Mining Memorial - Merthyr Vale, Wales. - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

The carved statue of a Coal Miner, is shown leaning on his shovel & looks wistfully towards the River Taff.
The memorial also features a sheave wheel that once stood atop the headgear of the deep mine, pit shaft, of Merthyr Vale Colliery, winding the Men & Coal from underground to daylight, for over 100 years.

the Plaque text is shown below, but part of it reads:
"one of the darkest days in the history of coal mining."
This is a reference to the Aberfan Disaster that occurred in 1966.

(It was the waste tip from Merthyr Vale colliery, that slid down the mountain on 21st October 1966 in the next village of Aberfan, killing 144 people, 116 of which were children.) The saddest day in the recent history of the People of Wales.

"His Worship the Mayor Councillor David Isaac unveiled a plaque at the foot of a new memorial to the Merthyr Vale Colliery that was at the heart of the community for over 100 years.

The plaque reads:
Merthyr Vale Colliery (formerlyTaff Colliery) 1869 – 1989

Sunk by John Nixon from 1869 in Owain’s Riverside Meadow (Ynysowen) on the bank of the Afon Taff the first commercial coal was brought to the surface in 1875.

The colliery finally closed on 25th August 1989 following a long and proud existence punctuated by one of the darkest days in the history of coal mining.

The corners of our memories may be eroded and softened by time but they live on in the local communities first established to house the coal miners of the colliery and their families.

The memorial is located in the centre of the new roundabout at Bells Hill and incorporates a half pit wheel from the old colliery which has been moved from the grounds of Ysgol Rhyd y Grug and a life sized sculpture of a miner looking reflectively towards the river.

The Mayor, Cllr Isaac said: ‘This tribute to the mining heritage of the site is a fitting commemoration of the industry and people that drove the development of this community and will, I am sure, be a great focal point for many years to come." Text Source: (visit link)

Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Mining Memorial Figure Type: Human Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Chris Wood Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: 12/16/2015 Materials used: Metal & Wood Location: Traffic Island - Bells Hill

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/15/2017 veritas vita visited it