Ystalyfera's Pompeii

[Gob]

I'm sorry, but the headline just creased me laughing!

Perfectly preserved former iron site is Ystalyfera's Pompeii


IT was once, probably, the largest of its kind in the world.

And now what has been described as Ystalyfera's Pompeii is revealing its past to archeologists.

For the first time in almost 100 years, the village's former iron works has been uncovered, as experts from the Dyfed Archeological Trust examine the site ahead of a proposed development.

James Meek, the trust's head of field services, said: "We already knew a fair bit about the site, but we have uncovered more than we had hoped for.

"At one time in the 19th century there were 16 blast furnaces.

"To say it was the biggest in the world was possibly a bit of hype at the time, which has entered folklore, but it was certainly the biggest nationally.

"And it probably was the biggest in the world at one point, for a year or two, but things changed all the time.

"We have uncovered the boiler house, the engine house and the furnaces and have some evidence of flues, and it has added greatly to our knowledge."

The iron works were originally developed in the 1830s, and closed in the 1880s.

It later became the site of tin works, and latterly a spoil tip for the Ystalyfera colliery — known locally at the time as the "next week" due to the long time it took in development before it opened.

And it is that waste which has helped to preserve the site.

Ystalyfera councillor Alun Llewelyn said: "What has been uncovered has been buried for the best part of a century, and has added a huge amount to our local knowledge.

"It is part of Ystalyfera's heritage, because the iron works is the main reason it exists as a town.

"By being used as a spoil tip, it has preserved much of the site, which some people are calling Ystalyfera's Pompeii."

The works, which are on the former Dewhurst factory site, are being investigated ahead of a proposed new supermarket for Ystalyfera — believed to be Asda.

After being recorded and lowered — preserving much of the works — some of it will be built over, and preserved for future archeological study.

But developers hope to incorporate some of the boundary walls into the development, and include some of the stone alongside information boards.

Brian Hughes, construction manager with Eatonfield Developments behind the work, said: "We want to give as much back as possible, which is why we have been doing extra work beyond what we needed to do.

"We want to record the site for posterity."

The site will be opened to the public on Tuesday, April 12, between 11am and 3pm, when archaeologists will discuss the finds.

Neath Port Talbot Council's planning department will hold an exhibition of the plans for the proposed supermarket at the community hall on Thursday, April 14, between 4.30 and 7pm.

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