Maesteg

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Statistics
Maesteg
Population:	c. 18,000 (2001)
Ordnance Survey
OS grid reference:	Maps for SS855915
Administration
Principal area:	Bridgend
Constituent country:	Wales
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Police force:	South Wales Police
Ceremonial county:	Mid Glamorgan
Historic county:	Glamorganshire
Post office and telephone
Post town:	MAESTEG
Postal district:	CF34
Dialling code:	01656
Politics
UK Parliament:	Ogmore
European Parliament:	Wales

Maesteg is a Welsh town located at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley in the north of the Welsh county borough of Bridgend (Pen-y-Bont ar Ogwr) in the traditional county of Glamorgan (Morgannwg). It is very close to the border with Neath Port Talbot county borough, and also to Rhondda Cynon Taff county borough. It has a population of some 17,830-19,223 people, with the surrounding area bringing the population to around 25,000 and thus is the 17th largest centre of population in Wales.

The town has been built, like so many others in this area of South Wales on its nineteenth century and early twentieth century legacy stemming from Iron Production and coal mining. At the height of its importance, there were six collieries operating in the town; with associated coal mining industries locating in Maesteg.

1 History
- 1.1 Maesteg collieries
2 Industry and employment
3 Transportation
4 Regeneration
5 Amenities & Sport Clubs
6 Music
7 References

[edit] History

The earliest settlement in the Llynfi Valley is at the Bwlwarcau Iron Age Hill fort near to Llangynwyd Village which is around 2 miles to the south west of Maesteg Town centre. This places earliest human settlement in the area around Maesteg to more than 2,000 years ago. Immediately surrounding the Maesteg Area is significant evidence of settlement in the Bronze Age, which reaches back further in time, to nearly 4,000 years ago, in Carn Llechart, Crug yr Afan and Carn Bugail, there is also evidence of Neolithic settlement in this area of South Wales, in Penmaen Burrows in the Gower Peninsula, and Maesteg is also close to Paviland in the Gower, where the oldest remains of humans have been found in the United Kingdom, dating from 26,350 years ago +/- 550 years; so there is significant evidence that the area around Maesteg has seen anthropological contact for a very long time.

Closer to modern times, the Romans established a settlement at present day Bridgend, and it could be assumed that they visited the Llynfi Valley as they also established a settlement at Neath, although the road that connected them was to the south of the Llynfi Valley as the topography is somewhat trecharous between Maesteg and Neath.

Maesteg remained until the start of the nineteenth century a small rural village, with areas of the town also as small villages with Llangynwyd as the principal village, as it has the oldest most developed infrastructure in the valley. Maesteg began to develop and expand as the techniques of the Industrial Revolution began to be applied to South Wales. Iron, which had always been known to exist in the area, was exploited with the opening of the Iron Works in the 1820s. This was fueled by coal seams which also existed in the valley. This was then transported to Porthcawl via railway where it could be taken by sea anywhere in the world. Another Iron works was set up in the late 1830s, and the two companies were soon bought up by Sir John Bowring in 1843. Bowring's tenure was a financial disaster and he left financial involvement in Maesteg by 1848, when he was put in charge of the British consulate in Canton, and he then became Governor of Hong Kong (1854-59).

Bowring has left a lasting legacy on the town; part of Nantyffyllon district was called Bowrington for a time during the nineteenth century; also John Street in Nantyffyllon was named after him, and Charles Row was named after his brother. There also exists the Bowrington Arcade, which was built at the end of the nineteenth century at the corner of Neath Road and Llynfi Road in the Town Centre.

By 1886, Iron making had ceased in Maesteg, coupled with a long depression during the 1870s, this marked a dark period in Maesteg's recent history; however, work in the coal industries had already began, with the sinking of Garth colliery by 1864 and another 5 collieries sunk before 1908.

[edit] Maesteg collieries

Name	Year Sunk (Opened)	Year Shut
Garth	1864	1930
Oakwood	1868	1928/1929
Coegnant	1882	1981
Caerau	1889	1979
Bryn Navigation	1890	1964
St John's	1908	1985 (The Last Deep Mine in the Llynfi Valley)

This marked the largest expansion of Maesteg's population, with a greater number of people living in Maesteg at the start of the twentieth century than they do now at the start of the twenty-first. Coal mining was never expected to be an infinite resource, with closures of Garth and Bryn navigation in the 1930s and 1960s, as a natural result of running out of coal to mine. However, the National Coal Board closed Caerau and Coegnant before the Miners' Strike of 1982/1983. St John's was also closed before it's natural end. The legacy of the miner's strike is not as apparent as in other valleys which were arguably more economically reliant on coal, such as the Rhondda Valleys and Valleys further to the east. Nonetheless, there was still harsh economic hardship during the start of the 1980s for many of the population of Maesteg. There still remains strong (and sometimes visible) anti-Thatcher sentiment in Maesteg, similar to other areas in Great Britain affected in the same way by the Miner's Strike and its aftermath. Thus, Maesteg remains a Labour heartland in both general elections, where it lies in the constituency of Ogmore (which is one Labour's safest seats in the country), and Welsh Assembly elections, and also local county-level elections.

