History in Structure

Powder House, Big Pit Mining Museum

A Grade II Listed Building in Blaenavon, Torfaen

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.7715 / 51°46'17"N

Longitude: -3.1049 / 3°6'17"W

OS Eastings: 323857

OS Northings: 208669

OS Grid: SO238086

Mapcode National: GBR F2.ZLG9

Mapcode Global: VH79C.4QFV

Plus Code: 9C3RQVCW+J2

Entry Name: Powder House, Big Pit Mining Museum

Listing Date: 9 February 1995

Last Amended: 9 February 1995

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 15291

Building Class: Domestic

ID on this website: 300015291

Location: Situated on the south side of the site and set apart from the other buildings.

County: Torfaen

Community: Blaenavon (Blaenafon)

Community: Blaenavon

Traditional County: Monmouthshire

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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Blaenavon

History

Built in the mid-twentieth century, this building held explosives for mining activities. Big Pit was operated in connection with Blaenavon Ironworks, then by the National Coal Board from 1947 to 1980. Underground workings date from the early C19 but the shaft on this site was sunk in 1860. The present surface structures date from between c1900 and the 1970's. This piecemeal development was typical of mines in South Wales and it is now the most complete remaining, having been reopened as a museum in 1983.

Interior

Single storey, rectangular brick building with flat concrete roof. Two doorways in the north-west elevation provided separate entrance and exit, with steel doors. That to the east has a flat roofed porch. Between the doors, set high up, is a wide slit window with angled brick sill. All openings have square heads with concrete lintels.

Reasons for Listing

Included for its group value as an integral part of the process at this colliery site.

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.

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