Charles III
62-412: Port Talbot ( / ˌ p ɔːr t ˈ t ɔː l b ə t / , UK also / p ɔːr -, p ə -, - ˈ t æ l b ə t , - ˈ t ɒ l b ə t / ) is a town and community in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot , Wales , situated on the east side of Swansea Bay , approximately eight miles (thirteen kilometres) from Swansea . The Port Talbot Steelworks covers a large area of land which dominates
124-516: A sculpture park was established by the Welsh Sculpture Trust which exhibited work by internationally famous sculptors including Henry Moore , Barbara Hepworth and Elisabeth Frink . The sculpture park has since closed. The estate is noted for its peacock population. Also on the estate are deer , which have existed on the site since at least Norman times. The majority are fallow deer (numbering around 230); red deer (about 60) and
186-571: A 2013 the park came first in a national vote to find the public's favourite Green Flag Awarded park from a field of 1,448 qualifying open spaces. The park is designated Grade I on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales . Access is free but there is a charge for car parking and for some events. The park has been used for the Wales Rally GB . The park
248-508: A Tudor Gothic mansion built by Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot in the early nineteenth century. Sculptures and artwork are placed at different places along the paths which connect the house with the Orangery. The mansion is listed at Grade I. The Margam estate had a famed collection of citrus trees and when the Mansell Talbots abandoned the estate for Penrice, they determined to maintain
310-413: A boy playing in what appears to be snowfall, but the other side shows the snowfall is ash falling from a bin fire. In May 2019, the mural was moved to a gallery in the town's Ty'r Orsaf building. In April 2011, actor Michael Sheen led a 72-hour National Theatre Wales production of a modern retelling of The Passion . The play began at 5:30 am on Good Friday with a seafront scene, inspired by John
372-583: A campus at Baglan Energy Park called the Hydrogen Centre , which includes a Renewable Hydrogen Research and Development Centre. The South Wales Miners' Museum is located in Cynonville, Cymmer . The nearby Margam Stones Museum has early Christian inscribed stones and Celtic crosses, including four from the area now under the Steelworks. A Roman milestone, an 8th-century pillar, and two Celtic crosses from
434-444: A fall of one place in a decade. As of 2021 Neath Port Talbot was the 11th least densely populated of Wales' 22 local authority areas. There had been an increase of 15.5 percent in people aged 65 years and over, a decrease of 2.3 percent in people aged 15 to 64 years, and an increase of 2.5 percent in children aged under 15 years. Of Port Talbot's population in 2000, 63 percent were between the ages of 15 and 64. Male unemployment in 2000
496-471: A spectacular twelve-sided Chapter House. A small chapel known as Hen Eglwys, also called Cryke Chapel and dated to 1470, was a grange of the Abbey on the hillside of Craig-y-capel. The gable-ends, with window tracery are the principle survivals, and provided a gothic landmark and viewpoint for the 19th-century parkland of Margam Castle. There was a burial ground and a nearby holy well known as Ffynnon Mair. During
558-590: Is 70.3 percent, between the ages of 16 and 64 were economically active. Port Talbot has a variety of bedrock and drift types. South East of Port Talbot is dominated by Pennant sandstone which forms this high relief area including Mynydd Margam, Mynydd Dinas and the other mountains. The pennant sandstone is made up of two formations which are the Rhondda Member and Brithdir Member. The sandstone formed in Carboniferous swamps 300 million years ago. Pennant sandstone
620-594: Is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest tier of local government in Wales . Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England but, unlike English parishes, communities cover the whole of Wales. There are 878 communities in Wales. Until 1974 Wales was divided into civil parishes . These were abolished by section 20 (6) of the Local Government Act 1972 , and replaced by communities by section 27 of
682-546: Is a micacous sandstone which has a brown colouration with areas of red staining where iron from pyrite in coal has weathered creating a rust colouration. Lower land areas are predominantly Pennant sandstone within the South Wales Coal Measures Group . There is a variety of drift deposits in Port Talbot. Sandfields area of Port Talbot is built upon blown sand and tidal flat deposits. These were deposited by
