Seven Sisters, Wales
Encyclopedia
Seven Sisters is a village
in the Dulais Valley, Wales
, UK
. It lies 10 miles (16 km) north-east of Neath
. Seven Sisters falls within the Seven Sisters ward
of Neath Port Talbot county borough
.
pit that was located in the middle of what was once one of the richest sources of coal in Britain, if not the world in the heart of the South Wales Coalfield
.
Development of many mines, and hence small settlements into villages and towns in the area, was brought about by a combination of a rich deposits of Anthracite in the western South Wales coalfield, as well as the construction of the Neath and Brecon Railway
from 1862.
, and the fact that his own six sisters attended the ceremony, Evans agreed to call the mine Seven Sisters.
Anthracite coal fields always suffer from blow out
, and on 10 November 1907, one occurred which killed 5 men. In 1923, there were 607 men working at Seven Sisters, producing from the Furnace Four Feet, Brass and Nine Feet Big Vein seams. During World War II
the colliery was featured in an anti-Nazi film The Silent Village
, made with the cooperation of the South Wales Miners Federation.
During the 1950s geological problems and changing economic conditions took their toll, and in May 1963 the colliery closed and the pit filled in. The men who had been employed at the Seven Sisters were transferred to the nearby Blaenant Colliery, which closed in 1990.
The first dwellings erected in the village were single storey buildings for the coal miners, named Brick Row, which are still in place today. More collieries were opened in the surrounding area, such as the demand for coal increased. Nant-y-Cafn or Dillwyn colliery was opened in 1884, Henllan Colliery 1911 and Brynteg Colliery and brickworks in 1885. All housing in the village prior to the 1930’s was for coal miners, brick workers and railway employees.
A junior school was opened in 1884 at a cost of £530 for the school building and £280 for the school house. 33 children appeared on the register for this year. Its first headmaster was Mr W.J. Thomas employed on an annual salary of £52.
In 1905, a mixed collection of bronze
objects found much earlier in the Bryntêg
area, was recognized as being an important find. Held in the National Museum of Wales, they are known as "The Seven Sisters Hoard."
, which on completion in 1914 became known as the "Palace." Used for gathering and travelling drama shows, from 1916 it showed films. Purchased in 1925 by the Reading Room Committee, it became the Seven Sisters' Miners' Welfare Society, which later established a children's playing field, a football field and in 1935 the construction of an outdoor swimming pool, completed in 1932. In 1941 the Society purchased the 1926 institute and bowling green
, constructed by Evan Evans Bevan. The Society was taken over by the National Coal Board
on nationalisation in 1947.
and the Ysticlau Park playing field
. The history of what existed in the village still remains, with the pit head winding gear sunk in the ground next to the site of the old colliery, and five pairs of preserved sections of railway line indicating the size of the enterprise.
Although the railway still runs through the village, the station was removed and the line is at present freight only. Access to Neath
is via the First Cymru
907 services to/from Coelbren
; while the 158/X58 services run to Swansea
's Quadrant Bus Station
to/from Banwen
. The former swimming pool was converted into a multi-purpose Community Hall.
Originally the colliery team, Seven Sisters RFC
founded in 1897, are a WRU affiliated rugby union
club.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the Dulais Valley, Wales
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...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It lies 10 miles (16 km) north-east of Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
. Seven Sisters falls within the Seven Sisters ward
Seven Sisters (electoral ward)
Seven Sisters is an electoral ward coterminous with a parish in Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales.The electoral ward of Seven Sisters consists of some or all of the following settlements: Seven Sisters, Bryndulais and Nant-y-cafn in the parliamentary constituency of Neath...
of Neath Port Talbot county borough
Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot is a county borough and one of the unitary authority areas of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most populous county in Wales and the third most populous county borough....
.
History
The village of Seven Sisters had always been recognised historically for its coal miningCoal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
pit that was located in the middle of what was once one of the richest sources of coal in Britain, if not the world in the heart 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:...
.
Development of many mines, and hence small settlements into villages and towns in the area, was brought about by a combination of a rich deposits of Anthracite in the western South Wales coalfield, as well as the construction of the Neath and Brecon Railway
Neath and Brecon Railway
The Neath and Brecon Railway linked the Vale of Neath Railway at Neath with the Brecon and Merthyr Railway at Brecon and also via a connection from Colbren Junction, it linked to the Swansea Vale Railway at Ynysygeinon Junction ....
from 1862.
Colliery
David Evans of the Evans-Bevan coal mining partnership, had wanted to call the colliery after his daughter, Isabella Bevan who cut the first sod on the land at Bryn Dulais farm with a silver spade on Monday, March 11, 1872. However, in light of superstitionSuperstition
Superstition is a belief in supernatural causality: that one event leads to the cause of another without any process in the physical world linking the two events....
, and the fact that his own six sisters attended the ceremony, Evans agreed to call the mine Seven Sisters.
Anthracite coal fields always suffer from blow out
Blow Out
Blow Out is a 1981 thriller film, written and directed by Brian De Palma. The film stars John Travolta as Jack Terry, a movie sound effects technician from Philadelphia who, while recording sounds for a low-budget slasher film, serendipitously captures audio evidence of an assassination involving a...
, and on 10 November 1907, one occurred which killed 5 men. In 1923, there were 607 men working at Seven Sisters, producing from the Furnace Four Feet, Brass and Nine Feet Big Vein seams. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the colliery was featured in an anti-Nazi film The Silent Village
The Silent Village
The Silent Village is a 1943 British propaganda short film in the form of a drama documentary, made by the Crown Film Unit and directed by Humphrey Jennings...
, made with the cooperation of the South Wales Miners Federation.
