So just what have we got here, then?

How it all started

Potted histories, potted maps, potted notes and potted memories on all the places that I and others have visited and remember, along with Grid References so that you can visit them too. There's still an awful lot I haven't visited yet so this will keep me busy and out of my wife's way now I'm retired. The trouble is, in the name of reclamation and re-generation, so many old and historic industrial sites are being lost to housing and supermarkets, because they're Victorian, not 'Roman' or 'Elizabethan'. This site goes a little way to recording them.
So loads of photos of Wales and Monmouthshire's Leftovers taken over the past few years with a few historical views thrown in for good measure.

Industrial Wales

Potted histories, potted maps, potted notes and potted memories on all the places that I and others have visited and remember, along with Grid References so that you can visit them too. There's still an awful lot I haven't visited yet so this will keep me busy and out of my wife's way now I'm retired. The trouble is, in the name of reclamation and re-generation, so many old and historic industrial sites are being lost to housing and supermarkets, because they're Victorian, not 'Roman' or 'Elizabethan'. This site goes a little way to recording them.

The brickworks of Wales and their products

The Brickworks of South Wales... was the work of the late Mike Stokes on his excellent website, The Brickworks of South Wales. I am uncertain of the status of Mike's website which unfortunately may disappear when his subscription expires. With that in mind I am transcribing it here and will be adding my own bits, pieces and extras where they fit.

Around the World (in 80 mouseclicks !)

I started taking very poor photos of railways way back in 1960 on school train-spotting trips. Very slowly the photos improved and the daytrips turned into holidays and the holidays turned into retirement and the world was my oyster. So here are my photos of trains, trams, buses, boats and industry from 'way back when' and more up-to-date travels taken where-ever in the world I was at the time.

Other useful info

There's a full site map and index, a page of links to websites and ideas for further reading and a 'Contact Me' form if you've got any additions or questions.

This is your Health and Safety Officer speaking

Old industrial sites are extremely dangerous - End of story. If you do go exploring, you will break your neck falling off crumbling walls, get crushed under collapsing beams and ceilings, choke in toxic air, drown in stagnant water, plunge for ever down bottomless pits or disappear, only to be found years later after 95% weight loss. Unless you're extremely careful. Tell someone where you're going or, better still, take a friend. If you don't know what you're doing, please don't do it. I want you to enjoy our heritage, not be its victim.

Background and Technical Information

The site has been created and maintained using 'Notepad++', an excellent free HTML editor (no relation to MicroSoft's 'notepad'), viewed in Google Chrome browser using Windows 10 with a resolution of 1366 x 768 and hosted by strato-hosting.co.uk. It seems to work well in Chrome, Firefox and Edge but, lke so many sites, is unreliable in Internet Explorer.
I love maps so most of my own input has been by examining the old maps of Monmouthshire and relating the sites to today's Ordnance Survey maps. Then, when I get the chance, I go exploring and photographing what is left. I've found that a great way of finding new areas to explore is to join the Ramblers Association. I'm a member of Islwyn Ramblers and I've stumbled across many interesting sites on their rambles. For a not-too-serious record of my ramblings and roamings, have a look at the 'Talk of the Walks' page on their site.
The history snippets are taken from the published sources acknowledged on the 'Further Reading' page. Dates prefixed 'b' usually refer to when a site first appeared on the OS map and when it was marked 'disused' or was no longer shown. The dates on OS maps are usually the dates they were published so sites on them have appeared or disappeared a few years earlier than those quoted.
All the photos and sketches are mine or my contributors and copyright but you are very welcome to download, print and use them for your personal research etc. If you do find out anything interesting please let me know.
If you want to get in touch, just click here :- Contact Me
or drop me a line at webmaster @ www.industrialgwent.co.uk particularly if something's wrong or not working properly.