Pontypridd

Etymology

The name Pontypridd derives from the name Pont-y-tŷ-pridd, Welsh for "bridge by the earthen house", a reference to a succession of wooden bridges that formerly spanned the River Taff at this point.

Old Bridge

Pontypridd is noted for its Old Bridge, a stone construction across the River Taff built in 1756 by William Edwards. This was Edwards' third attempt, and, at the time of construction, was the longest single-span stone arch bridge in the world. Rising 35 feet (11 m) above the level of the river, the bridge forms a perfect segment of a circle, the chord of which is 140 feet (43 m). Notable features are the three holes of differing diameters through each end of the bridge, the purpose of which is to reduce weight. On completion, questions were soon raised as to the utility of the bridge, with the steepness of the design making it difficult to get horses and carts across. As a result, a new bridge, the Victoria Bridge, paid for by public subscription, was built adjacent to the old one in 1857. Pontypridd was known as Newbridge from shortly after the construction of the Old Bridge until the 1860s.

Old Bridge, dating from 1756

Coal

The history of Pontypridd is closely tied to the coal and iron industries; prior to the developments of these, Pontypridd was largely a rural backwater comprising a few farmsteads, with Treforest initially becoming the main urban settlement in the area. Sited as it is at the junction of the three valleys, it became an important location for the transportation of coal from the Rhondda and iron from Merthyr Tydfil, first via the Glamorganshire Canal, and later via the Taff Vale Railway, to the ports at Cardiff, Barry, and to Newport. Because of its role in transporting coal cargo, its railway platform is thought to have once been the longest in the world during its heyday.^[7] Pontypridd was, in the second half of the 19th century, a hive of industry, and was once nicknamed the ‘Wild West’.^[8] There were several collieries within the Pontypridd area itself, including:

Tonypandy & Trealaw railway station during an early 1910s coal strike

Front page of the earliest surviving copy of the Welsh newspaper The Pontypridd Chronicle; 15 January 1881

• Albion Colliery, Cilfynydd
• Bodwenarth Colliery, Pontsionnorton
• Daren Ddu Colliery, Graigwen & Glyncoch
• Dynea Colliery, Rhydyfelen
• Gelli-whion Colliery, Graig
• Great Western/Gyfeillion Colliery, Hopkinstown
• Lan Colliery, Hopkinstown
• Newbridge Colliery, Graig
• Pen-y-rhiw Colliery, Graig
• Pontypridd/Maritime Collieries, Graig & Maesycoed
• Pwllgwaun Colliery/'Dan's Muck Hole', Pwllgwaun
• Red Ash Colliery, Cilfynydd
• Ty-Mawr Colliery, Hopkinstown & Pantygraigwen
• Typica Colliery, Hopkinstown & Pantygraigwen and
• Victoria Colliery, Maesycoed

As well as the deep-mined collieries, there were many coal levels and trial shafts dug into the hillsides overlooking the town from Cilfynydd, Graig, Graigwen, and Hafod. The Albion Colliery in the village of Cilfynydd in 1894 was the site of one of the worst explosions within the South Wales coalfield, with the death of 290 colliers (see Keir Hardie).

Iron and steel

Other instrumental industries in Pontypridd were the Brown Lenox/Newbridge Chain & Anchor Works south-east of the town, and Crawshay's Forest Iron, Steel & Tin Plate Works and the Taff Vale Iron Works, both in Treforest near the now University of South Wales.

Buildings

The town is also home to a large hospital, Dewi Sant Hospital.

Railway

Railway station

The establishment of Pontypridd over Treforest was finally confirmed with the building of the Glamorganshire Canal to serve the coal mines of the Rhondda valley. However, the volumes of coal extraction soon brought about the construction of the Taff Vale Railway, which, at its peak, resulted in a train passing through Pontypridd railway station (if one includes the freight lines immediately to its west) every two or three minutes.^[10] The station was originally constructed as a long single island, at one point the world's longest platform, a reflection of both the narrow available geography of the steep valley side, as well as the need to accommodate many converging railways lines on what became the nineteenth-century hub of the valleys. Due to the restrictive geography, only parcels and mail were handled at Pontypridd, while heavy freight was handled at Treforest. The station today, as operated by Transport for Wales, reflects the fewer destinations served since the Beeching and earlier cuts, with one up (valley) platform, one down (through) platform, a down bay platform (opened December 2014), and only one passing loop.

Trams, trolleybuses, and buses

A tram service began on 6 March 1905, running from Cilfynydd, through Pontypridd, to Treforest. It was replaced on 18 September 1930 by trolleybuses, which on 31 January 1957 were replaced by buses which almost exactly replicated the route. Today, bus services are principally provided by Trevor Evans (on the Newtown , Bargoed, Talbot Green and Bridgend services), and Stagecoach in South Wales (on long-distance routes to Cardiff, Rhondda, Cynon Valley, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly etc.).