During the 1950s geological problems and changing economic conditions took their toll, and in May 1963 the colliery closed and the pit filled in. The men who had been employed at the Seven Sisters were transferred to the nearby Blaenant Colliery, which closed in 1990.
Village
With the opening of the mine in 1875, a community grew up around it. the present day name of the village came from the fact that Evan Evans had one son and seven daughters, hence the "seven sisters". At its peak in 1945 the colliery employed over 759 men from the surrounding area.The first dwellings erected in the village were single storey buildings for the coal miners, named Brick Row, which are still in place today. More collieries were opened in the surrounding area, such as the demand for coal increased. Nant-y-Cafn or Dillwyn colliery was opened in 1884, Henllan Colliery 1911 and Brynteg Colliery and brickworks in 1885. All housing in the village prior to the 1930’s was for coal miners, brick workers and railway employees.
A junior school was opened in 1884 at a cost of £530 for the school building and £280 for the school house. 33 children appeared on the register for this year. Its first headmaster was Mr W.J. Thomas employed on an annual salary of £52.
In 1905, a mixed collection of bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
objects found much earlier in the Bryntêg
Brynteg
Brynteg may refer to:Places*Brynteg, Anglesey, Wales*Brynteg, Wrexham, WalesOther*Brynteg Comprehensive School, Bridgend, Wales...
area, was recognized as being an important find. Held in the National Museum of Wales, they are known as "The Seven Sisters Hoard."
The palace
In 1912, Evan Evans Bevan agreed to build a village hallVillage hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
, which on completion in 1914 became known as the "Palace." Used for gathering and travelling drama shows, from 1916 it showed films. Purchased in 1925 by the Reading Room Committee, it became the Seven Sisters' Miners' Welfare Society, which later established a children's playing field, a football field and in 1935 the construction of an outdoor swimming pool, completed in 1932. In 1941 the Society purchased the 1926 institute and bowling green
Bowling green
A bowling green is a finely-laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of lawn for playing the game of lawn bowls.Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep on them...
, constructed by Evan Evans Bevan. The Society was taken over by the National Coal Board
National Coal Board
The National Coal Board was the statutory corporation created to run the nationalised coal mining industry in the United Kingdom. Set up under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, it took over the mines on "vesting day", 1 January 1947...
on nationalisation in 1947.
Present day
On what was once the colliery site, are located Canolfan sheltered housingSheltered housing
Sheltered housing is a British English term covering a wide range of rented housing for older and/or disabled or other vulnerable people. Most commonly it refers to grouped housing such as a block or "scheme" of flats or bungalows with a scheme manager or "officer"; traditionally the manager has...
and the Ysticlau Park playing field
Playing field
A playing field is a field used for playing sports or games. They are generally outdoors, but many large structures exist to enclose playing fields from bad weather. Generally, playing fields are wide expanses of grass, dirt or sand without many obstructions...
. The history of what existed in the village still remains, with the pit head winding gear sunk in the ground next to the site of the old colliery, and five pairs of preserved sections of railway line indicating the size of the enterprise.
Although the railway still runs through the village, the station was removed and the line is at present freight only. Access to Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
is via the First Cymru
First Cymru
First Cymru Buses Ltd. is a provider of public transport bus services in South Wales. First Cymru was formed from a number of privatised former bus companies, including South Wales Transport. Its headquarters are in Penlan, Swansea...
907 services to/from Coelbren
Coelbren
Coelbren may mean:* Coelbren, Powys, a village in the south-west of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales.* Coelbren , a supposed "druidic" alphabet invented by Iolo Morganwg ....
; while the 158/X58 services run to 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...
's Quadrant Bus Station
Quadrant bus station
Swansea bus station, or Swansea city bus station, is a bus station serving Swansea, Wales. It lies immediately to the west of the Quadrant Shopping Centre. The bus station also has a taxi rank to the south....
to/from Banwen
Banwen
Banwen is a small village in Neath Port Talbot county borough in Wales. Banwen is part of the community of Onllwyn along with the village of Onllwyn itself and the adjacent parish of Dyffryn Cellwen...
. The former swimming pool was converted into a multi-purpose Community Hall.
Originally the colliery team, Seven Sisters RFC
Seven Sisters RFC
Seven Sisters RFC is a rugby union club representing the village of Seven Sisters, Wales, playing in the WRU Division 3 South West league. The club are members of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys....
founded in 1897, are a WRU affiliated rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club.
Notable people
- See :Category:People from Seven Sisters
- Richard Ithamar AaronRichard Ithamar AaronRichard Ithamar Aaron was a Welsh philosopher.-Early life and education:Born in Blaendulais, Glamorgan, Aaron was the son of a draper, William Aaron, and his wife, Margaret Griffith. He was educated at Ystalyfera Grammar School, followed by a spell at the University of Wales starting in 1918,...
- philosopher - Ruth BidgoodRuth BidgoodRuth Bidgood is a British poet.She was born at Blaendulais, Seven Sisters near Neath. Her Welsh-speaking father was a priest in Port Talbot, where Ruth was brought up...
- poet - Phil DaviesPhil DaviesPhil Davies is a Welsh former rugby union footballer of the 1980s and 90s.-Rugby career:Davies played his club rugby for Llanelli and enjoyed a distinguished 46 cap career for Wales between 1985 and 1995...
- rugby player - Geraint F. LewisGeraint F. LewisGeraint F. Lewis is a Welsh-born astrophysicist , who is best known for his work on dark energy, gravitational lensing and galactic cannibalism. Lewis is a Professor of Astrophysics at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy, part of the University of Sydney's School of Physics...
, professor of astrophysicsAstrophysicsAstrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
at the University of SydneyUniversity of SydneyThe University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.