The Banwen Miners Hunt.


The Hunt was formed in 1962-63 on the demise of the old West Glamorgan Hunt and became registered in 1963. Tom Jones and Tom Hopkins began in that year their long Joint Mastership which lasted until 1976. Sir David Evans-Bevan Bart, was President and gave the Hunt the lamp-room of the local colliery when it was closed and this became the Hunt kennels. The current Hunt Kennels are situated in the seclusion of the forestry at Ty Cornel, Crynant, Neath.

At first the Hunt was wholly run by the inhabitants of the little colliery village of Banwen, although it is now as cosmopolitan as any other hunt: the hunt has kept its reputation of being a “working mans hunt”. The Banwen Miners first gained professional status in 1975 by employing John Davies, late of the Sennybridge Farmers.

The Hunt country comprises the whole of West Glamorgan and lies adjacent to the Llandeilo, Sennybridge, Ystrad Taf Fechan and Llangeinor Hunts. It is a mixed country around the Gower Peninsular, with common and arable land, a large tract of open common land at Felindre and Morriston, small stone walled enclosures at Birchgrove and Longford, and rugged open hills and forestries at the top end of the Swansea and Neath Valleys.The Banwen Miners Hunt.

The Hunt was formed in 1962-63 on the demise of the old West Glamorgan Hunt and became registered in 1963. Tom Jones and Tom Hopkins began in that year their long Joint Mastership which lasted until 1976. Sir David Evans-Bevan Bart, was President and gave the Hunt the lamp-room of the local colliery when it was closed and this became the Hunt kennels. The current Hunt Kennels are situated in the seclusion of the forestry at Ty Cornel, Crynant, Neath.

At first the Hunt was wholly run by the inhabitants of the little colliery village of Banwen, although it is now as cosmopolitan as any other hunt: the hunt has kept its reputation of being a “working mans hunt”. The Banwen Miners first gained professional status in 1975 by employing John Davies, late of the Sennybridge Farmers

The Hunt country comprises the whole of West Glamorgan and lies adjacent to the Llandeilo, Sennybridge, Ystrad Taf Fechan and Llangeinor Hunts. It is a mixed country around the Gower Peninsular

Former Masters: T Hopkins, 1963-78. T Jones 1963-78. G Rees, 1974-78. BJ Cornelius, 1974-82. TMO Jenkins, 1980-84. C Rees, 1982-85. WG Powell, 1983-85. M Jones 1987-88. K Stillman, 1984-90. I Thomas, 1987-91. WJC Hancock, 1989-2005. DT James 1990-95. CP Davies 1993-99. AM Quipp, 1998-2003. AJ Jones, 1999-2002. J Smith, 2005-09. L De Smet 2006-09. G Guntrip 2010-11.

Current Joint Masters: L Gwyther (2007). J Evans (2010). L De Smet (2011). - Huntsman: Peter Astle (2011)

The hunt ran its first Point-to-Point race in 1976, and this has become an annual feature of the hunt calendar and is currently run at Pentrecleddau near Resolven by kind permission of Mr David Pugh.

On 18th February 2005 the Hunting Act was introduced which bans hunting a wild mammal with a dog, unless the hunting is exempt. The Countryside Alliance and the Council of Hunting Associations have a clear strategy to repel the Act through legal challenges and demonstrations that the Act is flawed, ineffective and unworkable.

At present it is difficult to forecast how long the challenges will take, but in the meantime the Banwen Miners Hunt intends to continue with legal activities for our hounds and followers. The type of legal activities we have adopted includes exercising hounds, carrying out forms of trail, simulated and mock hunting, cross-country rides etc. Its intended that these shall be fun activities enjoyable for all members of the family

We have also continued our fallen stock service and we are available to respond to fox predation problems through our call-out service, legally using two hounds backed by a gun. We face a challenging period that will require your understanding and support to enable us to see off this unjust law.