CYFARTHA and SIRHOWY IRONWORKS

Founded in 1765 and 1778 respectively the iron works lie in adjacent valleys. Cyfartha at one time being the largest foundry in the world.Both buildings had suffered neglect to the point where they had almost disappeared behind a trading estate and a housing complex. Both projects began with archaeology then when the structures were revealed the vaults, tunnels, blast chambers blast pipes and furnices had to be consolidated and in some areas rebuilt using refactory bricks and lime mortar The Cyfartha complex took almost one year to complete much of the work being deep within the cliff and beneath the furnaces where the refactory brickwork had been damaged by water and movement of the structures and by vandalism.