Welcome to a World of Welsh Copper

By 1851 Wales had become the world’s first industrial nation and the copper industry was at its heart. This website provides insights into the intriguing story of how Welsh businesses led the global copper trade for almost two centuries. Copper was at the heart of important scientific innovations. The industrialisation of this product changed the fabric of communities and landscapes during, and since, the industry's heyday.

In September 2010 Swansea University and its partners embarked on the ESRC-funded project History, Heritage and Urban Regeneration: The Global and Local Worlds of Welsh Copper to raise much needed awareness of this forgotten industry. Following on from several initiatives such as Swansea Copper Day, the Hafod Regeneration Project and the Byd Copr Cymru-A World of Welsh Copper museum exhibition, this website provides a host of free resources created by the project.  Many of the guides have been made available for download in English and Welsh.

In January 2011 Swansea University entered into a partnership with the City and County of Swansea in order to explore ways of regenerating the site of the former site of the Hafod-Copperworks.  The Cu @ Swansea project is developing a feasibilty plan for the site and in December 2011 was awarded a funding package of £521,000 by Cadw-Welsh Government as part of the Heritage Tourism Project.  Click here for details.

Erbyn 1851 Cymru oedd cenedl ddiwydiannol gyntaf y byd a’r diwydiant copr oedd yn ganolbwynt iddi. Mae’r wefan hon yn cynnig golygfeydd ar y stori ddiddorol ynghylch sut arweiniodd busnesau Cymreig y fasnach gopr fyd-eang am bron i ddwy ganrif. Roedd Copr wrth wraidd arloesi gwyddonol pwysig. Gwnaeth ddiwydiannu’r cynnyrch hwn newid cyfansoddiad cymunedau a thirweddau yn ystod, ac ers oes aur y diwydiant.

Ym mis Medi 2010, cychwynnodd Brifysgol Abertawe a’i phartneriaid ar y prosiect Hanes, Treftadaeth ac Adfywio Trefol: Copr Cymru’n Lleol ac yn Fyd-eang a ariannir gan ESRC i godi ymwybyddiaeth sydd ei hangen yn ddirfawr o’r hen ddiwydiant hwn. Yn dilyn yr amryw fentrau megis Diwrnod Copr Abertawe, Prosiect Adfywio Hafod a’r arddangosfa amgueddfa Byd Copr Cymru, mae’r wefan hon yn darparu ystod o adnoddau am ddim a grëwyd gan y prosiect.

Mae sawl un o’r canllawiau ar gael i’w lawrlwytho yn Saesneg ac yn Gymraeg.