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.

Who is responsible for protecting Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill?

Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill 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 MM352.

What other scheduled monuments are near Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Caldicot Castle (unoccupied parts) (3.1 km), St. Mary's Churchyard Cross, Portskewett (3.7 km), Harold's House (site of) (3.7 km).

Aubrey Research

Generate a full report for this location

Aubrey generates in-depth historical research for any address in the UK — drawing on scheduled monument data, Domesday records, Roman heritage, PAS finds and medieval history to reveal the complete story of a landscape.

Research the area around Royal Naval Propellant Factory Caerwent Nitro-glycerine Hill