These Images taken in 1998Neath Abbey Ironworks
On the banks of the river Clydach, the
valley known as Cwm-y-felin had long been an Industrial site prior
It had the advantages of water power, a plentiful supply of coal and was situated close to the tidal River Neath and could be supplied with ore by sea.
The New Owners: The Quaker families of Fox, Price and Tregelles intended to produce pig iron for use in their Cornish foundry.
The Furnaces: Built in 1792 they were 65 and 53 feet high and in 1796 were producing 75 to 80 tons of iron per week. They were built into the side of the hill so that raw materials of iron ore, limestone and coke could be prepared at the same level as the top of the furnace and then charged from the top.
The Blowing Engine :Built in 1793 to a Boulton & Watt design, with a 40inch diameter cylinder, the engine was the most powerful in Britain at that time.
|Joseph Tregelles Price: By 1818 the Company was producing machine parts and complete steam engines. A new partnership was formed with Joseph T.Price as the new Manager. Under his control the Company became world famous expanding to produce marine steam engines, railway locomotives and later iron ships.||
| Beam Engines, winding & pumping
engines were among the many products supplied to collieries, ironworks,
tinworks, copper works, silver & gold mines, canals and others. Customers
included not only the major works in Wales but also in France, Spain and
View of the Machine Shop looking from in front of the furnaces. The roof was destroyed by fire; the walls have recently been secured.
|Joseph Tregelles Price was not the
archetypal Ironmaster. He provided good working conditions for his employees
and recognised the importance of education. The first Works school had
been opened by his predecessor Peter Price and in 1825 this was transferred
to a new school. The Works also ran a renowned Apprenticeship scheme
and this produced many famous names :
|The Works closed in the 1880`s but it seems that much of the equipment was not sold until the 1920`s. Several of the Engineers who had been trained at the Company were to set up business`s in the Neath area. Among these were Taylor & Sons of Briton Ferry and The Dynevor Engineering Works. The latter was founded by David James, D.W.Prosser and Richard Owen. The latter two were nephew and uncle and were members of an old Neath Abbey family who had been connected with the Ironworks since its formation. See Prosser & Owen families|
Churches : Neath
Briton Ferry Baglan
Histories : Neath Abbey Ironworks Gnoll Estate Neath Valley & Canal Parson`s Folly
& Images Valley Villages & Burial Grounds Pontrhydyfen Merthyr Cynog Trevethin Pant cemetery
Family : Wagstaffe Tree Prosser & Owens in Neath Abbey
Links : Neath/PortTalbot Tourism