South Wales Miners' Museum

Welsh Miners' Museum


Useful Information

Location: Afan, Cynonville, Port Talbot SA13 3HG.
Afan Argoed lies south of the A 4107 trunk road. Follow the brown tourist signs.
(51.6417927, -3.7054962)
Open: APR-OCT daily 10:30-18. NOV-MAR weekends 10:30-17.
Fee: Country Park: is free.
Welsh Miners' Museum: Adults GBP 1.20, OAP and Children 60 p.
Parking: 1 hour GBP 1.00, All day GBP 2.00.
Concessionary rate available for pre-booking. Free to disabled. [2003]
Classification: Mining museum, exhibition.
Light: LightIncandescent
Dimension:
Guided tours:
Photography:
Accessibility:
Bibliography: Powell Afan (1977): Welsh Miners Museum at Afan Argoed Country Park, 28 pp illus
Afan Powell and Glyn Thomas (1999): The Rise and Fall of the South Wales Coal Industry, with a View of Port Talbot and the Afan Valley. 135 pp illus.
Address: South Wales Miners' Museum, Afan Argoed Country Park, Afan, Cynonville, Port Talbot SA13 3HG, Tel: +44-1639-851-833. E-mail:
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1972 opened to the public.

Geology


Description

The South Wales Miners Museum is also known as Afan Forest Mining Museum.

The South Wales Miners Museum is only one of the attractions to be found in the Afan Argoed Country Park, where facilities have been developed for forest walking, wayfaring, orienteering, cycling and Land Rover touring. There is also a touring caravan park.

The Welsh Miners' Museum portrays mining through the eyes of the miners themselves. Their stories of hardship, and struggle, dangerous and dirty work, and also the warmth of their valley communities. The main features include a traditional miner's cottage scene; historic photographs illustrating the miner's way of life; the poignant story of children underground; and early mining equipment displayed in a realistic setting. This is supplemented by several outdoor exhibits, including a pithead wheel, a haulage engine and a coal tram.

Facilities for the disabled include: free loan of an electric wheelchair for use from the main car park to the Countryside Centre and entrance ramps to the Welsh Miners' Museum and Snack Bar. The Museum features Braille information panels.

There is also a restaurant, shop and facilities for the hire of mountain bikes. The car park is very popular at weekend with walkers and cyclists. Either get there early or visit mid-week. There is a large outdoor display [free!] of coal trucks, winders and other bits of mining machinery. Indoors, the display occupies a large room. The centre part is partitioned off to resemble a coal mine complete with a rat and a running commentary between a miner and his horse! There is the usual displays of mining lamps, mine disasters and old photographs. This is a site the whole family will enjoy as there are numerous marked walking and cycle ways of various lengths and standards of difficulty. Well worth a visit.


Text by Tony Oldham (2003). With kind permission.