Pontrhydyfen (or Pont-rhyd-y-fen) is a small village in the Afan Valley, in Neath Port Talbotcounty borough in Wales (grid referenceSS794940). The village sits at the confluence of the River Afan and the smaller Afon Pelenna, 1.8 miles (2.9 km) north of the larger village of Cwmafan and not far from the towns of Port Talbot and Neath. The views from the village are dominated by the hills of Foel Fynyddau (370 m) to the west, Moel y Fen (260 m) to the south-east and Mynydd Pen-rhys (280 m) to the north. This former coal mining community is distinguished by two large 19th-century bridges that span the valley: a railway viaduct (the red bridge) and a former aqueduct, known in the Welsh language as Y Bont Fawr ("The Big Bridge"). The built-up area has a population of around 830.[1] It is in the community of Pelenna.
Mountain biking. Home to the nearby Afan Forest Park, the valley offers the best places for mountain biking in South Wales and is consistently ranked highly within the best in the UK.[2][3]
The industrial history of Oakwood began in the 1820s, when the first blast furnace was lighted for the Pontrhydyfen Iron Works[5] and coalmaster John Reynolds built the aqueduct to power it.[6] By 1877 local Ordnance Survey maps show the site of the iron works as ruins,[7] but there are continued historical references to the two blast furnaces at Pontrhydyfen until 1902.[5]
The Red Bridge / Viaduct. The nine-arch Pontrhydyfen viaduct built in 1898 was the last railway bridge built in the valley.[6]
The Bont Fawr Aqueduct (aka The Big Bridge). Built by John Reynolds and completed in 1827, the four-arch aqueduct is 153 yards (140 m) long and over 75 feet (23 m) high. A watercourse some two miles long carried water from the Afan; it supplied the water which powered the giant waterwheels of the Oakwood / Pontrhydyfen Ironworks.[6] Its use in supplying the waterwheels was relatively short-lived, and there is no record it being used for this purpose following the acquisition of the site by Governor and Company of Copper Miners in 1841.[8] The Bont Fawr Aqueduct is 'one of the few surviving structures relating to the use of water power in the iron industry in the region' and is a Grade II* listed building.[8] It remains in use today as a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists, the canal which it once carried having been filled in.
Mining. George Yates' Map of the County Glamorgan shows Coal Pits just south of Oakwood on the West slopes of Moel y Fen and Mynydd Bychan by 1799.[9] By 1875 maps show a range of collieries including: Craig (SS 788933), Graiglyn (SS 788935) & Wernavon (SS 791936) on the south-east slopes of Foel Fynddau, each serviced by tramways, and Craig-y-fedw (SS 787947) on the east slope of Mynydd Hawdref[10] and then by 1914 maps show Oakwood Colliery (SS 799941) just to the south-east of Rhyslyn Carpark.[11]
Quarries. By 1897 maps show evidence of 3 quarries on Moel y Fen, 1 on Mynydd Hawdref (just west of Efail-fach), 2 on east slopes of Foel Fynyddau, 2 on the south slopes of Mynydd Pen-Rhys and 1 in the vicinity of Penhydd-fach.[12]
www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Pontrhydyfen and surrounding area
January 30, 2023
pontrhydyfen, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, february, 201. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Pontrhydyfen news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message Pontrhydyfen or Pont rhyd y fen is a small village in the Afan Valley in Neath Port Talbot county borough in Wales grid reference SS794940 The village sits at the confluence of the River Afan and the smaller Afon Pelenna 1 8 miles 2 9 km north of the larger village of Cwmafan and not far from the towns of Port Talbot and Neath The views from the village are dominated by the hills of Foel Fynyddau 370 m to the west Moel y Fen 260 m to the south east and Mynydd Pen rhys 280 m to the north This former coal mining community is distinguished by two large 19th century bridges that span the valley a railway viaduct the red bridge and a former aqueduct known in the Welsh language as Y Bont Fawr The Big Bridge The built up area has a population of around 830 1 It is in the community of Pelenna PontrhydyfenWelsh Pont rhyd y fenY Bont Fawr AqueductPontrhydyfenLocation within Neath Port TalbotPopulation830 OS grid referenceSS793942Principal areaNeath Port TalbotCeremonial countyWest GlamorganCountryWalesSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townPORT TALBOTPostcode districtSA12Dialling code01639PoliceSouth WalesFireMid and West WalesAmbulanceWelshUK ParliamentNeathList of places UK Wales Neath Port Talbot 51 38 02 N 3 44 38 W 51 634 N 3 744 W 51 634 3 744 Coordinates 51 38 02 N 3 44 38 W 51 634 N 3 744 W 51 634 3 744 Contents 1 Things to do amenities 2 History 3 Famous people 4 Points of interest 5 References 6 External linksThings to do amenities