Bryngroes Colliery

Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley

This was a small level that was owned by the Bryngroes Colliery Company in 1917. This company was not associated to the Monmouthshire and South Wales Coal Owners Association. It was shown to have employed 2 men in 1918. It worked the White, the Upper and Lower Big, Brass and Middle seams, the Middle seam was abandoned in January 1919 when it employed 20 men and was managed by D. Francis, the White seam was
abandoned in March 1921 and the Lower Big in July 1922 which is probably the date of closure. At that time it was worked in conjunction with Pantmawr and they employed 60 men.

The Ystradgynlais/Ystalyfera/Yniscedwin area at the top of the Swansea Valley was the scene of some of the earliest industrialisation in the history of the Coalfield. As early as 1720 a small iron works was established at Yniscedwyn and worked by Messrs Cowley and Company. Towards the end of that century, Mr. Parsons was recorded as running a forge in the district, up to this lime charcoal was still used for the smelting of iron ore. According to Elizabeth Phillips, the first coal level was opened in 1758 and the first pit in 1827 was sunk by Treacher and James. It was Treacher and James who opened furnaces at Ystalyfera in 1837. In 1838 the works were bought by James Palmer Budd who ran it until the 1880s.

Information supplied by Ray Lawrence and used here with his permission.