The Llwyd Valley

The Llwyd Valley (Welsh: Y Cwm Llwyd) is the furthest East of the largely industrialised South Wales Valleys, the largest settlements in The Llwyd Valley being Cwmbran, Pontypool and Blaenavon. Stretching as far South as Ponthir and as far North as Blaenavon, following the Afon Lwyd through Torfaen, the geography of The Llwyd Valley and the closely linked Afon Lwyd are frequently a noticeable feature of many placenames in Torfaen (such as; Blaenavon; with the Welsh spelling Blaenafon loosely translating to 'River's Source' in English and Torfaen itself being derived from the Welsh for breaker of stones due to the force of the river) as well as being an influence on the culture of the area.

Etymology

The word Llwyd, 'grey' in English, is taken from the name of the river that formed The Grey Valley; The Afon Lwyd. The name of this river can sometimes be mistranslated as Lwyd or Lloyd's River but it is more accurately translated as The Grey River, a description of poor water quality during the county's industrial past, despite the description now being out-of-date since the river returning to its cleanest levels since medieval times.

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