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{{infobox UK place
|country = Wales
|welsh_name= Castell-nedd
|constituency_welsh_assembly=[[Neath (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Neath]]
|latitude= 51.66
|longitude= -3.81
|official_name= Neath
|unitary_wales= [[Neath Port Talbot]]
|lieutenancy_wales= [[West Glamorgan]]
|constituency_westminster= [[Neath (UK Parliament constituency)|Neath]]
|post_town= NEATH
|postcode_district = SA10-11
|postcode_area= SA
|dial_code= 01639
|os_grid_reference= SS745975
|population= 19258
}}
'''Neath''' ({{lang-cy|Castell-nedd}}) is a town and [[Community (Wales)|community]] situated in the [[Principal areas of Wales|principal area]] of [[Neath Port Talbot]], [[Wales]] with a population of 19,258 in 2011.<ref name=census2011 /> The wider urban area, which includes neighbouring settlements, had a population of 50,658 in 2011.<ref name=census2011 /> [[Historic counties of Wales|Historically]] in [[Glamorgan]], the town is located on the river of the [[River Neath|same name]], {{convert|7|mi|km}} east northeast of [[Swansea]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Penguin Encyclopedia of Places|editor=John Paxton|publisher=Penguin|location=London|year=1999|edition=Third|page=628}}</ref>
==History==
Historically, Neath was the [[ford (crossing)|crossing place]] of the [[River Neath]] and has existed as a settlement since the [[Roman Britain|Romans]] established the fort of ''Nido'' or ''[[Nidum]]'' in the AD 70s.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Welsh Academy Encyclopedia of Wales|editor=John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur I. Lynch|publisher=University of Wales Press|location=Cardiff|year=2008|page=603}}</ref> The Roman fort took its name from the River ''Nedd''; the meaning is obscure but 'shining' or simply 'river' have been suggested. Neath is the [[Anglicise]]d form.<ref>{{cite book|last=Wyn Owen|first=Hywel|author2=Richard Morgan|title=Dictionary of the Place-names of Wales|publisher=Gomer Press|location=Llandysul|year=2008|page=342}}</ref> The [[Antonine Itinerary]] (c. 2nd century) names only nine places in [[Wales in the Roman Era|Roman Wales]], one of them being Neath.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.roman-britain.org/geography/itinerary.htm |title=The Antonine Itinerary – ''Iter Britanniarum'' – The British Section |accessdate=2009-10-27 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20090727181009/http://www.roman-britain.org:80/geography/itinerary.htm |archivedate=27 July 2009 }}</ref> There is evidence of undated [[prehistoric]] settlements on the hills surrounding the town, which were probably [[Celt]]ic. The fort covered a large area which now lies under the playing fields of Dŵr-y-Felin Comprehensive School.<ref>[http://www.dwryfelin.baglanit.org.uk/history/index.html Dwr y Felin School: History Department]</ref> In the late 1960s, there were reports in the local media of a massive Roman marching camp being found above Llantwit which would have accommodated many thousands of troops.<ref>Neath Guardian</ref>
[[Illtud|St Illtyd]] visited the Neath area and established a settlement in what is now known as Llantwit on the northern edge of the town. The church of St. Illtyd<ref>[http://www.kingswaycomputers.co.uk/parishofneath/illtyd.shtml Parish of Neath: St. Illtyd]</ref> was built at this settlement and was enlarged in [[Norman conquest of England|Norman]] times. The [[Norman architecture|Norman]] and pre Norman church structure remains intact and active to day within the [[Church in Wales]].<ref>[http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/ Church in Wales]</ref> The [[Welsh language]] name for Neath is ''Castell-nedd'', referring to the Norman Neath Castle,<ref>[http://www.castlewales.com/neath.html Neath Castle]</ref> which was visited by English Kings [[Henry II of England|Henry II]], [[John Lackland]] and [[Edward I]].
