Michaelston-super-Avon Cwmavon Contents

MICHAELSTONE is a parish, in the Neath union and county court district, hundred of Heath, Western division of the rural deanery of Upper-Gro-Neath, archdeaconry and diocese of Llandaff and county of Glamorgan : it is situated 2 miles north-east from Aberavon, 2.5 miles from Port Talbot railway station, on the South Wales and Great Western Railway, 8 miles south from Neath, and 205 by rail from London. The river Avon runs through the parish, which is surrounded by hills varying from 1,200to 1,400 feet high.

CWM-AVON is a populous hamlet, situated in the above parish, 2 miles from Port Talbot, and connected therewith by a railway, the property of the Governor and Company of Copper Miners in England, and is used by them for the transit of merchandise to and from the docks there; there is a carriage attached to certain goods trains for the convenience of the public. Nearly the whole of the hamlet is occupied by the iron, tin plate, and copper works, with the collieries belonging to the Company. The smoke from these works is carried up a high mountain by a culvert to its summit, at which point it terminates in a stack about 50 feet high, and the top of which is 1,200 feet above the level of the furnaces, and 1,400 feet above the level of the sea, and forms a remarkable landmark from all parts of the surrounding district. The parish church of St. Michael (which was enlarged some years ago through the efforts of the curate and Mr. Bidduplh, the then manager of the Cwm-Avon works and churchwarden), is in the Norman style, and consists of nave, chancel, one aisle and small castellated tower containing 2 bells, and surmounted by a stone spire; there is a very fine organ, and a magnificent stained glass window in the chancel, which was subscribed for by the parishioners. The register dates from the middle of the sixteenth century. The living is a vicarage, in the gift of the Governor and Company of Copper Miners in England, and held by the Rev. John Griffiths; the services are exclusively in Welsh, and performed by the Rev. Henry Lewis, curate. All Saints, a chapel of ease to St. Michael's, is a handsome Gothic structure, built in 1855, of Welsh sandstone with Forest stone dressings, from the designs of J. Prichard, esq., of Llandaff, and consists of nave, chancel, south aisles, porch, and a very handsome and lofty tower of Forest stone, which is a good landmark for some distance; it contains a very fine bell, which was manufactured at a cost of about 60 guineas at Cwm-Avon. In the church there is a very handsome organ, presented by a gentleman in connection with the copper works, and in the chancel there is a splendid reredos, subscribed for by the parishioners. The services are English, and held mornings and evenings. There are also rooms licensedfor divine worship at Oakwood and Bryn, where services are held on Sundays by the curate, the Rev. D. J. Jones. There are several schools here in connexion with the copper works; and the educational wants of the people are well cared for by the company. The Baptists, Calvinistic Methodists, Independents, Wesleyans, and Bible Christians have places of worship here. There is a working men's and private reading rooms in connection with these works. A small market is open all the week, and on Saturdays is well attended. The Reformatory for the county of Glamorgan is in this parish. The Governor and Company of Copper Miners in England are lords of the manor and chief landowners. The chief crops are wheat and pasture. The area is 5,035 acres; gross estimated rental, #14,482; rateable value, #12,194; and the population in 1861 was 6,184.

POST & MONEY ORDER OFFICE, Post Office Savings Bank & Government Annuity & Insurance Office, Cwm Avon. - William Button, postmaster. Letters received through Taibach at 7.30 a.m. & 11.45 a.m.; sundays, 7. 30 a.m.; dispatched thereto at 6.10 a.m., 8.45 a.m., 1.55 p. m., & 5.55 p.m., sundays, 6.10 p.m.

SUB-OFFICE, Ponthrydden. - Jenkin Jenkins, sub-post-master. Letters by messenger from Cwm-Avon at 8.30, who brings a bag from there at the same time.

Registrar of Births & Deaths, George Jones, Aberavon
Collector of Rates & Overseer, John Jenkins

PLACES OF WORSHIP :-

Churches -

St. Michael's (parish church) - Rev. John Griffiths, vicar; Rev. Henry Lewis, curate.
All Saints' (chapel of ease) - Rev. John Griffiths, vicar; Rev. Henry Lewis, curate.
Licensed Rooms, at Oakwood - Rev. D. J. Jones, curate
Licensed Rooms, at Bryn - Rev. D. J. Jones, curate

Chapels -

Baptist, Pennywell (Welsh), Rev. Jno. Rowlands, minister
Bible Christian, Providence (Welsh) - ministers various
Calvinistic Methodist (Welsh), Rev. William Jones, Ynisygwas
Independent, Zion (Welsh), Rev. Edwd. Roberts, minister
Independent, Bethania (Welsh), Rev. Wm. Thomas, min.
Wesleyan (English), ministers various

Glamorganshire Reformatory, John Coke Fowler, esq., The Gnoll, Neath, chairman of managing committee; Rev. John Griffiths, Neath, vice-chairman; John Henry Rowlands, esq., Neath, treasurer; David J. Rhys, Neath, secretary; Michael Farrah, superintendent; Mrs. Farrah, matron

National -

Cwm-Avon (boys & girls), Griffith Rees, master; Miss Margaret Johns, mistress; Miss - Turner, infants' mistress
Bryn (mixed), Mrs. Elizabeth Mary Jenkins, mistress
Oakwood (boys & girls), Thomas Johns, master; Mrs. Mary Ann Johns, mistress
Port Talbot (mixed), Miss Elizabeth Brett, mistress
Tymaen (mixed), Mrs. Esther Thomas, mistress

Post Office Directory, Michaelston-super-Avon, Glamorgan, 1871

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