Brynamman Isaf > Area History
Brynaman itself is divided by the River Aman, one side called Upper Brynaman is in Carmerthenshire and Lower Brynaman is in Neath and Port Talbot The old county of Glamorganshire . In the 18th century the Industrial Revolution formed the Tinworks and especially Coal Mining, transforming the area from a small farming community to a built up populated commercial centre.
Today there are no industries in or around the village, people having to go elsewhere for work, even to Cardiff or Bristol. Even with no work the language is quite strong in the region of 70% for people who can either speak, read or write in Welsh. The population of Lower Brynaman in the 2001 census was 1307.
The welsh language was at the fore and the successful participation in local and national eisteddfod by numerous villages despite choirs and bands put Brynaman in the map.
Brynaman was previously known as “Y Gwter Fawr”. The name was changed when the railway from Ammanford reached the village in 1886.
The traveller and writer George Borrow described aspects of the “Gwter Fawr” in the mid 19th century in his book “Wild Wales.” Whilst visiting the Farmers Arms, now the Brynaman RFC.
Lower Brynaman has three Chapels. Siloam the Baptist Chapel was built in 1898. Ebenezer and Hermon the independent Chapels.
Ebenezer was built in 1882 a branch of Gibea. Then came Hermon in 1909 a branch of Ebenezer.
There are two Clubs in the village,The Big Club Brynaman Industrial Club and the Brynaman Rugby Football Club, the old Farmers Arms.
Brynaman is known as the Gateway to the Black Mountain. In 2010 Neath and Porttalbot County Council, built a wall with numerous plaques inserted into the Wall,depicting everything about the village including “Welcome to the Gateway to the Black Mountain” This wall was opened by the children of the Glyn Primary School Lower Brynaman on the July 22nd 2011.
Then December 2011, the village lost its only school due to lack of attendance after 110 years. The school properties are still empty since. The Community Council is hoping to purchase the land for a Community Centre