Melin Cryddan is at the mouth of the River Neath and it is this location that has been the biggest influence on it's development. The present landscape was formed by glaciers during the Ice Age 12,000 years ago. Nearby 'Briton Ferry Woods' is one of the oldest, unspoilt deciduous woods in Great Britain and has never been felled. The River Neath has the second highest tidal range in the World and for this reason has been used as a strategic location since the dawn of civilisation. For many centuries the river crossing took the form of a ferry until the construction of the first bridge in the 1950's.

Excavated Iron Age hill forts at Warren Hill and Hen Gastell overlooking the river, suggest that Celts were the earliest settlers. The two hill forts are located either side of what is now the Briton Ferry Bridge and were discovered during its construction in 1991.

Romans used this location as the first river crossing of the Roman road that followed the coastline of South Wales and the crossing existed in the form of a ferry from this time right up until the 1950's when a bridge was built. A mile stone dedicated to 'Victorinus' former Governor of Gaul has been found in nearby Baglan and evidence of a Roman Fort has been found in Neath.

Vikings also had settlements in the area and used the river as an important port for trading. The fort at 'Hen Gastell' was rebuilt overlooking the mouth of the river in the 1100's by Morgan ap Carradog, Lord of Afan to unsuccessfully deter the Norman invaders. Normans settled in the area and evidence shows that in 1160 they built the first church on the site of what is now St Mary's Church. Melin's neighbour Briton Ferry was so named by the Normans who called the Welsh 'Britons'. The Normans at Neath Castle referred to the river crossing of Briton Ferry as 'La Brittone'.