Aberavon
Aberavon
| |
|---|---|
 Aberavon from Mynydd Dinas | |
  Aberavon Location within Neath Port Talbot | |
| Population | 5,452 (2011 census)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SS752904 |
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PORT TALBOT |
| Postcode district | SA12 |
| Dialling code | 01639 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
Aberavon | |
| Councillors |
|
Aberavon (
History
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2022) |
Little is known about Aberavon before Norman times. Bronze Age remains have been found in the hills behind the town. Roman artifacts have been found near the sea, including when the docks were being built in the 19th century.[3]
About 1090 the invading Normans deposed
The English antiquarian John Leland made an extensive journey through Wales c. 1536–1539, of which he recorded an itinerary. He passed through Aberafan, which he describes as a "poor village" surrounded by barren ground, though he also describes the area as heavily wooded, not much of which remains today. He mentions the use of the river mouth as a port, a "haven for ships" as he puts it. His portrayal of Aberafan as a small, struggling village however suggests that the port was not in great use, especially as traffic to and from Margam Abbey would have ceased following its dissolution in 1536.[5]
Tradition has it that when the English Civil War broke out in 1648
Aberavon was the birthplace of Dic Penderyn, a key figure in the Merthyr Rising of 1831. St Mary's Church is the site of his grave. The castle site was built over between 1876 and 1897 and its foundations now lie underneath the streets around the church. There have been reports of a ghost, a white lady seen floating above the castle ruins. The ghost is speculated to be Jane de Afan, the last occupant of Aberavon Castle.[citation needed]
In the 18th century industry began to appear in the area. Industrialists worked with the Talbot family of Margam Castle to divert the bottom of the Afan river to its present bed, and in 1836 opened a new harbour east of the river Afan with the name of "Port Talbot". The following decades saw significant industrial and population growth for Aberafan and the surrounding areas with people coming from North and West Wales, South West England, and Ireland. A new borough of Aberavon came into being in 1861, though at the time it was still smaller than nearby Cwmafan or Taibach. Although there were small local collieries the area had become known for its metalworking industry.[citation needed]
In the 1950s many of the sand dunes of Aberavon Beach disappeared as part of the development of the Sandfields estate, at this time a 1.25 mile sea wall was built primarily for sea defences. The estate was built to accommodate the growing population, especially the families of workers at the new Port Talbot Steelworks.
From 1832 Aberavon had belonged to the Swansea parliamentary district of boroughs, uniting with
Aberavon hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1932 and 1966.
Sport
Aberavon RFC are a rugby union team, and play in the Welsh Premier Division.
Aberavon Green Stars RFC are a rugby club based in Sitwell Way Aberavon.
One of Aberavon's
Aberavon & Port Talbot Golf Club (now defunct) was founded in 1905. The course closed following WW2 and the land was used for housing.[6]
Baglan Industrial Park
|
The
Government and politics
| This section needs additional citations for verification. (September 2022) |
The
Aberavon is bounded by the wards of
The Aberavon ward can be roughly divided into two parts. There is the residential area to the southeastern part of the ward beside the
Nearest places
- Sandfields
- Aberavon Beach
- Velindre
- Taibach
Nearest railway station
Notable people
- John James, novelist
See also
References
- ^ "Local statistics - Office for National Statistics". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ^ "Find Councillor". democracy.npt.gov.uk. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
- ISBN 0 907117 50 3
- ^ Port Talbot Historical Society timeline, historicalporttalbot.com. Accessed 6 September 2022.
- ^ "Full text of "The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543. parts I to XI"". Retrieved 28 May 2013.
- ^ “Aberavon & Port Talbot Golf Club”, "Golf's Missing Links".
External links
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Aberavon and surrounding area
- Largest online collection of historical photos of Aberavon / Port Talbot