[[File:NeathCastleRemains.jpg|left|thumb|[[Neath Castle]]]]
Neath was a [[market town]] that expanded with the arrival of the [[Industrial Revolution]] in the 18th century with new manufacturing industries of [[iron]], [[steel]] and [[tinplate]]. The [[Mackworth Baronets|Mackworth family]], who owned the Gnoll Estate<ref>[http://www.archivesnetworkwales.info/cgi-bin/anw/search2?coll_id=1229&inst_id=34&term=Britton%20manor Britton Manor]</ref> were prominent in the town's industrial development. [[Coal]] was mined extensively in the surrounding valleys and the construction of [[canal]]s and [[railway]]s made Neath a major transportation centre and the Evans & Bevan families were major players in the local coal mining community as well as owning the Vale of Neath Brewery.<ref>[http://www.archivesnetworkwales.info/cgi-bin/anw/fulldesc_nofr?inst_id=1&coll_id=427&expand= Neath Brewery]</ref> [[Silica]] was mined in the Craig-y-Dinas area of [[Pontneddfechan]], after [[Quaker]] entrepreneur [[William Weston Young]] invented the [[blast furnace]] silica [[firebrick]], later moving brick production from the works at Pontwalby to the Green in Neath. The town continued as a market trading centre with a municipal cattle market run by W.B.Trick. Industrial development continued throughout the 20th century with the construction by [[BP]] of a new [[petroleum]] refinery at [[Llandarcy]].
[[Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson|Admiral Lord Nelson]] stayed at the Castle Hotel en route to [[Milford Haven]] when the fleet was at anchor there{{Citation needed|date=February 2009}}. Lt. Lewis Roatley,<ref>[http://www.cjbooks.demon.co.uk/hms.htm HMS VICTORY. MAN~OF~WAR 1805 MUSTER LISTS]</ref> the son of the landlord of the Castle Hotel, served as a [[Royal Marines]] officer with Nelson aboard {{HMS|Victory}} in the [[Battle of Trafalgar]].
The [[River Neath]] is a navigable [[estuary]] and Neath was a river port until recent times. The heavy industries are no more with the town being a commercial and tourism centre. Attractions for visitors are the ruins of the [[Cistercian]] [[Neath Abbey]], the Gnoll Park and [[Neath Indoor Market]].<ref>[http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~waggy/Gnoll.htm Gnoll Park]</ref>
Neath hosted the [[National Eisteddfod of Wales]] in 1918, 1934 and 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eisteddfod.org.uk/english/content.php?nID=55 |title=Eisteddfod Locations|work=The National Eisteddfod of Wales|accessdate=3 October 2010}}</ref>
==Notable people==
:''See [[:Category:People from Neath]]''
*[[Mark Bowen (footballer)|Mark Bowen]] (1963–, b. Briton Ferry), deputy manager of Stoke FC, and formerly a player with Spurs and [[Norwich City FC|Norwich City]];
*[[Richard Burton]] (1925–1984, b. [[Pontrhydyfen]]), actor;
*[[Hugh Dalton]] (1887–1962, b. Gnoll), [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] politician, [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], 1945–1947.
*[[Ben Davies (footballer, born 1993)|Ben Davies]] (1993– ), Tottenham Hotspur, and Wales footballer
*[[David Harris Davies|David Davies]], (1877–1944), Welsh international rugby union forward;
*[[Ivor Emmanuel]] (1927–2007), singer and actor;
*[[Hugh Evan-Thomas]], vice-admiral;
*[[Craig Evans (Welsh cricketer)|Craig Evans]] (born 1971), cricketer;
*[[Rebecca Evans]] (1963–, b. Pontrhydyfen), soprano;
*[[Samuel Thomas Evans|Sir Samuel Thomas Evans]] (1859–1918, b. Skewen), politician and judge;
*[[George Grant Francis]] (1814–1822, b. Swansea) historian who wrote ''Original Charters and Materials for a History of Neath'' (1845);
*[[Julie Gardner]] (1969– ), television producer previously responsible for ''[[Doctor Who]]'' and its spin-off ''[[Torchwood]]'', now executive producer of scripted projects at [[BBC Worldwide]];
*[[Richard Grant (cricketer)|Richard Grant]] (born 1984), cricketer;
*[[Cecil Griffiths]] (1900–1945), winner of an [[Olympic gold medal]] in the [[4x400m relay]] at the [[1920 Summer Olympics|1920 Antwerp Olympics]];
*[[Thomas Haffield]] (1988-), Great Britain Olympic swimmer;
*[[Carl Harris (footballer)|Carl Harris]] (1956– ), the former [[Leeds United]] and Wales international;
*[[T. G. H. James]] (1923–2009), Egyptologist and former Keeper of Egyptian Antiquities at the [[British Museum]];
*[[William Jenkins (British politician)|Sir William Jenkins]] (1871–1944), former Neath MP;
*[[Katherine Jenkins]] (1980– ), popular classical mezzo-soprano;
*[[Della Jones]] (1946, b. Tonna), mezzo-soprano;
*[[Geraint F. Lewis]] (1969– ), leading astrophysicist;
*[[Andy Legg]] (1966– ), former professional footballer and Wales international;
