Swansea Valley History Society

By Leon Vincent. If any of you have stumbled across old maps of these parts (as you do), then you’d notice that the names Ystalyfera, Clydach, Morriston and Pontardawe are relatively new. For over one thousand years, Llangiwg (with various spellings) was the geographic identity of the mid-lower Swansea Valley and I worry that we…

A forty page booklet has been written by B. M. Lodwick of Neath Abbey on the history of Cefn Celfi Farm, Rhos, Pontardawe. He starts with the 3 ancient stones mentioned in ‘Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin, the Black Book of Carmarthen; a collection of early Welsh poetry where the 3 stones with the names Cynon Cynfael…

Most people living in the present village or small town of Pontardawe probably consider that it has always been here. That is not in fact so – Pontardawe is a relatively new town only about two hundred years old. Three maps in particular show how the communities in the Swansea Valley including Pontardawe developed. In 1729 Emanuel Bowen produced his New and Accurate Map of South Waleswhich is now considered to be not at all very accurate. (See Around Pontardawe1996 for this map). However, he does identify places that are pertinent to this article. At the location we refer to as the Cross area of Pontardawe Mr Bowen has marked a Pont Cledach, and about…