Porth
Encyclopedia
Porth is a town
and a community
in the county borough
of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan
, Wales
, lying in the Rhondda
Valley and is regarded as the gateway to the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys because both valleys meet at Porth. The Welsh word "porth" means "gate" when translated into English, however, Porth is a predominantly English-speaking community.
Neighbouring towns and villages include Trealaw
, Trebanog
, Trehafod
and Ynyshir
.
industry during the late 19th to mid 20th centuries though all the coal mines in the area have since closed. The Rhondda Heritage Park
in Trehafod
, which celebrates the history of the Rhondda coal mining past, is situated near the town. Today the main internal economy of Porth is retail and the centre of Porth is home to the shopping district based around Hannah Street. Most other business are located on nearby Pontypridd Road and Porth Street.
Presently, Porth is home to around 6,000 people living in different areas of the town, namely Birchgrove, Britannia, Cymmer
, Glynfach
, Llwyncelyn
, Mount Pleasant and Porth town centre.
Porth crater
on Mars
is named after the town.
age children are most likely to attend Porth County Community School, or Ysgol Gyfun Y Cymmer
, situated in the Cymmer area of Porth. Despite the English language dominance of the area, the number of enrolments to Welsh language
medium schools in the area continues to rise and these schools are nearing, or at, full capacity.
resides in the town centre with services to Treherbert
and Cardiff
on the Rhondda Line
. Arriva Trains Wales
is responsible for the railway service available in Porth.
The recent construction of the Porth-Tylorstown
bypass (Porth Relief Road) has caused traffic jams and detours. The bypass was opened on December 28, 2006, but landscaping work finished on April 2007. The construction of the bypass was first discussed over 50 years ago.
, opened in 2000 with an opening ceremony attended by Tom Jones
, Cerys Matthews
and Kelly Jones
. It is both a television studio and recording studio. The owners of the building also contribute to the local area, and organised the Tom Jones
homecoming concert at Ynysangharad Park, Pontypridd
in May 2005.
Porth is home to Welsh Rugby Union
affiliated rugby
club Porth Harlequins
.
Football Association of Wales
affiliated A.F.C. Porth play in the MacWhirter Welsh Football League
; they play their home matches at Dinas Park, and their base is The Rhondda Sports and Social Bar, known locally as The Transport Club.
Porth is home to South Wales Automobile Club, (S.W.A.C.), SWAC are the organisers of the RDp Welsh Rally. 'The Welsh Rally' as the event is often referred to first ran in 1937 and has seen many top international rally drivers taking part over the years.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and a 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....
in the county borough
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...
of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries 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...
, 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...
, lying in the Rhondda
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
Valley and is regarded as the gateway to the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys because both valleys meet at Porth. The Welsh word "porth" means "gate" when translated into English, however, Porth is a predominantly English-speaking community.
Neighbouring towns and villages include Trealaw
Trealaw
Trealaw is the longest village in the Rhondda Valley, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.Trealaw stretches over two miles from the junction of Cemetery Road and Brithweunydd Road in the east, to the junction of Ynyscynon Road and Partridge Road to the northwest....
, Trebanog
Trebanog
Trebanog is a village lying on the southernmost outskirts of the Rhondda Valley, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, located off the A4233 road between Porth the unoficial capital of the Rhondda, and the town of Tonyrefail which is at the head of the Ely Valley...
, Trehafod
Trehafod
Trehafod is a village in the Rhondda Valley between Porth and Pontypridd in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, although in administrative terms is split between the electoral division of Cymmer to the West and Rhondda to the East...
and Ynyshir
Ynyshir
Ynyshir , meaning "Long Island" in English, is a village and a community located in the Rhondda Valley, within Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The village takes its name from a farm in the area, falling within the historic parishes of Ystradyfodwg and Llanwynno . The community of Ynyshir also...
.
History
Porth grew around the coal miningCoal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
industry during the late 19th to mid 20th centuries though all the coal mines in the area have since closed. The Rhondda Heritage Park
Rhondda Heritage Park
Rhondda Heritage Park, Trehafod, Rhondda, South Wales is a tourist attraction which offers an insight into the life of the coal mining community that existed in the area until the 1980s....
in Trehafod
Trehafod
Trehafod is a village in the Rhondda Valley between Porth and Pontypridd in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, although in administrative terms is split between the electoral division of Cymmer to the West and Rhondda to the East...
, which celebrates the history of the Rhondda coal mining past, is situated near the town. Today the main internal economy of Porth is retail and the centre of Porth is home to the shopping district based around Hannah Street. Most other business are located on nearby Pontypridd Road and Porth Street.
