Clydach, Monmouthshire

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Clydach
Clydach, Monmouthshire (United Kingdom)
Clydach, Monmouthshire

Clydach shown within the United Kingdom
Population <2000
OS grid reference SO225128
Principal area Monmouthshire
Ceremonial county Gwent
Constituent country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Postcode district NP7
Dialling code 01873
Police Gwent
Fire South Wales
Ambulance Welsh
European Parliament Wales
UK Parliament Monmouth
List of places: UK • Wales • Monmouthshire

Coordinates: 51°48′31″N 3°07′32″W / 51.8086, -3.1255

Clydach is a village in Monmouthshire, Wales. Its nearest neighbours are the towns of Gilwern and Abergavenny.

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[edit] Heads of the Valleys

It is split by the A465 road (the 'Heads of the Valleys') into North Clydach and South Clydach.

[edit] Industrial Heritage

Historically its main industry was based around the ironworks on the south side of the valley which have long since closed.

[edit] Primary School Closure 2006

The community's only school, Clydach County primary school, closed its gates for the final time in July 2006 after a controversial decision by Monmouthshire County Council to shut it, despite the protests of local residents. The reasons for the school's closure appear to have been primarily financial with the Council seeing the school as having too few pupils to justify its funding. Local residents claimed however that the closure would force the children affected to travel significant distances to attend other schools.

[edit] Local Walks

The area around the village is popular for hillwalking with many routes tracing the beauty of the nearby Clydach Gorge [1] or Cwm Clydach, and the old trackbed of the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway is a cycleway and walkway and the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal can be walked or travelled by narrow boat.

There is a picnic site and caravan park alongside the River Clydach, easily reached from the A465 Heads of the Valleys road. The ironworks are some 300 metres away, across the river. The ironworks were built during the late 18th century and are a Scheduled Ancient Monument. There are also limeworks.

The area is within the Brecon Beacons National Park close to the Blaenavon Industrial Landscape World Heritage Site and not far from Big Pit National Coal Museum. Clydach Gorge or Cwm Clydach has been designated a SSSI.

[edit] External links

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