Hirwaun is a village at the northwest end of the Cynon Valley which has an industrial background centering on the Hirwaun Ironworks (nprn 40381). The ironworks, in existence since the late eighteenth century, had passed through a succession of owners before being purchased in 1819 by William Crawshay of Cyfarthfa, in whose family it remained until closure in 1859. The ironworks' blast furnaces required coke, which spurred an increase in local coal mining activities. Even after the ironworks closed, coal mining continued.
During the Merthyr Rising of 1831 the red flag that later came to represent socialism was raised on Hirwaun Common for the first time.
Tower Colliery (nprn 91586), on Hirwaun Common, became famous in the 1990s as the last deep in mine in Wales. It is the only one which survived the massive closure programme during privatisation, thanks to a unique workers' buyout in 1994.
Two 1960s tower blocks, known as 'The Towers' and 'The Beacons' were demolished in 2004. Hirwaun is currently undergoing regeneration with development of the Common.
Associated with: Crawshay's Tower (Nprn 407160)
RCAHMW, 2009.