Llanelli and its coastline exploded into life during the Industrial Revolution. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, it could never be described as a pretty town but its economic might was undeniable.

For nearly 200 years the tall chimneys of steel, copper and tin works dominated the north Loughor Estuary skyline and resulted in the Llanelli nicknames ‘Tinopolis’ and ‘Sospan’ (saucepans were one of the town’s major exports).
 
In its industrial heyday the coastline from Llanelli to Pembrey comprised a bustling string of factories, power stations, mills, mines and other works supplying a vast range of commodities to the world. Llanelli became globally renowned at a time when it was producing 50% of the world’s supply of tinplate.

Llanelli’s entrepreneurs were practically given free reign to transform the landscape of the town as they saw fit, but the townsfolk were more than happy to put up with the environmental damage caused by the heavy industry because of the wealth it created. This remained the status quo until the late 1950s when the majority of the older works began to fall into decline and the buildings became neglected.

Heavy industry continued to stagger on into the early 1980s when the last of the giant steel mills closed. Today only one echo of the town’s industrial past remains – the tinplate works at Trostre.

Machynys
Machynys probably has the most colourful history of all the distinct area that now make up the Millennium Coastal Park. It’s a history steeped in myth and legend  and one that goes back a long way before the Industrial Revolution.
Legend has it that back in 513 the holy man Saint Piero built and endowed a splendid monastery on an island in the Loughor Estuary, which became known as Mynach Ynys (Monk’s Island).

Although there is no concrete proof of the monastery’s existence, it is well chronicled that a house of grand construction did exist on Machynys for a considerable time. Machynys house was purchased by the Vaughan family of Pembrey in 1627 and remained in their possession until 1705 when the family estate was shared out between the heiresses, one of whom married the leading local industrial figure Sir Thomas Stepney.

At some point, the Machynys house was replaced by a farm building, which remained in place until its demolition in the 1970s. All that remains of either building is a few remnants of wall and, so legend has it, a secret tunnel linking Machynys with somewhere in Penclawdd on Gower.

Both the house and farm stood proudly atop Machynys Mound and, over the generations, watched the dramatic changes to the landscape.

One of the biggest changes was the land reclamation programme that saw the island turn into a peninsula during the Industrial Revolution. This was done to claim more space for industrial use.

Industrialisation of Machynys began in earnest around 1841 with the construction of the South Wales Iron and Tin Works. A proliferation of factories followed over the next half century including a tinplate and chemical works, an iron foundry and a brickworks. One of the most famous of the Machynys factories was R.T. Mills which was build in the same year as the Titanic and was, allegedly, exactly the same size as the doomed ship.

The peninsula even had its own community know as Bwlch y Gwynt, several rows of terraced cottages built to provide accommodation for the people who worked in the local mills and factories. The homes were demolished in the 1960’s and the residents re-housed in nearby Morfa and other parts of South Llanelli.

North Dock
In its industrial heyday Llanelli had a network of docks and wharfs along its coastline but North Dock, built at the turn of the last century, was by far the largest and most important. For 50 years, North Dock was at the heart of the town’s industry, bringing in the raw materials for the mills and factories and shipping out the coal and finished products.

However, the dock always suffered the heavy siltation throughout its commercial lifetime. To try to alleviate this problem a training wall was erected in the middle of the Loughor Estuary with the aim of directing the river into the dock approaches. The training wall proved very successful but stones had to be carried out into the estuary by horse and cart to repair it on an almost daily basis. The wall was abandoned when the docks closed in the 1950’s and, allegedly, disgruntled fishermen from North Gower, who wanted their river back, used dynamite to blow a large hole in it. However, remains of the wall can still be seen at low water from viewing points at the end of  Machynys Peninsula. From these viewing points you can also see a number of vertical mounds, which are known locally as the ‘butts’ and were used for target practice during the Second World War.

Adjacent to North Dock is the oldest dock in the county of Carmarthenshire – appropriately called Carmarthenshire Dock. At the moment, this dock is subject to a major restoration programme, which will include a walkway along the dock and colourful panels about its long history.

Llanelli Steelworks
The next site of historical significance is Sandy Water Park, the location of Llanelli’s biggest steelworks. Its industrial history began in 1907 when the Llanelli Steelworks opened its doors and quickly became known at ‘Klondike’ to the local population.
For decades, the works dominated the Llanelli landscape with its huge chimneys belching out smoke that often engulfed the whole town. The pay was good but the working conditions were primitive. Men and boys worked alongside each other in a hot, oppressive atmosphere, where injury and even death were commonplace.

Things took a turn for the better in 1960 after the Canadian-based Duport Steel  bought the works but when the company hit financial difficulties 20 years later production ended in 1981 and the site was abandoned.

The dereliction left behind and the subsequent reclamation of the site and its transformation into Sandy Water Park was the catalyst for the regeneration of the Llanelli coastline and eventually led to the creation of the Millennium Coastal Park.

Carmarthen Bay Power Station
For 30 years from 1947, the most prominent feature on the northern coastline was undoubtedly the Carmarthen Bay Power Station at Burry Port. It was an imposing building in every sense of the word and its three huge chimneystacks became a famous local landmark.

The coal-fired power station closed in 1983 but left a legacy of more that 200 acres of land covered in ash. It is difficult to imagine that legacy today as the whole site has been transformed into the beautiful Community Woodlands.

Burry Port
The town of Burry Port is a product of the industrial revolution and, in particular, the need to export coal mined in the nearby valleys to the outside world.
 
Pembrey Harbour, built in 1819, was the town’s first dock but was relatively short lived because of access problems and was replaced by Pembrey New Dock, now known as Burry Port Harbour, a few decades later.
The Harbour has undergone many changes over the years but the biggest transformation was from an old industrial tidal harbour to a modern leisure marina as part of the Millennium Coastal Park project.

In 1927, the Harbour earned its place in the history books when Amelia Earhart landed in the estuary and became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Her aeroplane, Friendship, was towed into the harbour after the 20 hours and 40 minutes flight. There are reminders of the historic flight both around the Harbour and in the town.