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In 1897, Cardiff Corporation acquired land from the [[John Crichton-Stuart, 3rd Marquess of Bute|Marquess of Bute]] with the intention of erecting buildings to meet the administrative, legal and educational needs of Glamorgan's county town. From 1901 onwards, [[Cathays Park]] was developed into "possibly the finest... [[civic centre]] in Britain" with a range of public buildings including the [[Baroque architecture|Baroque]] [[Cardiff City Hall|City Hall]] and the [[rococo]]-style [[Cardiff University|University College]].<ref>Davies (2008), p.126</ref>
The majority of [[Nonconformist]] chapels were built in the 19th century. They progressed from simple, single-storey designs to larger and more elaborate structures, most built in the [[classical architecture|classical]] style.<ref name="Davies, p.34">Davies (2008), p.34</ref> Perhaps the most ambitious chapel was John Humphrey's [[Morriston Tabernacle]] (1872), incorporating Classical, [[Romanesque architecture|Romanesque]] and Gothic elements,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://treboethhistorygroup.110mb.com/districtsandplaces/morristonpages/17tabernaclechapel.html|last=Williams|first=Ivor|title=Morriston|publisher=Treboeth History Group|accessdate=12 January 2010}}</ref> which has been called the 'Noncomformist Cathedral of Wales'.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.llgc.org.uk/ardd/pensaeri/arch010.htm|title=The Architecture of Wales - Religious Architecture|publisher=The National Library of Wales|accessdate=10 January 2010|location=Aberystwyth|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100310065040/http://www.llgc.org.uk/ardd/pensaeri/arch010.htm|archivedate=10 March 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>
Industrial architecture tended to be functional, although some structures, such as the four-storey engine house at [[Cyfarthfa Ironworks]] (1836), were built to impress. Coal mining eventually became the dominant industry in Glamorgan and tall [[Headframe|winding towers]] - originally made of timber or cast iron, later steel - became symbolic icons.<ref name="Davies, p.34"/>
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The northern part of the county is a [[mountain]]ous area, dissected by deep narrow [[valley]]s. At the southern edge of the [[Brecon Beacons]], the simple geological structure of [[Old Red Sandstone]] gives way to [[Carboniferous]] rocks; [[limestone]], [[shale]]s and [[millstone grit]].<ref name="Conduit, p.9"/> In the 19th century, industrial and population growth in the coal-bearing valleys of the [[Rhymney Valley|Rhymney]], [[River Taff|Taff]], [[Dare Valley Country Park|Dare]] and [[Rhondda]] gave rise to a form of urbanisation characterised as [[ribbon development]]. The last deep mine, [[Tower Colliery]] at [[Hirwaun]], closed in January 2008.<ref name=BBC2>{{cite news| url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/7200432.stm | title = Coal mine closes with celebration | accessdate = 16 December 2009| publisher = BBC News | date=25 January 2008}}</ref> A few small [[drift mine]]s like Unity Mine (formerly Pentreclwydau South) near [[Glynneath]] remain. Towns in the region included [[Aberdare]], [[Caerphilly]], [[Pontypridd]], [[Maesteg]], [[Merthyr Tydfil]] and [[Mountain Ash, Wales|Mountain Ash]].
Further west is [[Swansea Bay]] and the [[Gower Peninsula]], an [[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=11012 |title=City and County of Swansea: Gower - Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty |publisher=Swansea.gov.uk |date=10 February 2011 |accessdate=19 February 2012 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207221754/http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=11012 |archivedate=7 February 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Of all the areas, Gower was the least affected by heavy industry and the ancient landscape was the least impaired.<ref name="Newman19"/> The high ground that runs centrally through the Gower was largely uncultivated common land and its beaches and rocky coastal headlands showed little signs of the tourist trade<ref name="Newman19"/> that played an increasing role on the local economy. The major settlements of the region include Swansea, [[Neath]] and [[Port Talbot]].
