Cwmafan & Bryn

Cwmafan sits in the lower reaches of the Afan valley, where the River Afan cuts a narrow channel through rows of terraced houses and pockets of open ground. The imprint of 19th- and early 20th-century industry remains in spoil tips and former rail alignments that run along the valley floor; those features meet working streets, a primary school and a community hall that stage local events. Cwmafan RFC provides a focal point on match days, and small shops and social clubs serve everyday needs close to the riverbank.

Bryn occupies the slope above Cwmafan, its name reflecting the hillside setting. Narrow lanes and public footpaths climb from the village into pasture and woodland, giving quick access to higher ground and views back down the Afan corridor. The built edge between Bryn and Cwmafan shows the transition from valley settlement to hillside housing, with allotments, small gardens and traces of former pits marking how the landscape was worked and settled over generations. Local fixtures and community gatherings continue to shape daily life in both places.