Historic Landscape
Characterisation
Merthyr Tydfil
042 Twynau Gwynion Quarries
HLCA 42 Twynau Gwynion Quarries Limestone quarries associated with the Dowlais Ironworks and later the Rhymney Ironworks; transport corridor.
(Photo: GGAT Merthyr 042)
Twynau Gwynion Quarries character area: series of 19th century quarries.
Summary
A series of 19th century quarries associated with the Dowlais Iron Works and later the Rhymney Iron Works.
Historical background
The historic landscape area of Twynau Gwynion Quarries comprises an extensive limestone quarry developed by the Dowlais Iron Company on land from the early 19th century, leased from the Bute Estate. The quarries were connected to Dowlais by tramroad, a tramroad bridge of 1805/15 survived just to the south until 1984 (HLCA 035). The quarry later became associated with the Guest's Ironworks at Rhymney, and was connected to the ironworks by the Rhymney Mineral (Limestone) Railway in c 1864.
Cartographic evidence indicates that the area may contain the remains associated with the quarry tramroad, which formerly served the working face of quarry.