Also Varteg Iron Company
1788 Lord Abergavenny leased land to Thomas Hill of Dennis, Thomas Hopkins and Benjamin Pratt, to build a new ironworks at Blaenavon; the area of the lease (12,000 acres) was much greater than needed for one works so 2 tracts were sub-let; one became the site of the Nantyglo Ironworks; the other, a large area to the west of the valley, and south of Blaenavon, was sub-let to a partnership which founded the Varteg Ironworks in 1802[1].
1803 Works in operation
1806 Forge erected beside the Afon Lwyd to serve the works
By 1819 The works were in the hands of Fawcett, Whitehouse and Co
1820 Wharf established beside the Monmouthshire Canal; permission to run a branch of the Blaenavon Rail Road to the wharf
1826 'Notice is hereby given, that the sub-partnership between the undersigned, Archibald Kenrick, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Ironfounder, and Samuel Kenrick, of the same place, Ironfounder, as Iron-Masters, at Verteg-Hill, in the County of Monmouth (if any such sub-partnership ever existed), was dissolved upon the 15th day of August 1826.—Witness our hands the 23d day of July 1832.'[2]
1830 5 blast furnaces in operation; owner Kenrick and Co.
1843 Works were out of use.
1843 Advertisement: 'VARTEG IRON WORKS, NEAR PONTYPOOL. TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION, By Mr. H. M. PARTRIDGE, On the PREMISES, at the VARTEG IRON WORKS, near PONTYPOOL., in Lots, on TUESDAY, the 31st of January, 1843 (unless previously disposed of by Private Contract, of which; due notice will be given), THE WHOLE OF THE ENGINES, MACHINERY, TRAMS, TRAM-PLATES, and Effects, including one Blast-Engine, low pressure, diameter of cylinder 44 inches, with two boilers, each 40 feet long, with tubes: the boilers, 7ft 6in. and 8ft. diameter. This Engine has been used to blow 3 blast-furnaces; a foundry cupola and 7 smiths' fires; 1 high-pressure engine, cylinder 12½in. diameter with fly-wheel, shaft and carriages, working in fitting-up shop ; one high-pressure whimsey engine, diameter of cylinder 19in., with fly-wheel, drum barrel, and boiler, complete; one low-pressure whimsey engine, diameter of cylinder 19in., with fly-wheel, drum barrel, and boiler, complete; one mill-engine, low pressure, diameter of cylinder 44in, with three boilers, complete. 1500 tons of Tram-plates, more or less; 400 Coal Trams, in good repair; 294 Mine Trams, in good repair; 43 large Mine Trams, in ditto; Lathes, Turning Tools, Screwing Machinery, Pit Chains, Ropes, &c. &c. Also, FORGE, and MILL, with 3 sets of Rolls, capable of rolling 250 Tons of Merchant Bars a week, Large Water-wheel, Turning-Lathe, Rolls, Tools, &c.' [3]
1843 Dissolution of the Partnership between Mark Philips, William Fawcett, William Needham, and George Smith Kenrick, as Iron Masters, at Varteg, in the county of Monmouth, under the firm of the Varteg Iron Company[4]
1844 Works advertised for sale by auction
1864 Partridge, Jones and Co began trading at Varteg Works.
See Also
Sources of Information
- Visit Torfaen website