Heritage News from our Local Societies
In this section we update local heritage news and information as it comes into us from history and heritage societies. News items are updated monthly and kept on here for 12 months.
January 2026
Our next Journal, issue 27, is currently at the printers and will be available to buy very soon.
October 21st this year, will mark the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster. Nick Nedsky, an enthusiastic and active member of our Forum has recently had a poem published on ‘The People’s Collection Wales’ website recalling this tragic, yet preventable, event. He wrote it following the death of his father-in-law, who had been personally involved with the disaster, having driven a huge caterpillar for several days in an attempt to stem the flow of slurry.
If you would like to read Nick’s powerful poem, please click on the link below.
‘Aberfan: to remember David’, a poem by Nickolas Nedaschkivskij (Nedsky) 2016
December 2025
Our convivial Christmas meal at the Tredegar Arms Hotel, was a very tasty and enjoyable event.
November 2025
Powell’s History of Tredegar
‘Powell’s History of Tredegar’ has been printed and is available on our website, in our monthly shop at our Talks, Cottons, Tredegar and Ebbw Vale Works Museum.
October 2025
Dr. Robert Richards F.R.S.C., F.I.M.M.M.
It is with great sadness that we share the news that in September, Dr. Robert Richards suddenly passed away. He was a committed and much valued member of Blaenau Gwent Heritage Forum and shared his extensive knowledge freely and with great enthusiasm.
Robert was extremely gifted and experienced in the fields of Materials Science and Engineering with many credits and qualifications to his name. He was particularly passionate about ferrous metallurgy. Amongst his many other citations he worked for the Government, the Cabinet Office, BEA Systems and the Senydd.
Blaenau Gwent Heritage Forum wish to extend our deepest sympathies to his family and friends. He was our friend and we all miss him greatly.
September 2025
Work on our updated version of ‘Powells History of Tredegar’ has now been completed and the book is currently with the printers.
March 2025
We’ve ordered some new mugs sporting our brand new logo. You can buy one at our pop up shop which opens at our monthly talks.
February 2025
We’ve updated our logo and chosen a design which we feel embodies the different societies which contribute to the Forum.
December 2025
Plaques and murals in the pipeline:
Ruby Lofthouse
A J Cronin
Sir David Brunt – Mural designed and plaque ordered
Michael Foot – Refurbishment of plaque
Moose Centenary – Mural on side of Moose Hall and replacement of plaque
November
Wales Ambassador Week 2025 will be taking place between 17th to 23rd November
Abertillery’s 10 stop digital walking trail has been launched. This interactive, smartphone guided tour focuses on the exciting heritage, history and natural landscape of the local area.
October 2025
Steve Jones – image Blaenau Gwent CBC
A steel statue of one of Wales’s greatest sporting heroes, Steve Jones MBE, OLY and Freeman of Blaenau Gwent, was unveiled by the man himself in front of Ebbw Vale Sports Centre last month. The statue commemorates Steve’s legendary achievements and was unveiled in the presence of a proud community of local and national dignitaries, top names from the world of running, Welsh sporting organisations, children and young people and representatives from the RAF and local ATC Cadets.
Steve was a part of Ebbw Vale Squadron 1158 Ebbw Vale, who first gave him the opportunity to showcase his talents. He later went on to serve in the RAF, combining military life and his blossoming athletics career, often running wearing the RAF vest.
July 2025
Nye Bevan and NHS
Several new murals are in place around Tredegar to celebrate it being the home of the NHS.
15th August – VJ Day – see What’s ON page.
A new Digital Walking Trail which explores the history of the town has been launched in Ebbw Vale. Pupils from Pen-y-Cwm School were the first visitors to walk it.
June 2025
Mosaic on Abertillery Institute removed for safe keeping.
Repair of Roy Francis statue is now complete.
Moose Lodge is 100 years old
February 2025
Eifion Lloyd Davies Memorial For Eifion. Two Denbigh plum trees and an Abergwyngregan damson have been selected to be planted in memory of Eifion. They will be planted after half term.
White Badge Guide training in Abertillery is completed and the graduation event will take place in the New Year.
Blaenau Gwent Ambassadors is launched. It offers free online training; the first 3 modules are now available with more to follow shortly. 30 Bronze Ambassadors completed the course including 3 from the BGHF.
