The main coal deposits in South Wales
lie to the South of the Crickhowell area but there are coal levels which
just come into this corner of Breconshire. It is known that coal was dug
from the hillsides around Llanelly since at least 1600 if not earlier.
By the early years of Queen Victoria's reign there were three collieries
in production in the area.
The
collieries at Gellifelen and Llwyn-y-pwll
employed about a hundred men at this time. There was also another colliery
North of Brynmawr called Ellwoods which
was managed by a Scotsman.
These local collieries produced coal for the local ironworks and also transported coal to Brecon by canal barge. When the local iron smelting finished this was a problem but the building of the railway down the Clydach valley meant that these local collieries could send their coal further afield.
