Nag's Head Engine House, Sw Of Pontesford (no. 3) Aka Pontesford Colliery 1784 Engine House
- HER Number (PRN): 08038
- Site Name : Nag's Head Engine House, Sw Of Pontesford (no. 3) Aka Pontesford Colliery 1784 Engine House
- Protected Status:
Grade: Ref No.: 1018467 Title: Nag's Head engine house Type: Scheduled Monument - Civil Parish:
- Grid Reference: SJ 4085 0638
- Related Monuments:
- Brief Description: Scheduled Monument: One of a notable group of late 18th and early 19th century engine houses in Pontesford, which were used to pump out the Pontesford Colliery workings, the Nag's Head engine house is the only one to survive unaltered.
- Description: Scheduled in 1999. Scheduling description: ->
-> The monument is situated on the south west outskirts of the village of Pontesford. It includes the standing and buried remains of the Nag's Head engine house, which was originally part of the Pontesford Colliery. The engine house is one of a group of early engine houses in the village and is thought to be the earliest, dating to the 1790s. The others have been converted to dwellings and the Nag's Head engine house is the only one to survive unaltered. ->
-> The building survives to a height of around 10m. The engine house is of stone to first storey level, but the arched opening in the south west wall which accommodated the pivoting beam of the engine is of brick. A lean-to structure on the north west side, also of brick, has been interpreted as either a boiler house or blacksmith's workshop. The engine house retains internal details, including engine fittings and a condenser pit, which provide valuable technological information about the type of engine installed in the building. ->
-> It is understood that the machine was either a Newcomen atmospheric engine or a Boulton and Watt steam engine. The former was the earliest type of 'steam' engine generally employed in mine drainage, but was not strictly steam powered. Steam was let into a closed cylinder attached by a piston to the engine beam, and was then condensed to create a partial vacuum, allowing atmospheric pressure to push the piston down into the cylinder and raise the beam end. Boulton and Watt developed a more efficient engine in which sufficient steam pressure was generated to raise the piston on its own, although atmospheric pressure still produced much of the engine's motion. The unaltered Nag's Head engine house and its internal fittings are therefore unusual survivals from a period of technological experimentation and advancement. ->
-> All fence posts, field walls and modern structures such as greenhouses are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath these features is included <1>
Owned by the Snailbeach Company; see also. <2>
Photographed during aerial survey in 2010. <3><4>
Visited during a condition survey by the English Heritage Field Monument Warden, in 1997. Condition recorded as good. <5>
A programme of building survey, documentary research and watching brief was undertaken as part of a project for the stablisation and repair of the scheduled engine house. Documentary research indicated that the engine house has been erroneously associated with the Nag's Head Colliery for many years (and as is given in the scheduling entry - see <1>). Strictly speaking it should be referred to as Pontesford Colliery 1784 engine house. ->
-> Documentary research also demonstrated that the building had four principal phases of development. Built in the late 18th century (1784) in order to exploit the local coal field for the smelting of lead, the engine house may have originally held a Newcomen beam engine. This seem to have been replaced by 1840 with a Boulton and Watt engine as the tithe map shows an adjacent building, presumed to be a boiler house. This was demolished by 1873-84 when the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map shows another boiler house on the opposite corner of the engine house. Around this time the engine house went out of use and was converted to a domestic dwelling. By the time of the 2nd edition Ordnance Survey map, 1899-1902, the dwelling was itself disused. ->
-> Fieldwotk comprised a watching brief on areas of ground reduction and clearance and a photographic record made of the restored structure, utilizing the same as-existing architect’s plans and elevations, which were annotated with further historic information with photographs taken as appropriate. <6>
Nags Head Colliery; this is situated opposite the Rea Valley Tractors garage on the outskirts of Pontesbury. In a clump of trees to the south of some cottages is a spoil tip and the ivy-covered remains of the enginehouse in a very poor state. The engine pumped from a circular shaft immediately in front of the lever wall. A further engine house on the south side of the river has been incorporated into two cottages. It is a small building with three stories but there is little to see of interest due to extensive alterations. Diagram of beam pumping enginehouse. <7>
Identified, and recorded on an IRIS form by Shropshire Caving and Mining Club. These workings are identified as Nags Head Colliery in operation during the 19th century. The ruins of an engine house are identified at SJ40850637. <8>
Site Assessment as part of the MPP project; noted that this engine house is in urgent need of repairs to prevent collapse. Nags Head engine house has not been converted & retains internal features (although unroofed). A shaft to the north east is uncapped and filled with rubbish. <9>
Description of engines and operations at Pontesford Colliery, including detailed engineer's sketches of engine parts. Nags Head Colliery engine house is decribed as being in a very poor state; source includes a sketch from 1989 of the remains. <10> - Record Type: Monument
- Sources:
(01) Scheduled Monument notification: English Heritage. 1999. Scheduling Papers (New Scheduling, 04/02/1999). 31759. (02) Manuscript: Pearson Nigel. 2004. The Rise and Fall of the Industries of Pontesbury (Shropshire). Appendix 11. (03) Oblique aerial photograph: Shropshire Council. 2010-Mar-2. SA1003_016 to SA1003_017 (2 photos) Flight: 10_SA_03. Colour. Digital. (04) Oblique aerial photograph: Shropshire Council. 2010-Mar-2. SA1003_020 to SA1003_022 (3 photos) Flight: 10_SA_03. Colour. Digital. (05) Field survey report: Leigh Judith. 2001. Scheduled Ancient Monuments in the Shropshire Hills ESA: Brief Condition Survey. (06) Field survey report: Cook M. 2017. Historic building recording and watching brief at what has become known as the Nag's Head Engine House, more correctly known as Pontesford Colliery 1784 engine house, Pontesbury, Shropshire. Martin Cook Rep. (07) Monograph: Pearce A (ed). 1995. Mining in Shropshire. Shropshire Caving and Mining Club. p.17 & p. 13. (08) Record form: Shropshire Caving and Mining Club. 1994. IRIS form [AIA - Index Record for Industrial Sites]. IRIS Record Sheet. SA/SCMC/AJP130. (09) Record form: Anon. late 1990s?. MPP Site Assessments. MPP Step 4 evaluation form?. MPP Site Assessments, Coal Industry: Site Number 5. (10) Volume: Davies T, Newton M & Pearce A. 1993. Mining Remains in South West Shropshire. Shropshire Caving and Mining Club Accounts. No 18. p49-53. - Tags:
- Related Places:
- For more information contact: Shropshire Council HER
- Date Created: 05/06/2001
- Date Last Edited: 18/09/2019 12:03:22
