The Forgotten Community of Lock Y Waun

Lock y waun was the name given to a small community centered around two pairs of double locks on the Abercynon section of the Glamorganshire canal.

Taking its name from the lower pair of locks, Lock Y Waun consisted of a shop, 6 small workmen’s cottages and a lock keepers cottage. A well located to the right of the lock keepers cottage would have provided a early water supply.

An OS map showing the small community of LockY Waun.
Source: https://maps.nls.uk/index.html

An auction listing from an 1864 edition of the Merthyr Telegraph and General Advertizer for the Iron Districts of South Wales describes the “upline cottage” as consisting of:

• a shop,
• parlour,
• large kitchen,
• well-ventilated cellar,
• a back kitchen,
• 3 beds,
• bakers oven,
• 2 stall stable.

The other cottages were described as having a parlour, kitchen, pantry, 2 bedrooms and loft. The cottages shared a 4 stall stable and 2 large, productive gardens.

An auction listing for some of the Lock Y Waun cottages printed in the 16th of April, 1864 edition of The Merthyr Telegraph and General Advertizer for the Iron Disticts of South Wales
Source: Welsh Newspapers Online

Located next to the double lock known as Junction Lock, the lock keepers cottage sat on a peninsula. From its position, looking down towards Abercynon colliery, the lock keepers cottage was hemmed in by the Glamorganshire canal on its left and a feeder stream on its right.

Junction Lock lock keepers cottage taken in 1896. A small bridge crosses the feeder which flows into the Aberdare canal just before it joins the Glamorganshire canal.

In front of the cottage was the point where the Aberdare canal met the Glamorganshire canal. Here the water pooled creating a large passing or waiting point for boats as they waited to move either up or down the lock flight.

To the left of the pool a boat repair shed and dry dock could also be found.  

To the right of the pool, along the banks of the Aberdare Canal could be found the Princes Inn. Open for only a few years, no trace of the inn remains. 

Junction lock and the lock keepers cottage sit in the centre of the image. To the left Dock cottages and the boat repair area are visible.

Today, only Dock Cottages remain from the original Lock Y Waun community. Plymouth house stands on the location of Junction Lock lock keepers cottage while the bungalows of Springfield sit on the once empty “spud field”.