Resolven () is a small village and
community
A community is a social unit (a group of people) with a shared socially-significant characteristic, such as place, set of norms, culture, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given g ...
in
Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot () is a Principal areas of Wales, county borough in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. Its principal towns are Neath, Port Talbot, Briton Ferry and Pontardawe. The county borough borders Bridgend County Borough and Rhon ...
county borough, Wales. It is located in the
Vale of Neath.
Location
The village is situated in the Vale of Neath, north east of the town of
Neath
Neath (; ) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a population of 19,2 ...
, next to the
A465 ''Heads of Valleys'' Road, and is the main settlement in the
community
A community is a social unit (a group of people) with a shared socially-significant characteristic, such as place, set of norms, culture, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given g ...
of Resolven. Together with the community of
Clyne and Melincourt, the village makes up the
Resolven electoral ward.
The community includes the settlements of
Rheola,
Abergarwed, and Ynysarwed.
History and amenities
In the immediate surrounding areas there are a number of industrial sites, which have become somewhat run down during the 1980s and 1990s. The popular
Rheola indoor market was located near the village on the site of an old industrial factory, but has since moved from Rheola and now resides in the old TRW Steering Systems building. The vacated site has plans to restore
Rheola House and its estate buildings, and establish leisure and tourism facilities.
The larger surrounding area has much attractive countryside and a substantial
wind farm
A wind farm, also called a wind park or wind power plant, is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. Wind farms vary in size from a small number of turbines to several hundred wind turbines covering an exten ...
above the village at Ffynnon Oer.
Resolven has played host to one of the best known stages of the
Wales Rally GB for many years.
Resolven is host to
Welsh Rugby Union affiliated team
Resolven RFC.
Resolven is also host to Football Association Wales affiliated team Resolven AFC.
The
Neath and Tennant Canal has been restored and now has over four miles of walkable towpath between Resolven and
Glynneath. The
Vale of Neath Railway is still used for freight transport between Neath and
Cwmgwrach.
Notable residents
*Debbie Llewellyn, originally from Resolven, was the
Mayor of Gloucester for 2014–15
*
Mel James,
Welsh Rugby Union professional player
*
Daniel Jervis, swimmer
*
Sir Clifford Darby (1909–1992), geographer, was born in Resolven
[Williams, Michael]
"Henry Clifford Darby, 1909–1992"
'' Proceedings of the British Academy'', vol. 87 (1995), pp. 289–306.
*
Peter Hain, Anti-Apartheid campaigner, former cabinet minister, and member of the Privy Council
References
External links
Cymdeithas Hanes Resolfen History Society Monumental Inscriptions for Resolven Resolven Rugby Club Official Sitewww.geograph.co.uk : photos of Resolven and surrounding area
Villages in Neath Port Talbot
Vale of Neath
Rally GB
*
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