Photo: The Colliers’ Steps at Godre’r Graig

Godre’r Graig and Coal Mining

Godre’r Graig was the official address of the Tareni Colliery Company who mined anthracite coals under the mountains of Mynydd Alltygrug and Mynydd Marchywel. Vehicle access to Tareni Collery was via the main road through Godre’r Graig and down the serpentine road constructed by the colliery company c1902/03. This road followed the course of an ancient farm track down the glacial moraine known as the Gnoll. An additional route was provided for miners walking to the mine and which consisted of a series of steps down the moraine to the valley floor, and which were known in the community as the “colliers’ steps”. Thousands of miners walked this route to work between 1903 and 1949. Many of the houses in Godre’r Graig, Cilmaengwyn and Pant-teg were constructed for colliery workers.

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