*[[Tony Lewis]] (1936–, b. Swansea), first Welshman to Captain an England cricket tour abroad, (India, Pakistan, 1972–73). Writer and broadcaster;
*[[Thomas Leyson]] (1549-c. 1608), Latin and Welsh poet and physician;
*[[Andrew Matthews-Owen]], pianist;
*[[Ray Milland]] (1907–1986), Oscar winning Hollywood actor;
*[[David Watts Morgan]] (1867–1933), miners' leader and politician;
*[[William Nott|Sir William Nott]] (1782–1845), British General in India;
*[[Harry Parr-Davies]], composer;
*[[Jessie Penn-Lewis]] (1861–1927), missioner and revivalist;
*[[Sir Arthur Pugh]] (1870–1955, b. [[Ross]], [[Hertfordshire]]), trade unionist, moved to his father's birthplace, Neath, 1894;<ref>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/articleHL/35629?docPos=59&anchor=match Oxford DNB article: Pugh, Sir Arthur]</ref>
*[[Henry Habberley Price]] (1899–1984), philosopher;
*[[Walter E. Rees|Walter Enoch Rees]] (1863–1949), rugby administrator;
* [[Paul Rhys]] (1963– ), actor;
*[[Peter Shreeves]] (1940– ), former [[Tottenham Hotspur F.C.|Spurs]] and [[Sheffield Wednesday]] manager;
*[[Samuel Charles Silkin]], Baron Silkin of Dulwich (1918–1988), barrister and politician, [[Attorney-General]], 1974–1979;
* [[Jonathan Spratt]] Welsh rugby player
*[[William Squire]] (1917–1989), actor;
*[[David Thaxton]] (1982– ), West End performer
*[[Brian Thomas (rugby player)|Brian Thomas]] (1940–2012), Wales rugby union lock who also played and managed Neath RFC;
*[[Bonnie Tyler]] (1951–, b. Skewen), pop star;
*[[Andrew Vicari]] (1938– ), artist;
*[[Ron Waldron]] (1933– ) Welsh rugby coach;
*[[Alfred Russel Wallace]] (1823, b. [[Monmouthshire]]), evolutionary theorist, lived in Neath during 1841/2 and attended lectures given by the area's scientific societies;<ref>[http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/articleHL/36700?docPos=82&anchor=match Oxford DNB article: Wallace, Alfred Russel]</ref>
*[[Cyril Walters]] (1905–1992), Glamorgan cricketer and Captain of the England cricket team;
*[[Anna Laetitia Waring|Anna Letitia Waring]] (1823–1910), poet and hymn writer;
*[[Elijah Waring]], writer; and
*[[Maria Jane Williams|Jane Williams]] [called Llinos] (1795–1873), singer and compiler of traditional Welsh music.
==Sport==
The [[Welsh Rugby Union]] was formed at a meeting held at the Castle Hotel in 1881.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.castlehotelneath.co.uk/history.htm |title=The History of The Castle Hotel |accessdate=2009-02-05 |publisher=The Castle Hotel |location=Neath SA11 1RB, Wales |quote=The Castle Hotel was the meeting place for the founders of the Welsh Rugby Union. The inaugural meeting of the Welsh Rugby Union took place in the Nelson Room at the Castle Hotel on 12th March, 1881. There is a plaque outside the hotel commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Welsh Rugby Union, and at that time the Nelson Room name was changed to the Centenary Room. Still displayed in the room are the plaques of the original eleven members of the Welsh Rugby Union. |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20080514215243/http://www.castlehotelneath.co.uk/history.htm |archivedate=14 May 2008 }}</ref> [[Neath RFC|Neath Rugby Football Club]], the famous and very successful "Welsh All Blacks", play at [[The Gnoll]]. They have won 4 consecutive titles in the semi-professional Principality Premiership and 3 Swalec Cup titles (previously known as Schweppes and Konica Minolta Cups).{{citation needed|date=April 2015}}
[[Motorcycle speedway]] was staged at the Abbey Stadium in Neath in 1962. The Welsh Dragons, led by [[New Zealand]]er [[Trevor Redmond]], raced with some success in the [[Speedway Provincial League|Provincial League]] but, because of local problems, a number of the "home" fixtures were raced at [[St Austell]]. The Dragons introduced the [[Australia]]n rider Charlie Monk to British speedway. After a season at [[Long Eaton Invaders|Long Eaton Archers]], Monk went on to have considerable success at [[Glasgow Tigers (speedway)|Glasgow]]. The team also featured South African Howdy Cornell. In the early 1960s there was also stock car racing held at Neath Abbey, opposite the monastery
[[Neath Athletic A.F.C.]] was the town's largest football team, playing at [[Neath RFC]]'s ground, The Gnoll, and played in the top flight of [[Welsh football]], the [[Welsh Premier League]], until the club was wound up in 2012. In the 2006–07 season, Neath Athletic A.F.C. were promoted from the [[Welsh Football League]] First Division to the Welsh Premier League. Neath Athletic A.F.C. had an average of 300 supporters attending a domestic, Welsh Premier League game, which was typical of the Welsh Premier League.