===Coastline===
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The earliest forms of transport within Glamorgan were mere paths or trackways linking one settlement to another.<ref name="Evans33">Evans (1948) p.33</ref> With continual use the tracks widened to allow different forms of travel, including the use by pack horses; and as the tracks became more recognisable the first primitive roads came into being. The [[Ancient Rome|Romans]] established a route, Via Julia Maritima, to service their garrisons across South Wales and this is followed largely by the present [[A48 road|A48]].<ref name="Motorway Archive History"/> However, for 1,000 years after the Romans there was little need for major roads.<ref name="ICE Proceedings"/> Early roads were not systematically managed, and in Glamorgan as in the rest of Wales, they were in a very poor state.<ref name="Evans34">Evans (1948) p.34</ref> Towards Tudor times the upkeep and repair of the roads came under the administration of each parish, with six days of the week during the summer allowed for track repairs. These repairs were rarely completed and the roadways continued to suffer.<ref name="Evans34"/> An Act of 1555 required each landowner to produce a cart, horses or bullocks, and two men to work 4 days on roads. Supervision was by two unpaid surveyors appointed by the parish. By the late 1600s the situation improved as surveyors were appointed by the magistrates, who were allowed to levy a rate to pay for some of the work.<ref name="ICE Proceedings"/>
In 1756, after the shire of Glamorgan had come under the rule of the crown, Wales adopted a toll system for the maintenance of the roads; with the governance falling under the control of the [[Turnpike trusts in the United Kingdom|turnpike trusts]]. Further Turnpike Acts came into force in 1799 and 1810, and these Acts allowed trustees to collect a toll for the use of certain roads within a district.<ref name="Evans35">Evans (1948) p.35</ref> In South Wales there were turnpikes along the coast, more or less following the present motorway line, up the Merthyr Valley and across the hills to [[Abergavenny]], [[Brecon]], [[Llandovery]] and down to [[Carmarthen]].<ref name="ICE Proceedings"/> This system improved travelling conditions, allowing for stage coaches which were then coming into general use.<ref name="Evans35"/> Although the roads improved there were those who felt that the tolls were unjust, and there was a popular uprising between 1839 and 1843 known as the [[Rebecca Riots]] where agitators attacked and destroyed the [[toll house]]s. Although most of these attacks occurred in Carmarthenshire, there were reports of attacks within Glamorgan, most notably in Swansea.<ref>[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/lesson48.htm Rebecca Riots - Both the villages of Llangyfelach and Pontarddulais are villages near Swansea in Glamorgan] nationalarchives.gov.uk</ref> In 1846, County Highway Boards were established in south Wales, to buy out the turnpike trusts and take over their functions.<ref name="Motorway Archive History">{{cite web|url=http://www.motorwayarchive.ihtservices.co.uk/waleshist.htm|title=The history of motorway development in Wales|publisher=The Motorway Archive Trust|accessdate=3 January 2010}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1878 all roads that had ceased to be turnpiked after 1870 were deemed as 'main roads' by the [[Locomotive Act|Highways and Locomotives Act of 1878]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://archives.northyorks.gov.uk/DServe/dserve.exe?dsqIni=Dserve.ini&dsqApp=Archive&dsqCmd=Show.tcl&dsqDb=Catalog&dsqPos=1&dsqSearch=(RefNo=='QAH') |title=Highways, 1862–1901|publisher=northyorks.gov.uk}}</ref> The turnpike system was eventually abolished by the [[Local Government Act 1888]] and the roads were placed under the management of the local county council.<ref name="Evans38">Evans (1948), p.38</ref> County Highway Boards were disbanded. There were, however, a number of urban areas within Glamorgan that retained the right to control their own highways, and the county council never achieved control of the whole highway network.<ref name="Motorway Archive History"/>
Proposals for a high-quality new road across South Wales were first made in the 1930s. However, the [[dual carriageway|dualling]] of the A48 Neath bypass was only completed in 1960, with the A48(M) Port Talbot bypass following in 1966. The latter road, an early example of dual carriageway construction through a built-up area, was the first length of [[motorway]] opened to traffic in Wales.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ciht.org.uk/motorway/m4corbag.htm|title=M4 in Wales. Coryton to Baglan (J32 to J41)|publisher=The Motorway Archive Trust|accessdate=5 January 2010|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221224744/http://www.ciht.org.uk/motorway/m4corbag.htm|archivedate=21 February 2012|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://pathetic.org.uk/lost/a48m_port_talbot_bypass/maps/index.shtml|title=A48(M) Port Talbot Bypass|publisher=Pathetic Motorways|accessdate=5 January 2010}}</ref> The Ministry of Transport initially envisaged that the new [[M4 motorway]] would terminate at Tredegar Park near [[Newport, Wales|Newport]], with a series of bypasses to improve the A48 further west. The creation of the [[Welsh Office]] led to a re-appraisal of policy and a decision to extend the M4 further into Glamorgan. By 1970, the Welsh Office was committed to building a new route all the way to [[Pont Abraham]] in Carmarthenshire.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.motorwayarchive.ihtservices.co.uk/m4wales.htm#thetop|title=The M4 in Wales|publisher=The Motorway Archive Trust|accessdate=4 January 2010|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110122052452/http://www.motorwayarchive.ihtservices.co.uk/m4wales.htm#thetop|archivedate=22 January 2011|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The 1960s also saw the construction of the first road across the [[Heads of the Valleys]], with the A465 [[Neath]]-[[Abergavenny]] trunk road opening in 1964.<ref name="ICE Proceedings">{{cite journal|author1=D.H. New |author2=A.L. Benjamin |author3=K.S. Miles |date=February 1978|title=Some features of the Aberdulais to Llandarcy section of the Neath-Abergavenny trunk road (A465)|journal=Proceedings of the Institute of Civil Engineers|volume=64|issue=1|pages=153–154}}</ref><ref>Jenkins (1992), p.375</ref> However, even at the outset there were complaints about the capacity and safety of its single carriageway, three-lane design.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/written_answers/1960/feb/17/heads-of-the-valleys-road#S5CV0617P0_19600217_CWA_25|title=Hansard - Written Answers (Commons)|date=17 February 1960|work=Heads of the Valleys Road|accessdate=5 January 2010}}</ref>
===Waterways and ports===
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