Clydach Gorge
Encyclopedia
The Clydach Gorge is a steep-sided valley in south-east Wales
down which the River Clydach
flows to the River Usk
. It runs for 5.6km from the vicinity of Brynmawr
in Blaenau Gwent
eastwards and northeastwards to Gilwern
in Monmouthshire
. The Gorge was one of the first locations in the region to be industrialised
though it still retains spectacular natural beauty. It has long been an important transport corridor between Abergavenny
and the lowlands of Monmouthshire and the northeastern quarter of the South Wales Coalfield
. It is now exploited by the A465
Heads of the Valleys trunk road which runs between Abergavenny and Swansea
and which serves the Heads of the Valleys sub-region.
The Gorge is included within the Brecon Beacons National Park and is a tourist destination in its own right, with facilities including a picnic site, waymarked footpaths, the National Cycle Network and car parking alongside the River Clydach
, easily reached from the Heads of the Valleys Road. It includes a cast iron
bridge
and the remains of a late 18th century ironworks
which are now a Scheduled Ancient Monument
. There are also limeworks.
. It linked Wain Dew colliery at Beaufort
with Glangrwyne Forge on the banks of the River Usk. An important surviving feature of the railroad is the single-arched bridge of coarse rubble-stone near Maesygwartha which is impressively set above a waterfall (at OS grid ref SO 230138). A tramroad linked into the Clydach Ironworks from the Clydach Railroad by means of a cast-iron bridge. Constructed by Smart in 1824, it is one of the earliest in the world.
in 1821, this tramroad (sometimes also referred to as Bailey's Tramroad) traverses the southeastern slopes of the gorge below and parallel to the Llam-march Tramroad. It connected the Bailey’s ironworks at Nantyglo with the Monmouthshire Canal in the Usk Valley
The railway was constructed in 1862 as a single line, following in part, the line of an earlier tramroad. Four years later it became a part of the London and North Western Railway network and in 1877 the line was doubled along its entire length. The routing of the line through the gorge was a considerable engineering challenge requiring the digging of several tunnels and the construction of an impressive curving viaduct across the ravine of the Nant Dyar. The line continued in operation until the 1950’s when British Rail decided to close it as being uneconomical to run. The last trains ran along it in June 1958. The larger part of the track-bed has now been converted to a cycleway, forming part of route 46 of the National Cycle Network
.
The present alignment of the A465 through the gorge was constructed in the 1960’s by John Morgan (Construction) Ltd of Cardiff. Achieving a consistent gradient of 1 in 20 for a distance of 4km it climbs 210m from Gilwern to Brynmawr. Its construction involved considerable cutting and embanking and some sections are built out over the gorge on concrete pillars. Work began in March 1960 and it was opened to traffic in 1962. It is a single-carriageway route with two west-bound lanes running up the gorge. There are plans to dual the entire route in the next few years.
, the Cwm Clydach Woodlands SAC
and the Usk Bat Sites SAC which also extends across much of the neighbouring Mynydd Llangatwg
.
There are in addition, numerous scheduled ancient monument
s within the gorge, representing a history of human occupation from the Iron Age
to the Industrial Revolution
. Though the gorge is not included within it, the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site
adjoins the area. The current (2010) Forgotten Landscapes Project
includes both the WHS and the Gorge within a wider area. The Project seeks to conserve and restore the built features of an area which was key to the Industrial Revolution.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
down which the River Clydach
River Clydach, Monmouthshire
The River Clydach is a short, steep and fast-flowing river in Monmouthshire and the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in south Wales. It lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park. It is around in length....
flows to the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
. It runs for 5.6km from the vicinity of Brynmawr
Brynmawr
Brynmawr is a market town in Blaenau Gwent, south Wales. The town, sometimes cited as the highest town in Wales, is situated at 1,250 to 1,500 feet above sea level and nestled at the head of the South Wales Valleys...
in Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent is a county borough in South Wales, sharing its name with a parliamentary constituency. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and...
eastwards and northeastwards to Gilwern
Gilwern
Gilwern is a village in Monmouthshire, Wales. The name is translated from the Welsh language as "the nook near the alder grove". It is within the Llanelly parish ward of Monmouthshire County Council, west of market town of Abergavenny.-Attractions:...
in Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
. The Gorge was one of the first locations in the region to be industrialised
Industrial history
Industry in the sense of professional manufacturing has existed for millennia, since the first cities rose.-Cottage industry:A cottage industry is an industry – primarily manufacturing – which includes many producers, working from their homes, typically part time...
though it still retains spectacular natural beauty. It has long been an important transport corridor between Abergavenny
Abergavenny
Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...
and the lowlands of Monmouthshire and the northeastern quarter of the South Wales Coalfield
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
. It is now exploited by the A465
A465 road
The A465 is a major road in south Wales. It is more commonly known as the Heads of the Valleys Road because it joins together the north ends of the South Wales Valleys...
