Neath Abbey Aqueduct is a twin-arched masonry aqueduct with its arches submerged in the River Clydach and hence acting as an inverted syphon. It was built in 1821 and the sluices with rock-faced stone pillars to the south-east were built as part of the ill-fated Neath floating dock scheme (NPRN 34481). The overbridge to the west of the aqueduct has parapets formed of cast blocks of copper slag with Roman numerals cast in (NPRN 34522).

A site survey of the Clydach Aqueduct was undertaken by David Leighton and Stephen Hughes of RCAHMW in June 1977. The aqueduct would have been engineered by William Kirkhouse along with the rest of the Tennant Canal.

The structure is a typical traditional aqueduct and it is the second largest on the Tennant Canal although there are several larger aqueducts in Wales. The River Clydach is tidal downstream and it may be accumulated silt that makes it act like a syphon with submerged arches.

Source:
"A Guide to the Industrial Archaeology of the Swansea Region", Association for Industrial Archaeology, 2nd Edition, 1989
Notes by Stephen Hughes 16 January 2007.

RCAHMW 11 October 2011