Ebbw Vale Steelworks

Ebbw Vale Iron Works, later to become the Ebbw Vale Steelworks, opened in 1778, followed by the opening of a number of coal mines around 1790. Rails for the Stockton and Darlington Railway were manufactured at Ebbw Vale in 1829.[2]

At its height (1930s — 40s) the steel works in Ebbw Vale was the largest in Europe, although attracting very little attention from German bombers during World War II. By the 1960s around 14,500 people were employed. The end of the century witnessed a massive collapse of the UK steel industry.[1] A strike in 1980 was followed by closures and redundancies which resulted in the dismantling of many of the old plants.[1] In 2002 only 450 were employed in the old industries, and by July of that year the final works closed.[1] Today there are no steelworks or mines left in the area. Ebbw Vale is still recognised for its innovation and contribution to the development of Britain as an industrial nation.