Banwen
| Banwen | |
  Banwen |
|
| OS grid reference | SN855095 |
|---|---|
| Principal area | Neath Port Talbot |
| Ceremonial county | West Glamorgan |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NEATH |
| Postcode district | SA10 |
| Dialling code | 01639 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Neath |
|
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Coordinates: 51°46′21″N 3°39′39″W / 51.7724°N 3.6608°W
Banwen is a small village in Neath Port Talbot county borough in Wales. Banwen is part of the community of Onllwyn along with the village of Onllwyn itself and the adjacent parish of Dyffryn Cellwen. Banwen is in the Upper Dulais Valley, with views over the southern slopes of the Brecon Beacons.
History
It has been suggested as the birth-place of Saint Patrick who recorded that he was born in the similarly named banavem taburniae somewhere on the west coast of Britain. A service is held on the Saint’s day at the Maen St Patrick that stands alongside the Roman Road Sarn Helen, from Neath to Brecon.
Copper, iron ore and tin were mined and crafted in early times, brickworks and opencast mining provided employment in later years. Now these big industries have gone.
Sport and leisure
Banwen is home to rugby union club Banwen RFC formed in 1947.
Stages of the Wales Rally GB are held at Walters Arena.
The Banwen Miners Hunt was founded in the village in 1962 following the demise of the West Glamorgan hunt.[1] In the early days of the Hunt, the Duchess of Beaufort rode amongst the Banwen Miners.[2]
Media
Roman Road in Banwen is featured prominently as a location in The Strike, filmed in 1987 for the Channel 4 series The Comic Strip Presents... and broadcast in January 1988.
External links
References
- ↑ Banwen Miners Hunt
- ↑ The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) pg631 ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6