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Sunday 27 March 2016

Fortified Marsh House Aberthaw for CEGB.


 Going through some old negatives from about 35 years ago I came across a reminder that I didn't spend all my time working under contract to the old Central Electricity Generating Board climbing transmission towers and photographing power stations.
These pictures were taken before the fortified Warehouse was demolished to make way for ash storage at Aberthaw power station.
In the 16th century, the port, situated to the south east of the village proper, had emerged as a small but thriving harbour. The ships took wool and foodstuffs from Wales and returned with wine, salt, dried fruit and leather from the towns of northern France. Aberthaw's importance was furthered by the loss of Porthkerry harbour to a 1584 storm, rendering Aberthaw the principal calling-point within South Wales between Cardiff and Swansea.
By the first half of the 17th century, boats were departing not only for England and France, but also Spain and Ireland. A similarly flourishing trade with the West Indies, chiefly in sugar and tobacco, did not, however, survive the disruption caused by the outbreak of the English Civil War. Within the context of the village, the port played a significant role in the livelihoods of many residents in the 17th century, though not always in a legal manner: Smuggling was rife within the Bristol Channel. Buildings such as the fortified Marsh House, built just to the west of the village in 1636, appear to have been used for storage of illegally imported goods, especially tobacco.
This Extract is largely from the Wikipediaentry for Aberthaw:
 


Saturday 19 March 2016

Bath Half Marathon 2016

A few of my pictures from the Bath Half
The Runners Village