Location and History
West End Yard is at a key gateway into Llanelli. The town centre shops are a short walk away as are the local government buildings, law court etc. Located on the busy A484 the site is very accessible and visible to the thousands of people who pass each day.
The site has performed a number of purposes over the years since its early use (see below). In past years cars, satellite dishes and furniture have been sold from the site. But recently the site has been vacant and had taken on a derelict air before the current scheme transformed it.
A Local History: the West End Smithy
Written by L T John, Llanelli Community Heritage
UPDATE - June 2010
Mr John Phelps, a descendant of J. Downing the blacksmith that operated a forge at West End has carried out extensive research in to his ancestry. He has information that throws new light into the situation at West End. It appears that Downing's Forge was actually located at the opposite end of the terrace, i.e. the corner backing into Vauxhall. At another time it was situated mid way in the terrace.
The original assumption that it was at the location of the new office buildings may now be discarded. This is due to the fact that during the latter part of the 19th century the street was renumbered. Nevertheless , there was a forge at the site of the new offices which was operated by a Richard Vaughan. Unfortunately we do not have much info on Vaughan's Forge at present.
We are indebted to Mr Phelps and Mr Robert Protheroe Jones of the National Museum of Wales for the information.
The West End Smithy probably began operation around the mid 19 century, as no buildings appear on the 1852 ‘Board of Health Plan’. As early as 1863, a series of advertisements featured in the Llanelly & County Guardian - ‘J. Downing, Stove Grate Manufacturer &c’. The advert also stated that the business was a Smithy.
It appears that James Downing was initially in business with Samuel Bevan, an ironmonger, and that Downing was the manager. Later the business was under the ownership of J. Downing who operated as a blacksmith, a locksmith and a tinsmith. J. Downing was the first of three generations of Downing blacksmiths in Llanelli. It is reported that a member of the Downing family had a hand in the early development of the ‘Stepney Spare Wheel’.
The 1880 plan of the town of Llanelli west end shows a ‘Smithy’ sited near the junction of New Road. A decorative water trough / fountain has stood for over 120 years at West End, where tradition has it that it was put there for the horses that had been shod at the smithy. This water trough remains there to this day but is suffering from neglect and is in need of ‘restoration’.
