Ebbw Vale
Encyclopedia
Ebbw Vale is a town at the head of the valley formed by the Ebbw Fawr tributary of the Ebbw River
, south Wales
. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent
county borough
. The Ebbw Vale and Brynmawr
conurbation has a population of roughly 33,000.
with only about 140 inhabitants at the end of the 18th century, Ebbw Vale — and the whole valley — was transformed by the Industrial Revolution
. The Ebbw Vale Iron Works later to become the Ebbw Steel works and opened in 1778, followed by the opening of a number of coal mines around 1790. At its height (1930s — 40s) the steel works in Ebbw Vale was the largest in Europe, attracting attention from German bombers during World War II
. However the deep valley proved difficult to bomb and the plant survived. Ebbw Vale suffered from the decline of the steel and coal industries and there are now no steelworks or mines left in or around the town. In 2003 work began on demolishing the long-standing steelworks, and currently around one to two miles of the valley stands empty awaiting development.
Ebbw Vale hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1958 . The Welsh language
was dominant in the area until the last quarter of the 19th century and remnants of the language (Welsh hymns and pockets of Welsh being spoken in nearby Rhymney
) persisted into the 1970s. The National Eisteddfod returned to Ebbw Vale in 2010 and was sited on the new WORKS site.
In 1992, the town hosted the Ebbw Vale Garden Festival
, the last.
Aneurin Bevan
, the "father" of the National Health Service
, represented Ebbw Vale as a Labour Party
Member of Parliament
(MP) in Parliament
from the 1929 general election
. When he died in 1960, he was succeeded as MP by Michael Foot
. The seat is now called Blaenau Gwent
.
The Ebbw Vale conurbation today is a product of areas which grew during the Industrial Revolution
in the South Wales coalfield
and the South Wales Valleys
as a result of the iron
industry, local ironworks
or have developed as a result of distinct housing areas to serve local industry with workers, they include: Ebbw Vale, Rassau, Garnlydan, Hill Top, Hill Top, Briery Hill, Glyncoed, Willowtown, Glanyrafon, Cwm, Newtown, Victoria, Tyllwyn, Waunlwyd and Ebbw Vale itself. In particular Beaufort and Victoria were the two original iron producing areas.
was the last National Garden Festival
. It was sited on the south side of the recently demolished steel works. The festival ran for five months between 1 May to October 4, 1992 having attracted over 2 million visitors. The development cost around 18 million pounds. Since the festival the site has been renamed Festival Park and has slowly become dilapidated over 16 years due to lack of care and attention. It is now the site of the Festival Park Branded Outlet, a retail outlet comprising approximately forty shops.
in 1958, and again in 2010 in a purpose built part of the £300m steelworks development in the valley. The Gorsedd
Circle opposite the Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre was erected at the time of the 1958 National Eisteddfod.
Level 6. It was open for demonstration at the 2010 2010 Eisteddfod.
The Lime House is a two bed dwelling also designed by Bere Architects and meets Passivhaus and Code for Sustainable Homes
Level 5.
Level 5 and utilising an innovate construction allowing welsh softwood to be used in the fabric of the building.
. Designed by Cardiff University's Design Research Unit and Located on the Hotmill Plateau it was the first building to be completed as part of the redevelopment of the former steelworks site in Ebbw Vale. The centre is located on an ecologically rich site next to the Pumphouse cooling ponds, which have become a haven for wildlife since the closure of the steelworks. It was officially opened by Iolo Williams
and Jane Davidson
AM on 21st May 2010.
The main building is partially opened with an impressive entrance hall and function rooms together with a 4D cinema. Events are being publicised via the General Offices Facebook page
s, two secondary school
s (Glyncoed comprehensive school
& Ebbw Vale Comprehensive School) both covering a large catchment area. Alongside this there is also the Ebbw Vale campus of Coleg Gwent
, a Further Education
college teaching a range of subjects from Mechanics
, Media Studies
, Humanities
to Hairdressing and Beauty therapy. There is also an institute which provides a range of courses for mainly adult learners.
team, Ebbw Vale Rugby Football Club
, that participated in the Celtic League and various European competitions until the restructuring of the Welsh Rugby Union
that took effect from the 2003-04 season, effectively removing any professional rugby representation from the area. The Ebbw Vale rugby team is nicknamed 'The Steelmen' named after the steelworks in the town. These days Ebbw Vale RFC
still compete at a semi-professional level in the WRU Principality Premiership along with the Welsh Cup. In 2007, the club finished 2nd in the Premiership in what was one of their most successful seasons ever.