[[South Wales Scorpions]], formed in 2010, are a professional [[rugby league]] team who also play their home games at The Gnoll.
==Administration==
The previous [[borough council]] was absorbed into the larger [[unitary authority]] of [[Neath Port Talbot]] on 1 April 1996. The town encompasses the [[electoral ward]]s of [[Neath East]], [[Neath North]] and [[Neath South]].
Neath and the surrounding area is represented at [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|Westminster]] by [[Christina Rees (politician)|Christina Rees]] [[Member of Parliament|MP]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]) and in the [[National Assembly for Wales]] by [[Gwenda Thomas]] [[National Assembly for Wales|AM]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]).
==Climate==
As with the rest of the [[British Isles]] and Wales, Neath experiences a [[maritime climate]] with cool summers and mild winters, often high winds, and low sunshine levels.
{{Weather box
|location = Neath 62m asl, 1961–1990
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan high C = 7.6
|Feb high C = 7.5
|Mar high C = 9.5
|Apr high C = 12.2
|May high C = 15.4
|Jun high C = 17
|Jul high C = 19
|Aug high C = 18
|Sep high C = 16
|Oct high C = 13
|Nov high C = 9
|Dec high C = 8
|year high C = 13.4
|Jan low C = 2.7
|Feb low C = 2.4
|Mar low C = 3.5
|Apr low C = 5.1
|May low C = 8.1
|Jun low C = 10.9
|Jul low C = 12.7
|Aug low C = 12.6
|Sep low C = 10.9
|Oct low C = 8.7
|Nov low C = 5.1
|Dec low C = 3.6
|year low C = 7.2
|Jan precipitation mm = 137
|Feb precipitation mm = 90
|Mar precipitation mm = 100
|Apr precipitation mm = 70
|May precipitation mm = 79
|Jun precipitation mm = 79
|Jul precipitation mm = 78
|Aug precipitation mm = 107
|Sep precipitation mm = 114
|Oct precipitation mm = 130
|Nov precipitation mm = 140
|Dec precipitation mm = 143
|year precipitation mm = 1267
|Jan sun = 49.6
|Feb sun = 67.8
|Mar sun = 108.5
|Apr sun = 159.0
|May sun = 186.0
|Jun sun = 183.0
|Jul sun = 186.0
|Aug sun = 173.6
|Sep sun = 132.0
|Oct sun = 93.0
|Nov sun = 69.0
|Dec sun = 46.5
|year sun = 1460.0
|source 1 = [[Met Office]]<ref>{{cite web
| url =http://web.archive.org/web/20010210224623/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/sites/48.html | title = Neath 1961–90 averages | accessdate = 25 Sep 2011 | publisher = [[Met Office]]}}</ref>
|date=Sep 2011
}}
==Education==
{{See also|List of schools in Neath Port Talbot}}
[[Dwr-y-Felin Comprehensive School]] is situated on the outskirts of the town, opposite a campus of [[Neath Port Talbot College]] (which was previously Neath College). The Cefn Saeson Comprehensive School is in the village of [[Cimla]] near the Crynallt [[Primary School]]. Two other comprehensive schools serve the town: Llangatwg Comprehensive School in [[Cadoxton, Neath Port Talbot|Cadoxton]] and Cwrt Sart Comprehensive School in [[Briton Ferry]]. [[Primary school]]s include Crynallt Primary School in Cimla, Alderman Davies Church in Wales Primary School in Neath, Gnoll Primary School in Neath, Melin Infant and Junior schools, Ysgol Gynradd Castell Nedd, Mynachlog Nedd Junior School in Skewen, Tonnau Primary School in Tonna, Tonmawr Primary School in Tonmawr, Catwg Primary School in Cadoxton, Wauncierch primary school in Wauncierch and Ynysmardey Primary School in Briton Ferry.
