History

Kilgetty Ironworks was planned from 1846 by the Pembrokeshire Coal and Iron Company. Four, or possibly six, furnaces were anticipated. The works commenced production in 1849 with two furnaces, only one of which was then brought into blast. A year later production was halted due to an explosion. Grove Colliery was opened in 1856 to supply coal. Success was only moderate, and by 1861 the Company was in difficulties; in 1863 it was acquired by C H Vickerman and a brief period of prosperity commenced. The furnaces were blown out in 1867, and Vickerman contemplated selling. For this purpose an inventory of the works was drawn up in 1872; James Carlton and the Bonville's Court Coal and Iron Company purchased them and brought in new investment. In 1873 a furnace was again in blast, but was blown out again a year later at a time of trade depression. The new owners went into liquidation in 1876 and the works closed in 1877. Vickerman, the main creditor, was able to buy the works back at a modest price. In 1888-9 the plant was dismantled and sold, but the buildings remained in workshop or storage use.

The date of construction of the workshops in unclear, but they probably date, at latest, from the heyday period of the 1860s. In the 1872 inventory they are described as containing a fitter's shop, a lathe room, a smithery, a carpenter's shop and a pattern room. There was a small steam engine driving lathes, a sawmill and fan-blowers to 4 smiths' fires. The loft of the building is thought to have been used for storing fodder for the horses. The buildings remained in use until the 1930s.

Exterior

Ruin of a range of buildings about 65 m in length, consisting of two-storey workshops. The building faces E and stands against higher ground at its rear. Local sandstone rubble masonry, informally coursed. The upper floor and the roof are lost.

Front elevation of 11 fenestration bays. Every third bay contains an arch-headed doorway, the others arch-headed windows. All the window and door dressings are in brickwork. Slate sills to the windows. There is the remnant of an external staircase at the S end. One upper level doorway to the rear remains.

Reasons for Listing

Listed notwithstanding its ruinous condition for group value with the other listed buildings of Kilgetty Ironworks, a remarkable surviving industrial group.

Scheduled Ancient Monument Pe 418.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29485746

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)