Heads of the Valleys trunk road which runs between Abergavenny and Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
and which serves the Heads of the Valleys sub-region.
The Gorge is included within the Brecon Beacons National Park and is a tourist destination in its own right, with facilities including a picnic site, waymarked footpaths, the National Cycle Network and car parking alongside the River Clydach
River Clydach, Monmouthshire
The River Clydach is a short, steep and fast-flowing river in Monmouthshire and the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in south Wales. It lies within the Brecon Beacons National Park. It is around in length....
, easily reached from the Heads of the Valleys Road. It includes a cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
and the remains of a late 18th century ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
which are now a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
. There are also limeworks.
Settlements
The industrial town of Brynmawr sits at the head of the gorge and the large village of Gilwern sits at its foot in the Usk valley. Although development along the gorge and its sides is semi-continuous, the linear settlements of Clydach Bridge, Blackrock, Cheltenham and Maesygwartha can be distinguished along the old road between Brynmawr and Gilwern which runs down the valley mainly to the north of the river. On the opposite side of the gorge is the settlement of Llanelly Hill which climbs the northwest facing slopes of the valley. The Gorge is close to the village of Clydach.Clydach Ironworks
The Ironworks were constructed around 1793-95 after coke had been introduced as a fuel for blast furnaces. The remains of two large masonry furnaces from the 1790s can still be seen together with other structures. By 1841 the works was responsible for the employment of more than 1350 people though many of this number were associated with iron ore and coal further up the valley. The works were associated with the Frere family.Llanelly Furnace
The Hanbury family of Pontypool established a forge here (OS grid ref SO 236140) in the sixteenth century though nothing now remains of it other than parts of the masonry dam of a pool connected with the water power used for the forge. Wrought iron was made at Llanelly Furnace from cast iron. A tinworks also operated at this site at one time.Blackrock Limeworks
Located above Cheltenham, these limeworks were the first established in the gorge, having started production in 1794/95. They continued to work until 1908 and the masonry limekilns remain today.Clydach Limeworks
The limeworks at Clydach (OS grid ref SO 233127) were built in 1877 to provide lime for the construction of the nearby Nant Dyar railway viaduct. A pair of limekilns remain against an impressive quarried backdrop.Clydach Railroad
This early railroad was constructed during 1793-4 by the engineer John DadfordJohn Dadford
John Dadford was an English canal engineer, as were his father Thomas Dadford and brothers Thomas Dadford Junior and James Dadford.From 1794 – 1797, he was Engineer of the Montgomeryshire Canal. The Vyrnwy Aqueduct and Berriew Aqueduct both had difficulties, and Dadford resigned...
. It linked Wain Dew colliery at Beaufort
Beaufort
-People and titles:* Beaufort , the surname of many people* House of Beaufort, English nobility* Duke of Beaufort , a title in the peerage of England* Duke of Beaufort , a title in the French nobility-Places:...
with Glangrwyne Forge on the banks of the River Usk. An important surviving feature of the railroad is the single-arched bridge of coarse rubble-stone near Maesygwartha which is impressively set above a waterfall (at OS grid ref SO 230138). A tramroad linked into the Clydach Ironworks from the Clydach Railroad by means of a cast-iron bridge. Constructed by Smart in 1824, it is one of the earliest in the world.
