South Wales
From Free net encyclopedia
Image:South Wales.png South Wales (De Cymru, Welsh) is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the East and South, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the North and West.
The exact extent of South Wales is loosely defined, but it is generally considered the area of Wales surrounding the M4 Motorway, including the counties of Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire. The northern border is particularly ill-defined, but Brecon, in Breconshire, is a good approximation.
South Wales incorporates the capital city of Cardiff, and the city of Newport. Swansea is also sometimes included in the area, but is also sometimes considered as part of West Wales. The area also includes the South Wales Valleys and the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Contents |
History
South Wales was once an area of great beauty, with valleys and forests abundant on the landscapes, and a few farms and iron works dotted around. This changed during the Industrial Revolution when the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire areas were exploited for coal and iron. By the 1830s, hundreds of tons of coal were being transported by barge to ports in Cardiff and Newport. In the 1870s, coal was transported by rail networks to these docks. The Marquis of Bute, who owned much of the land north of Cardiff, built a railway system on his land that stretched from Cardiff into many of the valleys where the coal was being found. The Marquis then charged taxes per ton of coal that was transported out using his railways. With coal mining and iron smelting being the main trades of South Wales, hundreds of immigrants from England, Scotland and even Italy came and set up homes in the valleys and cities. The large influx over the years caused overcrowding which lead to outbreaks of Cholera, and on the social side, the near-loss of the Welsh language in the area. The 1930s saw the loss of almost half of the coal pits in the area, and this number declined further in the years following World War II. This number is now very low, with only one working coal mine left in South Wales: Tower Colliery in Rhondda Cynon Taff
Famous industrialised areas in the 1800s
Merthyr Tydfil (Tydfil the Martyr). The town's Dowlais Ironworks was founded to exploit the abundant seams of iron ore and in time it became the largest iron producing town in the world. New coal mines were sunk nearby to feed the voracious furnaces and in time produced coal for export . By 1831 the population was 60,000 - more than Cardiff, Swansea and Newport combined. The town was the birthplace of Joseph Parry composer of the haunting Welsh tune Myfanwy and his humble home can be compared with the nearby mock-Gothic Cyfartha Castle built in 1825 for William Crawshay the famous iron master.
Aberfan. The Merthyr Vale colliery began to produce coal in 1875. Spoil from the mine workings was piled close to the village which had grown nearby. Tipping went on until the 1960's. The industry was by now nationalised but even the National Coal Board failed to appreciate the true nature of the monster they helped to create. In October of 1966 heavy rain made the giant tip unstable. The recent dumping of small particles of coal and ash known as tailings seems to have been partly responsible. A thirty foot high black wave tore across the Glamorgan canal and swept away houses on its path towards the village school. One hundred and fourteen children and twenty eight adults were killed.
The Rhondda Valleys (Fawr and Fach) housed around 3,000 people in 1860 but by 1910 the population had soared to 160,000. The Rhondda had become the heart of a massive coal industry. Accidents below ground were common and in 1896 fifty-seven men and boys were killed in a gas explosion at the Tylorstown Colliery. An enquiry found that the pit involved had not been properly inspected over the previous fifteen months.
Risca in Monmouthshire lay 900 feet above a seam of high grade coal known as the Black Vein. This coal was responsible for the many explosions and 142 men and boys were killed by one of these in 1860. The New Risca Colliery was opened in 1878 and thought to be safer but in 1880 an explosion caused another 120 deaths.
Language
South Wales speaks mainly English, but there is a small percentage (compared to the other areas of Wales) who speak Welsh. However in western South Wales, particularly the Neath and Swansea valleys, there remains significant Welsh speaking communities (Ystradgynlais, Ystalyfera) which share a heritage with the fellow ex-Anthracite mining areas of western Camarthenshire, as much as the Glamorgan valleys.
Welsh, however, is now a compulsory language for all students up to GCSE level, after which they may choose to carry it through to Post-16 or abandon it completely. Several schools offering Welsh language education operate in this area, for example Ysgol Rhydfelin in Pontypridd and Ysgol Glantaf in Cardiff, which have done much to enhance the status of the language among young people.
Culture
Much of South Wales is a country based around the pastimes of Rugby and music. The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff provides a large venue for both pastimes. Welsh Rugby Union and Rugby League players can be found predominantly in South Wales, playing for teams such as the Neath-Swansea Ospreys and Cardiff Blues.
Music ranges from the South Wales Hardcore Scene situated in Cardiff, and the Male Voice Choir groups in the valleys of South Wales. Bands such as LostProphets, Bullet For My Valentine and Funeral For A Friend all come from the South Wales area.
Other facts
The state of New South Wales in Australia is named after the area.