POPULATION IN 1861, 6,810; IN 1871, 9,134.
NEATH is a parish, market-town, seaport, and part parliamentary borough, pleasantly situated on the left or east bank of the river Neath which is navigable for ships of considerable burden-in 3°48'30'1 W. longitude and 51Q 30' 50' 1 N. latitude, and is almost in the centre of the beautiful Vale of N eath. It is the hun dred of its own name, Union and County Court district, diocese and archdeaconry of Llanda:ff. It is 35 miles W.N.W. from Cardiff, and 195 miles W. from London, Bristol 79, Swansea 8, and Llanelly 17. The following parishes are included in the Union: Aberavon, Baglan Higher, Baglan Lower, Blaengwrach, Blaenhonddan, Briton Ferry, Clyne, Coedfrank, Du:ffryn Clydach, Dylais Higher, Dylais Lower, Glyncorrwg, Killybibill, Llangonoyd Higher, Llanguicke, Llansamlet Higher, Llansamlet Lower, Llantwit Lower, Margam, Michaelstone Higher, Michaelstone Lower, N ea th, N eath Higherp Neath Middle, N eath Lower, Resolven, Y nisymond, Ystradgunlais Higher, Ystradgunlais Lower, Ystradfellta. • HISTORY. N eath is allowed by all antiquaries to have been the Niduum of the Romans, and derives is name from the river whereon itissituated, and of which the Welsh name "Nidd,., or "Nedd,"is pronounced as the English N eath. In the twelfth journey of Anto nius it is mentioned, under the above name, as being situated on the Roman road between Leucarum (Loughor) and Bovium, at or near the present ·dllage of Boverton, to the S. of Cowbridge. After the. . conquest of Glamorganshire by Fitz-Hamon, Richard de Granville, one of his knights, obtained a grant of the honour and lordship of Neath, with the privilege of exercising jura regalia and all the other rights of a lordship marcher. Several sanguinary battles have been fought in the neighbourhood between the natives and their Norman oppressors. In the reign of Stephen, the British forces, headed by the sons ef C~radoc ap Testyn (whose lordship extended from the Tawe to Afon), here attacked the Norman lords with great spirit, and put them to rout so complete]y that all who escaped the sword le<\ for an asylum to the various castles of Gower. Three hundred 11