Abertillery

Abertillery Welsh: Abertyleri
Monmouthshire
From the back of Adam Street in Abertillery
Location
Grid reference:	SO215045
Location:	51°43’48"N, 3°7’48"W
Data
Population:	11,528  (2001)
Post town:	Abertillery
Postcode:	NP13
Dialling code:	01495
Local Government
Council:	Blaenau Gwent
Parliamentary constituency:	Blaenau Gwent

Abertillery is a town in the ancient parish of Aberystruth, Monmouthshire, 16 miles north-west of the City of Newport. The name is from the Welsh language: Abertyleri meaning "mouth of the river Tyleri".

Abertillery was once a stop on the Great Western Railway, and throve with mining, aided by the rail link. Its population rose steeply during the period of mining development in Monmouthshire and Glamorgan; at the 1891 census the population stood at 10,846 and it was 21,945 ten years later. Lying in the mountainous mining district of Monmouthshire, in the valley of the Ebbw Fach, the population was traditionally employed in the numerous coal-mines, ironworks and tin-plate 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. Today, its population numbers just over 11,000 and is thought to be declining. In 2003, Abertillery was found to have the cheapest houses in the United Kingdom, according to a survey by the Halifax, with an average price of only £37,872. Noted for its unspoilt rural scenery, Abertillery neighbours the small districts of Aberbeeg, Llanhilleth, Cwmtillery, and Six Bells.

Over the past couple of decades the town has been transformed from an industrial relic into the clean, modernised area it is today – this has largely been achieved due to large amounts of European Union Objective One funding which has helped the town remove unsightly reminders of the industrial past. Many of these areas have been utilised as playing fields, business parks or mixed use land (including the local comprehensive school). A complete regeneration of the town centre is planned for 2012-2013.

The town's name is pronounced with the emphasis on the penultimate syllable, i.e. it rhymes with Mary, as in a song made popular by Welsh entertainer Ryan Davies: "Blodwen and Mary from Abertillery..."

The reopening of Abertillery railway station has been identified as a potential future development of the Ebbw Valley Railway.

According to the 2001 census and information gathered by The Welsh Language Board, just 9.9% of Abertillery speaks Welsh.

Sport

• Cricket: Abertillery Town Cricket Club, formed in the 1880s
• Rugby union: Abertillery RFC, also formed in the mid-1880s
• Football:
  • Abertillery Bluebirds FC
  • Abertillery Excelsiors.

Outside links

• Abertillery Online
• BBC On This Day item about Six Bells
• Abertillery Bluebirds Football Club
• Pictures of Abertillery and the area on Geograph.co.uk