The Pontypool Park House stable block in a derelict state in around 1970. Picture: Torfaen Museum. THIS photograph shows the Pontypool Park House stable block in a derelict state in around 1970. Since 1980 the site has been refurbished as the Torfaen Museum Trust’s valley museum. The Trust was formed in 1978 from the former Torfaen Borough Council museum service. Although originally established to provide a heritage trail with sites along the Torfaen Valley, including the Blaenavon Ironworks, Forge Row at Cwmavon, Junction Cottage at Pontymoile and Llanyrafon Farm, the Trust now has just one major site housing its collections, Amgueddfa Torfaen Museum here at Park Buildings (which was opened to the public as the Valley Inheritance Museum in 1981).
The Pontypool to Crumlin canal at Trosnant in a late eighteenth century (1790s) print. Picture: Torfaen Museum. A FEW years ago, the museum was sent a copy extract of American industrialist, James Patterson’s diary. He sailed from New York in October 1827 to visit relatives in Ireland and then onwards to industrial sites in England and Wales – where he hoped to gain information ready for the opening of tinplate works in Pennsylvania. The diary extract is fascinating reading and highlights of the Patterson’s trip are visits to all Capel Hanbury Leigh’s works and others around Pontypool, Abersychan (The British) and Blaenavon.