The lovely valley of the river Tyleri. It has returned to its once attractive natural state. But not before undergoing an industrial revolution which – like the rest of Blaenau Gwent - utterly transformed it.
In its time hundreds of furnaces choked the sky above Cwmtillery producing jobs and vast quantities of the coke needed to fire the ironworks at Blaenavon, Tredegar and beyond. With it came an explosion of pits, and of ‘levels’ dug straight into the side of the valley’s face. As iron declined, coal took over. With it came famous colliery names like Rose Heyworth, Six Bells, Gray, Vivian, and Cwmtillery itself. Six pits in total in a radius of just two miles. By 1985 the pits had closed. The valley fell silent. Below the ground there are still 26 miles of underground tunnels and roadways. Above, the valley echoes to the work that has gone on ever since to restore the lovely valley to its once-natural state. The pit jobs have gone, but the spirit, the beauty, the lakes, beech trees, streams, brooks, and many memories remain – some sweet, many bitter – all filled with the character of the people, and the place.
Local Information I hope you find useful:
Post Office East Side Post Office, Bridge Terrace. 01495 - 212170
Schools Blaentillery Primary School, Bridge Terrace. 01495 - 212412