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Pontymoile Basin

Coordinates: 51°41′45″N 3°01′33″W / 51.69583°N 3.02583°W / 51.69583; -3.02583
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Junction Cottage and Toll Sign at Pontymoile Basin
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
River Usk and Brecon
Feeder
Weir and Theatre Basin
A40(T) Road bridges
69
Brynich lock
Brynich aqueduct
Nant Menasgin aqueduct
B4558 Cross Keys bridge, Pencelli
Afon Caerfanell aqueduct, Talybont
Ashford Tunnel
(375 yd)
65-68
Llangynidr Locks (4)
Afon Crawnon aqueduct
64
Llangynidr Locks - Lower lock
B4560 Llangynidr bridge
Nant Cleisfer aqueduct
B4558 Fro Bridge
A4077 Crickhowell Bridge
Aqueduct, Llangattock
Gilwern Wharf
Afon Clydach aqueduct
A4077 Gilwern Bridge
A465 Heads of the Valleys Road
Llanwenarth aqueduct, Govilon
former railway bridge
Llanfoist and Abergavenny
Ochram Brook aqueduct
Goytre Wharf
Brecknock & Abergavenny Canal
Pontnewynydd Basin
Pontnewynydd branch locks (8)
Pontnewynydd branch locks (3) Staircase
Afon Lwyd aqueduct
Pontymoile Basin
A472 Pontymoile Bypass Bridge
Monmouthshire Canal
Crown Bridge, Sebastopol
Cwmbran Tunnel
(87 yd)
Five Locks Basin
Limit of navigation
59-63
Cross Keys locks (5)
56-58
Pontnewydd locks (3)
53-55
Three Locks (3)
49-52
Forge Hammer locks (4)
A4051 road built over canal bed
Culverted section
47-48
Two Locks (2)
38-46
Drapers lock to Ty Coch lock (9)
Pentre Lane bridge
37
Tamplin Lock
36
Tyfynnon Lock
35
Malpas Lock
34
Gwasted Lock
Malpas Brook aqueduct
M4 motorway bridge
Malpas Junction
Crumlin Arm
Barrack Hill Tunnel
(closed 1930)
1
Mill Street lock
South Wales Railway and Newport
Llanarth St Wharf
Potter Street lock
Newport Old Town Dock
2
Gwastad Lock
(restored)
3-6
Waen lock to Allt-yr-yn lock (4)
7
Cwrt-y-Mwnws Lock
M4 motorway bridge
8-21
Cefn Flight (Fourteen Locks)
Site of Giles aqueduct
Infilled section
Navigable section
Pontywaun terminus
22
Cwmcarn lock
23-29
Abercarn locks (7)
30-33
Newbridge locks (4)
Crumlin wharf

51°41′45″N 3°01′33″W / 51.69583°N 3.02583°W / 51.69583; -3.02583 Pontymoile Basin (Welsh: Basn Pont-y-moel) is a mooring point and canal junction on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal.

Location

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The basin lies on the Pontypool stretch of the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal in the Pontypool suburb of Pontymoile in the county borough of Torfaen and historic county of Monmouthshire in south Wales.

History

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Originally a toll point, the canal narrows significantly as it approaches the basin. Junction Cottage is the old toll house, built in 1810–1812[1] and is Grade II listed.[2] The basin itself is a large expanse of water adjacent to the canal. It is used for turning narrowboats and filling up with water.

Pontymoile Basin was the site of the junction with the three-mile Monmouthshire Canal to Pontnewynydd, containing 11 locks. This spur was fed from tramways carrying coal and iron down the valley. The junction was enacted in 1797 and completed in 1812.[3] The spur was problematic due to water supply issues, and it was overtaken by rail when the Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company drained it and reused the bed for their railway line in 1854, though it had seen decline prior to that date. Today traces of both canal and railway have disappeared under the reshaped A472 road.

Visitor attraction

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The basin is becoming something of a visitor attraction. Narrowboats and cruisers can be seen along the private stretch of moorings and day boat hire was introduced in 2007. Boats can be hired for full days or half days. There is a unique narrow boat café which was itself a former canal boat.

The basin is located near Pontypool Park and is a stopping point for boats en route to Goetre Wharf.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Junction House;Canal Toll Cottage, Pontymoile (34550)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  2. ^ Cadw. "Junction House at Pontymoile Canal Basin, Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal (Grade II) (3135)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  3. ^ Eastern Valley: The Story of Torfaen. Chris Barber. Blorenge Books. ISBN 1-872730-23-X