Industrial

View overlooking Pontypool

The Heritage Hikers Guide to Pontypool. History in the Making. Japanware

What is Japanware? Japanware is modelled on the look of varnished and lacquered decorative arts from the Far East. In the beginning of the 17th century the first attempts were made to imitate imported Oriental decorative objects. The look became extremely popular in the 18th century following the ‘Age of Discovery’ and the opening up […]

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The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Blaenavon

Blaenavon Overview Blaenavon – Blaenafon is a small town at the top of the Afan Llwyd Valley in Torfaen, Wales. The town is set in a raw industrial landscape that inspired the writer Alexander Cordell and antiquarian Sir Richard Colt Hoare. Parts of the town and surrounding countryside form the ‘Blaenavon Industrial Landscape’. Blaenavon Industrial Lanscape

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Nantgarw House

The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Nantgarw China Works. History in the Making. Porcelain.

History of Nantgarw China Works Nantgarw China Works is one of the most important industrial heritage sites in Wales. Between 1813-1814 and again between 1817-1820 the finest porcelain in the world was produced here by William Billingsey and Samuel Walker. Due to a very low firing success rate and expensive production costs success was short

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View Towards Aberthaw Power Station and Limeworks

The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Aberthaw

Where is Aberthaw? Aberthaw – Aberddawan is made up of the villages of East Aberthaw and West Aberthaw. It is about 5 miles from Barry along the Glamorgan Heritage Coastline. Aberthaw get its name from the Welsh word ‘Aber’, meaning estuary or river mouth, of the river Thaw. The existence of a safe, natural harbour

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The Heritage Hiker’s Guide to Merthyr

History of Merthyr Tydfil Merthyr Tydfil (Merthyr Tudful) is as a typical Welsh Valley mining town and is situated on the A470 between Cardiff and Brecon. There is evidence for prehistoric settlement and land use (mainly to the north of the current town), a Roman fort at Penydarren and a later 13th century castle up

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