Below is a list of towns around Wales that shows the interests and historical monuments captured by our Welsh Artists (Brian Wheeler, Roy Saunders and Bert Westacott) as a limited edition print and are available to purchase/buy from our online shop.
To find out more, please read about a town
Abercarn
Islwyn, Crumlin, Newbridge, Gwent, South Wales
Abercarn is a small town community in Caerphilly county borough, Wales, 10 miles (16 km) north-west of Newport on the A467 between Cwmcarn and Newbridge, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. Abercarn 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; 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.
Abereiddy is located in Pembrokeshire, South-west Wales. It has a small beach which was awarded the Blue flag rural beach award in 2005. A large car park adjoins the beach, where in the summer an ice cream van can usually be found. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path gives fine walking in both directions. On the edge of the car park is the ruin of a small group of houses known as The Street; Built for the quarry workers of the Blue Lagoon and was only abandoned after a flood in the early 20th century.
Abergavenny is a town located in Monmouthshire. It is the location of Nevill Hall Hospital and a gateway to the Brecon Beacons National Park and also to Sugarloaf Mountain. The sign on the Town Hall gives the market town of Abergavenny as the "Gateway to Wales".
Aberbeeg, Cwmtillery, Nantyglo, Blaenau Gwent, South Wales
Abertillery is a town in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in southern Wales, originally on the Great Western Railway. Lying in the mountainous mining district of the former counties of Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire, in the valley of the Ebbw Fach, the population was traditionally employed in the numerous coalmines, ironworks and tinplate works, now defunct. Further up the same valley are the mining townships of Nantyglo and Blaina. Abertillery has a traditional-style town centre and several small schools. Abertillery is also noted for its unspoilt rural scenery, neighbouring with small districts of Aberbeeg, Cwmtillery and Six Bells. It is home to the Metropole cultural and conference centre.
Rhymney, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney River, South Wales
Abertysswg (Welsh: Abertyswg) is a village in the county borough of Caerphilly, Wales. It is situated in the South Wales Valleys, a small village located to the east of Pontlottyn and south-east of Rhymney. The nearest major town is Merthyr Tydfil. The Rhymney River lies just west of the village. The village was formerly in Monmouthshire.
Corwen, Capel Curig, Ffestiniog, Llanrwst, Conwy, North Wales
Betws-y-Coed ("Prayer house in the wood") is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The name Betws or Bettws is generally thought to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon Old English 'bed-hus' - ie. a bead-house - a house of prayer, or oratory. The earliest record of the name is 'Betus', in 1254. Betws-y-Coed lies in the Snowdonia National Park, in a valley near the point where the River Conwy is joined by the River Llugwy and the River Lledr, and was founded around a monastery in the late sixth century.
Blaenavon is home to Big Pit, a coalmine that has World Heritage Status and is also a mining museum. Also featured on the BBC Wales Programmes, "Coalhouse" and "Coalhouse At War".
Blaina (Welsh: Y Blaenau) is a small town, situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Brynmawr and Abertillery in the unitary authority of Blaenau Gwent, preserved county of Gwent and historic county of Monmouthshire.
Brecon Beacons is a mountain range in South Wales. It forms the central section of the Brecon Beacons National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog), one of Wales's three National Parks. The Brecon Beacons are named after the ancient practice of lighting signal fires (beacons) on mountains to warn of attacks by the English, or more recently to commemorate public and national events such as coronations or the Millennium.
Brynmawr is translated as "Big Hill" from Welsh. Brynmawr is a market town in Blaenau Gwent, south Wales. The town, sometimes cited as the highest town in Wales, is situated at 1,250 to 1,500 feet above sea level and nestled at the head of the South Wales Valleys. It grew during the arrival of the coal mining and iron industries in the early 1800s. With the expansion of the Nantyglo (meaning stream of coal) Ironworks housing was required for the workers and Brynmawr turned into a prosperous town. Although coal mining has declined, a large mining museum is nearby at Big Pit (Blaenavon).
Caerphilly (Welsh: Caerffili) is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the bottom of the Rhymney Valley. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles (12km) and 12 miles (19km) away, respectively. It is separated from the Cardiff suburbs of Lisvane and Rhiwbina by Caerphilly Mountain. It is traditionally within the county of Glamorgan, on the border with Monmouthshire and it is the largest town in the county borough of Caerphilly, which since 2003 has formed part of the lieutenancy area of Gwent. The town gives its name to Caerphilly cheese, which originated in the area. Caerphilly is the site of Caerphilly Castle, built between 1268 and 1271, which is the largest castle in Wales, and second largest in Britain (after Windsor). In 1899 the Rhymney Railway built their maintenance facilities; however, the expansion of the population in the nineteenth century was more to do with the increasing market for coal. Caerphilly hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1950. Caerphilly is the birthplace of Tommy Cooper, Martyn Richard Jones, Bristol Rovers' fan favourite David Pipe and Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey. It was also home to Nottingham Forest and Wales star Robert Earnshaw, following his family's move from Zambia. During the summer, the town hosts The Big Cheese festival and a fundraising musical event called Megaday.