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#1732844849561744-513: Is a small Hillfort on a hilltop north of Margam Abbey, on the opposite side of the valley from Mynydd y Castell. It is crossed by an upland section of the Wales Coast Path . In 1147, Margam Abbey was built. When the abbey was dissolved in 1536 the Abbey Church nave was retained as Margam Parish Church, whilst the ruins of various other of the abbey buildings stand in the park today, including
806-419: Is an intricately sculptured cross-slab with a Latin cross and an inscription recalling Brancuf. Originally it stood in the old St Baglan's church but that fell into ruin in the late 19th century and the slab was removed to St Catharine's. St Baglan (Bagelan), son of King Ithael Hoel of Brittany, was a 6th-century hermit and follower of St Illtud . He founded the first church at the town that now takes his name. In
868-543: Is between 3 and 20 metres (10 and 66 ft). Several landslips occur in the highlands including many bole holes historically made for the construction of the M4 motorway, steelworks and coal mines. Rivers in the region are fault guided meaning that they flow is highly influenced by a structural weakness called a fault. Several natural springs occur in the highland regions with a neutral to slightly acidic ph values. Natural groundwater levels varies from 10 metres (35 ft) below
930-439: Is unknown. The English antiquarian John Leland made an extensive journey through Wales c.1536–39 of which he recorded an itinerary. He passed through Aberafan, which he describes as a "poor village" surrounded by barren ground, though he also describes the area as heavily wooded, not much of which remains today. He mentions the use of the river mouth as a port. His portrayal of Aberafan as a small, struggling village suggests that
992-634: The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 and the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 . Margam Country Park Margam Country Park is a country park estate in Wales, of around 850 acres (3.4 km ). It is situated in Margam , about 2 miles (3 km) from Port Talbot in south Wales . It was once owned by the Mansel Talbot family and is now owned and administered by the local council, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council . Situated within
1054-490: The Wales Coast Path runs through the park along the escarpment above the motorway, and there are a number of shorter (less than three miles (5 km)) walks waymarked in the park. There are no major rivers in the park, but there are lakes and ponds, and it is possible to fish some of the ponds. Nant Cwm Philip is a 2.68 km long stream that sits in the Cwm Philip valley and is surrounded by mixed woodland. It feeds into
1116-450: The 10th century were all rescued from the steelworks site by the Talbot family and taken to Margam, where they are now in the museum, in the care of Cadw . The Baked Bean Museum of Excellence is a private museum in Port Talbot. In December 2018 the artist Banksy confirmed that he produced a mural painted on the corner of a garage close to Port Talbot steelworks. On one side it depicts
1178-532: The 1830s. It comprises a double triumphal arch and is listed at Grade I. On the escarpment above the motorway is one of a network of early warning radar stations that were built around the coast of Britain from 1941, to detect German bombers and shipping during World War II . Earlier Chain Home stations were able to spot aircraft at higher altitudes, so a second network, the Chain Home Low stations, of which Margam
1240-665: The 19th Century the Talbot family gathered together a collection of early Christian memorial stones from the locality, and placed them in and around the Abbey Chapter House, within what is now the Park. In 1892 they were put in the care of the Commissioners for Public works, and in 1932 they were moved into the nearby Church schoolroom, to become the Margam Stones Museum, now managed by Cadw . The Park also houses Margam Castle,
1302-752: The Baptist's baptism of Jesus, which was watched by hundreds who had heard about it by word of mouth. By the time the first main part of the play was performed on Aberafan Beach at 3:00 pm, organisers estimated up to 6,000 people had gathered to watch. On Saturday, there were sequences in Llewellyn Street, the Castle Street underpass, Aberafan Shopping Centre , the Seaside Social and Labour Club in Sandfields and nearby Abbeyville Court. On Easter Sunday ,
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#17328448495611364-561: The Bristol Channel, the station comprises three squarish concrete buildings with flat roofs, set on the Margam ridge facing south-east and overlooking the Channel. The most north-westerly building retains the framework of a steel gantry, the base for a rectangular radar transmitter/receiver array, known as a 'bedstead array' from its wires and framework, and is believed to be a unique survivor within
