Aberdare

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Aberdare is an industrial town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff in the district of Glamorgan, south Wales, situated (as the name implies) at the confluence of the Dar and Cynon rivers.

Contents

Background to Aberdare

The population at the (1991) census was 31,619. It is 4 miles S.W. of Merthyr Tydfil and 24 miles N.W. of Cardiff. From being, at the beginning of the 19th century, a mere village in an agricultural district, the place grew rapidly in population owing to the abundance of its coal and iron ore, and the population of the whole parish (which was only 1486 in 1801) increased tenfold during the first half of the century. It has since declined, owing to the loss of most of the heavy industry.

Ironworks were established at Llwydcoed and Abernant in 1799 and 1800 respectively, followed by others at Gadlys and Aberaman in 1827 and 1847. These have not been worked since about 1875. After this, the iron industry was represented only by a small tinplate works, but by this stage the economy of the town was dominated by the coal industry. There were also several brickworks and breweries. During the latter half of the 19th century, considerable public improvements were made to the town, which became, despite its neighbouring collieries, a pleasant place to live. Its institutions included a post-graduate theological college (opened in connection with the Church of England in 1892, until 1907, when it was removed to Llandaff).

Aberdare, with the ecclesiastical parishes of St Fagan's (Trecynon) and Aberaman carved out of the ancient parish, had twelve Anglican churches, one Roman Catholic church (built in 1866 in Monk Street near the site of a cell attached to Penrhys Abbey) and at one time had over fifty Nonconformist chapels. The services in the majority of the chapels were in Welsh. The urban district includes what were once the separate villages of Aberaman, Abernant, Cwmaman, Cwmbach, Cwmdare, Llwydcoed, Penywaun and Trecynon. There are several cairns and the remains of a circular British encampment on the mountain between Aberdare and Merthyr. Hirwaun moor, 4 miles to the N.W. of Aberdare, was according to tradition the scene of a battle at which Rhys ap Tewdwr, prince of Dyfed, was defeated by the allied forces of the Norman Robert Fitzhamon and Iestyn ap Gwrgant, the last prince of Glamorgan.

The town is served by Aberdare railway station, the terminus of the Merthyr Line - Aberdare branch.

The Coal Industry

In the early years of Aberdare's development , most of the coal worked in the parish was coking coal, and was consumed locally, chiefly in the ironworks. In 1836, exploitation of the "Four-foot Seam" of high-calorific value steam coal began, and pits were sunk in rapid succession. This coal was valuable for railways and steam ships, and an export trade began, via the Taff Vale Railway and the port of Cardiff. The population of the parish rose from 6,471 in 1841 to 14,999 in 1851 and 32,299 in 1861 and John Davies[1] described it as "the most dynamic place in Wales". In 1851, the Admiralty decided to use Welsh steam coal, and this decision boosted the reputation of Aberdare's product and launched a huge international export market[2]. Coal mined in Aberdare parish rose from 177,000 tons in 1844 to 477,000 in 1850[3], and the coal trade, which after 1875 was the chief support of the town, soon reached huge dimensions. Steam coal was subsequently found in the Rhondda and further west, but many of the great companies of the Welsh coal industry's Gilded Age started operation in Aberdare and the lower Cynon Valley, including those of Samuel Thomas, David Davies and Sons, Nixon's Navigation and Powell Duffryn[4]. In common with the rest of the coalfield, Aberdare's coal industry commenced a long decline after World War I, and the last two deep mines still in operation in the 1960s were the small Aberaman and Fforchaman collieries, which closed in 1962 and 1965 respectively.

Culture

Aberdare, during its boom years, was considered a centre of Welsh culture: it hosted the first National Eisteddfod in 1861, again in 1885, and in 1956 at Aberdare Park where the Gorsedd Stones still exist.

The Coliseum Theatre is Aberdare's main arts venue, containing a 600-seat auditorium and cinema. It is situated in nearby Trecynon and was built in 1938 using miners' subscriptions.

Aberdare was the birthplace of the Second World War poet Alun Lewis, and a plaque commemorating him is to be found, including a quotation from his poem, The Mountain over Aberdare.

The original founding members of the rock band Stereophonics originated from the nearby village of Cwmaman. It is also the hometown of guitarist Mark Parry of Vancouver rock band The Manvils. Famed anarchist-punk band Crass played their last live show for striking miners in Aberdare.

Schools and colleges

Universities

Colleges

Secondary Schools

Notable people from Aberdare and district

Notable current and former residents and natives of Aberdare include:

Recent 'Aberdare' Stories on Rhondda Cynon Taff Online

  1. Summer disability sports opportunities
  2. Book Sale at Aberdare Library
  3. Mini Polo Festival, Aberdare, March 29th 2008
  4. Free Christmas Car Parking at Aberdare and Ponty
  5. Keir Hardie Memorial unveiled in Aberdare

Recent Stories on Aberdare News Online

  1. Aberdare Carnival 2008
  2. Children Learn to Get Safe for Summer at Aberdare Pool
  3. Summer Disability Sports Opportunities at Aberdare
  4. Grand Book Sale At Aberdare Library
  5. Bridging The Gap At Blaengwawr, Aberaman
  6. Listen To Your Favourite Books at Aberdare Library
  7. Veterans Parade in Aberdare
  8. Photos of Prince Charles at Penderyn
  9. Get set for Summer Fun in Aberdare
  10. Simon Weston OBE Opens Maesgwyn School, Cwmdare

See also

References

  1. ↑ Davies, John, A History of Wales, Penguin, 1994, ISBN 0-14-014581-8, p 400
  2. ↑ Davies, op cit, p 400
  3. ↑ Davies, op cit, p 384
  4. ↑ Davies, op cit, p 400

External links

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at Aberdare.


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