Blaenrhondda

Blaenrhondda
Blaenrhondda  Blaenrhondda shown within Rhondda Cynon Taf
OS grid reference	SS928995
Principal area	Rhondda Cynon Taf
Ceremonial county	Mid Glamorgan
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TREORCHY
Postcode district	CF42
Dialling code	01443
Police	South Wales
Fire	South Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
EU Parliament	Wales
UK Parliament	Rhondda
Welsh Assembly	Rhondda
List of places UK Wales Rhondda Cynon Taf

Coordinates: 51°41′05″N 3°33′05″W / 51.684677°N 3.551406°W / 51.684677; -3.551406

Blaenrhondda is a village in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, lying at the head the Rhondda Fawr valley. Blaenrhondda is a very small village and is part of the community of Treherbert.

History

The earliest evidence of people habitating the area are the remains of an Iron Age settlement of several roundhouses grouped together in an obvious community, known as Hen Dre'r Mynydd. The dry wall layout of the ruinous site has led archeologists to believe that the people who lived in the area were early farmers.^[1] It has been identified as the largest undefended Iron Age settlement in south east Wales.

Before the industrialisation of the Rhondda Valleys in the late 19th century, Blaenrhondda was an agricultural area and sparsely populated. With the coming of the coal industry two mines were sunk in the locality. The first was the North Dunraven, also known as the Blaenrhondda, sunk in 1859, followed by Fernhill Colliery around 1871. The Dunraven closed in the 1920s but the Fernhill was still operating as late as 1978. In an attempt to break the monopoly of the Taff Vale Railway and the Cardiff docks, a tunnel was constructed through Mynydd Blaengwynfy to link up with the Rhondda and Swansea Bay Railway to supply coal to the Swansea Docks for export. The resulting tunnel, at a length of 3,300 yards was the longest rail tunnel in Wales and the seventh longest in Britain.^[2] Due to an issue with the weight the engines could pull, the rail link was never the success it was hoped to be, though it did prove popular with day-trippers from the Rhondda, visiting Swansea and the Gower. The station was closed in 1970.

In the hills above Blaenrhondda lies Blaenrhondda Road Cutting, a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It was given this status for its rock exposures showing sediments that formed on the flood plain of a river delta during the Carboniferous period, approximately 310 million years ago.^[3]

External links

• Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Services
• Celtic Heritage BBC Wales

References

Rhondda Cynon Taf
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Communities	Aberaman Abercynon Aberdare Cwm Clydach Cwmbach Cymmer Ferndale Gilfach Goch Hirwaun Llanharan Llanharry Llantrisant Llantwit Fardre Llwydcoed Llwynypïa Maerdy Mountain Ash Penrhiwceiber Pentre Pen-y-graig Penywaun Pont-y-clun Pontypridd Porth Rhigos Taff's Well Tonypandy Tonyrefail Trealaw Trehafod Treherbert Treorchy Tylorstown Ynyshir Ynysybwl and Coed y Cwm Ystrad
Towns and villages	Aberaman Abercwmboi Abercynon Aberdare Abernant Beddau Blaenclydach Blaencwm Blaenllechau Blaenrhondda Britannia Bryncae Bryngolau Brynna Brynsadler Brynteg Buarth-y-Capel Bwllfa Dare Caegarw Carnetown Castell y Mwnws Castellau Cefn Rhigos Cefnpennar Church Village Cilfynydd Clydach Vale Coed-Ely Coedpenmaen Coed-y-Cwm Collena Croesbychan Cross Inn Cwm-Hwnt Cwmaman Cwmbach Cwmdare Cwmparc Cwmpennar Cymmer Dinas Rhondda Dolau Edmondstown Efail Isaf Ferndale Fernhill Foundry Town Gadlys Garden City Gelli Gilfach Goch Glan Y-Ffordd Glan-Y-Llyn Glenboi Glyncoch Glynfach Glynhafod Glyntaff Godreaman Graig Graigwen Groes-faen Hawthorn Hendreforgan Hirwaun Hopkinstown Ilan Llanharan Llanharry Llanilid Llantrisant Llantwit Fardre Llwydcoed Llwyncelyn Llwynypia Maerdy Maesycoed Miskin, Mountain Ash Miskin, Pontyclun Mountain Ash Mwyndy Nantgarw Newtown Pantygraigwen Penderyn Penpisgah Penrhiwceiber Penrhiwfer Penrhys Pentre Pentrebach Pen-y-coedcae Penygraig Penygraigwen Penywaun Perthcelyn Pontcynon Pontsionnorton Pontyclun Pontygwaith Pontypridd Porth Pwllgwaun Rhigos Rhiw Ddar Rhiwsaeson Rhydyfelin Robertstown Roberttown Stanleytown Taffs Well Talbot Green Talygarn Thomastown Ton Pentre Tonteg Tonypandy Tonyrefail Trallwn Trealaw Trebanog Trecynon Treforest Trehafod Treherbert Trenant Treorchy Ty Fry Ty-Rhiw Tyla Garw Tylcha Tylorstown Tynewydd Tynybryn Tyn-y-nant Tyntetown Upper Boat Upper Church Village Wattstown Williamstown Ynysangharad Ynysboeth Ynysddu Ynyshir Ynysmaerdy Ynyswen Ynysybwl Ystrad Rhondda
Education	Aberdare Girls' School Aberdare High School Blaengwawr Comprehensive School Bryn Celynnog Comprehensive School Coleg y Cymoedd Hawthorn High School Mountain Ash Comprehensive School Pontypridd High School St. John the Baptist School Treorchy Comprehensive School University of South Wales Y Pant School Ysgol Gyfun Cymer Rhondda Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg Ysgol Gyfun Llanhari Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun
Rivers	Afon Clun Afon Sychryd River Cynon River Ely River Rhondda River Taff
Topics	Parliamentary constituencies Places SSSIs Grade I listed buildings Grade II* listed buildings Lord Lieutenants High Sheriffs Museums

Villages and towns of the Rhondda Valley
Rhondda Fawr	Blaencwm Blaenrhondda Cwm Clydach Cwmparc Cymmer Dinas Rhondda Gelli Glynfach Llwyncelyn Llwynypia Pentre Penygraig Pen-yr-englyn Porth Ton Pentre Tonypandy Trealaw Trebanog Trehafod Treherbert Treorchy Tynewydd Williamstown Ynyswen Ystrad Rhondda
Rhondda Fach	Blaenllechau Ferndale Maerdy Penrhys Pontygwaith Tylorstown Stanleytown Wattstown Ynyshir