Llam-march Tramroad
Engineered by Thomas Dadford in 1793-4, this tramroad (also sometimes referred to as the Llam-march Railroad) to link the Clydach ironworks with the coalmines and iron ore deposits at Gellifelen and Llam-march. There is a single-arched stone bridge at SO 233137 and SO 255176, the latter being the Llam-march Tramroad and Aqueduct Bridge of 1811 which also carried water from the Clydach to the Clydach Ironworks Rolling Mill via a leat.Govilon Tramroad
Engineered by Crawshay BaileyCrawshay Bailey
Crawshay Bailey was an English industrialist who became one of the great iron-masters of Wales.-Early life:Bailey was born in 1789 in Great Wenham, Suffolk, the son of John Bailey, of Wakefield and his wife Susannah...
in 1821, this tramroad (sometimes also referred to as Bailey's Tramroad) traverses the southeastern slopes of the gorge below and parallel to the Llam-march Tramroad. It connected the Bailey’s ironworks at Nantyglo with the Monmouthshire Canal in the Usk Valley
Merthyr Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway
- See main article on Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny RailwayThe Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway was a railway company operating between 1860 and 1958 between the towns of Merthyr Tydfil, Tredegar and Abergavenny through the counties of Glamorganshire, Brecknockshire and Monmouthshire in south east Wales....
The railway was constructed in 1862 as a single line, following in part, the line of an earlier tramroad. Four years later it became a part of the London and North Western Railway network and in 1877 the line was doubled along its entire length. The routing of the line through the gorge was a considerable engineering challenge requiring the digging of several tunnels and the construction of an impressive curving viaduct across the ravine of the Nant Dyar. The line continued in operation until the 1950’s when British Rail decided to close it as being uneconomical to run. The last trains ran along it in June 1958. The larger part of the track-bed has now been converted to a cycleway, forming part of route 46 of the National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
.
Merthyr Tydfil to Govilon Turnpike
The Merthyr Tydfil to Govilon Turnpike was authorised by Act of Parliament and laid through the valley in 1812-13. This formed the main road through the gorge until the modern road was built.Heads of the Valleys Road
- See main article on A465 roadA465 roadThe A465 is a major road in south Wales. It is more commonly known as the Heads of the Valleys Road because it joins together the north ends of the South Wales Valleys...
The present alignment of the A465 through the gorge was constructed in the 1960’s by John Morgan (Construction) Ltd of Cardiff. Achieving a consistent gradient of 1 in 20 for a distance of 4km it climbs 210m from Gilwern to Brynmawr. Its construction involved considerable cutting and embanking and some sections are built out over the gorge on concrete pillars. Work began in March 1960 and it was opened to traffic in 1962. It is a single-carriageway route with two west-bound lanes running up the gorge. There are plans to dual the entire route in the next few years.
Environmental protection
The entire Clydach Gorge falls within the Brecon Beacons National Park designated in 1957 in order that its landscapes be protected and for the quiet enjoyment of them by the public. Subsequently considerable parts of the gorge have also been protected for their wildlife and habitats including the Cwm Clydach SSSI, Cwm Clydach National Nature ReserveCwm Clydach National Nature Reserve
Cwm Clydach National Nature Reserve is an area of 24.8ha of steeply sloping valley-side on the southern side of the Clydach Gorge, two miles east of Brynmawr in southeast Wales which is protected for its ancient semi-natural beech woods...
, the Cwm Clydach Woodlands SAC
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
and the Usk Bat Sites SAC which also extends across much of the neighbouring Mynydd Llangatwg
Mynydd Llangatwg
Mynydd Llangatwg or Llangattock Mountain is a hill in the Brecon Beacons National Park in the county of Powys, south Wales. It is named from the village of Llangatwg which sits in the valley of the River Usk to the north of it...
.
There are in addition, numerous scheduled ancient monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
s within the gorge, representing a history of human occupation from the Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
to the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. Though the gorge is not included within it, the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
adjoins the area. The current (2010) Forgotten Landscapes Project
Forgotten Landscapes Project
The Forgotten Landscapes Project is a three year partnership project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Welsh Government intended to further develop the Blaenavon area in southeast Wales for visitors...
includes both the WHS and the Gorge within a wider area. The Project seeks to conserve and restore the built features of an area which was key to the Industrial Revolution.
External links
- Caves in the Clydach Gorge area
- Walks in the Clydach Gorge area
- Monmouthshire Council Clydach Site
- Sustrans Routes2Ride: Cycling in the Clydach Gorge Area
- Photograph of Clydach Gorge : Rhaeadr Isaf waterfall in spate
- Photograph of the ironworks : the cast iron bridge of 1824
- Photograph of the ironworks : employing over 1,350 workers by 1841
- Photograph of the ironworks : the 1824 date cast on the bridge
- Photograph of the limeworks : extensive quarries and lime kilns