In 1907 Ebbw Vale RFC switched to professional rugby league
, becoming Ebbw Vale RLFC
. It was the first rugby league club in Wales and the team won the Welsh League
in 1909 and 1910.
Also in the town there is a keen interest in cricket
(of which the town hosted several Glamorgan County Cricket
fixtures until 1996), bowls
, swimming
, and a large host of football and rugby teams at varying levels. Eugene Cross Park is the home of both the town's rugby and cricket clubs. However, cricket predates rugby and Ebbw Vale's first recorded match was played against Blaina
as far back as 1852. During the 19th century the influx of people from the surrounding counties looking for work in the local ironworks
and coal mines gave cricket a boost and in June 1879 "a meeting was held at the Institute to form a cricket club in the town".
In addition to the above the town also has a leisure centre
which hosts facilities ranging from a gym
, sauna
, weights room, indoor 5-a-side football pitches, squash courts and a 33m long, 4m deep swimming pool
with diving board
s.
Ebbw Vale's theatre, the Beaufort Theatre
, is the largest in Blaenau Gwent
.
The town has been the subject of art works by notable painters including Nan Youngman
and L S Lowry; the latter's 1960 Ebbw Vale, on display at the Herbert Art Gallery
in Coventry, numbers among the largest works he ever produced.
began on 6 February 2008,
with trains serving the town from the new Ebbw Vale Parkway railway station
. A second service to Newport and extension to Ebbw Vale Town
is scheduled to begin in 2014.
It was announced on 5th November 2011 that a pilot bus-rail link to newport would be operated for a year starting during 2012. The bus from Newport will connect to the rail station at Rogerstone
Current bus services are:
Ebbw River
The Ebbw River is a river in South Wales.The main Ebbw River is formed by the confluence of the two minor Ebbw rivers, Ebbw Fach, and Ebbw Fawr ....
, south 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...
. It is the largest town and the administrative centre of Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent is a county borough in South Wales, sharing its name with a parliamentary constituency. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and...
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...
. The Ebbw Vale and Brynmawr
Brynmawr
Brynmawr is a market town in Blaenau Gwent, south Wales. The town, sometimes cited as the highest town in Wales, is situated at 1,250 to 1,500 feet above sea level and nestled at the head of the South Wales Valleys...
conurbation has a population of roughly 33,000.
History
Originally a rather insignificant spot in rural MonmouthshireMonmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
with only about 140 inhabitants at the end of the 18th century, Ebbw Vale — and the whole valley — was transformed by the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. The Ebbw Vale Iron Works later to become the Ebbw Steel works and opened in 1778, followed by the opening of a number of coal mines around 1790. At its height (1930s — 40s) the steel works in Ebbw Vale was the largest in Europe, attracting attention from German bombers during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. However the deep valley proved difficult to bomb and the plant survived. Ebbw Vale suffered from the decline of the steel and coal industries and there are now no steelworks or mines left in or around the town. In 2003 work began on demolishing the long-standing steelworks, and currently around one to two miles of the valley stands empty awaiting development.
Ebbw Vale hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1958 . The Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
was dominant in the area until the last quarter of the 19th century and remnants of the language (Welsh hymns and pockets of Welsh being spoken in nearby Rhymney
Rhymney
Rhymney is a town and a community located in the county borough of Caerphilly in south-east Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. Along with the villages of Pontlottyn, Fochriw, Abertysswg, Deri and New Tredegar, Rhymney is designated as the 'Upper Rhymney Valley' by the local...
) persisted into the 1970s. The National Eisteddfod returned to Ebbw Vale in 2010 and was sited on the new WORKS site.
In 1992, the town hosted the Ebbw Vale Garden Festival
Ebbw Vale Garden Festival
The Ebbw Vale Garden Festival of Wales attracted over two million visitors to this small town in South Wales.- What were the National Garden Festivals?:...
, the last.
