Abercanaid is situated in the county of Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. The small village lies in the valley of the River Taff some 2.5 miles south of Merthyr Tydfil and a similar distance north of Troedyrhiw. Many pass by Abercanaid while walking the Taff Trail which runs through the village. The village made its name in the coal and iron revolution of the 1800s, as a woman from the town was the first person to ever export coal.

Lucy Thomas's husband died soon after opening a mine in 1828, and Lucy decided that she would continue on with it, with the help of their son William. She also opened several other mines in the area, such as the Lucy Drift.

In London, people were starting to complain about the smoke coming off the Newcastle coals. In 1830 two coal merchants arrived in Abercanaid to see Lucy Thomas, having been impressed by the Welsh coal. They agreed to buy everything Lucy could export to them at the price of four shillings a ton. However, once it got to London the coal was then sold at fourteen shillings a ton.

The village has three public houses, The Colliers Arms, The Richards Arms and Llywnyreos Inn.