Blaenavon in South Wales is a town built on iron

Families had scratched a living mining iron ore in the hills around Blaenavon since Norman times but it was small scale and barely provided a living. But the coming of the industrial revolution changed everything. Thousands came seeking work in the new foundries of South Wales and soon Blaenavon had enough residents to support 48 pubs and 18 chapels and a town was born. Julian Richards travels to Wales to tell the story of the industrial revolution and map the building of Blaenavon.

Mapping the Town: The programme that uncovers the history of a town through the geographical clues found in its streets. With the help of local experts, archaeologist Julian Richards picks over the bones of each town in order to discover its origins and the course of its development over the years. This is an original way of exploring the history of a town which offers new and often surprising insight and brings to life the unique character of each place.