Crumlin (Welsh: Crymlyn) is a town in Caerphilly county borough in south Wales, situated in the Ebbw River valley, five miles west of Pontypool, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. Crumlin is famous for its former railway viaduct. Opened in June 1857 for the Taff Vale Extension to the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway and closed in 1964, at 200 feet high and 1650 feet in length in two spans (1066 feet and 584 feet) it remained the highest railway viaduct in Great Britain throughout its working life. Work by the contractor T. W. Kennard commenced in autumn 1853. Nearby were the railway stations, both at high (viaduct) and valley levels. Plans for preservation were discussed, but the poor state of repair made this impossible, and the viaduct was dismantled in 1967. Even while demolition work was in progress, scenes for the film Arabesque which starred Sophia Loren and Gregory Peck were being shot on it. As of 2008 the abutments remain visible on the valley sides.
Village located north of Abertillery. The Cwmtillery website also includes information about its history, genealogy, churches, local news, walks and also a local business directory.
Garden Festival 1992, Nat. Eisteddfod 1958 & 2010, South Wales
Ebbw Vale is located in the South Wales Valleys between Tredegar and Brynmawr. The National Eisteddfod of Wales came to Ebbw Vale in 1958 and has been chosen to host it in 2010 (31st July to 7th August) at "The Works" site (recent Ebbw Vale Steelworks). In 1992, Victoria (Mining pit site), Ebbw Vale became the home of the last Garden Festival in Britain that took place between 1st May and 4th October 1992.
Crickhowell, Canal, Brecon Beacons, Sugar Loaf, South Wales
Gilwern is a beautiful and tranquil village in South East Wales with scenic views of the Brecon Beacons and The Sugar Loaf. Gilwern also has links to Crickhowell and Abergavenny including walking or boating on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
Dylan Thomas, Under Mik Wood, Carmarthenshire, West Wales
Laugharne (Welsh: Talacharn) is a town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, lying on the estuary of the River Tāf. It is known for having been the home of Dylan Thomas from 1949 until his death in 1953, and is thought to have been an inspiration for the fictional town of Llareggub in Under Milk Wood.
Llangattock (or Llangatwg in Welsh) is a village in the Brecon Beacons National Park in the south of Powys in south Wales. It lies in the Usk Valley just across the river from the town of Crickhowell. The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal passes through the village en route between Brecon and Pontypool.
Llangynidr is a village in Powys, Wales, about 3 miles (4.8 km) from Crickhowell. The village is notionally divided into Upper and Lower Llangynidr. The remains of a medieval reeve's house have been discovered in the course of archaeological excavations in the centre of the village. The village has two public houses, a church and two chapels.
Mountain Ash (Welsh: Aberpennar) is a town and community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated in the Cynon Valley. Mountain Ash lies within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. The community also contains the outlying villages of Cwmpennar, Darranlas, Glenboi and Newtown. Mountain Ash is a mainly English speaking community, thanks to the fast industrial exploitation of the South Wales Coalfield. Unlike other villages in the South Wales Valleys, it remained quiet, being only disturbed in 1818 by the construction of the Aberdare Canal.
Nantyglo is a village, situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Blaina and Brynmawr, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. During the middle of the 19th century, Nantyglo was one of the most important iron producing centres in the world. It is also where artist Brian Wheeler was born.
Mining, Pits, National Health, Town Clock, South Wales
Tredegar is a vibrant town with an unique history situated in the South of Wales, 156 miles west from London, 30 miles North of Cardiff. The town has been inexistence for over 200 years, and its past has been shaped by heavy industry, particularly Iron and Coal. A focal point of Tredegar is the Town Clock. Tredegar Town Clock is the tallest freestanding clock tower in the United Kingdom. Tredegar has had several famous residents including the birth place for Neil Kinnock & Ray Reardon. By far the most famous person to come from the town was Aneurin Bevan, usually known as Nye Bevan. Bevan created the National Health Service after seeing how the local miners (of which he was one) created its own health service in miniature, in Tredegar. Tredegar today is a town that after years in decline, is a town that is now building for better things for its future. Looking forward and building on what has been before.
Treharris is a small town and community in the very south of the county of Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. It is located around 1 km west of Trelewis, from which it is separated by the Taff Bargoed river. Treharris includes the villages of Quakers Yard and Edwardsville. Due to steepness and narrowness of the Taff Valley at Treharris several notable bridges and viaducts have been built in the area. The town was formed around Harris's Deep Navigation Colliery, which begun coal mining excavations in 1878, after sinking started in 1872. The colliery and village were named after F. W. Harris and his Harris Navigation Steam Coal Company. Originally known as Harris's Navigation Pits, the Deep Navigation shafts were the deepest at the time in South Wales. The pit became known as Deep Navigation Colliery and remained in production until 1991.