Town Trails: Ebbw Vale and Abertillery are complete. Tredegar and Brynmawr 50% complete.
Tai Calon: Wish to link to local heritage could anyone with any exhibitions or artefacts they could loan please let Alyson know.
New visitor information racking in the Premiere Inn and Tai Calon
Events 2025: Contributions required for TVTCTW, HOTNHS and Pride.
Filming: Young Sherlock, part-filmed in Trefil, another film shot in Beaufort. Sunday’s ITV drama, ‘Out There’ shot in Trefil and locally.
January 2026
The ‘Museum and Archive Society’ has reproduced two delightful photographic booklets: Tredegar’s History in Photographs, volumes1 and 2. They are on sale in the museum at £7 each.
September 2025
The ‘Museum and Archive Society’ has brought out a calendar for 2026 containing old photos from around Tredegar – cost is around £7.50 and can be bought from the museum. SOLD OUT
January 2026
December 2024
The Family History help desks are closed until February 2025.
September 2025
The possibility of having a bat box put in the belfry is being considered and the graveyard is being looked at regarding the feasibility of removing the ivy from the graveyard and surrounding buildings.
February 2025
St Illtyd’s will be opening on Sundays in March and for the rest of the summer. This will be dependent on having enough volunteers and it may still not be open every Sunday.
There is a lot of interest in the Flora and Fauna of the graveyard at the moment and it is hoped that a study of it will be undertaken.
January 2026
December 2025
Colin Weaver who was born, bred and lived all his life in Llanhilleth and is surely one of Llanhilleth’s most successful athletes has been commemorated in our heritage archive. He started his professional training at just 9 years of age and became a ‘Powder Hall’ sprinter who, during his professional career, competed in eight ‘Powder Hall’ finals.
July 2025
The Blaenau Gwent Planning Department has passed plans to demolish the old Pithead baths building. It will be be replaced by an area of green space containing signage to commemorate the baths and the place it held in the community.
September 2025
The Chapel in Rhymney (Penuel) will be holding a Macmillan coffee morning with harp music played by Eleri Darkins on the Thursday 25th September.
February 2025
St Davids Day celebrations in Penuel Rhymney will take place at the coffee morning on Saturday 28th February when Elari Darkins will be playing the harp.
January 2026
Gwent Archive will be trialling Saturday opening for the next 6 months on the second Saturday of every month. They will be looking at new visitor figures to see if there is a need for the Saturday opening. The Archive will be closed for one week in March and one in September to allow for working on the backlog of the collections.
September 2025
After completing the review stage, three years after their initial 2022 award, Gwent Archives has retained its National Accreditation. They are, justifiably, very proud of this achievement.
Upcoming Talks – 20th October a talk on Mental Health Records held by the archive and on Tuesday 4th November a talk on the Chartist Records that the archive holds. The annual Christmas talk will take place in December.
February 2025
The postponed January Talk will now take place on March 21st and the subject will be on the 75th anniversary of the creation of Cwmbran New Town.
January 2026
The museum is trialling opening on Saturdays during January and February. If you find it hard to visit on a weekday, try visiting on one of the dates below:
Saturday 10th January: 10am – 4pm
Saturday 14th February: 10am – 4pm
September 2025
A representative from Ancestry will be visiting the archive soon to look at digitising some of the employment records.
The latest newsletter is just about ready for printing.
The archive is planning to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the closure of the steelworks and also the anniversary of the Marine Colliery disaster of 1927.
July 2025
Congratulations to Alfie Evans, from Tredegar, and a volunteer at the museum who won a prestigious JUDGES’ PICK prize in the recent ‘Young Railway Photographer of the Year’ competition
June 2025
Upcoming 50th Anniversary of the closure of the last blast furnaces in Ebbw Vale – July 1975
March 2025
Ebbw Vale Works Museum and Gwent Archives
Words at the Works Museum
Ebbw Vale Works Museum was involved in something very different recently, when it supported an initiative to celebrate World Poetry Day! This initiative, culminating in ‘Words at the Works Museum’ was supported by Transport for Wales, Blaenau Gwent Council and the Ebbw Vale Works Museum and saw two South Wales poets , Zillah Bowes & Jonathan Edwards regale passengers with their poetry on the 4.45pm train from Cardiff to Ebbw Vale. On arrival at the town station, they were met by Simon Gregory, Chairman of the museum, who gave passengers, who had booked the event, a rundown of the history of the General Offices before they had the opportunity to tour the museum before the poetry reading session held in the wonderful foyer of the General Offices. The foyer was full with circa 45 in the audience and the feedback was very positive.
