Cwmbran
is blessed with an enviable asset .... a section of the Monmouthshire Canal,
itself now part of the Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canal system.
Good News !!! (Jan.2011).. Torfaen County
Council have passed the `first stage` and have been awarded thirty two
thousand pound to help fund a project to restore the canal which runs
through Cwmbran .The funding has been provided by The Heritage Lottery Fund to
help the Council fund community volunteer programmes which will involve
training to help restore and then maintain sections of the canal that run
through the borough. To compete for the final amount available of Four
hundred and seventy eight thousand pounds the Council will now put together a
plan to submit to the The Heritage Lottery Fund , which needs to be submitted
within the two year limit.
.. Click on the individual links below for more
interesting information ..
The Monmouthshire
Canal was granted it's Act in 1792 and by 1796, eleven miles from Pontnewynydd to
Newport were complete. The Eleven mile Crumlin Arm from Crindau Junction to
Crumlin was opened by 1799.
... The canal engineer was Thomas Dadford (jnr)
...
The canal was built
to carry coal and iron to Newport and it led to a rapid expansion of the town
and the riverside wharfs.
Tram roads were
feeders to the Canal, from the more mountainous areas such as Blaenafon but
became direct routes to Newport in the Western valley.
Tramroads gradually
became more important than the Canal and by 1848 the company had become the
Monmouthshire Railway and canal company. It bought out the Brecknock and
Abergavenny Canal in 1865 and by the time the G.W.R. (Great western Railway) took over the day to day
running in 1875 the Canal was of little commercial importance except for the
supply of water to Newport Docks.
Bridge 47- Solomon's
Bridge- is the southern limit of British Waterways ownership. The remainder (as
it is now known) of the Monmouthshire Canal is now owned by Torfaen Borough
Council and Newport City Borough Council.
The Brecknock and
Abergavenny Canal received its Act in 1793.
It was open from
Gilwern to Brecon by the end of 1800 and to Govilon by 1804 but not until 1812
did it finally join the Monmouthshire Canal at Pontymoile near Pontypool and so
provide a through route to Newport and its river wharfs.
A short length in
Brecon is lost under the road but the rest of the Brecknock & Abergavenny
canal is navigable
for 33miles and with its peace and glorious views, is a real gem.
Tram roads were
feeders to the Canal rather than a competitor but the loss of the iron trade to
more coastal works and the coal trade to the railways led to the inevitable
decline and most traffic had ceased by 1930.
In the late 1950s the
leisure potential was realised. a weekly hire firm started in 1961 though
rowing boats and canoes had been used since the early 1800s. Now there are over
400 privately owned boats and over 40 hire boats operating on that stretch of
Canal from Brecon to Pontnewydd.
Known locally as the LONG TUNNEL- it is situated between Five
Locks Road,
Pontnewydd (450 metres north-Grid reference 328750 197350) and Bevan's Bridge in Sebastopol, on
the Monmouthshire Canal. The Tunnel is listed by Cadw as Grade II ; 30th
August 2000.
The Tunnel is
260 feet long
Minimum height
above water level 7ft 9ins.
Minimum width
at water level 10ft 4 ins.
... The Tunnel has no towpath so
the horses went over the top and the bargees had to walk the barges through
the tunnel by lying down and propelling the barge through with foot power
against the side walls ...
.. Monmouthshire Canal Company `Mile Posts`
indicating the distance from Potter Street Lock - Newport ..
The cottage in the
photograph belonged to Charlie Beniam, the Lock Keeper at Five Locks,
Pontnewydd in the 1940s,The Bridge adjacent to the the `Cross Keys Public
House` is in the distance.
..The photograph was taken
adjacent to the recreation ground..
Charlie Beniam`s son Tom was
also a Lock Keeper at Pontnewydd; he had a cottage on the Canal bank
further down the canal, adjacent to the lock near Cae-yr-Ebol.
(Photograph and details provided by Colin Bowen, formerly of
Chapel Street, Pontnewydd)
This year�s
rally, organised by the
Monmouthshire, Brecon and
Abergavenny Canals Trust (MBACT)
and Goytre Boat Owners
Association, supported by
Torfaen County Borough Council,
was held over the May Day
holiday weekend at Five Locks,
Pontnewydd, Cwmbran.
The event
was officially opened on Saturday 2nd
May at 11.00 a.m. by the Mayor
of Torfaen, Councillor Aneurin
James, (Councillor for
Pontnewydd) accompanied by
the Mayoress Mrs Maris James. who
cruised to Five Locks on `Bogwoppit` the boat owned by Chris Morgan Chairman of
the Mon & Brec Canals Trust. Behind `Bogwoppit` was another canal boat `Dancing
Queen` conveying the Chairman of Cwmbran Community Council, Stuart Ashley. (Cllr.
West Pontnewydd Ward).
A piper, wearing full highland regalia greeted them.
I, too attended my very first Rally, travelling
down from Llanellen, on Friday 1st May, on my cabin cruiser aptly named `Gingernutz`.
