The Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust
Historic Environment Record
 

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Vivian Works Engine House

Primary Reference Number (PRN) : 02426w
Trust : Glamorgan Gwent
Community : Landore
Unitary authority : Swansea
NGR : SS6617694982
Site Type (preferred type first) : POST MEDIEVAL Engine house
Status : listed building II

Summary :
This site comprises a Post-Medieval Engine house entitled 'Vivian Works Engine House' situated within the community of Landore. The Cadw Listed Building Description is as follows:

'A two-storey gabled structure, formerly with a slate roof. It is constructed partially in dressed sandstone, partially in snecked rubble, and partially in grey bricks (made at the copperworks). The oldest part of the building appears to be in the south corner, where there is much dressed stone' (Cadw Listed Building Description).

Description :
This site comprises a Post-Medieval Engine house entitled 'Vivian Works Engine House' situated within the community of Landore. The Cadw Listed Building Description is as follows:

'A two-storey gabled structure, formerly with a slate roof. It is constructed partially in dressed sandstone, partially in snecked rubble, and partially in grey bricks (made at the copperworks). The oldest part of the building appears to be in the south corner, where there is much dressed stone' (Cadw Listed Building Description).

The building is listed for its rarity as a copper works engine house and for its group value with the other listed buildings on the Hafod Copper Works/ Yorkshire Imperial Metals site. A fuller description and development and historical timelines may be found in the report: The Yorkshire Imperial Metals Site: A Site Appraisal (N Ludlow, 2002).

In 2019 the Engine House was recorded during a watching brief (E008156-57). IT found that the building comprised 3 construction phases, leading up to the 4th phase (present):

- Phase 1 (1862/1863):The Pennant stone block wall at the western end of the basement is the earliest phase encountered during the watching brief. The wall was well built and appears to be in its original form. It is most likely that this wall forms part of the 1862 foundation.

- Phase 2a External (Between 1910 and late 1920s): The remaining external walls of the Vivian Engine House are a result of the enlargement of the building believed to be in order to accommodate larger machinery and a gantry crane, probably in the early 20th century. Phase 2b Internal (Between 1910 and late 1920s).

- Phase 2b (Also between 1910 and late 1920s): The internal walls of the basement area are marked as Phase 3 on the 2002 plan (DAT 2002) but the 2019 survey ascertained that they actually relate to Phase 2b of development of the building. Phase 2b also includes the three brick-arched recesses off the inspection platform and a further one in the stairwell.

- Phase 3 (Between 1939 and 1945): The latest phase of construction in the Vivian Engine House is a series of repairs and modifications characterised by the use of red and yellow bricks including Adamantine and Nettle examples.

- Phase 4 (1980 to Present): The Hafod Morfa Copperworks was closed by Yorkshire Imperial Metals in 1980 and the Vivian Engine House was listed in 1987. The surrounding buildings were demolished at around this time and the Vivian Engine House was cleared of machinery (Langlands 2019).

Sources :
Cadw , Listed Buildings Description ( © Crown Copyright)
Langlands, L. , 2019 , Vivian Engine House, Hafod-Morfa Copperworks: Archaeological Watching Brief & Building Record
Ludlow, N , 2002 , The Yorkshire Imperial Metals Site: A Site Appraisal ( © Dyfed Archaeological Trust)
The Handley Partnership , HAAbase built heritage assessment system: Buildings at Risk database
01/pm desc text/Cadw//1987/Listed Building List/

Events :
E004887 : The Yorkshire Imperial Metals site, Swansea (year : 2002)
E003110 : Copperworks site, Hafod, Swansea (year : 2008)
E007585 : Hafod-Morfa Copperworks, Neath Road, Swansea (year : 2018)
E008156 : Vivian Engine House, Hafod-Morfa Copperworks, Swansea (year : 2019)
E008157 : Vivian Engine House, Hafod-Morfa Copperworks, Swansea (year : 2019)

Related records
National Monuments Record NPRN 33743 http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/33743/details
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 08090w
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 00842w
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 08087w
GGAT Historic Environment Record (HER) 08295w

Compiled date : 23-05-1988


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