Upper Swansea Valley
Coelbren School

Serving the coal-mining community
In 1894 a school opened at Coelbren in the Upper Swansea Valley to meet the needs of a growing local population of miners in the developing coal pits. Situated in an arc of the Neath and Brecon Railway, the community had for most of the 19th century consisted of a scatter of farms, smallholdings and cottages. The first edition Ordnance Survey map below shows the area around 1890.

The working people of the area sought employment in the local quarries, coalpits and farms and at the tinworks at Abercrave and Ystradgynlais. Some probably also worked on the large estate at nearby Craig-y-Nos.

Coelbren
around 1890

From the
1st Edition
Ordnance Survey
6" Map

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