I believe I am the very first Councillor to arrive in his own boat.
Attractions during the day
were free boat trips through
the tunnel, entertainment by
Tony Breen and friends, a
barbecue, refreshments and gift
stalls.
More than twenty
two canal boats,
decorated for the event, travelled down from all
parts of the canal, furthest
distance travelled was from
Llangattock (2 boats)
and
commemorative plaques will be
awarded for every boat
attending.
Over 300 people turned up on the day, helping the
Trust raise money and taking part in the free boat trips sponsored by Torfaen
Council.
To view Shaun McGuire's family video of
their boat trip ... turn up your volume, click on the image below
and enjoy ..
Over �300 was raised for Canal Trust funds from the public attending the rally.
Earlier in the year
twenty-two volunteers from the Monmouthshire,
Brecon & Abergavenny Canal Trust,
Torfaen Canal Group, Goytre Boat
Owners Association and Keep
Wales Tidy took part in a canal
clean-up operation to cut back
overhanging tree branches to
allow navigation to boats for
the rally and to encourage more
use of the Five Locks section by
hire boats. Boats for the
clean-up were loaned to the
volunteers by Marina Tea Rooms
Boat Hire at Pontymoile Basin.
Torfaen Council provided a wood
chipping team and weed cutting
boat.
Brian and Wynne Gray from Llansadwrn, near
Llandovery, aboard their pleasure craft `Viking` enjoying their leisure time at
the 5 Locks moorings, Pontnewydd, Cwmbran.
.. The 5 locks moorings were opened on the 24th May,1997..
I (webmaster)
am a member of the Monmouthshire, Brecon & Abergavenny Canal trust and it's Aims are to actively promote:-
Improvement and Maintenance
- of the navigable
canal from Brecon to Five Locks, Pontnewydd.
Sustainable Regeneration
- of the Canal from
Five Locks, Pontnewydd to Newport and from Newport and from Newport to Cwmcarn.
Greater Awareness
- of the economic
benefit to local communities and businesses through tourism and leisure
activities.
Education and Interpretation
- through displays and
presentations of the culture and history of the canal and its people.
Angling, boating,
cycling, walking and wildlife interests are of equal importance in the use of
the Canal corridor and all will be enhanced by the achievement of the Aims.
Problem/Solution: Over the last couple of years I have
campaigned to Torfaen County Borough Council to provide more litterbins on the
canal that meanders through Cwmbran, and to speak honestly, the relevant
Council Department/Officers have listened and have provided an acceptable number
of litterbins along the canal towpath; however on several occasions I have
noticed the litter bins overflowing with litter, particularly in Pontnewydd,
where I reside.
On the `positive` side this shows
that `people` are using them, but on the `negative` side it shows the Council's
`management` i.e. `emptying schedule` is not adequate. Due to my frustration I
photographed several of the litterbins and contacted Brian Mawby, one of three
Torfaen County Borough Councillors for Pontnewydd and arranged a `site meeting`
at 5 Locks. As Councillor Mawby and I walked along the towpath, I pointed out
the overflowing litter bins and the litter strewn bank running alongside the
towpath and recreational ground; I went on to mention that that a fortnight
before I had spent an hour and a half collecting litter, cans and bottles
myself, 3 plastic bags in all, from the bank and that was before my
Afternoon shift at TRW, New Inn.
Councillor Mawby acknowledged the
problem and I informed him that I believed the litter picking and
emptying of the litterbins were the responsibility of three separate departments
within the Council, i.e. The Parks Dept, StreetScene and Highways Dept, I went
on to say that due to the `problem` that was an ongoing situation, I felt that
this matter should be addressed forthwith. Brian agreed and contacted the
relevant Officer/Officers and it was acknowledged that the standard of
cleanliness of the canal towpath in mention was not up to the acceptable
standard that the Council `aspire to` and would be `positively` addressed in the
near future.
On the 9th of May 2008, I was informed by
Councillor Mawby, that a `Litter bin emptying and Litter picking` schedule had
been `drawn up, implemented and Litter bin emptying and litter picking along the
canal towpath throughout the canal sections that T.C.B.Council are responsible
i.e Elm Grove, Sebastopol - Ty Coch Lane,Cwmbran would now be on a weekly`
basis commencing on the 8th May,2008 by the StreetScene Division.
I would like to thank Councillor
Mawby for his support and also Torfaen County Borough Council for acting in a
professional and responsible manner, which should now result in a more visually
pleasant experience whilst enjoying the beauty, serenity, fauna and flora that
our canal has to offer. We are truly blessed with an
enviable asset.
Webmaster: On
the 1st of May 2008 I became a `Councillor` myself , joining Margaret
Howells in representing the
Lowlands and Avondale Ward within Cwmbran Community Council. I look
forward to having a `positive` input over the next 4 years ...
My aim is to
encourage and instil .. `Pride in our Community `..
