History in Structure

Drying House of former Golden Grove Paper Mill

A Grade II Listed Building in The Vale of Grwyney (Cwm Grwyne), Powys

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Coordinates

Latitude: 51.8532 / 51°51'11"N

Longitude: -3.1042 / 3°6'14"W

OS Eastings: 324046

OS Northings: 217754

OS Grid: SO240177

Mapcode National: GBR F2.TDMZ

Mapcode Global: VH78Z.4PT6

Plus Code: 9C3RVV3W+78

Entry Name: Drying House of former Golden Grove Paper Mill

Listing Date: 19 November 1998

Last Amended: 19 November 1998

Grade: II

Source: Cadw

Source ID: 20839

Building Class: Commercial

ID on this website: 300020839

Location: SE of house on R bank of Grwyne river approximately 400m S of Llangenny church.

County: Powys

Community: The Vale of Grwyney (Cwm Grwyne)

Community: The Vale of Grwyney

Locality: Llangenny

Traditional County: Brecknockshire

Tagged with: Paper mill Paper factory

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Crickhowell

History

Llangenny Paper Mill was founded late C18 and in 1840 became known as the Golden Grove Mill under the ownership of James Jacob & Son, after which it was primarily known for the manufacture of millboards. The first volume of Theophilus Jones' History of Brecknockshire was printed in 1805 on paper from Llangenny Mill. The mill closed c1893 when the company moved its operations to Cardiff. The drying house is shown on the Tithe map of 1839 and may therefore belong to the original mill block. After the sheets of paper had been compressed in posts of sheets separated by woollen felts, they were removed to the drying house and hung in the loft to dry. Drying houses were specialised buildings whose lofts were fitted with adjustable louvres in order to control the air flow, they generally fell into disuse as the 'endless web' of mechanised papermaking, from pulp to finished product superseded the individual handmade sheets. However in the manufacture of millboards layers of paper were fused together and partially dried on heated cylinders, they were then removed to a loft for the drying process to be completed in the traditional way. The remainder of the mill is now ruinous, although mill race and wheelpit for an undershot waterwheel survive.

Exterior

Two-storey drying house of rubble stone, the upper storey with horizontal wooden louvres in the side walls, and slate roof. The W wall has boarded double doors at the L end, and a boarded central bay in the upper storey. In the lower storey is a boarded door to R under a timber lintel, double boarded doors to the centre (the original opening narrowed with blockwork), and a similar narrowed doorway L of centre. At L end is a boarded door, R of which are C20 added stairs to the upper storey. Attached at ends are added walls of a narrow rectangular enclosure continuing the full length of the W wall and with a central field gate. The 2-window E wall, facing the river, has 3-light and 2-light casements beneath timber lintels, and a blocked door to the R, above which are 2 small openings. The N gable end is partly rebuilt in blockwork and has ruined walls of other mill buildings attached. The S gable end has an added lean-to.

Interior

Not inspected at time of survey (December 1997).

Reasons for Listing

A very rare surviving example of a highly specialised building type, and representing a once important local industry.

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 Golden Grove
    350m S of Llangenny church on W side of Grwyne Fawr and reached by private road and footpath leading S from Llangenny Bridge.
  • II Druid's Altar
    Prominently sited on high ground overlooking Grwyne river to E, and approximately 350m SSW of Llangenny church on S side of a minor road between Llangenny and Crickhowell.
  • II Llangenny Bridge
    On a minor road approximately 200m S of Llangenny church.
  • II House and Barn at Pen-yr-wyrlod
    Approximately 0.6km SE of Llangenny church on W side of a minor road between Penygilfach and Glangrwyne. Built into bank of road and with new house adjacent.
  • II Drinking Fountain
    On W side of minor road approximately 100m S of Llangenny church.
  • II Penmoel Cottage
    Approximately 0.5km SSW of Llangenny church on N side of a minor road between Llangenny and Crickhowell.
  • II 2 Church Cottages
    On S side of churchyard facing the school. No 2 is the right-hand half of a pair of cottages.
  • II Lych Gate at church of St Cenau, Llangenny
    On S side of churchyard facing the road.

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