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Hafod-Morfa Copper Works, Swansea, Wales - November 2016 | Oblivion State Urban Exploration

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Hafod-Morfa Copper Works, Swansea, Wales - November 2016

Landie_Man

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Hafod-Morfa Copper Works, Swansea, Wales - November 2016

Another one from Mookster's and my November road trip to South Wales.  After exploring the chapel in Swansea, we headed back to our hotel for a cooked breakfast and a chill out (I could get used to this Posh Exploring lark, Pools, Saunas and breakfasts!), then headed into the City of Swansea to what seems to be a large park with Canal Side walks.  

The area seems to be largely landscaped to be a park with cycle paths and places to go walking (and a large carpark); with the Copper Works largely demolished and only a few bits left within this Parkland in Swansea.

These areas which are left have been fenced off and left as monuments with plaques in the park.  The fence was relatively high but we struck lucky, and there was a way in.  

It's pretty decayed now but there were some nice bits left to take some pics!

Established in 1810 by John Vivian; was The Hafod Copperworks, followed by the Morfa Works, which  was created in 1835 by Williams, Foster & Co. The two sites were combined in 1924.  This happened when they were brought under the control of Yorkshire Imperial Metals.

This large copper works was the last one to close its doors in the Lower Swansea Valley.  The works shut down in 1980. The surviving buildings are the last remaining substantial monuments to the Copper Industry in the lower Swansea Valley, once the centre of the international trade in copper.  Copper was the world’s first globally integrated heavy industry.

Copper was at the centre of integrated multinational business networks stretching from Anglesey to Australia and from Cornwall to Chile. Welsh mariners known as CapeHorners, circled the globe to ply the world Copper Trade. Welsh copper was exported to markets across the worlds continents.

By 1883 there were 124 works, 12 of which were in the  Lower Swansea Valley. In 1823, 10,000 of Swansea’s then 15,000 residents were supported by the copper industry.

Copper production at the Hafod-Morfa works ceased by 1980; 19 years after the Lower Swansea Valley Project started to transform the most derelict industrial landscape in Britain.

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Thanks Guys, More At:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/landie_man/albums/72157673658000154

 

-Raz-

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Pretty far gone but still interesting none the less! may have to pop in there when i'm in Swansea next month, thanks for posting mate 

 
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