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There is an abundance of heritage in and around Tredegar and along the heads of the valleys.

What makes the history of Tredegar special?

• The Industrial revolution evolved here. Sirhowy Ironworks
• Bedwellty Park
• The Chartists Movement (democracy) stared around Tredegar.
• The NHS started here. Beginning of the NHS & Aneurin Bevan
• Many political leaders came from Tredegar.
• Caerphilly Castle
• Castle Coch
• Towns around Tredegar
• Tredegar's Heritage Walk

On the site of what is now the library, used to stand the Medical Aid Society. In 1890 local miners and steelworkers 'clubbed together' to employ a doctor. Eventually most of the townspeople joined and they were able to employ more doctors. When Aneurin Bevan the local MP became minister of Health in 1945, he remembered how well the people of Tredegar had worked together, and in 1948 the National Health Service was formed.

Aneurin Bevan was born in Tredegar in 1897. He was MP for the area between 1929 - 60. At the age of 14, he began work at Ty Trist Colliery (Ty Trist means Sad House, it is now the site of Tredegar Comprehensive School). Later he wrote of life as a miner:'In other trades, there are a thousand diversions to break the monotony of the work - the passing traffic, the morning newspaper, above all the sky, the sunshine and the rain. The miner has none of these . Every day for eight hours he dies, gives up a slice of his life and buries himself'.

In 1922 Nye was elected to the Tredegar Council (Michael Foot states in his biography that he 'did not take his seat but erupted'). He challenged the old conventions at every opportunity and was concerned with all aspects of life in Tredegar, housing in particular. The weekly Argus quotes him later as saying 'People were living in conditions not fit for criminals. No doubt horses, especially race horses were housed better than some of our citizens'. When Nye was minister for health he also set in motion the largest public housing programme ever launched in Britain. He became the most original spokesman on democratic socialism the world over.

The Aneurin Bevan Memorial Stones, mark the start of the Sirhowy Valley Walk. The stones were erected in Nye's memory to mark the spot where he held open air meetings to speak to his constituents. The center stone represents Aneurin Bevan, the others represent each town in his constituency (Rhymney, Tredegar, Ebbw Vale).

The Chartists were the first democratic society. They had six demands designed to give all men equal rights. The six demands of the charter are still the basis of today's democratic parliaments.
The chartist formed due to the working conditions, which by today's standards were appalling. But more probably due to the social conditions at the time.

Most workers had no say in their destiny. Every thing was controlled by the iron masters (or employers) who ruled their lives.
The conditions should be put into context. Most of the work force came from farms, attracted by the huge pay offered by the ironworks. The agricultural workers would be used to working seasonally long hours, in all weathers. Then no pay during winter when the land could not be worked or if the harvest was poor.

Most agricultural workers would have looked apon the regular work, pay packets and working under cover as far superior to what they were used to on the land.

Some employers took advantage of this and were unscrupulous in their exploitation of their employees. Every thing could be controlled by them. Some used the Truck payment system where workers were paid in tokens, which could only be exchanged in the company's shops. The supply of goods and prices were controlled by the employers.

The Welsh Valleys at the time was a remote place, probability at least a weeks travel from Cardiff! The only law and order would have been set by the Iron masters!

The difference in life styles between the Iron-masters and the workers was extreme. The Iron Masters and Mine Owners lived in luxury in vast residences, employing many servants. An example of which is Bedwelthy house and park in Tredegar. The former home of The Sirhowy iron works owner Sir Homphry Morgan.

Whilst their employees were forced to live in squalid cottages without running water or any adequate means of sanitation. A government report, which looked at Welsh valley life condemned the conditions and attached the blame on the employers:-

So it's hardly surprising that the workers suffering low wages, appalling working conditions and oppressive legislation exploited by unscrupulous employers gave massive support for radical organisations such as the Chartist Movement.

The Chartists' aim was to bring about electoral reform to allow the "working classes" greater representation in Parliament.

Their 'charter' contained 6 demands Annual Parliaments Universal male suffrage Equal electoral districts The removal of the property qualification for Membership of Parliament The Secret Ballot The payment of Members of Parliament

Valley workers were quick to join the new cause and the movement found itself split into 2 factions :

• 1: Moral Force - who sought reform by means of debate and non violent methods.
• 2: Physical Force - who argued change could only happen by using more direct means.

