Abercarn

Abercarn is a small town[2] and community in Caerphilly county borough, Wales. It is 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Newport on the A467 between Cwmcarn and Newbridge, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.

Abercarn
Abercarn
Location within Caerphilly
Population5,352 (2011 census[1])
OS grid referenceST216947
Community
  • Abercarn
Principal area
Ceremonial county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townNEWPORT
Postcode districtNP11
Dialling code01495
PoliceGwent
FireSouth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament

History

An estate at Abercarn was owned by the ironmaster Richard Crawshay; in 1808, it passed to his son-in-law, the industrialist and politician Benjamin Hall.[3]

The district was traditionally associated with the coal mining collieries, ironworks and tinplate works of the South Wales coalfield and South Wales Valleys, although all have now closed;[4] the town, which lies in the middle portion of the Ebbw valley, being situated on the south-eastern flank of the once great mining region of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire.[5][6]

On 11 September 1878, an underground explosion at the Prince of Wales Colliery killed 268 coal miners.[7]

Abercarn High Street

Local government

The area was part of the ancient Monmouthshire parish of Mynyddislwyn until the late 19th century. In 1892 a local board of health and local government district of Abercarn was formed.[8] This became Abercarn urban district in 1894, governed by an urban district council of twelve members. Under the Local Government Act 1972 the urban district was abolished in 1974, becoming part of the borough of Islwyn, Gwent. Further local government organisation in 1996 placed the area in the county borough of Caerphilly. The former urban district corresponds to the three communities of Abercarn, Crumlin and Newbridge.

Sport

Abercarn is home to Abercarn Rugby Club which is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union, and to Abercarn United Football Club which plays in division one of the Gwent County League.[9]

Transport

Bus

The town is served by Stagecoach South Wales services including:[10]

Rail

The town is lies between Newbridge railway station and Crosskeys railway station, with the latter is slightly the closer of the two.[11] Both are approximately a four minute drive or thirty minute walk away.[11] The town was formerly served by Abercarn railway station, which closed to passengers in April 1962.

Military

Following the formation of the Territorial Force in 1908, the Abercarn Territorial Cadet Company was formed within the wider Army Cadet Force. Following its formation the company was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment. In 1912 the company was affiliated with the new formed 1st Cadet Battalion, The Monmouthshire Regiment.[12]

Notable people

The surgeon Sir Clement Price Thomas (1893–1973) was born in Abercarn. He was famous for his 1951 operation on King George VI.[13]

References
  1. "Community population 2011". Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  2. Gwyddon Road, Abercarn:: OS grid ST2194 :: Geograph British Isles - photograph every grid square!
  3. The History of Parliament: HALL, Benjamin (1778-1817), of Hensol Castle, Glam. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1790-1820/member/hall-benjamin-1778-1817
  4. Post Office: Abercarn Royal Mail Sorting Office:: OS grid ST2194 :: Geograph British Isles - photograph every grid square!
  5.  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Abercarn". Encyclopædia Britannica. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 43.
  6. Jamesville, Abercarn:: OS grid ST2193 :: Geograph British Isles - photograph every grid square!
  7. "Abercarn Colliery". Welsh Coal Mines. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  8. Formed as Newbridge local board and local government district on 17 March 1892, renamed Abercarn on 4 July that year. County Census Report 1670, Monmouthshire
  9. "Abercarn United AFC". Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  10. "Caerphilly - Bus timetables". www.caerphilly.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2020.
  11. The Rough Guide to Camping in Britain 2. London: Rough Guides UK. 2013. p. 179. ISBN 9781409358954.
  12. Westlake, Ray. (2011). The Territorials : 1908-1914 : a guide for military and family historians. Barnsley, South Yorkshire. ISBN 9781848843608. OCLC 780443267.
  13. Cleland WP (1974). "Sir Clement Price Thomas KCVO". Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. 54 (2): 96–98. PMC 2388364. PMID 4594305.
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