Sport and recreation

Sardis Road rugby ground

The former paddling pool in Ynysangharad Park, now removed

The pitch and putt golf course in Ynysangharad Park

The bandstand in Ynysangharad Park

• Ynysangharad War Memorial Park was opened by Field Marshal Viscount Allenby on 6 August 1923. It features a bandstand, pitch-and-putt golf course, a lido swimming pool (dubbed the National Lido of Wales), tennis courts, lawn bowls greens, a football pitch, a cricket pitch, and memorials to the war dead of Pontypridd and to the composers of the Welsh national anthem. It has also hosted festivals and music concerts, including the annual Ponty's Big Weekend festival.
• Pontypridd is home to Pontypridd Rugby Football Club, one of Wales' most notable rugby union clubs, with a successful junior rugby and Age-grade sections that frequently contributes players to the national team. Formed in 1876,^[11] Pontypridd RFC play in the Principality Premiership, SWALEC Cup and the British and Irish Cup.^[12] Pontypridd RFC play their home games at Sardis Road, with their junior section playing at Taff Vale Park and Pontypridd High School Fields, Cilfynydd.
• Pontypridd Town A.F.C. is a Welsh football club which has achieved some success in the Welsh football league.
• Speedway racing was staged at Taff Vale Park in the town's Broadway area in 1929/1930.
• Pontypridd Bowls Club play in the top division in the Cynon Valley, Mid Glamorgan and the Cardiff League having been promoted in all 3 divisions following the 2009 season. They play their home games at Ynysanghard Park.

Media

• Pontypridd has its very own community radio station GTFM 107.9, based in Rhydyfelin near to Cardinal Newman School. It provides local news, information, and a variety of music from the fifties to the present day. It is run by a voluntary management committee.
• The Pontypridd and Llantrisant Observer is the local newspaper for the town.
• Pontypridd has a thriving digital media scene, various companies have offices here.

Culture

A memorial in Ynysangharad Park to Evan James and James James, composers of the Welsh national anthem

• The Welsh national anthem ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ (Land of my Fathers) was composed in Pontypridd by local poets/musicians Evan James and James James.
• Pontypridd was home to the eccentric Dr. William Price who performed the first modern cremation in the United Kingdom.
• Pontypridd hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1893.
• Côr Meibion Pontypridd (Pontypridd Male Voice Choir)
• Pontypridd is home to the world renowned International Welsh Poetry Competition.
• Tom Jones, born on 7 June 1940 at 57 Kingsland Terrace, Treforest, and the world-famous son of Pontypridd frequently references his hometown in interviews.^[13][14] A 65th birthday concert was held at the town's Ynysangharad Park at which he headlined.

In popular culture

The drinking fountain in Taff St, Pontypridd, south Wales, donated in 1895 by Sir Alfred Thomas, MP for East Glamorgan

• The name of the fictional Welsh town of Pontypandy, in which children's television programme Fireman Sam is situated, is a portmanteau of Pontypridd and Tonypandy.^[15]
• The Welsh TV show Belonging was shot in Pontypridd
• The BBC hit sci-fi shows Doctor Who and Torchwood have filmed at various location around Pontypridd and nearby, such as at the Market Tavern pub in Market Street and the Lido in Ynysangharad Park. Other locations include at - Treforest, Hawthorn, Graigwen, Upper Boat, Trallwng, Ynysybwl, and others.

Twinning

Pontypridd is twinned with Nürtingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Initial contact between the two communities occurred in 1965, with a visit by Côr Meibion Pontypridd Welsh male voice Choir to visit a choir called "Liederkranz" based in the Oberensingen area of Nürtingen. The Liederkranz returned the visit to Pontypridd one year later. On the occasion of the next visit of Côr Meibion to Nürtingen, the partnership between the two communities was formally established - on 26 July 1968. Since then, reciprocal visits between the two choirs have taken place on a regular basis. It was as a result of this successful partnership that Pontypridd Urban District Council decided to have a formal Twinning link at a civic level, and to join in partnership with Nürtingen. In July 1968, an agreement was signed by John Cheesman J.P., mayor of Pontypridd and Karl Gonser mayor of Nürtingen. This resulted in the first twinning link in Rhondda Cynon Taf, and the longest-established twinning links with Nürtingen.^[16]

Pontypridd is also twinned with Mbale, Uganda

Pontypridd town council held an official twinning ceremony in 2005, to consolidate links with Mbale, Uganda, already established by local churches and healthcare workers, under the auspices of charity PONT, the Partnerships Overseas Networking Trust.^[17]