Monument Type(s):

• MINERAL RAILWAY (Late 19th century - 1880 AD to 1899 AD)

Summary

This site represents: a mineral railway of 19th century date. The site is protected by Scheduling.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA5650 - 2004 assessment in connection with the Llanymynech Heritage Area Development Project by CPAT
• ESA6151 - 2006 Excavation at the Hoffman Kiln, Llanymynech, Shropshire by SCCAS
• ESA6163 - 2001 Archaeological Survey at Llanymynech heritage area, Shropshire, by Archenfield Archaeology Ltd
• ESA6235 - 2007 Excavation at the Hoffman Kiln, Llanymynech, by SCCAS
• ESA6959 - 2013 Evaluation trial trench and earthwork survey at Llanymynech Limeworks Transfer Wharf, Llanymynech by CPAT

Description

By 1900 the construction of the conventional lime kilns and their replacement by the Hoffman-type kiln had led to significant changes with a system of tramways and mainline railway sidings serving the later kiln. Tramways were constructed to carry limestone from the incline for loading into the Hoffman Kiln. One leading straight to the Hoffman Kiln is depicted on the OS 2nd edition, revised in 1900. No visible remains survive although the route is partly blocked by vegetation and rubbish, which should be cleared. Buried remains may survive. ->

-> To the east, another tramway (or railway siding), survives as an earthwork hollow-way c. 5m across. This earthwork is in a stable condition. Tramway sidings to the east of the Hoffman kiln leading to a stone-revetted platform area above Rock Siding. These are depicted on the OS 2nd edition map revised in 1900. A short length of apparently in situ tramway exists immediately west of the bridge through the large tramway embankment leading to the draw kilns. The visible remains here suggest more extensive buried remains and any groundworks in the area should be undertaken under archaeological supervision. <1>

In September 2006, Shropshire Archaeology Service led a community archaeology project at the Hoffman Kiln, Llanymynech, Shropshire on behalf of the Llanymynech Limeworks Heritage Project. Five trenches were excavated around the kiln. Trench A revealed remains of the tramlines in the location shown on the OS 2nd edition map of 1902. The location of the sleeper beams were indicated by hollows and the tram rails were shown as grooves at a depth of 0.15m. A large hollow was also found which represented the site of a turn table that would have switched trucks from the tramway alongside the kiln, to tramlines going into openings in the kiln side. The excavation suggests the tramlines were probably fixed features, with only the final sections going into the kiln itself being moveable "jubilee" type lines, so as not to be damaged them when the kiln was fired.<2>

In 2001 an historical, archaeological and landscape 'tier two' survey of Llanymynech and the surrounding environs and included land that had previously been used for limestone quarrying and a large area of mixed woodland. The development of the site was assessed from the pre-industrial landscape, to the development of the fields, kilns, tramways, canals, railways, plantations other industrial and economic infrastructures. <3>

In September 2007 four trenches were excavated around the Hoffman kiln to investigate the associated yards and tramlines in advance of the installation of drains along both sides of the kiln. Trench A, measuring 4m by 3m, located on the west side of the kiln, revealed the former yard surface and track bed, complete with impressions left by tramlines and sleepers. A large sub-circular pit was also revealed indicating the position of a former turntable. The removal of the backfill of this feature revealed that it was part of a larger feature, forming a pit about 1.6m square at the base and 0.3m deep. Traces and impression marks of timber beams, along with two iron rods with nuts at each end, appear to be the remains of the timber turntable. A ceramic field drain was also noted in the pit, running off to the west. Trench B, located across the line of the former tramlines on the east side of the kiln, and re-exposed the northern turntable base revealed earlier in the year [ESA 6202]. A former yard surface was exposed between the base and the kiln. This had recently been disturbed and no trace of the former tramlines remained. A hollow in the centre of the area may have marked the former location of a turntable base similar to that seen in Trench A. Constant flooding prevented examination of the feature. Trench C, measuring 1.7m square, was located on the east side of the kiln opposite the first opening from the north into the kiln. The trench revealed another concrete turntable base 0.40m below the surface beneath a layer of disturbed and compacted topsoil with brick rubble. Only the cartwheel impression of the base of the original iron turntable survived, with no ironwork present. No evidence of former yards or tracks were seen between the base and the kiln, due to heavy disturbance in recent years. Trench D, measuring 2m squared, and located at the north end of the kiln, exposed a further turntable base. Most of the cast iron cartwheel base plate survived intact, together with three runner wheels and some of the sides of the turntable. The concrete pad this was set in was of irregular shape, but impressions of sleepers survived in the concrete at the E and W sides and grooves for the tramlines on the E side of the pad. <4>

This site was included as part of an investigation of the 'canal transfer wharf', believed to be associated with the last major development at the Llanymynech industrial site, comprising the construction of the Hoffman Kiln sometime around 1900. ->

-> The evaluation revealed evidence for the remains of the main line railway siding, comprising the remains of timber sleepers, together with contemporary deposits of coal in and around the siding, and tramline retaining bolts from the top of the embankment, The results corroborate the belief that the siding was used as a coal transfer wharf for the Hoffman Kiln in the early years of the 20th century. The remains of a brick wall were also identified along the top of, and contemporary with, the tramway embankment, although its exact purpose, other than that of a revetment wall, is still unknown. Attention had previously focused on a shaped iron bar which protruded from the northern end of the embankment, which has now been identified as a stoker’s bar or rod which is likely to date from the late 19th or early 20th-centuries and would have been used by stokers on the main railway line. ->

-> A small area associated with the transfer wharf was subject to an earthwork survey. <5>

<01> Jones N W, 2004, Llanymynech Heritage Area: archaeological survey, p6,41,43-44; Fig 8,9 (Archaeological fieldwork report). SSA21394.

<01a> Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust, 2004, Photographs from Llanymynech Heritage Area Assessment, 1603/104,191-192,196,201-202 (Photograph). SSA22026.

<02> Hannaford Hugh R, 2007, An interim report on archaeological investigations at Llanymynech, Shropshire 2006 (Excavation report). SSA22983.

<03> Sherlock H and Pikes P J, 2001, Llanymynech heritage area, Shropshire: archaeological survey (Historic landscape survey report). SSA23006.

<04> Hannaford Hugh R, 2008, Archaeological Investigations for the Llanymynech Limeworks Heritage Project 2006-7 (Archaeological fieldwork report). SSA23072.

<05> Grant I, 2013, Llanymynech Limeworks Transfer Wharf: archaeological evaluation (Excavation report). SSA24484.

Sources

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