Aneurin Bevan
Aneurin Bevan
Aneurin "Nye" Bevan was a British Labour Party politician who was the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party from 1959 until his death in 1960. The son of a coal miner, Bevan was a lifelong champion of social justice and the rights of working people...
, the "father" of the National Health Service
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
, represented Ebbw Vale as a Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) in Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
from the 1929 general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. When he died in 1960, he was succeeded as MP by Michael Foot
Michael Foot
Michael Mackintosh Foot, FRSL, PC was a British Labour Party politician, journalist and author, who was a Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1955 and from 1960 until 1992...
. The seat is now called Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent (UK Parliament constituency)
Blaenau Gwent is a county constituency in South Wales, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
.
The Ebbw Vale conurbation today is a product of areas which grew during the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
in the South Wales coalfield
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
and the South Wales Valleys
South Wales Valleys
The South Wales Valleys are a number of industrialised valleys in South Wales, stretching from eastern Carmarthenshire in the west to western Monmouthshire in the east and from the Heads of the Valleys in the north to the lower-lying, pastoral country of the Vale of Glamorgan and the coastal plain...
as a result of the iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
industry, local ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
or have developed as a result of distinct housing areas to serve local industry with workers, they include: Ebbw Vale, Rassau, Garnlydan, Hill Top, Hill Top, Briery Hill, Glyncoed, Willowtown, Glanyrafon, Cwm, Newtown, Victoria, Tyllwyn, Waunlwyd and Ebbw Vale itself. In particular Beaufort and Victoria were the two original iron producing areas.
National Garden Festival of Wales
In 1992 the Ebbw Vale Garden FestivalEbbw Vale Garden Festival
The Ebbw Vale Garden Festival of Wales attracted over two million visitors to this small town in South Wales.- What were the National Garden Festivals?:...
was the last National Garden Festival
National Garden Festival
The National Garden Festivals were part of the cultural regeneration of large areas of derelict land in Britain's industrial districts during the 1980s and early 1990s. Five were held in total - one every two years, each in a different town or city - after the idea was pushed by environment...
. It was sited on the south side of the recently demolished steel works. The festival ran for five months between 1 May to October 4, 1992 having attracted over 2 million visitors. The development cost around 18 million pounds. Since the festival the site has been renamed Festival Park and has slowly become dilapidated over 16 years due to lack of care and attention. It is now the site of the Festival Park Branded Outlet, a retail outlet comprising approximately forty shops.
Eisteddfod
Ebbw Vale hosted the National EisteddfodNational Eisteddfod of Wales
The National Eisteddfod of Wales is the most important of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales.- Organisation :...
in 1958, and again in 2010 in a purpose built part of the £300m steelworks development in the valley. The Gorsedd
Gorsedd
A gorsedd plural gorseddau, is a community or coming together of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is occasionally spelled gorsedh , or goursez in Brittany....
Circle opposite the Ebbw Vale Leisure Centre was erected at the time of the 1958 National Eisteddfod.
Steelworks development
The Ebbw Vale Steelworks site known as "The Works" is being re-developed under a £350 million regeneration project by Blaenau Gwent Council and Welsh Government. It will then have many different uses; housing, retail & office, wetlands, a Learning campus and many other uses. The steelworks closed in 2002 and the land was remediated over a period of approximately 5 years. Outline planning consent was granted in 2007 for a mixed use development. Wales' first all individual bed hospital Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan opened in 2010 and is named after the NHS' founder: Aneurin Bevan..Welsh Future Homes
A small development of four prototype houses have been developed on the site as a pre-cursor to the wider residential development parcels being developed. Following a competition run by the council several plots were developed in time to be demonstrated at the 2010 Eisteddfod which was held on the steelworks site.Larch and Lime House
The Larch house is a three bed property and was designed by Bere Architects and is an extremely energy efficient house meeting both Passivhaus and Code for Sustainable HomesCode for Sustainable Homes
The Code for Sustainable Homes is an environmental impact rating system for housing in England and Wales, setting new standards for energy efficiency and sustainability which are not mandatory under current building regulations but represent important developments towards limiting the...
Level 6. It was open for demonstration at the 2010 2010 Eisteddfod.
