Chemistry:Hafod Copperworks
The remains of the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks, originally developed by Vivian & Sons, consists of a core Grade II listed building and additional Grade II listed structures on a 12 acres (4.9 ha) site, on the banks of the River Tawe in Hafod, Swansea.
History
The Hafod works was founded in 1810 by the Cornishman John Vivian. During the 19th century, this was the largest copper works in the world, employing over 1,000 people. The rival Morfa works was established in 1835 by Williams, Foster & Co., and the two adjacent sites combined in 1924 under Yorkshire Imperial Metals.
Swansea was core to the global copper industry, and by 1823 10,000 of Swansea’s 15,000 residents were supported by the copper industry. By 1883 there were 124 works including 12 copper works in the Lower Swansea Valley. But as raw geological resources had waned in South Wales, it became more economic to produce copper elsewhere. In 1971 the Lower Swansea Valley Project had started to transform the most derelict industrial landscape in Britain, resulting in the closure of the rolling mills in 1980.[1]
The former rolling mills were converted into the Landore Collection Centre, part of Swansea Museum.[2]
Reclamation and regeneration
In 2010, the local authority discussed plans to have the site re-developed where the listed buildings would be preserved and new uses would be given to heritage buildings. The 2010 development plan included a new hotel, restaurant and new housing.[3]
In 2011, the local council named Swansea University as a development partner of the site, who are evaluating the possibility of developing academic facilities at the site. Public grants of £540,000 were awarded for the preservation and renewal of the site.[4] Stage1 commenced in October 2013, clearing overgrown vegetation and undertaking essential preservation works.[5]
References
- ↑ "About the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks site". Welsh Copper. http://www.welshcopper.org.uk/en/Hafod-Morfa_site.htm. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ↑ "Error: no
|title=specified when using {{Cite web}}". Archived from the original on June 19, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130619052707/http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=35750. Retrieved September 15, 2013. - ↑ "Development plans for historic Swansea copperworks site". BBC News. 2010-05-11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/8674969.stm. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ↑ "Swansea's Hafod Copperworks wins £540,000 grant". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-15972879. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
- ↑ "Swansea Hafod copperworks preservation begins". BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-24487743. Retrieved 2016-01-30.
External links
- The Hafod-Morfa Copperworks website
- The Hafod/Morfa Copperworks regeneration project
- Photos of Hafod and surrounding area on geograph.org.uk
- Swansea Council - A Short History of the Hafod Copperworks
- Wales Online - Time Team’s discoveries to boost revamp of Swansea’s historic copperworks
- This is South Wales - Team digs up city's hidden copper history
- BBC News - Swansea University chosen as Hafod copper site partner
- BBC News - Call to save Swansea's Hafod copperworks site
- Swansea University - A World of Welsh Copper
[ ⚑ ] 51°38′15″N 3°56′07″W / 51.6376°N 3.9353°W
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