Aberavon
Encyclopedia
Aberavon is a settlement in Neath Port Talbot
county borough
, Wales
. The town
derived its name from being near the mouth of the river Afan
, which also gave its name to a medieval lordship. Today it is essentially a district of Port Talbot
, covering the central and south western part of the town. Aberavon is also the name of the nearby Blue Flag
beach
and the parish
covering the same area.
conquest of Glamorgan
, Caradog, the eldest son of the defeated Welsh prince, Iestyn ab Gwrgant, continued to hold this lordship, and for the defence of the passage of the river built a castle
whose foundations now lie underneath the streets around St Mary's church. His descendants (who from the 13th century onwards styled themselves De Avan or D'Avene) established, under line protection of the castle, a chartered town, which in 1372 received a further charter
from Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer
, into whose family the lordship had come on an exchange of lands. In modern times these charters were not acted upon, the town being deemed a borough
by prescription, but in 1861 it was incorporated
under the Municipal Corporations Act.
Aberavon was the birthplace of Dic Penderyn
, a key figure in the Merthyr Rising of 1831. St Mary's Church is the site of his grave.
From 1832 Aberavon belonged to the Swansea parliamentary district of boroughs, uniting with Kenfig
, Loughor
, Neath
and Swansea to return one member; since 1918 it has had its own constituency. Its most famous MP was Ramsay MacDonald
.
In the 1950s many of the sand dunes of Aberavon Beach
disappeared as part of the development of the Sandfields
estate, at this time a 1.25 mile sea wall was built primarily for sea defences. The estate was built to accommodate the growing population, especially the families of workers at the new Port Talbot Steelworks
.
Aberavon hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1932 and 1966.
are a rugby union
team, and play in the Welsh Premier Division
.
Aberavon Quins RFC
are a rugby union club based at Harlequin Road and play their rugby in the WRU Division Two West
league.
Aberavon Green Stars RFC
are a rugby club based in Sitwell Way Aberavon. http://www.welshicons.org.uk/html/aberavon_green_stars_rfc.php
Afan Lido F.C.
is a football
team, playing in the Macron Welsh League Division One
.
One of Aberavon's rugby league
clubs is called the Aberavon Fighting Irish and play in the Welsh Conference Premier
.
Industrial Park lies on a stretch of Baglan Moors in the parish of Aberavon south east of the Baglan Energy Park and immediately northwest of Neath Port Talbot Hospital
. It is sandwiched between the M4 Motorway
and Afan Way (A4241
). Current occupants include Morrisons
, Lidl
, KFC
, Focus DIY, Dreams
, Pound Stretcher, Pets at Home & Halfords
superstores and a Warburtons
bread factory in premises which were previously occupied by Panasonic
.
.
Aberavon is bounded by the wards of Sandfields West
and Sandfields East
to the southwest; Baglan
to the north; Port Talbot
to the east and Margam
to the south. The ward boundaries can be defined by the roads surrounding it which are the M4 Motorway
to the north east; the A4241
to the north west; Afan Way to the southwest and the River Afan
to the south east.
The Aberavon ward can be roughly divided into two parts. There is the residential area to the southeastern part of the ward beside the River Afan
. The north western area consists of areas of industrial estate land called the Baglan Industrial Park which includes a number of out of town retail premises as well as business and manufacturing premises.
In the 2008 local council elections
, the electorate turnout for Aberavon was 39.17%. The results were:
Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot is a county borough and one of the unitary authority areas of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most populous county in Wales and the third most populous county borough....
county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
derived its name from being near the mouth of the river Afan
River Afan
The River Afan is a river in southwest Wales whose river valley formed the territory of the medieval Lords of Afan. The town of Aberavon grew up on the banks of the river, and was later subsumed by the larger centre of population known as Port Talbot...
, which also gave its name to a medieval lordship. Today it is essentially a district of Port Talbot
Port Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
, covering the central and south western part of the town. Aberavon is also the name of the nearby Blue Flag
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
beach
Aberavon Beach
Aberavon Beach, also known as Aberavon Sands is three-mile stretch of sandy beach located on the north-eastern edge of Swansea Bay in Sandfields, Port Talbot, Wales. With its high breaker waves, it is popular with surfers...
and the parish
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
covering the same area.
History
On the NormansNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
conquest of Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
, Caradog, the eldest son of the defeated Welsh prince, Iestyn ab Gwrgant, continued to hold this lordship, and for the defence of the passage of the river built a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
whose foundations now lie underneath the streets around St Mary's church. His descendants (who from the 13th century onwards styled themselves De Avan or D'Avene) established, under line protection of the castle, a chartered town, which in 1372 received a further charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
from Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer
Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer
Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer, KG was the son of another Edward le Despenser and Anne, the sister of Henry, Lord Ferrers of Groby. He succeeded as Lord of Glamorgan in 1349.Le Despencer went with Edward the Black Prince to France, and was present at the Battle of Poitiers...
