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EspañolBLACKWOOD, CAERPHILLY
(Redirected from Blackwood, Wales)
'Blackwood' (Welsh: ''Coed Duon'') is a small town in south Wales on the River Sirhowy. Its unusually wide main street — built to accommodate a tramway that formerly ran through the town centre — has led to it becoming a retail centre for the surrounding region, though the destruction of the mining industry under the Conservative Government of Margaret Thatcher (1979-1990) has given the area an air of general decline.
Blackwood was founded in the early nineteenth century by local colliery owner John Hodder Moggridge, who lived at nearby Woodfield Park Estate: the first houses in Blackwood were built by Moggridge to accommodate his mine workers and, for the time, his practice of leasing the buildings and land for growing food was considered an enlightened social experiment in the provision of housing to the working classes. The homes were considered of a high contemporary standard for the proletariat.
Deplorable working conditions at the time of the Industrial Revolution, however, led to Blackwood becoming a centre of Chartist organisation. The South Wales Chartist leaders John Frost, Zephaniah Williams — a Blackwood man — and William Williams met regularly at the Coach and Horses public house in Blackwood planning their march on Newport, intended to coincide with a Britain-wide 'revolution' against the Government in 1839.
When the insurrection erupted in November, a large contingent of insurgents gathered at Blackwood. Upon meeting their comrades from the upper Sirhowy Valley, the rebels armed themselves and marched on Newport to take the town and demand the adoption of the People's Charter. However, the South Wales Movement were the only ones to march and the rising failed and its leaders were sentenced to death (later commuted to deportation to Tasmania).
In 1912 the Titanic's distress signals were picked up by amateur wireless enthusiast Arthur (Artie) Moore who resided at the Old Mill, Gelligroes, just outside the town. Artie Moore went on to work as a senior scientist for Marconi and was involved with the invention of the transistor for telecommunications.
Finally, the former Penllwyn House on the outskirts of the town — now a pub — was originally part of the Tredegar Estates and is believed to be the original home of the family of Henry Morgan, privateer and Governor of Jamaica. The town is home to the Maes Manor Hotel, located in a grand old manor-house known as Maesrudded. The house was formerly home to the Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire.
Blackwood has made notable contributions to music — both in Wales and globally — since the 1980s: childhood friends James Dean Bradfield, Richey James Edwards, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire all grew up in the town and attended Oakdale Comprehensive school nearby, forming the influential rock band Manic Street Preachers. Bradfield and Wire have since also released solo material. Songdog are another notable local act; rock singer Steve Strange hails from Blackwood, as does David Alexander and opera singer Dame Margaret Price.
In the field of literature, Blackwood produced playwright Patrick Jones, whose work draws much inspiration from local experiences and culture, most notably the tradition of working class defiance which stretches back to the Chartists and the formation of the town. Jones established a Writers Group at the local Miners' Institute to encourage local young people to develop their writing talent. In addition, the author Siobhan Dowd lived in Blackwood between 2000 and 2003.
In sport, Blackwood has rugby union and rugby league sides, both of whom play at Glan-Yr-Afon Park. The rugby union side is Blackwood RFC and were established in 1889. The rugby league club is called the Blackwood Bulldogs and plays in the Welsh Conference Premier. Rugby players Alun Pask and Alun Lewis both hail from the town.
The recent Chartist Bridge (which gives easier access to Oakdale and surrounding places) has become famous around the area for its magnificant style and construction.
The Bus Station, which links Blackwood to a lot of surrounding areas as the town does not have a railway station, has had a make-over, giving Blackwood a more Contemporary feel.
★ Monumental Inscriptions for Libanus Baptist Chapel
'Blackwood' (Welsh: ''Coed Duon'') is a small town in south Wales on the River Sirhowy. Its unusually wide main street — built to accommodate a tramway that formerly ran through the town centre — has led to it becoming a retail centre for the surrounding region, though the destruction of the mining industry under the Conservative Government of Margaret Thatcher (1979-1990) has given the area an air of general decline.
| Contents |
| History |
| Contemporary Blackwood |
| External links |
History
Blackwood was founded in the early nineteenth century by local colliery owner John Hodder Moggridge, who lived at nearby Woodfield Park Estate: the first houses in Blackwood were built by Moggridge to accommodate his mine workers and, for the time, his practice of leasing the buildings and land for growing food was considered an enlightened social experiment in the provision of housing to the working classes. The homes were considered of a high contemporary standard for the proletariat.
Deplorable working conditions at the time of the Industrial Revolution, however, led to Blackwood becoming a centre of Chartist organisation. The South Wales Chartist leaders John Frost, Zephaniah Williams — a Blackwood man — and William Williams met regularly at the Coach and Horses public house in Blackwood planning their march on Newport, intended to coincide with a Britain-wide 'revolution' against the Government in 1839.
When the insurrection erupted in November, a large contingent of insurgents gathered at Blackwood. Upon meeting their comrades from the upper Sirhowy Valley, the rebels armed themselves and marched on Newport to take the town and demand the adoption of the People's Charter. However, the South Wales Movement were the only ones to march and the rising failed and its leaders were sentenced to death (later commuted to deportation to Tasmania).
In 1912 the Titanic's distress signals were picked up by amateur wireless enthusiast Arthur (Artie) Moore who resided at the Old Mill, Gelligroes, just outside the town. Artie Moore went on to work as a senior scientist for Marconi and was involved with the invention of the transistor for telecommunications.
Finally, the former Penllwyn House on the outskirts of the town — now a pub — was originally part of the Tredegar Estates and is believed to be the original home of the family of Henry Morgan, privateer and Governor of Jamaica. The town is home to the Maes Manor Hotel, located in a grand old manor-house known as Maesrudded. The house was formerly home to the Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire.
Contemporary Blackwood
Blackwood has made notable contributions to music — both in Wales and globally — since the 1980s: childhood friends James Dean Bradfield, Richey James Edwards, Sean Moore and Nicky Wire all grew up in the town and attended Oakdale Comprehensive school nearby, forming the influential rock band Manic Street Preachers. Bradfield and Wire have since also released solo material. Songdog are another notable local act; rock singer Steve Strange hails from Blackwood, as does David Alexander and opera singer Dame Margaret Price.
In the field of literature, Blackwood produced playwright Patrick Jones, whose work draws much inspiration from local experiences and culture, most notably the tradition of working class defiance which stretches back to the Chartists and the formation of the town. Jones established a Writers Group at the local Miners' Institute to encourage local young people to develop their writing talent. In addition, the author Siobhan Dowd lived in Blackwood between 2000 and 2003.
In sport, Blackwood has rugby union and rugby league sides, both of whom play at Glan-Yr-Afon Park. The rugby union side is Blackwood RFC and were established in 1889. The rugby league club is called the Blackwood Bulldogs and plays in the Welsh Conference Premier. Rugby players Alun Pask and Alun Lewis both hail from the town.
The recent Chartist Bridge (which gives easier access to Oakdale and surrounding places) has become famous around the area for its magnificant style and construction.
The Bus Station, which links Blackwood to a lot of surrounding areas as the town does not have a railway station, has had a make-over, giving Blackwood a more Contemporary feel.
External links
★ Monumental Inscriptions for Libanus Baptist Chapel
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