Elan Valley Past and Present

Elan Valley Past and Present This page is a fun but I hope a informative page. I plan to visit and log my walks up the Elan Valley visiting ancient and modern sites

The Elan Valley lays in the Heart Of Wales, near Rhayader, The Elan Valley which is well known for it's spectular dams and reservoirs, the estate covers 72 square miles of mainly open moorland. Human activity in the Elan Valley goes back to at least 3000BC, remains of a Neoltithic chambered tomb can be seen on Beddau Folau. The upland areas which surround the reservoirs are scattered with Bronze A

ge burial cairns and standing stones. A Roman marching camp can be found on Esgair Perfedd. In Medievial times the area formed part of the Cwmdeuddwr Grange which was owned by Strata Flordia Abbey. A few remains can still be seen including a rabbit warren on Esgair Y Ty. There are still remains of the Post-Medievial times including Mines and farmsteads. An Act of Parliament was passed in 1892 for The Birmingham Corporation to compulsory purchase the water catchment area of the Elan and Claerwen Valleys. In 1893 the building work began, 100 occupants of the Elan Valley had to move, only landowners received compensation payments. Many buildings were demolished, 3 manor houses, 18 farms, a school and a church. Six reservoirs were to built with Caban-coch, Penygarreg and Craig Goch in the Elan Valley and Dol-y-mynach, Ciloerwynt and Pant-y-beddau in the Claerwen Valley. The first phase of building, Caban Coch, Garreg Ddu, Pen y Garreg, Craig Goch dams were completed with the foundations of Dol y Mynach dam along with Dol y Mynach Tunnel which supplies water from the Clearwen Valley to Garreg Ddu reservoir and the 73-mile aqueduct to the Frankley reservoir, near Birmingham were all built by 1904. On 21st July 1904 King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra opened the Elan dams and water started flowing along 118 km of pipeline to Birmingham. The building of the second phase dams was delayed due to the 1st and 2nd World Wars and work didn't start again till 1946. With advancements in engineering only one large dam (Claerwen Dam) was needed rather than 3 smaller ones in the Claerwen Valley.

31/03/2026

One of last summer's finds.

18/12/2024
Comet C/2023 A3, nicknamed Tsuchinshan-Atlas above MaenSerth. It was last seen by our neanderthal ancestors and only orb...
22/10/2024

Comet C/2023 A3, nicknamed Tsuchinshan-Atlas above MaenSerth. It was last seen by our neanderthal ancestors and only orbits the Sun once every 80,000 years.

21/10/2024

APPEAL | We're appealing for information to help identify the body of a person who was found in the Claerwen Reservoir on Friday, October 18.
Officers attended the reservoir after receiving a call from a member of the public who had seen a body in the water at just before 8.30am.
The deceased was wearing a wetsuit and is believed to be male.
Enquiries carried out so far – including checking missing people records with neighbouring forces – have not led to the deceased being identified.
While we do not have many details to share at this point, we are appealing for anyone who does have information – who thinks that something mentioned could relate to a missing person in their own life/or who they may know – to come forward.

❗ If you have visited the Claerwen Reservoir or the surrounding area within the last six to eight weeks and noticed any unattended personal property such as bags, clothes, shoes, or anything else that stood out, please get in touch. We’d like to hear from you whether you saw something that caught your attention and left it there, or you removed it from the area.

💻 https://orlo.uk/j2vE4
💬 Direct message us on social media
📩 [email protected]
📱101
Quote reference 64 of October 18, 2024

03/10/2024
A Before and after photo.First photo is of the workers village down stream of Garreg ddu Dam. Photo courtesy of Tony Dav...
19/08/2024

A Before and after photo.
First photo is of the workers village down stream of Garreg ddu Dam. Photo courtesy of Tony Davies.
The second photo was taken during the summer of 1975 when the water levels were very low. The second photo is courtesy of Bryn Stonebridge.

18/08/2024

Elan Valley - 120th Anniversary Tours 🚍

This 24 August, join a special coach tour to mark the 120th anniversary of the Elan Valley.

🕰 10am-12pm and 1:30pm-3:30pm
💷 £20 per person

Dive into the fascinating history of this stunning area! 🌄

Anniversary Coach Tour includes:
ℹ Tour guide
👀 View inside Pen y Garreg Dam
☕ Cream tea
🅿 Free parking
🧁 Free cupcake for the first 120 visitors

To book: https://elan-valley.co.uk/events/elan-valley-120th-anniversary-tours/

Plus, explore our Pop-up Markets on 24 and 25 August, 9am-5pm. Enjoy a showcase of local artisans offering delicious food, drinks, sweet treats and unique gifts. 🎁
___

Cwm Elan - Teithiau Pen-blwydd yn 120 Oed 🚍

Ar 24 Awst, ymunwch â’n taith fws arbennig i ddathlu pen-blwydd Cwm Elan yn 120 oed.

🕰 10am-12pm ac am 1.30pm-3.30pm
💷 £20 y pen

Plymiwch i hanes difyr yr ardal brydferth yma! 🌄

Mae’r Daith Fws Pen-blwydd yn cynnwys:
ℹ Tywysydd
👀 Cip y tu fewn i Argae Pen y Garreg
☕Te hufen
🅿 Parcio am ddim
🧁 Cacen fach am ddim i’r 120 ymwelydd cyntaf

Bwcio: https://elan-valley.co.uk/cy/events/teithiau-pen-blwydd-cwm-elan-yn-120-oed/

A chrwydrwch ein Marchnadoedd Dros Dro ar 24 a 25 Awst, 9am-5pm. Mwynhewch arlwy o grefftwyr Cymreig lleol, gyda bwydydd, diodydd, a rhoddion unigryw. 🎁

Wales Visit Mid Wales Activity Wales Events

Address

Rhayader
LD65HP

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Elan Valley Past and Present posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to Elan Valley Past and Present:

Shortcuts

Share

Category