The town sits at the junction of theRhondda andTaff valleys, where theRiver Rhondda flows into the Taff just south of the town at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park.[7] Pontypridd community recorded a population of about 32,700 in the2011 census figures.[8] while Pontypridd Town ward itself was recorded as having a population of 2,919 also as of 2011.[9]
The town lies alongside the north–south dual carriagewayA470 between Cardiff and Merthyr Tydfil. The A4054, running north and south of the town, was the former main road, and like the A470, follows theTaff Valley. South of the town is the A473 forLlantrisant andPencoed. To the west is the A4058, which follows theRiver Rhondda toPorth and theRhondda Valley beyond.
The name Pontypridd derives from the namePont y tŷ pridd,Welsh for "bridge by the earthen house", referring singly to successive wooden bridges that once spanned theRiver Taff at this point.
Pontypridd is noted for itsOld Bridge, a stone construction across theRiver Taff built in 1756 byWilliam Edwards. This was Edwards's fourth attempt, and at the time of construction, was the longest single-span stonearch bridge in the world. Rising 35 feet (11 m) above the level of the river, the bridge forms a perfect segment of a circle, thechord 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.
The drinking fountain in Taff St, Pontypridd, donated in 1895 by Sir Alfred Thomas, MP for East GlamorganOld Bridge, dating from 1756
The history of Pontypridd is tied to thecoal andiron industries; before their development Pontypridd was a hamlet of a few farmsteads, withTreforest initially becoming the main urban settlement in the area. Sited at the junction of three valleys, it became an important location for transporting coal from the Rhondda and iron fromMerthyr Tydfil, first by theGlamorganshire Canal, and later by theTaff Vale Railway, to the ports atCardiff,Barry andNewport. Its role in coal transport lengthened its railway platform, which is thought to have once been the longest in the world in its heyday.[10] Pontypridd in the second half of the 19th century was a hive of industry, once nicknamed the "Wild West".[11] There were several collieries within the Pontypridd area itself, including:
Tonypandy & Trealaw railway station during an early 1910s coal strikeFront page of the earliest surviving copy of the Welsh newspaperThe Pontypridd Chronicle; 15 January 1881
As well as deep-mined collieries, there were many coal levels and trial shafts dug into the hillsides overlooking the town from Cilfynydd, Graig, Graigwen andHafod. The Albion Colliery in the village of Cilfynydd in 1894 underwent one of the worst explosions in the South Wales coalfield, with the death of 290 colliers (seeKeir Hardie).
Other instrumental industries in Pontypridd were theBrown Lenox/Newbridge Chain & Anchor Works south-east of the town, andCrawshay's Forest Iron, Steel & Tin Plate Works and the Taff Vale Iron Works, both in Treforest near the nowUniversity of South Wales.
Pontypridd serves as the postal town for the community ofLlantwit Fardre under the CF38 postcode district, although the area is not considered part of Pontypridd.
Pontypridd came into being because of transport, as it was on thedrovers' route from the south Wales coast and theBristol Channel, to Merthyr, and onwards into the hills ofBrecon. Although initial expansion in the valleys occurred at Treforest due to the slower speed of the River Taff at that point, the establishment of better bridge building meant a natural flow of power to Pontypridd.
The establishment of Pontypridd over Treforest was finally confirmed with the building of theGlamorganshire Canal to serve the coalmines of the Rhondda Valley. However, the volumes of coal extraction soon led to construction of theTaff Vale Railway, which at its peak meant a train passed throughPontypridd railway station (including the freight lines immediately to its west) every two or three minutes.[15] The station was originally built 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 and the need to accommodate many converging railways lines at what became the 19th-century hub of the valleys.
Due to the restrictive geography, only parcels and mail were handled at Pontypridd. Heavy freight went toTreforest. The station today is operated byTransport for Wales, which is headquartered in the town. It reflects the fewer destinations served since theBeeching and earlier cuts, with one up (valley) platform, one down (through) platform, a down bay platform (opened in December 2014), and one passing loop.
Atram service began on 6 March 1905 fromCilfynydd through Pontypridd to Treforest. It gave way on 18 September 1930 totrolleybuses, which on 31 January 1957 were replaced by buses following the same route.
Pontypridd County Intermediate and Technical School was built in 1895 as a co-educational school in Tyfica Road, later becoming Pontypridd County Grammar School for Boys. In 1973, it became the Coedylan Comprehensive School, and is now thePontypridd High School inCilfynydd on the west side of theA4054.
Sardis Road rugby groundThe former paddling pool in Ynysangharad Park, now removedThe pitch and putt golf course in Ynysangharad Park, now removedThe bandstand in Ynysangharad Park
Pontypridd Bowls Club plays in the top division in the Cynon Valley, Mid Glamorgan and the Cardiff League, having been promoted in all three divisions after the 2009 season. Home games are played at Ynysangharad Park.
GTFM is the localcommunity radio station based in Pontypridd and broadcasts on 107.9FM to the town and the surrounding areas of Rhondda Cynon Taf.[20] Its studios are based in Rhydyfelin, near Cardinal Newman School.
The singerTom Jones was born in Treforest and often mentions his home town in interviews.[26][27] He headlined in a 65th birthday concert at the town's Ynysangharad Park.
The name of the fictional Welsh town of Pontypandy, where children's television programmeFireman Sam is set, is aportmanteau of Pontypridd andTonypandy.[29]
The Welsh TV showBelonging was shot in Pontypridd.
TheBBC'sDoctor Who andTorchwood have been filmed at locations in and around Pontypridd, such as at theMarket Tavern, a pub in Market Street, and the Lido inYnysangharad Park. Other locations include Treforest, Hawthorn, Graigwen, Upper Boat, Trallwng, andYnysybwl.
The graphic novel 'The Cosmic Offspring of Pontypridd' (2025) is set in Pontypridd.[30]
Pontypridd istwinned withNürtingen,Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Initial contact was made between them in 1965, with a visit byCôr Meibion Pontypridd Welsh male voice choir to a choir calledLiederkranz ("Coronet of Songs") based in the Oberensingen area of Nürtingen. The visit was returned a year later. Reciprocal choir visits have continued and the partnership prompted Pontypridd Urban District Council to join with Nürtingen in formal twinning relations, under an agreement signed in July 1968 by John Cheesman, Chairman of Pontypridd UDC, and Karl Gonser, Mayor of Nürtingen.[31]
Pontypridd is twinned withMbale, Uganda, since an official twinning ceremony in 2005, following links by local churches and health-care workers under the charitable Partnerships Overseas Networking Trust.[32][33]
Tobin, Patrick F. (1991).The Bridge and the Song, Some chapters in the story of Pontypridd. Bridgend: Mid Glamorgan County Libraries.ISBN1-872430-05-8.
.jpg)
%2c_Ynysangharad_Park_-_geograph.org.uk_-_421725.jpg)