, into whose family the lordship had come on an exchange of lands. In modern times these charters were not acted upon, the town being deemed a borough
Borough
A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
by prescription, but in 1861 it was incorporated
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
under the Municipal Corporations Act.
Aberavon was the birthplace of Dic Penderyn
Dic Penderyn
Richard Lewis, better known as Dic Penderyn , was a Welsh labourer and coal miner who was involved with the Merthyr Rising of June 3, 1831. In the course of the riot he was arrested alongside Lewis Lewis, one of the primary figures in the uprising, and charged with stabbing a soldier with a bayonet...
, a key figure in the Merthyr Rising of 1831. St Mary's Church is the site of his grave.
From 1832 Aberavon belonged to the Swansea parliamentary district of boroughs, uniting with Kenfig
Kenfig
Kenfig is a village and former borough in Bridgend, Wales.The borough contributed with other Glamorgan towns to sending a member of parliament to Westminster until the Reform Act of 1832...
, Loughor
Loughor
Loughor is a town in the City and County of Swansea, Wales, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales. It lies on the estuary of the River Loughor. The town has a community council called Llwchwr....
, Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
and Swansea to return one member; since 1918 it has had its own constituency. Its most famous MP was Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
.
In the 1950s many of the sand dunes of Aberavon Beach
Aberavon Beach
Aberavon Beach, also known as Aberavon Sands is three-mile stretch of sandy beach located on the north-eastern edge of Swansea Bay in Sandfields, Port Talbot, Wales. With its high breaker waves, it is popular with surfers...
disappeared as part of the development of the Sandfields
Sandfields, Port Talbot
Sandfields is a mainly residential district of Port Talbot, Wales. The area is located in South Wales on a narrow coastal plain between Mynydd Dinas and the sea. The M4 motorway, A48 trunk road and South Wales Main Line run nearby...
estate, at this time a 1.25 mile sea wall was built primarily for sea defences. The estate was built to accommodate the growing population, especially the families of workers at the new Port Talbot Steelworks
Port Talbot Steelworks
Port Talbot Steelworks is an integrated steel production plant in Port Talbot, Wales capable of producing nearly 5 million tonnes of steel slab per annum. The majority of the slab is rolled on-site at Port Talbot and at the Newport Llanwern site to make a variety of steel strip products. The...
.
Aberavon hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1932 and 1966.
Sport
Aberavon RFCAberavon RFC
Aberavon RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, although the club's name refers to the older settlement of Aberavon which lies on the western side of the town...
are a rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team, and play in the Welsh Premier Division
Welsh Premier Division
The Welsh Premier Division is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union for the 1990–91 season.-Competition history:...
.
Aberavon Quins RFC
Aberavon Quins RFC
Aberavon Harlequins RFC is a Welsh rugby union team located in the Fairfield area of Port Talbot, and just a few minutes away from the town centre & Aberavon. In 1955 the team applied for and were successful in gaining membership to the Welsh Rugby Union. Today the club is a feeder club for the...
are a rugby union club based at Harlequin Road and play their rugby in the WRU Division Two West
WRU Division Two West
The Welsh Rugby Union Division Two West is a rugby union league in Wales.- Competition:There are 12 clubs in the WRU Division Two West...
league.
Aberavon Green Stars RFC
Aberavon Green Stars RFC
Aberavon Green Stars Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Aberavon, Wales, UK. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys...
are a rugby club based in Sitwell Way Aberavon. http://www.welshicons.org.uk/html/aberavon_green_stars_rfc.php
Afan Lido F.C.
Afan Lido F.C.
Afan Lido F.C. is a football team based in Aberavon playing in the Welsh Premier League.-History:The club was founded in 1967, and they play at the Marston Stadium, Aberavon, which accommodates 4200 spectators .-Current squad:...
is a football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
team, playing in the Macron Welsh League Division One
Welsh Football League First Division
The Welsh Football League Division One, known as the MacWhirter Welsh League First Division for sponsorship reasons, is a football league in Wales...
.
One of Aberavon's rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
clubs is called the Aberavon Fighting Irish and play in the Welsh Conference Premier
Rugby League Conference
The Rugby League Conference , was a series of regionally based divisions of amateur rugby league teams spread throughout England, Scotland and Wales.The RLC was founded as the 10-team Southern Conference League in 1997, with teams from the southern midlands and the...
.
Baglan Industrial Park
The Baglan BayBaglan Bay
Baglan Bay is a part of the Swansea Bay coastline and a district of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. The area currently has no inhabitants and is entirely occupied by industrial and commercial developments. Baglan Bay is also the name of a local government community coterminous with the...
Industrial Park lies on a stretch of Baglan Moors in the parish of Aberavon south east of the Baglan Energy Park and immediately northwest of Neath Port Talbot Hospital
Neath Port Talbot Hospital
Neath Port Talbot Hospital is a major acute secondary care 270 bed hospital located in Port Talbot, Wales. It is sited on Baglan Moors beside Afan Way.It was built to replace the demolished Neath Hospital...