1426-466: The British Isles. In 1970 a new deep-water harbour was opened by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip . This harbour was capable of discharging iron ore vessels of 100,000 deadweight tonnage (DWT), a tenfold improvement on the old dock. By the early 21st century, due to further modification and dredging, the harbour is capable of harbouring vessels of over 170,000 DWT. The borough of Port Talbot
1488-475: The Crown . In Wales, all town councils are community councils. There are now three communities with city status: Bangor , St Asaph and St Davids . The chair of a town council or city council will usually have the title mayor (Welsh: maer ). However, not every community has a council. In communities with populations too small to sustain a full community council, community meetings may be established. The communities in
1550-587: The Margam Park fish pond. The 2 ft ( 610 mm ) narrow gauge Margam Park Railway conducts visitors around the grounds in the summer. The Orangery has a licence for civil marriages. Events on the estate are held through the summer: ranging from fairs selling particular goods to car rallies. The Margam Country Show is held in August. In 2003, the park was host to the Urdd National Eisteddfod . In
1612-655: The Opposition Andrew RT Davies MS ( C ) Shadow Cabinet ( current ) Prime Minister Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP ( L ) Secretary of State for Wales Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP (L) Principal councils ( leader list ) Corporate Joint Committees Local twinning see also: Regional terms and Regional economy United Kingdom Parliament elections European Parliament elections (1979–2020) Local elections Police and crime commissioner elections Referendums A community ( Welsh : cymuned )
1674-765: The South Wales Middle Coal Measures Formation, South Wales Upper Coal Measures Formation, South Wales Lower Coal Measures Formation, Rhondda Member and Brithdir Member. Pennant sandstone is an excellent construction rock and road stone. Faults have an orientation of North West-South East, east–west and north–south. All are normal faults which form extension processes. There are also many marine fossils bands. Marine fossils found in Port Talbot region include species of bivalves, gastropods and brachiopods. Terrestrial fossils include fern tree branches, trunks, leaves and roots. Traces of organism footprints can also be found. The drift geology average thickness
1736-680: The Taibach area of Port Talbot to over 20 metres (65 ft). Rivers in the region including the River Afan (Aberafan), River Neath (Baglan Bay), Ffrwdwyllt (Taibach), Arnallt Brook (Taibach), Baglan Brook (Baglan), River Kenfig (Morfa Beach) and other rivers are fast flowing and are highly influenced by their mouths (end of the rivers, tidal region). A spout can be found in Baglan Park in the Baglan region of Port Talbot. Many open and uncovered reservoirs exist in
1798-636: The air quality had improved to meet the WHO 's recommended limit of 10 μg/m. According to the Office for National Statistics the Neath Port Talbot population had increased by 1.8 percent, from around 139,800 in 2011 to 142,300 in 2021. This was higher than the overall increase for Wales (1.4 percent), where the population grew by 44,000 to 3,107,500. In 2021 Neath Port Talbot ranked ninth for total population out of 22 local authority areas in Wales. This amounts to
1860-417: The area were mentioned during Roman times. Ffynnon Pedr is a holy well which flows from the hillside through a 16 in × 16 in (400 mm × 400 mm) stone culvert in Margam. This may have been a water supply for Margam Abbey, 1 ⁄ 2 mile (800 metres) to the east. The Cross of Brancuf an early Christian Sculptured Stone which stands in the church of St Catharine at Baglan. It
1922-640: The bay between the River Afan and the River Neath . The other beach in Port Talbot is Margam Sands, popularly known as Morfa Beach . The north-western edge of the town is marked by the River Neath. A landmark in the town is the Port Talbot Steelworks . With heavy industry and an urban motorway, Port Talbot was reported as having the worst air pollution in Wales in 2005 with a PM 10 particulate level of 30 μg/m (micrograms per cubic metre). By 2018
