Brynamman ( cy, Brynaman) is a village on the south side of the
Black Mountain (''Y Mynydd Du''), part of the
Brecon Beacons National Park
The Brecon Beacons National Park ( cy, Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog) is one of three national parks in Wales, and is centred on the Brecon Beacons range of hills in southern Wales. It includes the Black Mountain (range), Black Mountain ...
(''Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog''). The village is split into Upper Brynamman and
Lower Brynamman
Lower Brynamman is an electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough in Brynamman, Wales.
Electoral ward
The electoral ward of Lower Brynamman forms part of the parish of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen. The ward consists of some or all of the settle ...
by the
River Amman, which is also the boundary between the counties of
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...
and
Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot ( cy, Castell-nedd Port Talbot) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county borough in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. Its principal towns are Neath, Port Talbot, Briton Ferry and Pontardawe. The county bor ...
(in the old county of
Glamorganshire
, HQ = Cardiff
, Government = Glamorgan County Council (1889–1974)
, Origin=
, Code = GLA
, CodeName = Chapman code
, Replace =
* West Glamorgan
* Mid Glamorgan
* South Glamorgan
, Motto ...
). Ruins of stone dwellings (possibly prehistoric), an early type of lime kiln and rectangular medieval buildings found on the mountain show that people have lived in this area for a long time. The population of Brynamman was 2,608 as of 2011; the urban area including
Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen
Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen ( cy, Gwauncaegurwen) is a village and community in the borough of Neath Port Talbot, South West Wales. Historically a part of Glamorgan, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen is a parish made up of the electoral wards of Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen and Lower B ...
was 5,692.
In the 18th century the
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
, with iron and tin works and especially coal mining, transformed the area from a small, scattered farming community to a built-up, highly populated commercial centre. The
Welsh language
Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...
was at the fore and the successful participation in local and national
eisteddfod
In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music.
The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, a ...
au by numerous village people, choirs and bands put Brynamman on the map.
It was once a thriving village, with three bank branches on Station Road in Upper Brynamman alone. Today there are no industries in or around the village, its inhabitants having to commute to
Ammanford
Ammanford ( cy, Rhydaman) is a town and community in Carmarthenshire, Wales, with a population of 5,411 at the 2011 census. It is a former coal mining town. The built-up area had a population of 7,945 with the wider urban area even bigger.
Acco ...
,
Swansea
Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe).
The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
or
Llanelli
Llanelli ("St Elli's Parish"; ) is a market town and the largest community in Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is located on the Loughor estuary north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. ...
for work. The whole area has become more attractive to live in, with the countryside and the wild open areas available for walking on the
Black Mountain (''Y Mynydd Du''). It is still a stronghold of the
Welsh language
Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...
; children are taught the language at school, and it is spoken by the great majority of the local people.
Brynamman was previously known as Y Gwter Fawr ( cy, "The Big Gutter"); the name was changed when the railway from Ammanford reached the village.
George Borrow
George Henry Borrow (5 July 1803 – 26 July 1881) was an English writer of novels and of travel based on personal experiences in Europe. His travels gave him a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe, who figure strongly in his work. Hi ...
describes aspects of Gwter Fawr in the mid-19th century in his book ''
Wild Wales
''Wild Wales: Its People, Language and Scenery'' is a travel book by the English Victorian gentleman writer George Borrow (1803–1881), first published in 1862.
The book recounts Borrow's personal experiences and insights while touring Wales ...
'' published 1862. The current name is derived from "Brynamman House", the home of John Jones, builder of the railway.
Brynamman Golf Club (now defunct) first appeared in the mid-1920s. It continued into the 1930s.
A feasibility study is being conducted into the reopening of Brynamman Lido, which opened in 1934 and closed in 2010.
Ynys Dawela
Ynys Dawela Nature Park is situated to the west of Brynamman, in the upper reaches of the Amman Valley. Its northern boundary is the Brecon Beacons National Park, and the river Amman, fringed with ancient oak woodland, forms its southern boundary. The park covers an area of 39 acres (15.8 hectares) and was once a working farm. The meadows dating from this period now support some scarce flowers, such as the Whorled Caraway and Meadow Thistle, and other wildlife, such as the
marsh fritillary
The marsh fritillary (''Euphydryas aurinia'') is a butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. Commonly distributed in the Palearctic region, the marsh fritillary's common name derives from one of its several habitats, marshland. The prolonged larval s ...
butterfly and
dormice
A dormouse is a rodent of the family Gliridae (this family is also variously called Myoxidae or Muscardinidae by different taxonomists). Dormice are nocturnal animals found in Africa, Asia, and Europe. They are named for their long, dormant hibe ...
.
The park has a range of important habitats supporting a diverse assemblage of plant and animal life. The wet grasslands, marshy ground and ponds are particularly important to amphibians, like newts, frogs and toads. The site narrowly escaped opencast mining, before Dinefwr Borough Council secured its future by purchasing it from British Coal. Since then the park has been developed for recreational and educational use. The park is managed by Carmarthenshire County Council and supported by volunteers.
Tregib Arms
The Tregib Arms in Brynamman was built 1860. The first-ever union branch to look after the needs of Welsh anthracite miners was started in the public bar in 1891. The original certificate can be viewed in the lounge bar.
During the 1930s Welsh middleweight boxing champion Tommy Davies was a regular customer; his photo can be seen in the main bar.
Gallery
File:Black Mountain Centre Brynaman by Aberdare Blog.jpg, Black Mountain Centre in Brynamman
File:Brynaman Public Hall and Cinema by Aberdare Blog.jpg, Brynamman Public Hall and Cinema (2008)
File:Brynamman West Station 1929506 df602e8f.jpg, Brynamman GWR railway station (1962)
File:Brynamman East Station 1929493 c3b2829e.jpg, Brynamman LMS railway station (1962)
File:Gibea Chapel Brynamman by Aberdare Blog.jpg, Gibea Chapel (2008)
References
External links
Black Mountain Centre / Community Centre for Brynamman
{{authority control
Villages in Carmarthenshire
Amman Valley
Black Mountain (hill)