In 1779 the parish minister Edmund Jones described the area thus: "The valley of Tyleri ...
in these warm valleys, with the prospect of the grand high mountains about them would make very delightful habitations." In 1799 clergyman and historian Archdeacon William Coxe toured the area and in writing a diary of his travels described it as "...
In March 2014 Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, officiated at the launch of Jubilee Square, a public facility in the town centre next to St Michael's Church. == Coal mining == Major industry came to the area in 1843 when the locality's first deep coal mine was sunk at Tir Nicholas Farm, Cwmtillery.
It is not known what the population of Abertillery was at the time but it was probably in the very low hundreds, all of whom would have spoken Welsh only. ===From the mid-nineteenth century=== ====Industrialisation==== The area's first deep coal mine was sunk in 1843. =====Collieries in Abertillery===== Six Bells Colliery ====Abertillery Institute==== The first reading rooms were set up in Abertillery in 1856.
It is not known what the population of Abertillery was at the time but it was probably in the very low hundreds, all of whom would have spoken Welsh only. ===From the mid-nineteenth century=== ====Industrialisation==== The area's first deep coal mine was sunk in 1843. =====Collieries in Abertillery===== Six Bells Colliery ====Abertillery Institute==== The first reading rooms were set up in Abertillery in 1856.
However, when Thomas Powell took over the Tillery Colliery in 1882 he made a commitment to establish educational facilities for his workers. ====Local government==== Formed in 1877, Abertillery Urban District Council incorporated the adjoining smaller communities of Six Bells, Cwmtillery, Brynithel, Aberbeeg and Llanhilleth.
Many local people commute outside the area to work. ==Sport, leisure and tourism== Abertillery Town cricket club and Abertillery Blaenau Gwent RFC formed in the 1880s.
However, when Thomas Powell took over the Tillery Colliery in 1882 he made a commitment to establish educational facilities for his workers. ====Local government==== Formed in 1877, Abertillery Urban District Council incorporated the adjoining smaller communities of Six Bells, Cwmtillery, Brynithel, Aberbeeg and Llanhilleth.
Its population rose steeply, being 10,846 in the 1891 census and 21,945 ten years later.
The population peaked just short of 40,000 around the beginning of the 1930s.
The population of this conurbation climbed to almost 40,000 in 1931 making it the second largest town in Monmouthshire.
Just one of the coal mines, Cwmtillery, produced over 32 million tons of coal in its lifetime and at its height employed 2760 men and boys. In 1960 an underground explosion at Six Bells Colliery resulted in the loss of life of 45 local miners.
Until the 1970s the town had its own local authority-run Grammar school providing education up to the age of eighteen.
Prior to 1974 local government was provided by Abertillery Urban District Council (AUDC).
The council was abolished in 1974 as part of major UK wide local government reorganisation. == Transport == The reopening of Abertillery railway station has been identified as a future development of the Ebbw Valley Railway. == Education == Abertillery Learning Community provides all-through education for the town and neighbouring areas.
The resultant landscape painting now hangs in the Museum of Wales in Cardiff. The coal mines remained the predominant economic emphasis until the general run down of the industry in the 1980s. == Abertillery Conurbation == Away from the town centre, the often steep sided nature of the landscape, imposes its own demands on development.
Formerly a major coal mining centre the Abertillery area was transformed in the 1990s using EU and other funding to return to a greener environment. Situated on the A467 the town is north of the M4 and south of the A465 "Heads of the Valleys" trunk road.
It is about by road from Cardiff and from Bristol. According to the 2001 Census and information gathered by The Welsh Language Board (Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg), 1,146 (9.9%) of Abertillery speaks Welsh.
In the 2011 Census, this figure dropped to 7.2%, a 2.7 percentage point drop. == Etymology == The name of the community means "the mouth of the River Tyleri", which flows into the town.
Tertiary education is now provided by Coleg Gwent at Ebbw Vale – opened in 2013. == Industry == There are several small and medium-sized business parks in the area offering a range of business premises.
In March 2014 Prince Edward, the Earl of Wessex, officiated at the launch of Jubilee Square, a public facility in the town centre next to St Michael's Church. == Coal mining == Major industry came to the area in 1843 when the locality's first deep coal mine was sunk at Tir Nicholas Farm, Cwmtillery.
For example, the 2014 population for the wider conurbation area is around 20,000 rather than the 11,000 often quoted for Abertillery itself. Whilst in the main the area has an older housing stock there are several developments of modern, often large homes, generally found on the outskirts of the town with views out over the surrounding area.
In 2014 the largest employer was Tyleri Valley Foods.
These were all included in a Blaenau Gwent Borough Council remodelling and modernisation project using European Union funding in a £13 million programme spread over a 5-year period ending in 2015. The project included a new multi-storey car park, a revamp of public areas and the town's Metropole Theatre.
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