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1984-574: The collection and Keck was commissioned to design an orangery to house it. The result was "longer and more capacious than any other in Great Britain". The orangery is Grade I listed. The banqueting house, also known as the Temple of the Four Seasons, is the façade of a 17th century banqueting house, repurposed and attached to a gardener's cottage, Ivy Cottage, during the construction of the new house in
2046-745: The community boundaries within their area every fifteen years. The councils propose changes to the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales , which prepares a report and makes recommendations to the Welsh Government . If the Welsh Government accepts the recommendations, then it implements them using a statutory instrument . For example, in 2016 four new communities were created in the City and County of Cardiff . The legislation surrounding community councils in Wales has been amended significantly in
2108-472: The decade, plans show the inclusion of several new buildings and features, including the Temple of the Four Seasons, the stone facade and the gardener's cottage. The Margam Estate was acquired by Glamorgan County Council in July 1973, and the next year, after a Local Government re-organisation , the Park fell under the ownership of West Glamorgan County Council . The park was opened to the public in 1977. in 1985
2170-580: The demise of West Glamorgan County Council in 1996, Port Talbot borough council was merged with Neath and part of Lliw Valley Districts to create the new unitary authority of Neath Port Talbot County Borough. The Civic Centre is located in Port Talbot, and the town is represented by three of the 64 councillors that make up the county council. The centre of the town is covered by the Port Talbot ward for local council elections. Port Talbot occupies an area of low lying coastal plain between Swansea Bay to
2232-496: The fronts of glaciers rapidly deposit material due to melting. Cwmafan in Port Talbot is built upon alluvial and glaciofluvial deposits , formed from glacial meltwater . Baglan Moors, Fairfield and Port Talbot town centre are built upon tidal flat deposits (tides were higher 12,000 years ago allowing sandy deposits to accumulate). Coal seams within the Pennant sandstone run north west-south-east and east–west. The coal seams arise from
2294-580: The inspiration of a group of local young people, was awarded a five-year licence by Ofcom to serve Port Talbot and Neath. Afan FM broadcast from the AquaDome leisure complex on Aberafan Seafront . Following a December 2009 fire at the AquaDome, Afan FM moved to Aberafan House, adjacent to the town's shopping centre. Afan FM closed in December 2011 was shut down following an unexpected tax bill. The town has been served by several newspapers. The Port Talbot Guardian
2356-521: The listed buildings, those graded at the highest grade, Grade I, include the abbey itself, and its chapterhouse and undercroft , Margam Castle, the Orangery and the former Banqueting House. Mynydd y Castell Camp is a large hillfort enclosing 2.7 hectares (6.7 acres) in a D shape, on an isolated hill 500m east of Margam Abbey. There has been some quarrying, and possible other uses, which may have disrupted layouts of banks and entrances. Half Moon Camp
2418-399: The masterpiece of eighteenth century architect Anthony Keck , and by the late 18th century the gardens were fenced off from the park to keep out the deer, and a main gate was erected. An 1814 estate map shows that a working park had been realised, with a 'Great', 'Little' and 'Upper' Parks, and by 1830 the construction of a new manor house, to become Margam Castle, had begun. Before the end of
2480-557: The name of the new docks built on the south-east side of the river Afan by the Talbot family. Over time it came to be applied to the whole of the emerging conurbation. The earliest evidence of humans in the Port Talbot area has been found on the side of Mynydd Margam where Bronze Age farming ditches can be found from 4,000 BC. There were Iron Age hill forts on Mynydd Dinas, Mynydd Margam, Mynydd Emroch and other nearby hills. Mynydd Hawdref contains remains of an ancient Iron Age village. The Margam deer herd dates from Norman times but deer in
2542-495: The next day. Port Talbot is served by several Independent Local Radio stations: Hits Radio South Wales , its sister station Greatest Hits Radio South Wales , Swansea Bay Radio , Heart South Wales and Nation Radio Wales . Radio Phoenix also operates a 24-hour hospital radio service for the patients and staff of Neath Port Talbot Hospital in Baglan Moors . In 2005 the area was granted its first radio station when Afan FM ,
