No. 2 Blast Furnace at former Neath Abbey Ironworks

No. 2 Blast Furnace at the former Neath Abbey Ironworks is a significant 19th-century structure. This very tall blast furnace is built from rubble Pennant sandstone and has a square plan that tapers as it rises. It is positioned against a rock face, which facilitates the charging process. The furnace stands approximately 19.8 meters high, with a base that measures around 11.6 meters square. The base is currently overgrown but features a large barrel vault on the eastern side, which has a semicircular arch made of a double ring of dressed stone voussoirs. Inside, the structure is supported by massive cast iron beams and contains the remains of a slag notch. At the top of the furnace, there are remnants of a loading arch. Additionally, the rear of the furnace includes a recess and a large chamber carved out of the rock wall, which was used for the tuyere or blast pipes.