From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tredegar
Population	14,802
OS grid reference	SO145095
Principal area	Blaenau Gwent
Ceremonial county	Gwent
Constituent country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TREDEGAR
Postcode district	NP22
Dial code	01495
Police	Gwent
Fire	South Wales
Ambulance	Wales
UK Parliament	Blaenau Gwent
European Parliament	Wales

Tredegar is a town in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, traditional county of Monmouthshire, lying on the Sirhowy River in south east Wales, United Kingdom.

The historic Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, Virginia, United States was named in honour of the town.

The name Tredegar can be explained as Tref Deg Erw – ten acre town.

The elements are Welsh Tref - meaning farm or estate. It later developed the meaning of town. Also the personal name of Tegyr, lenited to Degyr and changing to Degar in the Gwentian dialect with an original meaning Farm of Tegyr

Little is known about Tegyr (the Great) . Sir Tegyr, was thought important enough to be included - as Sir Degore - amongst the twenty-five Knights listed on King Arthur's Round Table. He appears as King Arthur's cup-bearer in the tale of Culhwch & Olwen.

Contents 1 Early History 2 The Town Clock 3 Other Information 4 Claims to Fame 4.1 Famous Residents 4.2 Links with the Labour Party 5 References 6 External links

In 1778 a furnace was built in Sirhowy by Thomas Atkinson and William Barrow who came to the area from London.^[1] Fuel was needed for the furnace so men were employed to dig coal at Bryn Bach and Nantybwch.

The furnace failed in 1794. In 1797, Samuel Homfray, with partners Richard Fothergill and the Revd. Matthew Monkhouse built a new furnace, leasing the land from the Tredegar Estate in Newport.^[2] This created the Sirhowy Ironworks that were to become the Tredegar Ironworks, named in honour of the Tredegar Estate.

One of Tredegar's main attributes is the 'Town Clock' - dominating the southern part of the town centre. The clock was the idea of Mrs. R. P. Davies the wife of the Tredegar Company who had decided that she wanted to present a "lofty illuminated clock" and it was she who decided that it would be erected in the Circle.^[3]

"The clock tower is seventy-two feet high. The foundation is of masonry, on which is surmounted the cast-iron base which has four arms from each corner to a distance of sixty feet at a depth of five feet and six inches below ground level. The pillar is wholly composed of cast-iron, upon a square pediment which in turn, receives a rectangular plinth, and upon this stands a cylindrical column of smooth surface and symmetrical diameter, ornamented with suitable coping on which rests the clock surrounded with a weather vane. The plinth is inscribed on the four aspects, on the south side - Presented to the town of Tredegar from the proceeds of a bazaar promoted by the late Mrs R.P.Davis. Erected in the year 1858. On the West side is effigy of Wellington, with the legend - Wellington, England's Hero. On the North, the Royal Arms of England; and on the east, the name and description of the founder with his crest, - Charles Jordan, Iron Founder, Newport, Mon.

The clock is provided with four transparent faces or dials, each five feet three inches diameter, and these were illuminated originally by gas, but this was later changed to Electricity. The minute hands are each two feet two inches long, and the hour hand one foot seven inches long. The clocks mechanism is a fifteen inch mainwheel strike, with a single four-legged Gravity Escapement driving the four dials. It has a 1 1/4 second pendulum and the bob weighs two hundredweight".^[4]

It is home to Bryn Bach Pond, a country park.

Tredegar Orpheus Male Voice Choir will celebrate its' 100th year in 2009. Originally in Tredegar there were two choirs, a glee party and a small chapel choir. In 1909, these united under the baton of Mr John Davy Evans, and thus became known as, The Tredegar Orpheus Male Voice Choir, the name "Orpheus" coming from the Greek god of music.

Tredegar has been used for numerous TV and film locations, including The District Nurse starring Nerys Hughes. In 1982, a televised version of the A.J. Cronin novel, The Citadel, was filmed in Tredegar. Based partly on Cronin's experiences as a doctor in the town, the series starred Ben Cross.

Just north of Tredegar lies the Trefil region. Trefil found new fame in 2005 when it was used as a location for the alien Vogon homeworld in the film of Douglas Adams's book The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

There exists a myth that King Arthur's Camelot was located in Trefil.

James J. Davis the founder of the Grand Lodge of Moose in Great Britain was born here.

Snooker stars Ray Reardon^[5] and Cliff Wilson and the former mayor Bryan D. White were also born in Tredegar.

Christopher Meredith Novelist, was educated at Tredegar Comprehensive School.

Novelist and Gay Rights activist Ryan Carl Davies now lives in Sirhowy, Tredegar.

Tredegar has strong links with prominent Labour MPs. It was the birthplace of Aneurin Bevan,^[5] who was responsible for the introduction of the British National Health Service (NHS). It was also the birthplace of former Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock who attended Georgetown Infants and Juniors.^[6] His predecessor as leader, Michael Foot, was MP for the local constituency - Blaenau Gwent - during his time as party leader.

1. ^ "A look at Old Tredegar in photographs" Volume 1 Philip Prosser Old Bakehouse Publications 1990
2. ^ B. Gardner's History of Tredegar and other information
3. ^ Old Tredegar Volume One W.Scandlett ISBN 0 9517057 0 9
4. ^ Tredegar Urban District Council's "Centenary Souvenir", 1958
5. ^ ^{a b} http://www.tredegar.co.uk/ Tredegar town website]
6. ^ The Georgetown Schools (1877-1989) Clarice Brown Starling Press, Newport, Gwent 1989

• Tredegar town website
• Eiddil Gwent's history of Tredegar
• B. Gardner's history of Tredegar and other information

Coordinates: 51.77761° N 3.24069° W