. It is sandwiched between the M4 Motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
and Afan Way (A4241
A4241 road
The A4241 is a distributor road serving Port Talbot, Wales.-Route:The A4241 begins at the Sunnycroft roundabout in Baglan near Baglan railway station traversing Seaway Parade in a south westerly direction, where it serves the Baglan Bay area and the Baglan Energy Park, until the junction with Afan...
). Current occupants include Morrisons
Morrisons
Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
, Lidl
Lidl
Lidl is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that operates over 7,200 stores across Europe. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG...
, KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Focus DIY, Dreams
Dreams (bed retailer)
Dreams is a UK bed retailer and manufacturer with over 200 stores throughout the United Kingdom. Its head office is located in Loudwater, High Wycombe.-1980s:In 1985 Mike Clare opened the 'Sofa-bed' shop in Uxbridge...
, Pound Stretcher, Pets at Home & Halfords
Halfords
Halfords Group plc is a leading retailer of car parts, car enhancements and bicycles operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Czech Republic and more recently in Poland, although it is currently pulling out of the latter two countries...
superstores and a Warburtons
Warburtons
Warburtons is a British baking firm based founded by Thomas Warburton in 1876 in Bolton, then in Lancashire, now in Greater Manchester, England. For much of its history Warburtons only had bakeries in Lancashire and it remains a family-owned company....
bread factory in premises which were previously occupied by Panasonic
Panasonic
Panasonic is an international brand name for Japanese electric products manufacturer Panasonic Corporation, which was formerly known as Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd...
.
Government and politics
The electoral ward of Aberavon is coterminous with district of Aberavon and is a part of the parliamentary constituency of AberavonAberavon (UK Parliament constituency)
Aberavon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system.-History:...
.
Aberavon is bounded by the wards of Sandfields West
Sandfields West
Sandfields West is an electoral ward and a community of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. It is part of the parliamentary constituency of Aberavon....
and Sandfields East
Sandfields East
Sandfields East is an electoral ward and a community of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. It is part of the parliamentary constituency of Aberavon....
to the southwest; Baglan
Baglan (electoral ward)
The Baglan electoral ward includes the communities of Baglan and Baglan Bay, in Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. Baglan falls within the parliamentary constituency of Aberavon....
to the north; Port Talbot
Port Talbot (electoral ward)
The electoral ward of Port Talbot in Neath Port Talbot county borough covers the town centre of Port Talbot and the district of Pen-y-cae. The rest of the ward to the east consists of grassland and woodland...
to the east and Margam
Margam
Margam is a suburb of Port Talbot in the Welsh county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, close to junction 39 of the M4 motorway.- History :...
to the south. The ward boundaries can be defined by the roads surrounding it which are the M4 Motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
to the north east; the A4241
A4241 road
The A4241 is a distributor road serving Port Talbot, Wales.-Route:The A4241 begins at the Sunnycroft roundabout in Baglan near Baglan railway station traversing Seaway Parade in a south westerly direction, where it serves the Baglan Bay area and the Baglan Energy Park, until the junction with Afan...
to the north west; Afan Way to the southwest and the River Afan
River Afan
The River Afan is a river in southwest Wales whose river valley formed the territory of the medieval Lords of Afan. The town of Aberavon grew up on the banks of the river, and was later subsumed by the larger centre of population known as Port Talbot...
to the south east.
The Aberavon ward can be roughly divided into two parts. There is the residential area to the southeastern part of the ward beside the River Afan
River Afan
The River Afan is a river in southwest Wales whose river valley formed the territory of the medieval Lords of Afan. The town of Aberavon grew up on the banks of the river, and was later subsumed by the larger centre of population known as Port Talbot...
. The north western area consists of areas of industrial estate land called the Baglan Industrial Park which includes a number of out of town retail premises as well as business and manufacturing premises.
In the 2008 local council elections
United Kingdom local elections, 2008
The 2008 United Kingdom local elections were held on 1 May 2008. These elections took place in 137 English Local Authorities and all Welsh Councils....
, the electorate turnout for Aberavon was 39.17%. The results were:
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthony Taylor | Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Party (UK, 1990) The Social Democratic Party is a small political party in the United Kingdom. It traces its origin to the Social Democratic Party that was formed in 1981 by a group of dissident Labour Party politicians, all Members of Parliament or former MPs: Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley... |
893 | Social Democratic Party hold |
| Jeff Dinham | Social Democratic Party | 755 | Social Democratic Party hold |
| John Sullivan | Social Democratic Party | 730 | Social Democratic Party hold |
| Arthur Howells | Labour | 389 | |
| John Sparkes | Labour | 376 | |
| Barbara Trahar | Labour | 331 |