The Lime House is a two bed dwelling also designed by Bere Architects and meets Passivhaus and Code for Sustainable Homes
Code for Sustainable Homes
The Code for Sustainable Homes is an environmental impact rating system for housing in England and Wales, setting new standards for energy efficiency and sustainability which are not mandatory under current building regulations but represent important developments towards limiting the...
Level 5.
Ty Unnos
Ty Unnos is a 2 bed property designed by Cardiff University's Design Research Unit. It meets Code for Sustainable HomesCode for Sustainable Homes
The Code for Sustainable Homes is an environmental impact rating system for housing in England and Wales, setting new standards for energy efficiency and sustainability which are not mandatory under current building regulations but represent important developments towards limiting the...
Level 5 and utilising an innovate construction allowing welsh softwood to be used in the fabric of the building.
Blaenau Gwent Learning Zone
A large 13,000sqm "Learning Zone" building is currently under construction due to open in September 2012 with Colleg Gwent offering a very wide range of both academic and vocational courses for post 16 education.The Environmental Resource Centre
The Environmental Resource Centre (ERC) is an educational facility run by Gwent Wildlife TrustGwent Wildlife Trust
Gwent Wildlife Trust is a wildlife trust covering the area between the lower Wye and Rhymney rivers which forms the vice county of Monmouthshire in south-east Wales. It is a registered charity and a member of the Wildlife Trusts Partnership.-History:...
. Designed by Cardiff University's Design Research Unit and Located on the Hotmill Plateau it was the first building to be completed as part of the redevelopment of the former steelworks site in Ebbw Vale. The centre is located on an ecologically rich site next to the Pumphouse cooling ponds, which have become a haven for wildlife since the closure of the steelworks. It was officially opened by Iolo Williams
Iolo Williams
Iolo Tudur Williams is a Welsh nature observer and television presenter, best known for his BBC and S4C nature shows.-Biography:...
and Jane Davidson
Jane Davidson
Jane Davidson, AM was the Labour Assembly Member for Pontypridd and the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing in the Welsh Assembly Government. She lives in Gwaelod-y-Garth with her husband and three children...
AM on 21st May 2010.
General Offices
The General Offices is a grade 2* Listed Building which is undergoing renovation. Built during 1913-15 it formed part of the Steelworks site. A brand new modern extension (contrasting with the original building) officially opened on the 24th October 2010 and houses the The Gwent Archives.The main building is partially opened with an impressive entrance hall and function rooms together with a 4D cinema. Events are being publicised via the General Offices Facebook page
Education
Ebbw Vale currently is host to a selection of primary schools and infant schoolInfant school
An Infant school is a term used primarily in the United Kingdom for school for children between the ages of four and seven years. It is usually a small school serving a particular locality....
s, two secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s (Glyncoed comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
& Ebbw Vale Comprehensive School) both covering a large catchment area. Alongside this there is also the Ebbw Vale campus of Coleg Gwent
Coleg Gwent
Coleg Gwent is Wales' largest further education college.It has more than 35,000 students ranging from secondary school leavers to mature students...
, a Further Education
Further education
Further education is a term mainly used in connection with education in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It is post-compulsory education , that is distinct from the education offered in universities...
college teaching a range of subjects from Mechanics
Mechanics
Mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the behavior of physical bodies when subjected to forces or displacements, and the subsequent effects of the bodies on their environment....
, Media Studies
Media studies
Media studies is an academic discipline and field of study that deals with the content, history and effects of various media; in particular, the 'mass media'. Media studies may draw on traditions from both the social sciences and the humanities, but mostly from its core disciplines of mass...
, Humanities
Humanities
The humanities are academic disciplines that study the human condition, using methods that are primarily analytical, critical, or speculative, as distinguished from the mainly empirical approaches of the natural sciences....
to Hairdressing and Beauty therapy. There is also an institute which provides a range of courses for mainly adult learners.
