Swansea Valley Swansea Valley The Swansea Valley (), one of the South Wales Valleys, is the name often given to the valley of the River Tawe area in southern Wales, United Kingdom. It reaches southwest and south from the Brecon Beacons National Park down to the city of Swansea. Today, administration of the area is divided between the City and County of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, and Powys. A distinction is often drawn between the Lower Swansea valley and the Upper Swansea valley which have different characters; the former was more heavily industrialised during the 19th and 20th centuries. Notable
Lower Swansea valley river and continued in production until 1745. (It reopened as a pottery in 1764.) In 1737, the White Rock copper works at Pentrechwyth was established. By 1780 there were three copper works on the east bank of the river: White Rock, Middle and Upper Bank. On the west bank there was also one at Forest. By 1800 nine copper smelters were in production in the valley. By 1860 the lower Swansea valley was smelting two thirds of the copper ores imported to Britain, and changes in the output and economy of the Swansea valley had a significant effect on global