Setting out from the Coach and Horses inn at Blackwood on a cold November morning 1839. The Sirhowy Valley contingent made their way down the valley joining up with other supporters on the way. By the time they got to the 'Welsh Oak' pub at Pontyminster, their number had swelled to over 5000.

Most men were armed, some had muskets but the majority wielded pikes, which had been forged and hidden at secret locations such as the Chartists cave on Llangattock moor, which is a hidden cave north of Trefil. En route they learned that fellow Chartists had been arrested and imprisoned inside the Westgate Hotel. Enraged by this news they descended Stow Hill to storm the Westgate hotel in Newport.

The Westgate Hotel

Having been forewarned of the assault, Newport Town Mayor Thomas Phillips had stationed a detachment of troops inside the building.

22 Chartists were killed and many more wounded. The ring leaders were arrested and in December 1839 were tried for high treason. All three were found guilty and sentenced to death by Hanging, Drawing and quartering.

A gallows and dismemberment block was prepared in readiness at Monmouth Gaol. But the authorities feared that carrying out the sentence would cause further unrest, instead all three were transported to Van Diemens Land (Tasmania). John Frost returned after 15 years in exile, Zephaniah Williams remained where he was instrumental in creating the Tasmanian mining industry.

John Frost

Zephaniah Williams

In 1709 Abraham Darby successfully smelted iron ore with coke. This was one of the events, which led to the Industrial Revolution. By the mid-18th century an embryonic coke-iron industry was beginning to develop along the Heads of the Valleys of South East Wales.

The South Wales Coalfield is made up of layers of rocks, the deepest, is Limestone. Overlying this is Millstone Grit, then layers of Coal. Within the coal layers lie bands of clay ironstone and seat earth, which is used in making firebricks.

Because the raw materials and an ample supply of water power were easy to obtain. The iron industry developed quickly in the Valleys of South Wales. From Blaenavon in the east to Hirwaun in the west. laid all the necessary minerals in huge quantities and were easily mined In 1788, Wales produced 16.2% of the total British output. By 1812 the output from South Wales was nearly two thirds (+70%) of the UK's total iron output.

Iron ore is heated to extract the iron, then poured into bars to be worked into shape. To improve the iron quality impurities are removed. This is done by mixing lime with the ore before it's heated. The impurities float to the surface where they can be scraped from the molton iron. To increase the heat of the fire, air is forced into the fire.

was developed to increase the amount of iron produced. It's shape and size aided higher temperatures and easier separation of impurities. Improvements in technology produced higher quantities and iron quality.

Blast furnace's were generally built against a hill side for ease of loading. A powerful blast of air produced temperatures high enough to reduce the ore to iron. Limestone acted as a flux, encouraging the impurities to coalesce as slag. The raw materials were easily obtained from the surrounding hillside and plentiful water supplies drove waterwheels to provide the air blast. Later steam engines were used to drive blowing engines.

The shape of a furnace was designed to aid the melting and separating of impurities (slag material) from the molten iron. The molten mixture dripped down through the melting zone (6) to the crucible. where impurities when mixed with lime floated on top of the molten iron, called slag. Could be drawn off via the Slag Notch (7). Once the slag was removed the iron was tapped via a hole (8) into the sand pig beds (not shown). So called because they reminded workers of pigs suckling their piglets, hence pig iron.

The Sirhowy Iron Works

The Sirhowy Ironworks located just north of the present town, were established in 1778, one of the first in South Wales. In 1844, Abraham Darby & Co bought the works, there were five furnaces at Sirhowy. A series of innovations followed, in 1850 the most notable improvement was the perfection of a hot blast system by George Parry of Ebbw Vale. By using a bell and cone he closed the previously open furnace top. The hot gases could now be piped down and used to heat the blast in hot blast ovens.

The Iron Works part way through restoration.

And as they were

The 1877 the furnaces were again improved. Two of the five being replaced by one huge free-standing furnace which towered above the existing furnace wall. A special pneumatic hoist was constructed to load the raw materials into the furnace top. The time was reduced to just 12 hours for the raw materials (Known as the burden) to be reduced to molten iron and slag and run into the pig beds.