Sport and culture
Sport features as one of the many reasons for pride in the Ebbw Vale area, including a top flight Welsh Premiership rugby unionRugby 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, Ebbw Vale Rugby Football Club
Ebbw Vale RFC
Ebbw Vale Rugby Football Club is a Welsh Rugby Union Club based in the town of Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, South Wales. The club currently play in the WRU Division One East and the SWALEC Cup. It also acts as a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
, that participated in the Celtic League and various European competitions until the restructuring of the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
that took effect from the 2003-04 season, effectively removing any professional rugby representation from the area. The Ebbw Vale rugby team is nicknamed 'The Steelmen' named after the steelworks in the town. These days Ebbw Vale RFC
Ebbw Vale RFC
Ebbw Vale Rugby Football Club is a Welsh Rugby Union Club based in the town of Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, South Wales. The club currently play in the WRU Division One East and the SWALEC Cup. It also acts as a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons....
still compete at a semi-professional level in the WRU Principality Premiership along with the Welsh Cup. In 2007, the club finished 2nd in the Premiership in what was one of their most successful seasons ever.
In 1907 Ebbw Vale RFC switched to professional 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...
, becoming Ebbw Vale RLFC
Ebbw Vale RLFC
Ebbw Vale Rugby League Football Club was a professional rugby league club based in Ebbw Vale, Wales playing in the Welsh League and Northern Union. Based at Bridge End Field, Ebbw Vale were one of the first professional Welsh teams, and the last to disband in 1912 after the failure of the Welsh...
. It was the first rugby league club in Wales and the team won the Welsh League
Welsh League
The Welsh League was the first club rugby league competition in Wales. Its inaugural season was in 1908/09 when four additional teams were formed to join Ebbw Vale RLFC and Merthyr Tydfil RLFC, which allowed a league tournament to take place...
in 1909 and 1910.
Also in the town there is a keen interest in cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
(of which the town hosted several Glamorgan County Cricket
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
fixtures until 1996), bowls
Bowls
Bowls is a sport in which the objective is to roll slightly asymmetric balls so that they stop close to a smaller "jack" or "kitty". It is played on a pitch which may be flat or convex or uneven...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, and a large host of football and rugby teams at varying levels. Eugene Cross Park is the home of both the town's rugby and cricket clubs. However, cricket predates rugby and Ebbw Vale's first recorded match was played against Blaina
Blaina
Blaina is a small town, situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Brynmawr and Abertillery in the unitary authority of Blaenau Gwent, ancient parish of Aberystruth, preserved county of Gwent and historic county of Monmouthshire.-Notable people:...
as far back as 1852. During the 19th century the influx of people from the surrounding counties looking for work in the local ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
and coal mines gave cricket a boost and in June 1879 "a meeting was held at the Institute to form a cricket club in the town".
In addition to the above the town also has a leisure centre
Leisure centre
A leisure centre in the UK and Canada is a purpose built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people go to keep fit or relax through using the facilities.- Typical Facilities :...
which hosts facilities ranging from a gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
, sauna
Sauna
A sauna is a small room or house designed as a place to experience dry or wet heat sessions, or an establishment with one or more of these and auxiliary facilities....
, weights room, indoor 5-a-side football pitches, squash courts and a 33m long, 4m deep swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
with diving board
Diving board
Diving board may refer to:*Springboard*Diving platform, referred to as a "tower" or sometimes "firm board"...
s.
Ebbw Vale's theatre, the Beaufort Theatre
Beaufort Theatre
The Beaufort Theatre is the principal theatre in Blaenau Gwent, located in Ebbw Vale.It is part of the Blaenau Gwent Venues which also includes The Market Hall Cinema, Metropole Theatre and Abertillery Community Theatre. It has a 338 seater auditorium and also has a Ballroom...
, is the largest in Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent
Blaenau Gwent is a county borough in South Wales, sharing its name with a parliamentary constituency. It borders the unitary authority areas of Monmouthshire and Torfaen to the east, Caerphilly to the west and Powys to the north. Its main towns are Abertillery, Brynmawr, Ebbw Vale and...
.
The town has been the subject of art works by notable painters including Nan Youngman
Nan Youngman
Nancy Mayhew Youngman OBE, was an English painter and educationalist: born Maidstone, Kent 28 June 1906; died Cambridge 17 April 1995. Youngman is remembered primarily as a painter, but from before the war to the mid-1960s she was an influential figure in art education, as a teacher, an author and...
and L S Lowry; the latter's 1960 Ebbw Vale, on display at the Herbert Art Gallery
Herbert Art Gallery and Museum
Herbert Art Gallery & Museum is a museum, art gallery, records archive, learning centre and creative arts facility on Jordan Well, Coventry, United Kingdom....
in Coventry, numbers among the largest works he ever produced.
