Neath

Neath, a parliamentary and municipal borough and river-port of Glamorgan, South Wales, on a navigable river of the same name, 8 miles ENE. of Swansea by rail. It is believed to stand on the site of the Roman station Nidum; and near it are the remains of an ancient castle, burned in 1231, and ruins of Neath Abbey, described by Leland as 'the fairest abbey in all Wales,' but now sadly decayed and begrimed by smoke and coal-dust. There are at Neath, which is one of the Swansea boroughs, extensive copper and tin-plate works and iron-foundries, and chemicals are manufactured. The engineering works are also important. Pop. (1851) 5831; (1881) 10,447; (1891) 11,157.