The name Cwmtwrch refers to Twrch Trwyth, a mythical wild boar from Arthurian legends and the old Welsh folk tales of the Mabinogion. Cwm-twrch Uchaf, also known as Upper Cwmtwrch, has a local history encompassing railways, mining, transport routes and community culture. Ffordd y Glowyr (The Miners’ Trail), a walking trail in the Cwmtwrch area, offers a special way to explore this industrial heritage.
Upper Cwmtwrch and its railway history
Upper Cwmtwrch is separated from the lower part of Cwmtwrch by the former railway line and the A4068. As a linear settlement, it is classified within the Tawe Valley Slopes Landscape Character Area. This distinction between the upper and lower parts helps place the village’s history in its geographical context.
Cwmtwrch railway station, known as Gwys, opened in 1868 and closed in 1950. Its former site was near the present-day Welfare Hall in Upper Cwmtwrch. The hall opened in 1924 and is a venue for cultural activities in the village. The railway’s history and a cultural meeting place thus have a tangible geographical connection, even though they were established at different times.
Mining and historic transport routes
Three opening dates mark a timeline through Upper Cwmtwrch’s mining history: Brynmorgan Colliery opened in 1807, Brynhenllys Colliery in the Upper Cwmtwrch area in 1872, and Henllys Vale Colliery there in 1886. The dates make the different periods tangible without conflating the individual collieries into a single phase.
The history of transport and water engineering is also part of the picture. Martin’s Tramroad was built along the Twrch Valley in 1794. Nearby, the Ystalyfera Aqueduct at Gurnos crosses the Afon Twrch; it is the largest aqueduct on the Swansea Canal. Thomas Sheasby built it between 1794 and 1798 using hydraulic mortar from Aberafan. The tramroad and aqueduct can be compared by their construction dates: 1794 is recorded for the tramroad, while the aqueduct dates from 1794 to 1798, with its builder and materials also documented.
Community, culture and rugby
The history of the buildings also reveals different stages. Nearby Beulah Baptist Chapel was built in 1834, rebuilt in 1860 and altered in 1903. The Temperance Hall was built in Upper Cwmtwrch in 1860. The Welfare Hall, meanwhile, opened in 1924 and serves as a venue for cultural activities. Together, these dates span several generations and give the village a community and cultural dimension alongside its industrial history.
Upper Cwmtwrch is home to Cwmtwrch R.F.C., founded in 1890. Nearby, Clive Rowlands is also associated with the area: he played for Wales 14 times and captained his country in every one of those matches. His strong sense of Welsh identity developed within Cwmtwrch’s close-knit community. This rugby history complements the built heritage with a personal perspective on the village and its community.
Walking trail and the wider landscape
For those who want to explore industrial history beyond dates of construction, Ffordd y Glowyr (The Miners’ Trail) is a walking trail in the Cwmtwrch area that brings this heritage to life. This offers a different approach from focusing on individual buildings and historical dates: the trail puts industrial heritage itself at the centre. When choosing an outing, visitors can therefore choose between exploring local history and taking a walk with a historical theme.
As a linear settlement, Upper Cwmtwrch is part of the Tawe Valley Slopes Landscape Character Area. In the wider region, open, exposed upper valley slopes offer far-reaching views towards the Black Mountain in Bannau Brycheiniog National Park (Brecon Beacons National Park). This landscape perspective adds a regional view to the local and industrial history, without implying that the wider views can be seen from every point in Upper Cwmtwrch.
Discover more destinations: Carreghofa, Newbridge On Wye, Llanwddyn, Guilsfield, Abercegir, Llanwrtyd Wells, Llanrhaeadr-Ym-Mochnant, Clyro.
Return to the main travel overview: Powys.
