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Beaufort Ironworks

Beaufort Iron Works

Edward (1750–1807) and Jonathan Kendall or Cendl of Dan-y-Parc Crickhowell established these works in 1779 on a 99-year lease. In 1833, by which time there were four furnaces, the works were taken over as an extension of their Nantyglo operations by the Bailey brothers, Joseph and Crawshay who put their sister’s son, William Partridge (1800–1862), in charge. Unmarried Agents (senior managers) of the local iron works companies lodged at the Rhyd-y-Blew, a drovers' inn, probably the hunting lodge of the Duke of Beaufort who carried out an annual rough-shoot of the area. The inn was at the end of the toll road from Merthyr Tydfil and for the rest of the year provided the drovers’ animals very good pasture and water in the Ebbw river. Suffolk-born Partridge married Charlotte Bevan, daughter of the Rhyd-y-Blew’s innkeeper, and remained in charge of the Beaufort iron works until his early death in 1862. The works soon closed. In conjunction with the then well-known Needham family of Beaufort mining engineers Partridge sons became involved in local collieries and established the substantial business later known as Partridge Jones. Grandson, rugby international and Barbarian, "Birdie" Partridge founded the Army Rugby Union.

The Beaufort Works house eventually became a Fever Hospital in 1902, it later became a depot for the South Wales Electricity Board, it was then demolished and Plas-y-Coed  Care Home was built on the site, that has since been demolished.

 

The ground, just south of Beaufort Hill, and close to a Chapel of Rest in the area known as Glanyrafon, once occupied by the iron works has long been cleared and covered with houses. Giant pieces of slag remained in place until the most recent developments.

Beaufort Ironworks.jpg
Site Beaufort Ironworks aerial shot in 2020.jpg
​Beaufort Ironworks Site
Ironmasters House

The Viaduct Level Tramroad

Ran from the coke ovens at Beaufort Ironworks up Nelson Street and Wesleyan Place to the level which tunnelled beneath the MT&AR embankment. It appears on the 1880 map even though the ironworks had closed in 1874. It was not shown in 1900.

The Garnlydan tramway - (Centred at Ty Coch)

Ran from the coke ovens at Beaufort Ironworks along Cwm Gwybedog to serve levels and quarries up to Garnlydan. A long branch ran over the moor, past Bryn Pit and others, to Rhas Fach above Brynmawr where it joined Baileys Disgwylfa Tramroad in Clydach Dingle. It appears on the 1880 map even though the ironworks had closed in 1874. The tramway, quarries and many of the levels had gone by 1901.

 

Some information and images about the tramroads, have been reproduced with the kind permission of Phil Jenkins, from his 'Industrial Gwent' website, for  more detailed information on the  various tramroads, coal levels in the Beaufort area, please visit the relevant pages of the website, by clicking HERE.                    

A piece of local History
Workmen discover a tram wheel and short length of track at Bethel Wesleyan chapel
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