History in Structure

Penallta Colliery Lamp Room

A Grade II Listed Building in Gelligaer, Caerphilly

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.6538 / 51°39'13"N

Longitude: -3.2456 / 3°14'44"W

OS Eastings: 313927

OS Northings: 195731

OS Grid: ST139957

Mapcode National: GBR HV.729Z

Mapcode Global: VH6DD.PPKL

Plus Code: 9C3RMQ33+GQ

Entry Name: Penallta Colliery Lamp Room

Listing Date: 5 November 1991

Last Amended: 18 July 2001

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 13583

Building Class: Gardens, Parks and Urban Spaces

ID on this website: 300013583

Location: Situated between Ystrad Mynach and Gelligaer, on the east side of Penalltau Road. The Lamproom is immediately to the south of the Workshops.

County: Caerphilly

Town: Ystrad Mynach

Community: Gelligaer

Community: Gelligaer

Locality: Penalltau

Built-Up Area: Ystrad Mynach

Traditional County: Glamorgan

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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History

Penallta Colliery was built between 1905 and 1909, at the height of the South Wales coal trade. It was established by the Powell Dyffryn Steam Coal Company, the region’s largest mining company, on the most modern principles as the ‘‘super-pit’’ of its day. The surface buildings were laid out in matching architectural style in a spacious, artificially levelled area, on a rectilinear plan giving the ideal spatial arrangement of activities. The design of the enormous engine hall in particular was an important innovation copied at many later collieries. The colliery became one of the largest in Wales with 3,200 miners and high output of top-quality steam coal. By 1935, Penallta held the European record for coal produced in a single week.

Exterior

Lamproom built to store and distribute lamps to the miners for every shift. It matches the other original buildings of the colliery in style, of Pennant sandstone with red brick dressings, which comprise end piers, stepped parapets/cornice, plinth, dentilled window surrounds. Roof formerly of slates has a corrugated covering. Single storey gabled building 6 bays long 3 bays wide on N/S axis. Windows have segmental arched heads, formerly with metal multi-pane frames, now blocked; between them are 5 small openings with painted brick surrounds on each side of the building ; these were for passing out lamps to waiting miners and formerly had small metal doors though none now remain in situ.

Interior

Building divided into several offices and the main lamp room.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for its rarity as a surviving purpose-built lamproom. Group value with other items within this exceptionally fine colliery complex.

External Links

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

Other nearby listed buildings

  • II Penallta Colliery Pit-top Offices
    Situated between Ystrad Mynach and Gelligaer, on the east side of Penalltau Road. The Pit Top Offices are to the east of the baths building.
  • II Penallta Colliery Electricity Building
    Situated between the Baths building and the Lamp room, close to the rear of the latter and set slightly higher in the slope.
  • II* Penallta Colliery Baths Building
    Situated between Ystrad Mynach and Gelligaer, on the east side of Penalltau Road. The Baths Building faces Penalltau Road, on the west of the complex.
  • II* Penallta Colliery No.1 Headframe
    Situated between Ystrad Mynach and Gelligaer, on the east side of Penalltau Road. The western of the two headframes, at the centre of the complex.
  • II Penallta Colliery Workshops
    Situated between Ystrad Mynach and Gelligaer, on the east side of Penalltau Road. The Workshops are at centre of the colliery complex, west of the Engine Hall.
  • II Penallta Colliery Old Stores
    Situated between Ystrad Mynach and Gelligaer, on the east side of Penalltau Road. The Old Stores are to the west of the main workshops.
  • II* Penallta Colliery No.2 Headframe
    Situated between Ystrad Mynach and Gelligaer, on the east side of Penalltau Road. The eastern of the two headframes, at the east of the complex.
  • II* Penallta Colliery Engine Hall and Fan House
    Situated between Ystrad Mynach and Gelligaer, on the east side of Penalltau Road. The Engine Hall is at the north side of the colliery complex.

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