Afan - Port Talbot is dominated by its steelworks, one of the largest and most modern in the UK. Two centuries ago during the height of the Industrial Revolution many social problems arose. Richard Lewis of Aberafan, known to history as Dic Penderyn, was at the forefront of fighting social justice. He was involved in the Chartist Rising at Merthyr Tydfil and the march on Newport in 1839. Dic was executed at Cardiff for his role in these activities and was buried at Saint Mary's Church Aberafan. He became one of Wales's first industrial martyrs.
At nearby Margam is the famous orangery constructed by the Mansel family in 1789 which was used to house their collection of citrus fruits including oranges, limes and lemons. At Margam village is the unique Round Chapel, an octagonal building, built so local tradition says, to prevent the devil hiding in the corners, but in reality modeled on the Chapter House at Margam Park. Margam Estate introduced the potato to the West Glamorgan area in 1709, and which became a staple food crop of the county by 1760.
The Afan district has a famous actor son, Anthony Hopkins from Taibach.
Neath is one of the oldest towns in Glamorgan, founded by the Romans in AD 75, and later re-settled by the Normans in 1130.
The Neath area has a number of famous people associated with it. Hugh Dalton born at the Gnoll Mansion 1887 became Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1945. Ray Milland of Neath, film star, film director, born Reginald Truscott Jones in 1908 and who became the first British actor to win an American Oscar in 1945. Richard Burton and Ivor Emmanuel, both film actors are from Pontrhydfen. Henry Parry Davies 1914 - 1955 famous lyricist and pianist to Gracie Fields, wrote the music for many of her songs and also the smash hit of 1939 'Wish Me Luck As You Wave Me Goodbye'.
Of world importance was the discovery of the manufacture of Silica fire bricks in 1821 by William Weston Young at Pont Walby near Glynneath. The bricks could withstand extremly high temperatures and were used to line the inside of furnaces. They were exported to America and Russia and the name Dinas as adopted as the Russian word for fire-brick.
The Dulais Valley's claim to fame is based on ancient and recent developments. St. Patrick; patron Saint of Ireland was reputedly born at Banwen at the head of the valley circa AD 387. History records he was born on the banks of the Usk, which is only eight miles from his reputed birthplace of Banwen.
The Dulais Valley's more recent history note was that the Cefn Coed Colliery near Creunant was the deepest anthracite coal mine in the world when completed in 1930, sunk to a depth of 2250 feet. The colliery is now home to the Cefn Coed Colliery Museum.
The towns of the Tawe Valley all developed during the 18th. and 19th. Centuries because of the Industrial Revolution. Principally due to the completion of the Swansea Canal in 1798 and the development of the coal and iron industries along its route.
At Pontardawe in 1871 the highly skilled rollermen at William Gilbertson's ironworks rolled the thinnest iron plates in the world as part of a competition with American iron manufacturers. The iron was rolled to a thickness of 3799 sheets to one inch.
Also at Pontardawe in the 1890's the steelworks as it had by then become, manufactured steel sheet for the roof of the White House in America. Those were know as Terne plates - steel sheets loaded with lead. They were flexible and durable, and lighter than slate.
Ystalyfera ironworks had the reputation of being the largest combined iron and tinplate works in the entire world in 1858.
Amman Valley villages developed as coalfield communities. George Burrow stayed at a place known as Gwrter Fawr when he toured Wales during the late 1850's. This translates as the Big Gutter, referring to a large stream-bed on the hillside. The name was changed to Brynamman when a railway was constructed to the area in 1864. Big Gutter would not have appeared an attractive name for a railway station.
Clive Reed
