The iron forge at Garn Ddyrys was opened in 1817 to work the pig iron produced from the furnaces at Blaenavon. The raw iron was transported along a tramway from Blaenavon through a 2.4Km long tunnel under Pwll Du and around the contours to the forge at Garn Ddyrys. Another tunnel took the tramroad under the forge site where the iron slag was dumped and around Blorenge mountain to a inclined plane that took the iron down to the canal at Llanfoist. Here the finished iron was taken by canal barge to the port at Newport.
Garn Ddyrys continued in use until the 1860’s when the railway at Blaenavon took over the transport of the iron. The forges at Garn Ddyrys were dismantled and the work transferred to Blaenavon.
Today the tramroad built by Thomas Hill provides a wonderful walk taking you past so much of our early industrial heritage; from the limestone quarry at Pwll Du, past the ruins at Garn Ddyrys of the workers cottages, the ponds that supplied water to the forges and the ruins of the Queen Victoria Inn. These ruins are evocative reminders of the hardships endured by the workers. The views across to Sugar Loaf mountain and the Brecons are spectacular.
It wasn’t all hard work of course, at the end of a hard day the workers could relax and spend their hard earned pay in the Queen Victoria Inn which was beside the tramroad. All that remains now of the pub are the foundations and low walls which you see on your right as you walk east along the tramroad footpath.
Parking: There are several parking areas on the B4246 road up from Llanfoist and Govilon. The best place to park to explore the whole area is the car park at Keepers Pond. N51°47.421 W3° 04.943
The three books that tell the Mortymer family story are: ‘This Proud and Savage Land’, ‘The Rape of the Fair Country’ and ‘The Hosts of Rebecca’
Note added May 2009: For those who may be disappointed at not getting any refreshments at the Queen Victoria Inn, we called at the nearby Lamb & Flag pub recently, sat outside admiring the view and had a very nice Sunday lunch. (N51° 47.834, W3° 05.634)