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2604-676: The non-native Père David's deer (about 30) were introduced in the 1990s, the latter as part of a breeding programme. Venison from the management of the deer herd is sold to the public. Aviaries on the estate house a number of rescued birds of prey . The rare breed Glamorgan cattle are raised on the estate. The Coed Morgannwg Way, the Ogwr Ridgeway Walk and the St Illtyd's Walk long-distance paths all begin/finish around Mynydd y Castell within Margam Country Park. An inland section of
2666-458: The park are three notable buildings: Margam Abbey , a Cistercian monastery; Margam Castle , a neo-Gothic country house that was once the seat of the Mansel Talbot family; and the 18th-century Orangery . The park is designated Grade I on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales . Margam Park owes its location and beginnings to the monastery, which
2728-692: The pioneer photographer, William Henry Fox Talbot . The Talbots were patrons of Margam Abbey, and also built Margam Castle . Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot (1803–1890), a Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) for Glamorgan from 1830 until his death, saw the potential of his property as a site for an extensive ironworks , which opened in early 1831. The remains of a Chain Home Low early warning radar station are situated in Margam Country Park , dating from World War II ( c. 1941–1943 ). Designed to guard against enemy surface craft and submarines in
2790-404: The port was not in great use, especially as traffic to and from Margam Abbey would have ceased following its dissolution in 1536. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan became industrialised following the establishment of a copperworks in 1770. The Afan was diverted and a dock was opened in 1839 named for the Talbot family, local landowners who were related to
2852-430: The production returned to Aberafan Beach as part of the finale. A trial was performed on Civic Square before a procession from Station Road, with the final scene, "the cross", at Aberafan seafront. By the time the procession had reached the seafront close to where it had begun 72 hours earlier, organisers estimate over 13,000 people had come to watch on the small roundabout. In April 2012, Michael Sheen returned to attend
2914-528: The railway station and surrounding area. Community (Wales) Heir Apparent William, Prince of Wales First Minister ( list ) Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS ( L ) Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS ( L ) Counsel General-designate – Elisabeth Jones Chief Whip and Trefnydd – Jane Hutt MS (L) Permanent Secretary Sixth Senedd Llywydd (Presiding Officer) Elin Jones MS ( PC ) Leader of
2976-417: The region. Water has been channelled into ditches in industrial areas of Port Talbot. There are four comprehensive schools situated within the Port Talbot area: Glan Afan Comprehensive School and Sandfields Comprehensive School closed in 2016. A campus of Neath Port Talbot College is located in the Margam area. The Margam campus was previously called Afan College. The University of South Wales has
3038-487: The same Act. The principal areas of Wales are divided entirely into communities. Unlike in England, where unparished areas exist, no part of Wales is outside a community, even in urban areas . Most, but not all, communities are administered by community councils , which are equivalent to English parish councils in terms of their powers and the way they operate. Welsh community councils may call themselves town councils unilaterally and may have city status granted by
3100-410: The south east of the town. It is one of the biggest steelworks in the world, but has been under threat of closure since the 1980s. The population was 31,550 in 2021, comprising about a fifth of the 141,931 population of Neath Port Talbot. Modern Port Talbot is a town formed from the merging of multiple villages, including Baglan , Margam , and Aberafan . The name 'Port Talbot' first appears in 1837 as
3162-411: The station with services westbound to Neath and Swansea and West Wales Line and eastbound to Bridgend , Cardiff Central and London Paddington . Trains also run via Hereford and Shrewsbury to Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly . The new £5.6 million Integrated Transport hub was completed in 2017, linking Port Talbot Parkway with new bus and taxi links. This also included extensive upgrades to
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#17328448495613224-480: The town. The 2017 crime drama television series Bang is set in Port Talbot. Terry Gilliam has recounted how he was inspired to create the movie Brazil after hearing a transistor radio play the song Aquarela do Brasil on the beach at Port Talbot. Port Talbot is served by the South Wales Main Line at Port Talbot Parkway railway station . Great Western Railway and Transport for Wales serve
