IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Curwood, PONTYPOOL, NP4 9BL

Blaenavon World Heritage Centre, the first in the UK, opened in March 2008. It tells the story of Blaenavon and its people during the huge changes in the area during the Industrial Revolution. Housed within two refurbished historic buildings on Church Road, the centre's visitor facilities include exhibitions, a cafe and a tourist information centre. The buildings were originally St Peter's Church School, which opened in 1816. Unlike most schools of the era, it provided free education (for ironworkers' children up to the age of 12).

The Centre http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1855086 is located on Church Road.

Viewed from the perimeter wall at the Heritage Centre. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2603886 My first thought was that this was part of the churchyard of the nearby St Peter's Church http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2497190 but graves nearer the church are well tended, so perhaps this overgrown graveyard was part of a church site now occupied by the heritage centre.

Connecting with the B4246, Curwood is a dead-end street on the south bank of a river, the Afon Lwyd. The street ends a few metres behind the cars. The fence on the right is at the river's edge.

Landscaping improvements for the World Heritage Centre underway

Located in Prince Street, purpose built in 1937 as a main sorting office. It housed the telephone exchange, sorting rooms, telephone boxes, offices and strong rooms. The building, now Grade II listed, has a steep pitched roof of hand-crafted stone tiles, a marble plinth and sandstone frontage. Inside, much remains of the original woodwork. Still in use as a post office ; other items and services available include holiday flat rental, a selection of food and drinks (including local ice creams), gifts and cards. UPDATE. This post office closed down in early 2015. Blaenavon's only post office is now inside this http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/4667111 nearby shop.

This sculpture, created in 2009 at the Community Garden in Prince Street, is in the shape of a blast furnace. It is made of a corten steel frame filled with toughened coloured glass. Corten steel initially rusts to a warm reddish colour, then resists any further corrosion. Blaenavon's motto "Hope is not broken" is shown in black lettering in English and Welsh. The motto is based on the coat of arms of the Kennard family, who were leading industrialists in Blaenavon in the 19th century.

Located on the corner of Church Road and High Street. Built in 1807, rebuilt or modified several times in the 19th century. The year shown on the building is 1862. The name on the building shows 'Chapel' whereas the name on the sign to the left of the entrance shows 'Church'. The building was Grade II listed in 1995.

Located on Ivor Street. Open 7am-10pm Mondays-Saturdays, 8am-10pm on Sundays. The post office http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1854049 is at the left edge of the photo.