Sirhowy Ironworks -THE PNEUMATIC LIFT

The pneumatic lift was installed behind the free-standing furnace. The lift consisted of a watertight well. With a wrought-iron cylinder inside, which moved up and down in the well. On top of the cylinder was a platform which carried loaded barrows to the top of the furnace. By opening the stop valve, air from the blast main was let into the cylinder and the platform raised. Once at the top, the valve was closed. To descend, the air was gradually released through the stop valve.

Trefil Quarries

Sirhowy obtained it's limestone from Trefil Quarries, which are 4km to the north-west of the works. The ore was transported via tram ways, which were the fore runner to railways. The Iron from Sirhowy ironworks was sent to the works at Ebbw Vale or transported via tramways to Crumlin. Then on to the Monmouthshire Canal to Newport.

The emerging iron and mining industries required the need to transport goods in bulk. The canal system was developed to great effect. But building canals was expensive and time consuming, the new technology of steam power soon took over from slower horse driven transport. The greater speed of construction and flexibility saw the demise of the canal system and upgrading of tramways to railways.

The carriages (called Drams) used to carry ore from the quarries. Part of the route 3.5km to the quarries can still be followed from Tafamaubach Industrial Estate, Starting at the Business Resource Centre. The railroad starts immediately on your left before you reach the Centre.

Bedwellty house and park.

A few minutes walk away from Hobo is the former Iron Masters house and Garden. The house and garden were gifted to the town in 1900. It is now used by the towns council and houses intreseting artifacts and paintings. The house is open to visitor on Tuesdays. During summer months the house is open most weekends and In the parks Victorian bandstand many different bands (from local Brass to Hip-hop bands) give free concerts.

Bedwellty House	Worlds Biggest Lump of Coal	Devil's Arch
Long Shelter	There's many hidden treasures within Bedwellty park	Bandstand

Big Pit

Merthyr Tydfil

Cyfarther Castle.

Is one of the surviving examples of a semi-fortified Tudor Manor House. The house and gardens have been restored, visitors will find themselves transported to the 17th century. Guided by one of the servant’s around the house, discover how they lived, try on the costumes, what would it be like to go into battle try out the weaponry. Disobey the master and take a turn in the stocks!
Llancaiach Fawr 01443 412248

The house on the out-skirts of Newport was the original home of the Morgan family, they owed the Iron works. The town grew around the iron works and adopted it's name, which is how Tredegar was named. The house and gardens are a fascinating place, now a museum of the Morgan's life. It reflects the unbelievable wealth that came with the iron industry. The huge state rooms are adorned with fine painting, carvings and elaborate ceilings illustrating the opulence of William Morgan. The story of the Morgan's includes the pirate Godfrey. The second Lord Tredegar who survived the charge of the light brigade. Viscount Evan, who kept a menagerie of animals including a boxing kangaroo!

phone 01633 815880

The Millennium Stadium.

Home to Welsh Rugby, match's played at the stadium are special, the atmosphere is something you have to experience!

The stadium is used for many other big events and concerts. Check their web site Millennium Stadium

Cardiff Castle

Exquisite inside, guided tours of the castle are well worth it.Cardiff Castle

About Tredegar

Located at the head of the Sirhowy Valley, just south of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Tredegar originally a mining and steel town, home to many industrial inventions, political leaders but possibly best know as the birth place of the National Health Service.
The Valleys area is full of history from many different era’s. Evidence of inhabitation goes back to the mid stone age. When Coal was discovered it fuelled the industrial revolution in the 1700's. Tredegar is the birth place of many industrial inventions, it's the site of the first iron works. There is so much history the area is a world heritage site! Studies of the industrial age and social life of the times can be brought to life by visiting these special sites. There is also a rich social history, the chartists (the start of socialism) were formed around this area. Many political leaders came from this area. Most famous as the Birth place of the National Health Service.

• Bedwellty House and Park, home of the worlds largest piece of coal
• Male voice choir welcome visitors to their practice evening, Wednesday and Friday nights.
• Factory shopping outlets at Ebbw Vale
• Photography studio & workshops
• Friday night there is a live band in the Cambrian

Mining and most heavy industry ceased in the valleys in the 1970's, which has left a rich cultural heritage behind. The culture is different to anywhere else in Wales, and changes slightly in each valley. Come and experience "Life Breaking Out at the weekends"

• Tredegar
  
• Tredegar House
  
• Tredegar Iron Works (Virginia)