The General Offices and the museum were specially opened for the event, so special thanks must be given to Alyson Tippings and her GO team for the organisation and refreshments, while Simon was well supported by Rodger Burchell and Melissa Mansfield in the museum, who gave up their Saturday evening for the event.
February 2025
Ron, ‘Ginger’ Parsons, the oldest miner alive, has just celebrated his 103rd birthday. From Cwm, near Ebbw Vale, he started in the pit just before his 14th birthday and spent 50 years working at the coal face.
50 Years Ago!
There is a significant anniversary this year – 50 years since Ebbw Vale Works last produced liquid Iron. The closure of the Blast Furnaces in July 1975 ended a role that had started in 1790.
During the RTB / BSC era, the works operated 3 Blast Furnaces. Numbers A & B were inherited from the old EVSIC Co, commissioned in 1920, closed in 1929, but revamped and reopened in 1938, when the new RT Works opened. Following the success of the new works, a brand new C Furnace was added during the war.
B Furnace was taken out of service in 1973, A Furnace in April 1975 and the final nail in the coffin was July 1975, when the last survivor, C Furnace was shut down, which as the headline in the company newspaper said “IT’S ALL OVER – 185 years of iron-making ends at Ebbw Vale”. They had produced nearly 17 million tons of iron since 1938.
The closure of the blast furnaces inevitably brought an end to another significant process, the Converter Shop, which relied on liquid iron for its Steelmaking process.
Steelmaking continued along for another 3 years with a very limited single Open Hearth Furnace Operation, relying on a feedstock of cold scrap.
June 2025
The mosaic is now finished and the QR codes have been installed.
Read more …
outoftheblueartifacts.com – The story of the A467 main road underpass mosaic
February 2025
Abertillery Mosaic:The roundels are being rebuilt and work should be completed by end of March.
January 2026
Cwm and Waunlwyd Community Archive Progress is being made in setting up the museum in the institute. 2027 will mark the centenary of the Cwm Colliery disaster and among remembrance events it is planned that a plaque with all the names of the disaster victims will be created and unveiled.
December 2025
A committee has been form to set up a museum in the room given to the group by the Institute. Chris has visited Glamorgan archive which has a great deal of information about Cwm.
September 2025
Cwm and Waunlwyd Community Archive would like to organise a plaque to Victor Spinetti who was born in Cwm. The archive has support from Mike Young of ‘Super Ted’ fame who was also born in Cwm. Money needs to be raised to go towards the £800 needed to obtain and fix a plaque.
The archive will also be putting on another photo display in the library. A lot of photographs have been donated by Rodger Burchell and it is hoped that an event in the library will help to identify the people in them. It is hoped in the future that a Cwm Museum can be set up in a room in the institute and conversations about this are taking place.
July 2025
Cwm and Waunlwyd Community Archive has a new web controller, Chris Parfitt, who will be answering queries and working with a team of volunteers to add new material to the archive. The team will be based in Cwm Library where archiving sessions will take place.
August 2025
Image Credit – John Wilson / Pont y Cafnau iron rail bridge and aqueduct (1793)
The Pont-Y-Cafnau bridge in Merthyr Tydfil, believed to be the world’s oldest surviving iron railway bridge, is currently undergoing a major restoration – a joint project between the Welsh Government and Merthyr Tydfil CBC. It is scheduled to be completed by Autumn 2025 and will focus on essential structural repairs to ensure the bridge’s safety for future generations to enjoy.
Designed by Watkin George, and built in 1793 for the pioneering Cyfarthfa Ironworks Company the structure is a 14.2-metre long iron truss bridge spanning the River Taff. It is a Grade II* listed structure and a scheduled monument, highlighting its historical and architectural significance. Its unique design featured an upper water channel, a middle tramroad deck, and a lower water channel – a three-story engineering solution that perfectly captured the practical innovation of the era.