"...a bustling, traditional market town, a place of curiosities and characters..."
Nestling at the foot of steep, wooded slopes where the River Rhondda joins the River Taff, Pontypridd is a bustling, traditional market town, a place of curiosities and characters which also happens to be home to the 16,000 students of the University of Glamorgan.
During the19th Century, Pontypridd was a boom town of coal mining and heavy industry with Brown Lenox chains, Trefforest tinplate and Nantgarw china.
The town also has strong traditions of sport and culture. Pontypridd Rugby Club is famous the world over, and record points scorer Neil Jenkins has been lovingly reproduced in the World of Groggs Pottery and Shop, along with celebrities past and present. Excellent indoor and outdoor facilities exist at the Hawthorn leisure complex. Opera stars Stuart Burrows and Sir Geraint Evans and pop star Tom Jones were all born in the surrounding villages, whilst the Welsh National anthem Hen Wlad fy Nhadau (Land of my Fathers) was composed here in 1856 by Evan James and his son James James - there is a fine memorial to them in Ynysangharad War Memorial Park by sculptor Goscombe John.
Nearby, the main shopping area is centred on Taff Street, where banks and office suppliers rub shoulders with butchers and bakers, travel agents and jewellers.
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff. Pontypridd is often abbreviated "Ponty" by local residents. The name Pontypridd is from "Pont-y-ty-pridd" the Welsh for "bridge by the earthen house", a reference to a succession of wooden bridges that formerly spanned the River Taff at this point.
Pontypridd is a compact, friendly place, and you can always be assured of a welcome whether you go shopping in the market or chose to imbibe the atmosphere of the town in any one of the traditional pubs or modern cafés.
Location
Pontypridd community comprises the town centre itself, as well as the following key villages/settlements: Cilfynydd, Coedpenmaen (Coed-Pen-Maen), Glyntaff (Glyn-Taff), Glyncoch, Graig, Graigwen & Pantygraigwen, Hawthorn (Y Ddraenen-Wen), Hopkinstown (Trehopcyn), Maesycoed (Maes-y-Coed), Pontsionnorton (Pont Sion Norton), Pwllgwaun, Rhydyfelin (Rhydfelen), Trallwn (Trallwng), Treforest (Trefforest), Upper Boat (Glan-Bad)
