Before coal mining, not many people lived in Cymmer. Cymmer was one of the first villages within the Rhondda Valley. The Lewis colliery had many examples of the pithead gear in South Wales Rhondda Heritage Park now has the only pithead gear in the Rhondda. In 1847 George Insole opened his first mine in Cymmer. In 1855 he opened a second pit in Cymmer near the old pit.