[edit] Industry and employment

Since the demise of the coal mining industry in Maesteg, it has seen little, if any, heavy industry. Maesteg was little prepared for the closure of the mines in the 1980s and this lead to high unemployment which was exacerbated by the nationwide recession of the early 1990s. This unfavourable economic climate has become warmer in recent years; there are several large factories, one making cosmetics, another making rubber and another making insulation employ large numbers of people in the town. Service industries especially in the retail sector also employ large numbers of people. Maesteg has some nationwide retail chains, such as Woolworth, select, specsavers, spar and New Look, and also a Somerfield supermarket. Maesteg has also retained and encouraged small shops which are either stand-alone retail units or are of a limited chain existing elsewhere in South Wales.

Maesteg will probably never again develop any serious heavy industry because of its location, in terms of accessibility, as is the case with most other parts of the South Wales Coalfield; whilst the Llynfi Valley is the widest valley in South Wales, it only has room for one main road to traverse the length of the valley, for access to Bridgend and the M4 motorway.

There is a large proportion of people who live in Maesteg but commute to Bridgend (9 miles away) or to Cardiff (27 miles away).

[edit] Transportation

The main road in and out of Maesteg is the A4063, which links it to Bridgend along the length of the Llynfi Valley, this also links it to the villages of Coytrahen, Tondu, Aberkenfig, Sarn and also the McArthur Glen Designer Outlet Wales. There is also access to Port Talbot and Neath via the B4282 and also Cymmer and Treorchy (via the Bwlch y Clawdd Pass) using the A4063 (A4107).

Maesteg is also served by a Rail link which connects it to Bridgend and also to Cardiff.

Maesteg has three railway stations:

Maesteg - this is located adjacent to the Somerfield store in the town centre and serves the town itself, with a bus link from the villages of Caerau and Nantyffyllon at the northern end of the valley.
Maesteg Ewenny Road - this is to serve the Industrial Estate located close to the station.
Garth - this serves Garth and Cwmfelin, which are slightly further down the Llynfi Valley.

Maesteg has a bus station in the town centre which serves as the transportation hub for routes around the town itself, and also to and from major towns in the area. The majority of these services are run by First. They run to Bridgend, Port Talbot and Neath.

[edit] Regeneration

Maesteg is undergoing regeneration to modernise the town. The people of Maesteg have mixed views on this scheme. Commercial Street is now complete, and Talbot Street is due to be started in January 2007. There is also a Tesco Store due to be built near the "Old Parish" Four Sevens Rugby Club and the Sports Centre. A new road will then be built straight to Tesco, bypassing the town centre. Many people fear that this will kill the town as people will no longer visit it as Tesco sells everything that is needed.

[edit] Amenities & Sport Clubs

Maesteg is home to the rugby club nicknamed The Old Parish and is one of the most successful rugby teams in the vicinity as it is one of only three first class rugby clubs to have had an invincible season, the other's being Newport (Wales) and Taranaki (New Zealand). Bizarrely, all three clubs have black and amber as their club colours. Aurgably the most succesful player to have played for the club was Allan Bateman. He gained his first cap on Saturday, 3rd March 1990 v Scotland at Cardiff, (Wales losing 13-9). Many would say that Allan improved greatly as a player while moving to Neath. He did however after a long career in both League and Union finsih at his home club playing in the sucessfukl 2004-05 championship winning season seeing Maesteg return to the top division within Welsh rugby.

Alan inevitably was a major contributor in this triumph. Despite his advancing years, he still exuded class and made up in experience and guile what might have been lost in pace. He was still more than capable of pulling off a try-saving tackle or executing a try-making pass. In 2001 having enjoyed victory against Tonga, the quiet man of Welsh rugby bowed out. There have been few players blessed with his skills, fewer still with his modesty and dignity. Nice guys do win.....sometimes! (John Lovell)

He gained 35 caps in the process. The most capped player playing for Maesteg was Gwyn Evans who obatined 10 caps for Wales and 2 for the British & Irish Lions against New Zealand during 1983. Maesteg R.F.C also produced other Lions including; Trevor Lloyd - Inside Half - South Africa 1955, Ray 'Chico' Hopkins - Inside Half - New Zealand 1971 and Allan Bateman - Centre - South Africa 1997. A great achivement for a small area.

For more detailed information about the club visit the offical webiste by clicking here.

Maesteg has its own swimming pool, located off Castle Street, and a leisure centre, located at the site of the original Iron Works. This has an old industrial building (The Corn Stores - actually a beam-engine house) incorporated into the design and is located to the north of the town centre. There also is a library, and various other amenities one would expect to find in a town of its size.

Located around 4 miles as the crow flies from Maesteg is Afan Forest Park click here to visit the park website. Here you will find beautiful scenery and a place to partake in many outdoor pursiuts such as hill walking, mountain biking and a great place to hitch up your tent camping.

Golf is also very popular with Maesteg Golf Cluba very nice way of spending a few hours. The new clubhouse provides a perfect venue for lunch with fantastic views with a warm and friendly atmosphere.

[edit] Music

Maesteg being in Wales has its own proud tradition of music and theatre. There are many good local group's providing everything from the traditional male voice choir to the more modern rock band such as the 'Funeral for a Friend' who were originally from Maesteg. You can visit their website by clicking here.

Maesteg Children's Choir is very popular and hosts many great concerts throughout the year.