Stories from the Cold Hill: Reassessing the Bryn Oer Tramroad

Abstract

The history and development of the early 19th-century Bryn Oer Tramroad in South-East Wales has been considered previously by Gordon Rattenbury and John van Laun, but archaeological monitoring and walkover surveys carried out during conservation works to the tramroad in spring 2022 have yielded new data. In particular, fresh evidence for the tramroad’s drainage system, turnouts and gateways has allowed a reassessment of the earlier studies, enabling a more complete narrative of the tramroad to be presented. The article is divided into four parts. The first part outlines the history of the canals to which the Bryn Oer Tramroad was connected, and the second discusses the historical context of the tramroad. The third part provides an archaeological evaluation of the tramroad, whilst the final part discusses the comparative importance of the tramroad within the context of late 18th- and early 19th-century transport networks in South-East Wales.