Auction for Blaenavon land next to UNESCO world heritage site

The 113 acres of common land is next to a UNESCO world heritage site in Blaenavon, one of the nation's powerhouses during the Industrial Revolution.

The guide price for the land at the north side of Blaenavon Road, Blaenavon, is £45,000-plus and is for sale through Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions.

"This is a very rare opportunity to purchase a large plot of land, extending to some 113 acres," said Angie Davey, of Paul Fosh Auctions. "The land, which is being sold with common land rights, is adjacent to the UNESCO world heritage site of Blaenavon.

"The rolling land has stunning 360-degree panoramic views and benefits from a well-maintained cycle path which runs alongside part of the boundary.

"The site is of historic importance and has remained largely undisturbed for many centuries, a living remnant of medieval times."

The land boasts stunning views of the surrounding countryside. Picture: Paul Fosh Auctions

There has already been a "fair bit of interest" in the land, the auctioneer added, and the fact it is common land doesn't mean you'll have to share it with the rest of the world.

"It’s a popular misconception that common land is land owned by the general public and to which everyone has unrestricted right of access," Ms Davey said. "All common land is private property, whether the owner is an individual or a corporation. Historically, the owner of the common was normally the lord of the manor."

Some 113 acres of land could be yours in Blaenavon. Picture: Paul Fosh Auctions

The land, north of Blaenavon Road, is next to the UNESCO world heritage site - which welcomes thousands of visitors every year and boasts the Big Pit mining museum, the town's former ironworks, and the heritage railway. 

"The town of Blaenavon is steeped in history from the origins of the Industrial Revolution," Ms Davey said. "It was the site of the world's first major producer of iron and coal in the 19th century with reminders of the iron and coal industry, including coal mine, furnaces, quarries, railway systems ironworkers' cottages, churches chapels, school and workman's hall in the vicinity of the land."

You can snap up this piece of Welsh history at the next Paul Fosh Auctions sale, which starts at midday on Tuesday, July 26 and ends at 5pm on Thursday, July 28.