Transport
A railway service to Cardiff CentralCardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
began on 6 February 2008,
with trains serving the town from the new Ebbw Vale Parkway railway station
Ebbw Vale Parkway railway station
Ebbw Vale Parkway railway station is the current terminus of the Ebbw Valley Railway. The station opened on 6 February 2008 when services to and from Cardiff Central commenced after 46 years of being a freight-only line...
. A second service to Newport and extension to Ebbw Vale Town
Ebbw Vale Town railway station
Ebbw Vale Town station has been identified as a possible future terminus for the Ebbw Valley Railway.Under the proposals of stage two of the project a half-hourly service would be introduced and a two-platform station would be built to act as the northern terminus of the line close to the old...
is scheduled to begin in 2014.
It was announced on 5th November 2011 that a pilot bus-rail link to newport would be operated for a year starting during 2012. The bus from Newport will connect to the rail station at Rogerstone
Current bus services are:
| Number | Service (From/To) | General Details | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Newport Newport Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent... bus station Newport bus station Newport bus station is a bus terminus located in the city centre, Newport, South Wales. It is the largest road transport hub for public services in the county.-Layout:... to Ebbw Vale |
Mon to Sat (every 60 mins) | Stagecoach Wales Stagecoach Wales Stagecoach in South Wales is the trading name for Stagecoach in the south east Wales region. The operations centre around the South Wales Valleys, Cardiff and Newport.The head office is in Cwmbran... |
| 52 | Ebbw Vale Circular | Mon/Thu/Fri (3 trips) | Scrivens |
| 321 | Aberdare to Bradford Bradford Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897... |
Mon to Sun (1 trip) | National Express National Express National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,... |
| B4 | Gaer to Brecon Brecon Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre... |
Summer Only, Sun (1 trip) | Bebb Travel |
| E 2 | Ebbw Vale (Town Centre to Hilltop) | Mon to Sat (every 30 mins) | Red and White |
| E3 | Ebbw Vale to Brynmawr Brynmawr Brynmawr is a market town in Blaenau Gwent, south Wales. The town, sometimes cited as the highest town in Wales, is situated at 1,250 to 1,500 feet above sea level and nestled at the head of the South Wales Valleys... |
Mon to Sat (every 30 mins) | Stagecoach Wales Stagecoach Wales Stagecoach in South Wales is the trading name for Stagecoach in the south east Wales region. The operations centre around the South Wales Valleys, Cardiff and Newport.The head office is in Cwmbran... |
| E4 | Ebbw Vale to Abertillery Abertillery Abertillery is a town in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in South Wales, north-west of Newport, originally on the Great Western Railway. Its population rose steeply during the period of mining development in South Wales, being 10,846 in the 1891 census and 21,945 ten years later... |
Mon to Sat (every 30 mins) | Stagecoach Wales Stagecoach Wales Stagecoach in South Wales is the trading name for Stagecoach in the south east Wales region. The operations centre around the South Wales Valleys, Cardiff and Newport.The head office is in Cwmbran... |
| E8 | Ebbw Vale to Garn Lydan | Mon to Sat (every 30 mins) | Red and White |
| E11 | Tredegar Tredegar Tredegar is a town situated on the Sirhowy River in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, in south-east Wales. Located within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it became an early centre of the Industrial Revolution in South Wales... to Ebbw Vale |
Mon to Sat (every 60 mins) | Clarkes |
| X4 | Abergavenny Abergavenny Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches... to Cardiff Cardiff Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for... Central Station Cardiff Central bus station Cardiff Central bus station is the main bus transport interchange in Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. With 34 stands, it is the largest bus station in the city and in Wales. It is located adjacent to Cardiff Central railway station forming a major bus-rail-cycle-taxi interchange.The station used... |
Mon to Sat (every 30 mins) | Stagecoach Wales Stagecoach Wales Stagecoach in South Wales is the trading name for Stagecoach in the south east Wales region. The operations centre around the South Wales Valleys, Cardiff and Newport.The head office is in Cwmbran... |
| X4 | Tredegar to Abergavenny | Mon to Sat (3 trips) / Sun (5 trips) | Clarkes |
| X18 | Ebbw Vale to Newport city centre | Mon to Sat (every 60 mins) | Red and White |
Notable people
- For full list, see :Category:People from Ebbw Vale
- Jeff BanksJeff BanksJeff Banks CBE is a Welsh designer of men's and women's clothing, jewellery, and home furnishings. Born in Ebbw Vale, Wales, Banks co-founded the fashion chain Warehouse in the late 1970s...
