Ynysybwl
Ynysybwl (Welsh: Ynys-y-bŵl [ənɪsəˈbʊl]) is a village in Cwm Clydach in Wales. It is situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, roughly 20 miles (32 km) north-north-west of Cardiff, 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Pontypridd and 10 miles (16 km) south of Merthyr Tydfil, and forms part of the community of Ynysybwl and Coed-y-cwm.
Cwm Clydach is flanked by the Rhondda and Cynon Valleys. The market town of Pontypridd lies to the south at the meeting point of the three valleys and to the north lies the expansive Llanwynno forestry. Before the local-governement reforms of 1996 Ynysybwl was in the Cynon Valley district of Morgannwg Ganol, and the area is historically a part of Glamorgan (Morgannwg).
Contents |
[edit] Name
The name of the village (Ynys-y-bŵl in its Welsh-language spelling) is a compound of the words ynys, meaning "water-meadow", and bŵl, a loan-word from English meaning "bowl": a reference to the shape of the valley at this point. Locally, the village is often referred to as just "Bwl" or "The Bwl".[1]
[edit] History
Ynysybwl is located in the centre of the Llanwynno Parish, at the point where the stream known as Y Ffrwd flows into the Nant Clydach. Simply a collection of small local farms and meadows in a quiet and completely rural valley, according to the 1841 census around 200 people inhabited the village and surrounding farms.[2]
The rich seams of coal in the Mynachdy level that lie beneath the surface had thus far only been tapped to the amount required to supply these local farms. David Davies began test bores in the early 1880s at Graigddu (English - Black Rock), which proved positive, and the resultant sinking of Lady Windsor Colliery by the Ocean Coal Company on 16 June 1884 gave birth to new coal town.[2]
[edit] Lady Windsor Colliery
Lady Windsor Colliery opened in 1886, with 300 new miners houses built in typical terraced fashion by the mining company in order to house its workers and their families, built on the opposing (Western) side of the valley.
During its peak period the colliery employed around 1500 people directly although most of the 6000-7000 village community relied upon the pit in one way or another. The pit thrived throughout the first half of the 20th century, becoming one of a number of very successful operations in South Wales at that time.
However as time went on, coal mining fell out of favour with many people, including politicians, and the Lady Windsor colliery did not escape the troubles that plagued the industry during the miners strikes of the early 1980s. The pit was finally closed in 1988.
[edit] Present day
| Ynysybwl Census | |
|---|---|
| Population: - Total (April 29, 2001) - 0-17 - 18-60 - 61+ |
4787 25.8% 40.6% 33.6% |
| Welsh language: - Any skills |
23.4% |
Despite this the village has survived, people finding work in the newly developing industries in nearby Pontypridd, Treforest, Aberdare, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil and Cardiff.
This, coupled with the replacement of the pit as the village focus by local churches, Nonconformist chapels, clubs and associations, has led to a renewed interest in regeneration of the village. This has reached a peak so far in the formation of the Ynysybwl Regeneration Partnership, an umbrella group formed to help achieve funding and organisation for activities within the village.
Today, Ynysybwl is the base for a large number of clubs and associations for such a small village, boasting karate, rugby, football, netball, bowls, cricket, a pony club, male voice choir, a brass band (Lady Windsor Colliery Band) and sections of the Brownies and Air Training Corps.
The nearby Llanwynno forestry also boasts the successful Cwm Clydach Outdoor Activity Group, an outdoor pursuits centre run by people from the village, and a newly developing cycle path that will form part of the local Taff Trail.
[edit] Places and Events
As with many Industrial Revolution-born villages, Ynysybwl is a community based around a number of key places.
Not least amongst them are the local Trerobart and Glanffrwd schools that cater for over 450 pupils. The Recreation Ground is the home to many of the village's sporting clubs, hosting rugby, football, cricket and bowls as well as incorporating a large playing area. And of course there are the local drinking establishments, The Roberttown, Constitutional Club and the Old Ynys-y-Bwl Inn.
The largest regular event to take place around Ynysybwl is the regular passage of the Network Q Rally of Great Britain through the Llanwynno forestry.
A further traditional event is the running of the Nos Galan Races, in tribute to the legend of Guto Nyth Brân.
[edit] Transport
The Taff Vale Railway financed and operated the Ynysybwl railway, a branch line from Coedpenmaen on its Llancaiach Branch,[3] which itself joined to the mainline to Cardiff at Stormstown Junction just south of Abercynon.[4] Opening a year after that of the Lady Windsor Colliery, the last passenger train from Ynysybwl Halt to Pontypridd was in 1953.[5]
[edit] Notable people
- See also Category:People from Ynysybwl
- Alun "Barrie" Davies - rugby, Welsh team coach
- Garin Jenkins - Wales' most-capped hooker
- Staff Jones - rugby, capped for Wales in 1983 and toured with the British Lions to New Zealand in 1985
- Dale McIntosh - rugby, Pontypridd RFC captain
- Clive Pritchard - rugby, Welsh team manager 1999
- Leighton Rees - darts player, first ever World Champion in 1978
- Tommy Scourfield - Rugby union, capped for Wales in 1930
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.someplacenamesinsouthwales.4t.com/rich_text_10.html Some Place Names in South Wales
- ^ a b http://webapps.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk/heritagetrail/taff/ynysybwl/ynysybwl.htm
- ^ http://www.railbrit.co.uk/Llancaiach_Branch/frame.htm
- ^ http://www.roscalen.com/signals/Abercynon/index.htm
- ^ http://www.rhodridavies.btinternet.co.uk/index3.htm
[edit] External links
- Ynysybwl Male Voice Choir
- Ynysybwl Rugby Club
- Ynysybwl.com
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Ynysybwl and surrounding area
51°38′24″N 3°21′36″W / 51.640°N 3.360°W
