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About Tredegar

Tredegar town is named after Lord Tredegar, head of the Morgan family and owner of the local iron works. Two hundred years ago they were one of the richest families similar in wealth to Bill Gates!
Tredegar is located at the head of the Sirhowy Valley, just south of the Brecon Beacons National Park, and to the west of the World Heritage Site at Blaenavon.

Tredegar is less than 3 hours from London

History & Heritage of South Wales, the first industrial nation.

Picture a rural landscape dotted with farmhouses and cottages, where just a few people live farming the land, and industry focuses on woolen manufacture. Then within 50 Years, something has happened in this small corner of a small country which will change the history of the world. Iron, coal and limestone have been discovered and the landscape now includes mines and quarries, tram roads and canals. Row upon row of terraced houses are built for the thousands of migrants who move here to work in the ironworks and coal mines, and on spectacular engineering projects constructing the viaducts and canals. Hamlets and villages become towns and by 1830 Merthyr Tydfil is the largest town in Wales and the iron capital of the world! For the first time anywhere records show that more people are employed in industry than in agriculture. Wales had become the first industrial nation.

Viewed from the air the topography of Southern Wales gives a clue to the mineral wealth and natural resources which made this industrial revolution happen: Ironstone and coal outcrops close to the surface, swiftly flowing rivers provide power. Look closely and you can see the way the ironworks and mines, canals and railways connect to the landscape. the great engineer Brunel plans railways, bridges and viaducts which span the deep valleys. Ingenious tramways are invented to harness the lie of the land and transport industrial goods. Canals hug the hillsides, barges fetching raw materials and taking finished products to ports along the South Wales coast for export around the globe.
Industrailisation changes the landscape and changes lives. terraces and workingmen's halls, chapels and graveyards tell stories of the collective struggle and personal suffering of many. But the industrial revolution also brought wealth and power to south wales, manifested in grand buildings such as Cyfarthfa Castle, Castle Coch and the Coal Exchange, which continue to dominate the landscape today.

The extraordinary stories of South Wales is told through it's buildings and structures, which stand as a proud monuments to the endeavors of Welsh men, women and children - remarkable people who helped to transform one of the poorest areas of Western Europe into one of it's richest in the nineteenth century. don't miss the town which played a vital role -Blaenavon - now a world heritage site. And look out for some of the more surprising stories along the way: the fabulous Japanware made in Pontypool which graced the tables of King Louis XV111 of France; the viaduct houses built haphazardly beneath the railway lines; and the worlds first steam locomotive invented by Richard Trevithick in 1804, which ran from Merthyr to Abercynon.
To find more stories of industrial South Wales visit Herian

Bedwellty House	The Worlds Biggest Lump of Coal	Devil's Arch
Long Shelter	Available for hire	Bandstand

Has the worlds largest lump of coal, it weights 15 tons. The house is opened every Tuesday morning all year, during the summer it's open most weekends. In the parks Victorian bandstand many different bands from local Brass to Hip-hop bands give free concerts.

Tredegar Town Clock In Morgan St stands the town's clock its 72ft tall, the tallest cast iron column ever built. It was built in 1858 to commemorate the duke of Wellingtons victories. As it's in the middle of the road every thing revolves around it! There are curious stories about it being linked to another famous clock in London. In Rhymney there was a very large man, a watch maker by trade known to his friends as Ben. He was commissioned to make the clock faces. The clock so impressed visiting dignitaries, they asked him to make another larger clock face, which was used in "Big Ben" London!

Brown historical plaques have been placed on most of the historical buildings and sites around the town. There are guide leaflets available to help you find them. The First Iron works built in Wales is at Dukes town, (northern end of Tredegar).
Local walks/hikes either side of our valley (the Sirhowy Valley). Walk or mountain bike along the top of the Mountain, if walking catch the bus back from Blackwood (home of the Manic Street Preachers). A convenient pub provides a great place to wait for the bus! If Mountain biking, return via the tracks along the opposite side of the valley.

Brecon Beacons national park

Path up to Pen Y Fan

Behind Scwyd

Cardiff

St Fagans (west of Cardiff), museum of Welsh life spend a day discovering Europe's largest open air museum. Over 500 years of history from the Celts to present day. www.nmgw.ac.uk
The Millennium Stadium. Home to Rugby, match's played in the stadium are special the atmosphere is something you have to experience! We can arrange group transport to and from the stadium. The bus or train journeys are great fun for people watching. The stadium is used for many big events and concerts.