3286-551: The urban areas of the cities of Cardiff , Swansea and Newport do not have community councils. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census , there were 869 communities in Wales. 84 percent, or more than 730, have a council. They vary in size from Rhayader with an area of 13,945 hectares (34,460 acres) to Cefn Fforest with an area of 64 hectares (160 acres). They ranged in population from Barry with 45,053 recorded inhabitants to Baglan Bay with no permanent residents. The twenty-two principal area councils are required to review
3348-415: The vestry of St Catharine's church sits a cross-slab dating from the 8th–10th century CE. It is intricately decorated with a Celtic-style cross formed out of knotwork (cord-plait knotwork) and interlacing; the ends of each arm are probably of a Latin design. Also, there is a Latin inscription: FECIT BRANCUF or perhaps BRANCU which when translated reads 'was made by Brancuf'. However, the person known as Brancuf
3410-458: The west (within the Bristol Channel) and the hills and valleys of Margam Moors (which are part of the wider South Wales valleys) to the south. The town is built along the eastern rim of Swansea Bay in a narrow strip of coastal plain surrounding the River Afan estuary. Swansea is visible on the opposite side of the bay. The local beach is known as Aberafan Sands and is situated along the edge of
3472-456: The wind via aeolian processes and the water by fluvial processes . Velindre area of Port Talbot is built upon an alluvial fan deposit. This deposit formed during the last glacial period 14,000 years ago. Baglan Road in Port Talbot is built upon glacial till from the Devensian period. Till, also known as boulder clay , is a mix of unconsolidated sediment with a range of grain sizes. This forms as
3534-592: The world premiere of the feature-length film The Gospel of Us based on The Passion. The premiere was held at the Apollo Cinema (now the Reel Cinema ) on the Aberafan seafront close to where The Passion took place. Tickets for the premiere sold out weeks before the showing; all six screens showed the film simultaneously. The film was also shown daily from Easter Sunday to the following Thursday prior to its UK-wide release
3596-634: Was a weekly paper published by Media Wales , part of the Trinity Mirror group, but ceased publication in October 2009. The Swansea-based daily South Wales Evening Post and the weekly Courier and Tribune are distributed in the town and are published by Media Wales , part of the Reach plc group. The Welsh-language song competition Cân i Gymru is usually filmed in Port Talbot. TV programmes such as Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures have filmed in
3658-518: Was acquired by Sir Rice Mansel in 1540 after the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1537. A Tudor mansion was later built on the site of the former monastic ranges by Sir Rice Mansel as a county residence. In 1661, the first mention of a garden is referenced, including walled areas and by 1727 the estate's gardener drew up a catalogue of the plants at the gardens. 1793 saw the completion of the Orangery,
3720-529: Was around 9 percent. Female unemployment was around 6 percent in 2000. In 2010, 26.2 percent of children and young persons (under the age of 20) in Neath Port Talbot county borough were living in relative poverty , higher than the 22.2 percent Welsh average. According to the Office for National Statistics , between April 2012 to March 2013 25,400 residents, that is 7.8 percent, between the ages of 16 and 64 were economically inactive. 60,100 residents, that
3782-480: Was created in November 1921, incorporating Margam, Cwmafan and Aberafan. It was therefore 85 years after the phrase 'Port Talbot' was first used that it became officially recognised as the town's name. Port Talbot was part of the historic county of Glamorgan . The 1974 county council re-organisation split Glamorgan into three new counties, and Port Talbot became one of the four districts of West Glamorgan . Following
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#17328448495613844-425: Was used as a filming location for two episodes of Doctor Who in 2007 (" The Sontaran Stratagem " and " The Poison Sky "), and in 2023 for the episode " Rogue ". The country park has six Scheduled Ancient Monuments and a large number of listed buildings within it. Of the scheduled monuments, two are Iron Age hill forts , two are medieval religious sites, one is a museum and one is a World War II installation. Of
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