In the 1700’s one of the most important industries was the manufacture of woollen cloth. Most of the work was done at home where the workers owned the spinning wheels and handlooms. This was known as the cottage system. Making the woollen cloth involved many jobs.
In this village there is still to this day, a row of low roofed buildings that used to be for this purpose. It is called Ogof, named after a cave in the hill above. Here Benjamin Jones and his family lived and worked. At one end was the dyeing room with two large cauldrons.
These would be to wash and dye the fleece. At the other end was a workroom with two handlooms for the spinning of the wool. On the slopes above was a tenter field where cloth was stretched on wooden frames.
Benjamin Jones like many small-scale producers sold his own flannel cloth at market stalls and fairs in South Wales and the valleys. He and his whole family would travel down to Swansea by horse and cart. The journey would have probably taken about a week to complete and they would all be exhausted on their return.
The way the cottage system worked with most people was that a merchant bought the wool and delivered it to the spinner. It was first carded to take the tangle out of the wool. This was done by the children.
Then it was spun, twisting the fibres into a single thread or yarn. The women did this.
Finally, it was turned into cloth on a loom. This was done by the men. The merchants became very rich but they realised that they could become even
richer if they could increase the rate of production.
