Church Village
Encyclopedia
Church Village is a large village
in the historic parish and community
of Llantwit Fardre
, located within the Taff Ely district of the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales
. The village is centrally located being around 4 miles from the local principal towns of Llantrisant
to the southwest and Pontypridd
to the north and is situated around 10 miles northwest of Cardiff city centre
. Historically it was known as Cross Inn and fell within the traditional county of Glamorgan
.
Church Village itself does not share the extent of industrial mining heritage of much of the rest of the county and largely comprises new and recent build housing. It is a rapidly growing urban area, today almost a town rather than a village, being much sought after to live in due to its proximity to Cardiff and Pontyclun. Church Village is also commonly used to refer to the whole CF38 postcode area of Pontypridd, comprising the adjoining principal settlements of - Beddau, Efail Isaf, Llantwit Fardre, Ton-teg, Tyn-y-Nant and Upper Church Village.
Church village was served by Church Village railway station on the Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway
until 1964.
Costain
, under contract from Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
constructed a bypass
to reduce traffic congestion on the A473, Pontypridd to Bridgend
road, from Cross Inn, near Llantrisant
, to Tonteg
via Efail Isaf
. The Church Village bypass, which is built as a single carriageway, with crawler and overtaking lanes around roundabouts opened in September 2010.
, which is called Gartholwg Community Campus. This initiative houses a primary school - Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Garth Olwg, a secondary school
- Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg
, a pre-school nursery, a community library, Lifelong Learning Centre and a Youth centre.
The Parish church of St. Illtyd's has been serving the community for hundreds of years, but Salem and Bethel have developed in the last 100 years. Bethel was formed owing to schismn, wishing for English services compared to the, then, complete Welsh Salem which was already established in the area. However, in the last 50 years Salem adopted an evening English service and is enjoying a morning family service under the current Pastor.
Salem Chapel is widely known as the chapel (and resting place) of former Deacon and Arweinydd y gan, John Hughes, who wrote the famous hymn tune Cwm Rhondda (Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah)
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in the historic parish and community
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
of Llantwit Fardre
Llantwit Fardre
Llantwit Fardre is a large village situated on the A473, Pontypridd to Bridgend , road near the Welsh towns of Pontypridd and Llantrisant. Confusingly, Llantwit Fardre is also the name of the old parish and the community area that takes in the villages of Llantwit Fardre, Tonteg and Church...
, located within the Taff Ely district of the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The village is centrally located being around 4 miles from the local principal towns of Llantrisant
Llantrisant
Llantrisant is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The town's name translates as The Parish of the Three Saints. The three saints in question are St Illtyd, St Gwynno and St...
to the southwest and Pontypridd
Pontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
to the north and is situated around 10 miles northwest of Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre
Cardiff city centre is the central business district of Cardiff, Wales. The area is tightly bounded by the River Taff to the west, the Civic centre to the north and railway lines and two railway stations - Central and Queen Street - to the south and east respectively...
. Historically it was known as Cross Inn and fell within the traditional county of Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
.
Church Village itself does not share the extent of industrial mining heritage of much of the rest of the county and largely comprises new and recent build housing. It is a rapidly growing urban area, today almost a town rather than a village, being much sought after to live in due to its proximity to Cardiff and Pontyclun. Church Village is also commonly used to refer to the whole CF38 postcode area of Pontypridd, comprising the adjoining principal settlements of - Beddau, Efail Isaf, Llantwit Fardre, Ton-teg, Tyn-y-Nant and Upper Church Village.
Church village was served by Church Village railway station on the Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway
Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway
The Llantrisant and Taff Vale Junction Railway was a railway located in south Wales which broadly ran between Pontypridd and Llantrisant. It opened to freight traffic in 1863 and to passenger traffic in 1875...
until 1964.
Costain
Costain
The Manx name Costain derives from Thorstein and is of Viking origin. Theoretically every Costain in the world is related because the name comes from just one clan that established itself on the IoM around 1100 years ago. So Costain for example started in a small workshop on the Colby Main Road...
, under contract from Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council is the governing body for Rhondda Cynon Taf, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The council headquarters are located in the town of Tonypandy.- Current composition :- Historic results :...
constructed a bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
to reduce traffic congestion on the A473, Pontypridd to Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
road, from Cross Inn, near Llantrisant
Llantrisant
Llantrisant is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf in Wales, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The town's name translates as The Parish of the Three Saints. The three saints in question are St Illtyd, St Gwynno and St...
, to Tonteg
Tonteg
Tonteg is a village around three and a half miles from Pontypridd, south Wales. It is north west of Cardiff and four miles north east of Llantrisant. The village is within the community of Llantwit Fardre...
via Efail Isaf
Efail Isaf
Efail Isaf is a small village located to the south of Llantwit Fardre in south Wales and is located in the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf within the community of Llantwit Fardre. The former Barry Railway ran nearby. Efail Isaf has a village hall...
. The Church Village bypass, which is built as a single carriageway, with crawler and overtaking lanes around roundabouts opened in September 2010.
Education
Church Village is the site of one of the newest school sites in WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, which is called Gartholwg Community Campus. This initiative houses a primary school - Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Garth Olwg, a secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
- Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg
Ysgol Gyfun Garth Olwg
Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen is a Welsh Medium comprehensive school in the village of Church Village near Pontypridd, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales...
, a pre-school nursery, a community library, Lifelong Learning Centre and a Youth centre.
Religion
There are three Christian churches in the area, St. Illtyd's, the Parish church, Capel Y Bedyddwyr Cymraeg Salem (Salem Welsh Baptist Chapel, with English and Welsh services) and Bethel Baptist Chapel. All three churches have a strong and healthy relationship between them which is constantly developing.The Parish church of St. Illtyd's has been serving the community for hundreds of years, but Salem and Bethel have developed in the last 100 years. Bethel was formed owing to schismn, wishing for English services compared to the, then, complete Welsh Salem which was already established in the area. However, in the last 50 years Salem adopted an evening English service and is enjoying a morning family service under the current Pastor.
Salem Chapel is widely known as the chapel (and resting place) of former Deacon and Arweinydd y gan, John Hughes, who wrote the famous hymn tune Cwm Rhondda (Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah)
Cwm Rhondda
Cwm Rhondda, the Welsh name for the Rhondda Valley, is a popular hymn tune written by John Hughes and first performed in 1907. It is often erroneously called Bread of Heaven and is usually used in English as a setting for William Williams's text Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah , originally...
.