Aberdare

Aberdare, town, south-eastern Wales. It is located at the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons, at the confluence of the Dare and Cynon rivers at the head of the Cynon valley. It is the second-largest town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff and lies 34 km (21 mi) north-west of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The presence in the area of a civilization prior to the time of the Roman conquest of Britain is indicated by the tumuli (burial mounds) of the Silures, an ancient people of Britain. The first recorded mention of Aberdare is dated 1203. It was a small farming community until the discovery of iron and coal in the early 19th century. The extension of the Glamorganshire Canal in 1811 and the building of the railway spurred its growth. The supply of iron was exhausted by 1875, and all existing coal mines were shut down by 1965. Electric cables, bricks, and machine parts are manufactured in the town. Population (1991) 33,105.