Ammanford, or Rhydaman in Welsh, is Coaltown’s hometown. It’s a relatively new town, only taking its current name in 1880 when it changed from being named Cross Inn, after an inn placed at the convergence of several of its roads.

The people of Ammanford had been mining coal for their own homes for hundreds of years, but when the industrial revolution began and it became clear there was a huge demand for coal to power steam trains and factory works, they decided they could supply this demand. Investment in railway infrastructures and a huge migration of workers from all over the British Isles lead to a massive population rise and houses, schools and shops started springing up quickly. The energy of Ammanford quickly shifted from that of a sleepy agricultural community to a vibrant industrial town.

As a result of the sharp decline of coal mining in the 1970s, the industry in Ammanford started dying, culminating in the last of the collieries closing in 2003 and resulting in the loss of 100 jobs. Ammanford’s economy was wrecked and entered into a recession following these events, which is why we started Coaltown—to bring a new industry to the town we love.

Today, Ammanford’s population is about 5,500, and the town is famous for beautiful nature walks, amazing caves, its tight-knit community and, now, for its new form of Black Gold; coffee.