Porth Wen Brickworks, Anglesea

Whilst on the Isle of Anglesea, North Wales, I came across this fascinating disused Victorian Brickworks. Located on the coast in the spectacular scenery of Porth Wen (White Bay) near Cemaes Bay.

Geologists discovered that the North Anglesey coastline had an abundance of Quartzite within its rock. Quartzite is used in the manufacture of special fire bricks, used to line the inside of steel furnaces. Steel was to become such an important and vital material in the manufacture of our most important infrastructure, from Railways, Shipping and manufacturing.

The ore was first mined from the Anglesea headland at Porth Wen around 1850 through to 1914. Before 1900, the operational brickworks complex at this site, was only quite small.

When the brickworks closed for the first time in 1914, it remained closed and unused until 1924, when production of the fire bricks started once again. Most of the existing site we see today was constructed after the turn of the 20th Century.

Transport would always be a problem at the Porth Wen brick works, given it’s relatively remote location. It is believed that there was originally A small railway or tramway at the works, whilst transportation of raw materials and the finished fire bricks would be by sea. A small quay was built along side Porth Wen for the ships to dock alongside. However, strong tides and heavy swells would often cause problems, by battering and sometimes damaging the ships moored in the quay.

Porth Wen finally closed down in 1949 and was designated a scheduled monument by Cadw in 1986.