Hill's Tramroad was an important highway from the early 1800's. It ensured the efficient and speedy transportation of iron from Glandyrys ironworks, limestone from Pwll Du Quarry and coal from Big Pit to Llanfoist quay where it could be loaded onto barges and taken by the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal down to Newport for export. Previously cargo had been taken down the valley to join the canal at Pontypool, but the Mon & Brecon managers made a deal to take goods at a cheaper rate, even though the goods would still need to be hauled through Pontypool to Newport.
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| Keeper's Pond, Blaenavon |
Our walk was part of the Living Landscapes Project and we started at Keeper's Pond on the road from Blaenavon to Abergavenny. On a clear, sunlit winter's day, we were surrounded by wide views extending many miles into the welsh landscape. A wonderful day for exploring with a knowledgeable guide and adequate clothing, but this mountain is exposed to all winds and weathers. It would have been an extremely hard life working here every day in clothing made from wool. Very little shelter would have existed for the men walking or riding the tram road.
We descended on a pathway on the opposite side of the road from the car park. Gradually we descended until we were surrounded by the walls of a deep valley.
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| Representation of Garndyrys Ironworks, image located at Keeper's Pond |
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| Iron 'bears' left below Garndyrys |
The tram road followed the contours of the mountainside like a bright green ribbon against the browning bracken banks. The metal rails have all but disappeared, but the stones which anchored them, if you look carefully, can still be found along the route. Sometimes they still lie in long rows with bolt holes and on the incline grooves can be found from the ropes or chains which helped haul the trams.
Along the way our guide, Tom Maloney, pointed out piles of stone which would have been strategic buildings along the tram road. There were also the remains of well-structured retaining walls, still holding the bank at bay. He explained that where the tramway dropped below the slag dumping areas, the men built tunnels to protect the tramway and users from debris from the works.
Its difficult, standing on a green mountainside, surrounded by glorious views and peaceful countryside, to imagine it as the site of a busy, noisy ironworks full of men taking large amounts of ironstone, limestone and coal and producing iron.
Trees now mask much of this industrial roadway and almost hide the slope of the incline, but if trees were here when the tram road was in use they would have caused problems of leaf-litter, obstruction by growing too close to the tram road, and delay by falling on the tramway. Any of these problems would have delayed the horse-drawn trams and cost the owners and leaders money.
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| Remaining stone built tunnel, possibly to protect the tram road |
Tom pointed out a couple of tunnels, but they would be almost invisible to anyone walking the pathway without knowledge of the scene.
The exact description of the transport is unknown, but could have consisted of between one and three trucks, being hauled by between one and three horses, depending on the cargo. The lead horse would probably have had a man walking alongside.
Depending on the terrain, the track could have been single in places and double in others, allowing traffic both ways.
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Stones extending into the distance, spaced at regular intervals,
The ground in constant shadow, still covered in frost. |
At Llanfoist a mock-up of trucks awaits our debate. Unfortunately, we have more questions than answers.
How big would they have been?
How many would have been linked together? How much iron would they have held?
How many horses would have been used?
Our first glimpse of the canal appears with a canal-keepers cottage, sited to view traffic approaching from the tram road as well as along the canal from Brecon.
An ancient tunnel still exists underneath the house and the canal. A strange place to walk, thinking of all those who have been through there over the last 200 years.
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| a mock-up of trams |
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| The entrance to the tunnel beneath the canal and then the house. |
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