EditAfan Forest Park Mountain biking Home to the nearby Afan Forest Park the valley offers the best places for mountain biking in South Wales and is consistently ranked highly within the best in the UK 2 3 Walking Penrhys Trail Pontrhydyfen Community Centre Pontrhydyfen RFC 4 History EditThe industrial history of Oakwood began in the 1820s when the first blast furnace was lighted for the Pontrhydyfen Iron Works 5 and coalmaster John Reynolds built the aqueduct to power it 6 By 1877 local Ordnance Survey maps show the site of the iron works as ruins 7 but there are continued historical references to the two blast furnaces at Pontrhydyfen until 1902 5 The Red Bridge Viaduct The nine arch Pontrhydyfen viaduct built in 1898 was the last railway bridge built in the valley 6 The Bont Fawr Aqueduct aka The Big Bridge Built by John Reynolds and completed in 1827 the four arch aqueduct is 153 yards 140 m long and over 75 feet 23 m high A watercourse some two miles long carried water from the Afan it supplied the water which powered the giant waterwheels of the Oakwood Pontrhydyfen Ironworks 6 Its use in supplying the waterwheels was relatively short lived and there is no record it being used for this purpose following the acquisition of the site by Governor and Company of Copper Miners in 1841 8 The Bont Fawr Aqueduct is one of the few surviving structures relating to the use of water power in the iron industry in the region and is a Grade II listed building 8 It remains in use today as a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists the canal which it once carried having been filled in Mining George Yates Map of the County Glamorgan shows Coal Pits just south of Oakwood on the West slopes of Moel y Fen and Mynydd Bychan by 1799 9 By 1875 maps show a range of collieries including Craig SS 788933 Graiglyn SS 788935 amp Wernavon SS 791936 on the south east slopes of Foel Fynddau each serviced by tramways and Craig y fedw SS 787947 on the east slope of Mynydd Hawdref 10 and then by 1914 maps show Oakwood Colliery SS 799941 just to the south east of Rhyslyn Carpark 11 Quarries By 1897 maps show evidence of 3 quarries on Moel y Fen 1 on Mynydd Hawdref just west of Efail fach 2 on east slopes of Foel Fynyddau 2 on the south slopes of Mynydd Pen Rhys and 1 in the vicinity of Penhydd fach 12 Pontrhydyfen AqueductFamous people EditPontrhydyfen was the birthplace of actor Richard Burton 13 Broadway theatre and musical star Ivor Emmanuel who was also in Zulu 14 international opera singer Rebecca Evans 15 singer and songwriter Geraint Griffiths 16 and actor Mark Frankel The Richard Burton Appreciation Society is based in the village 17 Points of interest EditThe hills surrounding the village are home to a number of mobile phone masts that are prominent markers on the horizon 18 Site Grid Operator ref Mast height Type BandCwmavon UHF Transmitter Moel y Fen SS 79810 93600 WGL7010 30m GSM 1800 MHzAirwave Site Foel Fynyddau SS 78157 93690 SWA096 29 5m TETRA 400 MHzSIMOCO Transmitting Station Foel Fynyddau SS 78240 93600 WGL0028 41m GSM 1800 MHzSIMOCO Transmitting Station Foel Fynyddau SS 78240 93600 WGL0028 41m UMTS 2100 MHzReferences Edit Custom report Nomis Official Labour Market Statistics Proviz Sports 2019 Top 15 Mountain Bike Trails in the UK 2020 ONLINE Available at https www provizsports com en gb blog top 15 uk mountain bike trails Accessed 14 March 2020 naturalresources wales Afan Forest Park Retrieved 13 March 2020 Pontrhydyfen RFC Website a b Grace s Guide Pontrhydyfen Oakwood Iron Works Retrieved 11 April 2020 a b c Afan Valley Then amp Now Retrieved 13 March 2020 Ordnance Survey Map 1874 77 Retrieved 11 April 2020 a b Wales Online An iconic Welsh aqueduct has been painstakingly restored by Gemma Parry Retrieved 9 April 2020 The National Library of Wales George Yates Map of the County Glamorgan 1799 Retrieved 12 April 2020 The National Library of Scotland Ordnance Survey Map of Glamorgan Sheet XXV N E Revised 1897 Retrieved 13 April 2020 The National Library of Scotland Ordnance Survey Map of Glamorgan Sheet XXV N E Revised 1914 Retrieved 13 April 2020 The National Library of Scotland Ordnance Survey Map of Glamorgan Sheet XXV N E Revised 1914 Retrieved 14 April 2020 The Official Richard Burton Website Commissioned by Onward Productions Retrieved 1 April 2020 BBC s Phil Carradice 2013 The life and times of Ivor Emmanuel Retrieved 1 April 2020 BBC Website Wales Music Biography Rebecca Evans Retrieved 1 April 2020 BBC Lleol De Orllewin Cantorion Geraint Griffiths Retrieved 1 April 2020 Facebook Group The Richard Burton Appreciation Society Retrieved 1 April 2020 OFCOM 2012 Sitefinder May 2012 datasetExternal links Editwww geograph co uk photos of Pontrhydyfen and surrounding area Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pontrhydyfen amp oldid 1082174588, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