, fashion designer - Michael FootMichael FootMichael Mackintosh Foot, FRSL, PC was a British Labour Party politician, journalist and author, who was a Member of Parliament from 1945 to 1955 and from 1960 until 1992...
, served as Member of ParliamentMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Ebbw Vale constituency from 1960–1992 - Nicky GristNicky GristNicky Grist is a Welsh former rally co-driver, born in Ebbw Vale. His factory team career in the World Rally Championship lasted from 1993 to 2002. He won 21 rallies and one World championship titles, with more than one driver....
, rally co-driver - Steve JonesSteve Jones (athlete)Steve Jones is a Welsh athlete and former world marathon record holder.Steve Jones was born in St James' Hospital Tredegar and grew up in the neighbouring town of Ebbw Vale, Wales, Jones began his career as an aircraft technician in the Royal Air Force...
, athlete, world marathon record holder - Jemima PhillipsJemima Phillips-Biography:Born in North London, her father Robert was an arboriculturist in the London Borough of Camden, and her mother, Jenny, an actress who starred in Steptoe and Son and was once in a film with Ronnie Barker...
, harpist - Victor SpinettiVictor SpinettiVictor Spinetti is a Welsh comic actor.-Early life:Spinetti was born in Cwm, Ebbw Vale, Wales of Welsh and Italian heritage from a grandfather who was said to have walked from Italy to Wales to work as a coal miner...
, actor, born in Cwm - Mark WilliamsMark Williams (snooker player)Mark James Williams, MBE is a Welsh professional snooker player who has been World Champion twice, in 2000 and 2003. Often noted for his single-ball potting, he has earned the nickname, The Welsh Potting Machine...
, snooker player - Nathan WyburnNathan WyburnNathan Wyburn is a Welsh artist, well known for his celebrity portraits using Marmite on toast.-Early years:Nathan Wyburn was born on 24 October 1989 in Abergavenny, South Wales and grew up nearby in Ebbw Vale...
, Britain's Got Talent (series 5)Britain's Got Talent (series 5)The fifth series of Britain's Got Talent began on 16 April 2011 and ended on 4 June 2011. The winner of the show was Jai McDowall, who received £100,000 and a place at the 2011 Royal Variety Performance. The show was hosted by Ant & Dec on ITV, while Stephen Mulhern presented Britain's Got More...
Artist
- Jeff Banks
Interesting facts
- 44,000 red engineeringEngineeringEngineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
brickBrickA brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
s from Beaufort are said to support the Empire State BuildingEmpire State BuildingThe Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
but this has not been confirmed. - SouthamptonSouthamptonSouthampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
DocksDock (maritime)A dock is a human-made structure or group of structures involved in the handling of boats or ships, usually on or close to a shore.However, the exact meaning varies among different variants of the English language...
stand on the crushed slagSlagSlag is a partially vitreous by-product of smelting ore to separate the metal fraction from the unwanted fraction. It can usually be considered to be a mixture of metal oxides and silicon dioxide. However, slags can contain metal sulfides and metal atoms in the elemental form...
(cooled impurities from iron making) from Beaufort Ironworks. - The world's first steelSteelSteel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
railRail tracksThe track on a railway or railroad, also known as the permanent way, is the structure consisting of the rails, fasteners, sleepers and ballast , plus the underlying subgrade...
was rolled at Ebbw Vale in 1857. - The rails for the Stockton and Darlington RailwayStockton and Darlington RailwayThe Stockton and Darlington Railway , which opened in 1825, was the world's first publicly subscribed passenger railway. It was 26 miles long, and was built in north-eastern England between Witton Park and Stockton-on-Tees via Darlington, and connected to several collieries near Shildon...
were made at Ebbw Vale.