==Transport==
[[File:Railway Bridge over Dwr-y-Felin Road. - geograph.org.uk - 202261.jpg|thumb|right|Railway Bridge over Dwr-y-Felin Road next to [[Dwr-y-Felin Comprehensive School]].]]
Neath is served by [[First Great Western]] on the [[South Wales Main Line]] at [[Neath railway station]], on Windsor Road, in the heart of the town. Services operate to Port Talbot Parkway, Bridgend, {{stnlnk|Cardiff Central}}, Newport, Bristol Parkway, Swindon, Didcot Parkway, {{stnlnk|Reading}} and [[London Paddington]] to the east and Swansea, Carmarthen and West Wales to the west. Services also operate to Hereford, Shrewsbury and Manchester Piccadilly.
Neath [[bus station]] is at Victoria Gardens, a five-minute walk from the railway station. [[National Express Coaches|National Express]] services call at the railway station. From Victoria Gardens, [[First Cymru]] provides direct inter-urban services to nearby Swansea and Port Talbot in addition to South Wales Transport who provide many similar local services.
The [[A465 road|A465]] skirts the town to the north east and provides a link to the [[M4 motorway|M4]].
==Plans==
There are plans to regenerate around {{convert|1000|acre|km2}} of land in and around Neath [[town centre]] in the near future.<ref>[http://www.newswales.co.uk/?section=Community&F=1&id=13592 News Wales > Community > Neath will be top shops town<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The site once occupied by the previous civic centre will be redeveloped as a new shopping centre. The area around the Milland Road Industrial Estate will be redeveloped along with the area around the [[Neath Canal]]. On 27 November 2008, proposals for an "iconic" golden rugby ball-shaped museum, a library, heritage centre and other new facilities were announced for consultation. The developer, Simons Estates, says that it plans to start construction when the economic climate improves.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/7752256.stm BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | 'Iconic' museum planned for town]</ref>
In March 2008, the county's new radio station, [[Afan FM]], announced plans to turn on a new transmitter dedicated to the Neath area in the summer. This will transmit on 97.4 FM, and will give residents of Neath their first taste of the borough's new local radio station, which already transmits to the neighbouring area of [[Port Talbot]] on 107.9 FM. The new transmitter for the Neath area was commissioned by Government regulator [[Ofcom]] on Thursday 23 October 2008.
==Nearest places==
*[[Briton Ferry]]
*[[Neath Abbey]]
*[[Bryncoch]]
*[[Cadoxton-juxta-Neath|Cadoxton]]
*[[Tonna, Neath|Tonna]]
*[[Cimla]]
==References==
{{reflist|2|refs=
<!--
<ref name=census2001>{{cite web
|title=Census 2001 Key Statistics – Urban areas in England and Wales KS01 Usual resident population
|url=http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm%3A77-211059
|publisher=Office for National Statistics
|date=17 June 2004
|accessdate=8 February 2013}}</ref>-->
<ref name=census2011>{{cite web
|title=Neath
|work=Neighbourhood Statistics
|publisher=Office for National Statistics
|accessdate=8 February 2013
|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11126809&c=neath&d=16&e=62&g=6493426&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1360075655551&enc=1}}</ref>
}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Neath}}
*[http://www.npt.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=1518 History of Neath]
*[http://www.learningpool.org/ Neath Port Talbot Council Adult Learning Portal]
*[http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2831886 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Neath and surrounding area]
*[http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=51.6592&lon=-3.7972&zoom=13&layers=B000FTF Wiki style Map of the neath area]
*[http://www.oldneath.co.uk/ Photo Archive Gallery of old Neath & District]
{{Neath Port Talbot}}
{{Neath Port Talbot communities}}
[[Category:Neath| ]]
[[Category:Communities in Neath Port Talbot]]
[[Category:Towns in Neath Port Talbot]]
[[Category:Vale of Neath]]
[[Category:Swansea Bay (region)]]
{{usedwp|Neath}}