A landscape rich in history.
A thousand stories to tell.
Explore the lost homes, ancient monuments, industrial heritage and remarkable people of the Elan and Claerwen Valleys — through photographs, research and discoveries.
Travel through the valley's past
From Bronze Age monuments to the stories hidden beneath the reservoirs, discover places and events that shaped the Elan Valley.
The story behind the reservoirs
Long before the dams, the Elan and Claerwen Valleys were home to farms, cottages, chapels, mines and communities. Their history stretches back thousands of years, from prehistoric cairns on the hills to the construction of one of Britain's great water-supply schemes.
In the 1890s, Birmingham Corporation began transforming the valleys to provide clean drinking water to Birmingham. Many buildings disappeared, but their stories remain.
Stories worth discovering
An invitation to explore the research, photographs and places recorded throughout the website.
Prehistoric Elan
Standing stones, burial cairns and mysterious traces of the valley's earliest inhabitants.
Discover ancient sites →The lost buildings
Photographs and records of former cottages, houses and structures around the reservoirs.
Explore the buildings →The Elan Valley today
See the dams and the farms and buildings that still stand in this extraordinary landscape.
See the valley today →Preserving the Elan Valley's history
Elan Valley Past & Present is a continuously developing collection of local research, field visits, historical photographs and records. New material is added as more of the valley's story comes to light.