Clydach, Brecknockshire
| Clydach | |
| Brecknockshire | |
|---|---|
 Clydach Gorge | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SO225128 |
| Location: | 51°48’31"N, 3°7’32"W |
| Data | |
| Post town: | Abergavenny |
| Postcode: | NP7 |
| Dialling code: | 01873 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Monmouthshire |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Monmouth |
Clydach is a village in southern Brecknockshire near the border with Monmouthshire. Its nearest neighbours are the village of Gilwern and town of Abergavenny. It is split by the A465 road (the 'Heads of the Valleys road') into North Clydach and South Clydach.
Industrial Heritage
Historically its main industry was based around the ironworks on the south side of the valley which have long since closed.
Local walks
The area around the village is popular for hillwalking with many routes tracing the beauty of the nearby Clydach Gorge, and the old trackbed of the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway is a cycleway and walkway and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal can be walked or travelled by narrow boat.
There is a picnic site and caravan park alongside the River Clydach, easily reached from the A465 Heads of the Valleys road. The ironworks are some 300 yards away, across the river. The ironworks were built during the late 18th century and are a Scheduled Ancient Monument. There are also limeworks.
The area is within the Brecon Beacons National Park close to the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site and not far from Big Pit National Coal Museum. Clydach Gorge has been designated a SSSI.
Notable people
- Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, 1st Baronet, (1815–1884), a British colonial administrator, was born at Clydach House, the son of Edward Frere, manager of Clydach Ironworks.
Outside links
- Caves in the Clydach Gorge area
- Walks in the Clydach Gorge area
- Monmouthshire Council Clydach Site
- Clydach-Gilwern-Llanelly Hill community website excellent photos
- Old photos of Clydach
- Photograph of Clydach Gorge
- Photograph of the ironworks
- Photograph of the ironworks
- Photograph of the ironworks
- Photograph of the limeworks