Aberdare n : a mining town in southern Wales

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 River Dar and Cynon rivers. The population at the (1991) census was 31,619. It is south west of Merthyr Tydfil and north west 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 1,486 in 1801) increased tenfold during the first half of the 19th 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 mining 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 the Welsh language. 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 north west 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 Welsh 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 steam 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 described it as "the most dynamic place in Wales". In 1851, the Admiralty decided to use Welsh steam coal in ships of the Royal Navy, and this decision boosted the reputation of Aberdare's product and launched a huge international export market. Coal mined in Aberdare parish rose from in 1844 to in 1850, 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. In common with the rest of the South Wales 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 standing 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 during the UK miners' strike (1984-1985).

Sports

Aberdare Athletic F.C. were members of the Football League between 1921 and 1927 before being replaced by Torquay United after finishing bottom. The club folded a year later. They played their games at the Aberdare Athletic Ground.

Aberdare Rugby Football Club are a rugby union team formed in 1890 which still play in Aberdare today at the Ynys Stadium.

The Aberdare Athletic Ground was also the venue of the first ever rugby league international played between Wales and New Zealand on New Years Day 1908, which was won by the Welsh 9-8.

Schools and colleges

Universities

• University of Glamorgan

Primary schools

http://www.abernantprimary.co.uk

• Caradog primary school
• Cwmdare primary school
• Town Church primary school

Colleges

• Coleg Morgannwg

Secondary Schools

• Aberdare Boys' Comprehensive School
• Aberdare Boys Grammar School (now closed)
• Aberdare Girls' School
• Blaengwawr Comprehensive School
• Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun
• St. John the Baptist School (Aberdare)

Notable people from Aberdare and district

Notable current and former residents and natives of Aberdare include:

• Ioan Gruffudd - Actor born in Llwydcoed, Aberdare
• Patrick Hannan (presenter) - Welsh broadcaster
• Bethan Jenkins - Member of the National Assembly for Wales for the South Wales (West) Region
• Mihangel Morgan - a leading Welsh language writer, born in Trecynon, some of his literary works feature Aberdare
• Roy Noble - popular Welsh broadcaster has lived near Aberdare for the past thirty years
• Jo Walton - fantasy novelist, now living in Montreal, Quebec
• Joel Garthwaite - Musician born in Abernant, now living in London
• David Young - Rugby player and Cardiff Blues' coach raised in Penywaun. Lions tourist and former Wales' captain.

Twin cities/towns

• flagicon France - Montelimar, France
• flagicon Denmark - Slagelse, Denmark

See also

• Aberdare Park

References

External links

• www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Aberdare and surrounding area
• Aberdare Blog
• Aberdare RFC
• Aberdare Trefoil Guild
• BBC website on Aberdare