History in Structure

Horseshoe Falls and canal entry pounds with sluices (partly in Llangollen Community)

A Grade II Listed Building in Llantysilio, Denbighshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.9808 / 52°58'50"N

Longitude: -3.1991 / 3°11'56"W

OS Eastings: 319589

OS Northings: 343279

OS Grid: SJ195432

Mapcode National: GBR 6X.J9DB

Mapcode Global: WH783.TBTP

Plus Code: 9C4RXRJ2+89

Entry Name: Horseshoe Falls and canal entry pounds with sluices (partly in Llangollen Community)

Listing Date: 22 December 1989

Last Amended: 22 April 1998

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 19684

Building Class: Transport

ID on this website: 300019684

Location: The 'Falls' are located above rapids on the River Dee approximately 2km above Llangollen.

County: Denbighshire

Town: Llangollen

Community: Llantysilio

Community: Llantysilio

Locality: Pentrefelin

Traditional County: Denbighshire

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Llangollen

History

The 'falls' are a near-crescent shaped weir placed in the abraided bed of the River Dee at a sharp bend above rapids, originally promoted by William Jessop, engineer to the Ellesmere Canal Company, in 1795, and constructed by Thomas Telford, chief engineer from 1804 to 1806 to impound water to feed, via sluices, into the head of the Llangollen Branch of the canal system. The width of the river bed provided an adequate reservoir, and was itself controlled at distance by sluices on the headwaters of the river at Llyn Tegid as originally proposed by Jessop in his report of 17th July 1795. The 6 mile (3.73 km) long Llangollen canal had been proposed as water feeder to the main Ellesmere Canal that was to link the Rivers Mersey and Dee with the River Severn. The Act was passed in 1793 and this upper section was constructed under the direction of Thomas Telford: work on the extension to Llantysilio was begun in 1804 and completed in 1806. The canal also provided transport for materials from the slate quarries and limestone works. In 1846 it became part of the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company but the following year was taken over by the LNWR. Transport on the canal diminished in later C19 with the arrival of the railways and then ceased by 2nd World War. The canal was only kept open because of its importance as a supplier of water; over 6 million gallons (13200 Litres) a day are metered into the canal at the Horseshoe Falls. The crescentic pattern adopted by Jessop had been previously used by his former tutor James Smeaton in 1776 at Acklington Mill, Northumberland; the 'falls' is considerably larger, at approx 54m radius.

Exterior

The crescentic shaped weir is built of stone, 140.2m long with an upstream slope and a vertical downstream face of approximately 1.2m. The crest is of 1.2m square stones with a capping of bullnosed cast iron sections in 2.75m lengths. The course of the river on the E side above the weir is extended to a stone lined pound with sluices before entering the canal. A gauging station has more recently been located above the junction at the head of the canal.

Reasons for Listing

Included as a fine early C19 weir, part of one of the earliest river regulation schemes carried out in Britain, and of group value with other listed structures on the Llangollen Canal.

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 Horseshoe Falls (partly in Llantysilio community)
    On the northern boundary of Llangollen Community. In a bend in the River Dee at the start of the Llangollen canal.
  • II Bryntysilio
    The house stands surroujnded by terraced lawns on a prominent platform overlooking the Horseshoe Falls. The driveway leads off the B5103, some 200m W of the junction with the Horeshoe Pass Road.
  • II The King's Bridge (partly in Llangollen Community)
    The viaduct carries the road from Pentrefelin to Berwyn over the Llangollen Canal, the River Dee and beneath the Llangollen and Corwen Railway viaduct.
  • II Kings Bridge (Partly in Llantysilio Community)
    Spanning the River Dee and the Llangollen Canal immediately to W of Chain Bridge Hotel and to E of Horseshoe Falls. Carries the B5103 across to join the A5 by Berwyn Railway station; passes beneath t
  • II Railway Viaduct to W of Berwyn Railway Station
    Immediately to W of Berwyn Railway Station and high above the S bank of the River Dee. The King's Bridge passes beneath at the W end. On a slight curve in the railway line.
  • II Berwyn Railway Station
    High above the S bank of the River Dee and between the A5 and the railway line, on sloping ground.
  • II* Church of St Tysilio
    The church stands in a very picturesque location set in a walled churchyard above the River Dee and below the road to Rhewl, c3km W of Llangollen.
  • II Lychgate to churchyard of Church of St Tysilio
    The lychgate stands at the corner of the churchyard, and is reached by a short drive from the road from Pentrefelin to Rhewl.

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