Abercarn

Iron production

By 1783, Joshua Glover and Samuel Glover of Birmingham were operating Abercarne [sic] Iron Works.^[4] In that year, they signed a contract with Anthony Bacon, Senior of Cyfarthfa Ironworks to supply him with 800 tons of pig iron a year.^[5] By 1808, only one member of the Glover family, Mr Glover, survived.^[6] In that year Ironmaster Richard Crawshay, who had taken over the Cyfarthfa Ironworks following the death of Bacon, bought the freehold of the Abercarn estate from him.^[6] Fraser (1962) documented:

     'Before the nineteen-fifties, when the Housing Estate was built, the whole valley was still thickly wooded, and the woods are still sufficiently beautiful to show how comparably lovely it must have been in the early years of the nineteenth century. The Abercarn estate covered nearly 3,000 acres, of which 700 acres were woodland, and the shooting was carefully preserved.^[7]

When the sale was completed, Crawshay immediately gave it to his son-in-law,^[6] Benjamin Hall, where he and his wife, Charlotte, Crawshay's second daughter, and their five-year-old son Benjamin came to live.^[7] The estate included two properties which were close to the river, a manor-house beside it (which, according to Fraser 1962 became a doctor's house) and a small Georgian house on the wooded hill above it (which, also according to Fraser 1962, gave 'its name to the Council Housing Estate by which it is surrounded.').

Benjamin Hall, Jr

Fraser (1962) documented about Hall's son in the estate: 'Here young Benjamin developed the brilliant markmanship, for which he was afterwards noted. Here, too, he became an accomplished horseman and whip, and learned to be a skilful angler, for there was salmon and trout fishing in the Ebbw, the Afon Gwyddon, the Afon Carn, and other tributory streams.^[7]

Hall attended a preparatory school (location unknown) and, at the age of 11, in Westminster School, London, in which life was 'unbelievably rough'.^[7] The pupils slept and worked in a long room which were heated by three open fires, which is where the distinction between juniors and seniors came into play - the seniors sat closed to the fires, while excluding the juniors. Also 'a junior's life was one of domestic drudgery and even servitude.'^[7] After six years Hall left Westminster School and in 1820 entered Christ Church, Oxford, his father having died two years previously.^[7] However, his stay in Oxford was short: he left the following year.^[8] It is not known when Hall met Augusta Waddington of Llanover House. But the Hall and the Waddington families 'were on intimate terms at least as early as 1815.'^[7] Also, 'Benjamin looked upon Mrs. Waddington as a "second mother", in whom he could confide, and who could give him wise advice, and he was constantly at Llanover with his "kind and intimate friends".'^[7] However, the young couple needed to wait until Hall came of age before they could marry, which they did on 4 December 1822.^[7]

Initially the couple lived in rented accommodation in the area of Newport. But upon the death of his father-in-law in 1828, they moved to Llanover.^[9]

Coal mining

The district was traditionally associated with the collieries of the South Wales coalfield, although they have now closed.^[10] On 11 September 1878, an underground explosion in Abercarn Colliery killed 268 coal miners.^[11]

Bus

The town is served by Stagecoach South Wales services including:^[15] the X15 (from Newport to Brynmawr) and the 151 gold (from Newport to Blackwood Interchange)

Rail

The town is lies between Newbridge railway station and Crosskeys railway station, with the latter slightly the closer of the two.^[16] Both are approximately a four-minute drive or thirty minute walk away.^[16] The town was formerly served by Abercarn railway station, which closed to passengers in April 1962.