Hirwaun Cottages?

The Editor has recently received a very kind letter from Anne Thorne of Llanllwni in Carmarthenshire, who points out that the use of "Hirwaun Cottages", for the two houses which were destroyed in 1965 along the now B4242, is incorrect. The letter and translation is produced below.

Dear Trefor Jones,

           May I congratulate the website produced by Resolven History Society. As you can see from my address I live a long way from the Vale of Neath but I hail from Glynneath and have many connections with Resolven. That is why I am writing to you now.

I was browsing through the site and came across a reference to a landslip between Abergarwed and Resolfen that happened in 1965. One of houses destroyed was  the home of my grandparents  and was named Llwyn Helig. This event  has obviously played an important part in my family history.

There is a reference to the name "Hirwaun Cottages", however, I have never heard the houses referred to by that name, in fact the second house was named Fairview. The third house was named Hirwaun House , and ironically was the one that was not demolished ( though it was feared that it was the most in danger)  but subsequently was taken down voluntarily following the landslip.

It is not my intention to question the integrity of the site but instead to confirm the proper names of the houses involved. I would be grateful for any further information from your members and any further pictures of the event in addition to those currently on the website.

Many thanks once again for the website,

Anne Thorne 

It  appears that the confusion comes from the fact that one of the three houses ( as against two) included  "Hirwaun" and it may be a colloquial echo or Chinese whisper by reference to the group of houses in the subsequent decades. It certainly shows that the decision to broaden the activities of the Society to include a research element will be a rewarding one.

Diolch o galon unwaith eto i Anne Thorne am ddwyn sylw i'r elfen bwysig yma o'n hanes lleol, sydd yn cael ei cholli mor gyflym gyda threiglad amser a newidiadau cymdeithasol yn ein cymdogaeth. 

Y Golygydd.