Gilwern
| Gilwern | |
|---|---|
 A4077in Gilwern | |
  Gilwern Location withinMonmouthshire | |
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Gwent |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
Gilwernis a village within theBrecon Beacons National ParkinMonmouthshire,Wales.Historically inBrecknockshire,it extends to either side of theRiver Clydachon the south side of theUsk valley.Its position beside theMonmouthshire and Brecon Canalled to it being an important industrial centre at one time.
Location
[edit]Gilwern is a village historically in Breconshire now in Monmouthshire about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west ofAbergavenny,close to where theA40 trunk roadand theA465 Heads of the Valleys roadmeet. TheRiver Uskand theMonmouthshire and Brecon Canalare close to the village.[1]Gilwern Hilllies to the south of the village. It is partly tree-clad and has a mast on top.[2]The name of the village translates from theWelshY Gilwern(fromcil-gwern) as "the recess (or bend) of thealders",probably a reference to its position at the point where theClydach Gorgeopens out into the Usk Valley and theRiver Clydachflows into a sharp bend in theRiver Usk.[3]The village is within theLlanellyparish ward ofMonmouthshire County Council.The church of Llanelly, dedicated toSt Elli,is on the hillside above the village, and parts date back to the 12th century.[4]
Notable people
[edit]- Francis Jayne(1845–1921), academic andBishop of Chesterfrom 1889, born in Pant-y-beiliau
- James Edmunds(1882–1962), a Welsh trade unionist and politician.
- Mansel ThomasOBE (1909–1986), a Welsh composer and conductor, died in the town
Industrial history and attractions
[edit]The local area has a history ofironandlimeproduction.[5]The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal, which has a wharf at Gilwern, was built to transportcoal,limestoneand iron products from the surrounding area using a network of tramways and railroads. The Clydach Railroad and the Llam-march Tramroad both serviced the wharf with materials gathered and produced further up theClydach Gorge.Both are still visible, the former being a road and the latter a footpath between Gilwern andClydach.The canal crosses the River Clydach on the Gilwern Aqueduct, an embankment over 90 feet high, just next to Gilwern Wharf.[4]The former Navigation Inn and the Towpath Inn stand on either side of the canal just beyond the aqueduct.[2]
World's Widest Concrete-Spanned Bridge
[edit]Gilwern's precast-concrete arched bridge, on theA465,('Head of Valleys Road'), between Gilwern andBrynmawr,is made of 70 individual units. The bridge structure is believed to be the widest-spanned, pre-cast concrete arched bridge in the world. It has 70 pre-cast units, each weighing, (approximately), 27.5 tons. Its approximated measurements are a total length of 173.4 ft.; a height of 20.6 feet; and a span of 95.9 feet. Three local residents were the first to drive over the bridge when it was formally opened, replacing a former junction, at 14.30 hrs., on Thursday, January 26, 2018.[citation needed]
The precast arch over the canal on theHeyshamtoM6 motorwayLink Road was the previous record holder.
TheUsk Valley Walkpasses through Gilwern.
References
[edit]- ^Concise Road Atlas of Britain.AA. 2016. p. 28.ISBN978-0-7495-7743-8.
- ^abFisher, Stuart (2013).The Canals of Britain: A Comprehensive Guide.A&C Black.p. 141.ISBN978-1-4081-0524-5.
- ^"Guide to Welsh origins of place-names"(PDF).Ordnance Survey.Retrieved29 April2016.
- ^ab"Gilwern".Abergavenny, Monmouthshire.Retrieved29 April2016.
- ^"Clydach Gorge".Historic Landscape Characterisation.Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust.Retrieved29 April2016.
External links
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