Presently, Porth is home to around 6,000 people living in different areas of the town, namely Birchgrove, Britannia, Cymmer
Cymmer (Porth)
Cymmer while today is considered to be a district of the town of Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, prior to the establishment of Porth as the main urban settlement in the area, the position of both communities were largely reversed, Cymmer being so named because of being located at the 'confluence'...
, Glynfach
Glynfach
Glynfach is a district of the community and electoral ward of Cymmer, within the town of Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf. There are no shops in Glynfach, however there is one pub - The Colliers Arms - and one parish church - St. John's Church...
, Llwyncelyn
Llwyncelyn
Llwyncelyn is a district of Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf.Consisting of five long terraces and two modern housing developments, Llwyncelyn is the home of one shop and a parish church, St...
, Mount Pleasant and Porth town centre.
Porth crater
Porth (crater)
Porth is a crater on the planet Mars. It is named after the town of Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taff, south Wales, United Kingdom. It is located at 21.4°N, 255.9°W and has a diameter of 9.3 km....
on Mars
Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
is named after the town.
Education
Secondary schoolSecondary 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...
age children are most likely to attend Porth County Community School, or Ysgol Gyfun Y Cymmer
Ysgol Gyfun Y Cymmer
Ysgol Gyfun Cymer Rhondda is a Welsh-medium secondary school located in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, situated near Porth.-History:...
, situated in the Cymmer area of Porth. Despite the English language dominance of the area, the number of enrolments to Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
medium schools in the area continues to rise and these schools are nearing, or at, full capacity.
Transportation
Porth railway stationPorth railway station
Porth railway station is a railway station serving the town of Porth in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.-History:...
resides in the town centre with services to Treherbert
Treherbert
Treherbert is a village and community situated at the head of the Rhondda Fawr valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Treherbert is a former industrial coal mining village which was at its economic peak between 1850 and 1920...
and Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
on the Rhondda Line
Rhondda Line
The Rhondda Line is a commuter railway line in South Wales from Cardiff to Treherbert. The line follows the Merthyr Line as far as Pontypridd, where it then diverges to continue along the Rhondda Valley.The places served by the line are listed below:...
. Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
is responsible for the railway service available in Porth.
The recent construction of the Porth-Tylorstown
Tylorstown
Tylorstown is a village located in the Rhondda valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It was founded by Alfred Tylor who set up an early coal mining operation in the location in the mid-19th century....
bypass (Porth Relief Road) has caused traffic jams and detours. The bypass was opened on December 28, 2006, but landscaping work finished on April 2007. The construction of the bypass was first discussed over 50 years ago.
Sport and leisure
The town is also the home of The Pop FactoryThe Pop Factory
The Pop Factory is a music and media complex in Porth, Rhondda, South Wales. It has given its name to a Welsh TV show.It was founded by Emyr Afan and his wife Mair Afan....
, opened in 2000 with an opening ceremony attended by Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
, Cerys Matthews
Cerys Matthews
Cerys Elizabeth Matthews is a Welsh singer and songwriter. She is known as the lead singer of the Welsh rock band Catatonia, her more recent bilingual solo career, and for a 1998 Christmas duet with Tom Jones.-Biography:...
and Kelly Jones
Kelly Jones
Kelly Jones is a Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist and the lead singer of the band Stereophonics. Influenced by classic rock bands such as The Who, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC and the Sex Pistols, Jones is noted for his strong, gravelly voice, which has been described as "whisky" vocals...
. It is both a television studio and recording studio. The owners of the building also contribute to the local area, and organised the Tom Jones
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE , known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer.Since the mid 1960s, Jones has sung many styles of popular music – pop, rock, R&B, show tunes, country, dance, techno, soul and gospel – and sold over 100 million records...
homecoming concert at Ynysangharad Park, 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...
in May 2005.
Porth is home to Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
affiliated rugby
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
club Porth Harlequins
Porth Harlequins RFC
Porth Harlequins Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Porth in the Rhondda Valley. Porth RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Cardiff Blues....
.
Football Association of Wales
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
affiliated A.F.C. Porth play in the MacWhirter Welsh Football League
Welsh Football League Third Division
Division Three of the Welsh Football League is a football league and forms the fourth level of the Welsh football league system in south Wales....
; they play their home matches at Dinas Park, and their base is The Rhondda Sports and Social Bar, known locally as The Transport Club.
Porth is home to South Wales Automobile Club, (S.W.A.C.), SWAC are the organisers of the RDp Welsh Rally. 'The Welsh Rally' as the event is often referred to first ran in 1937 and has seen many top international rally drivers taking part over the years.
Residents of note
- Gregg CoombesGregg CoombesGregg Alexander Coombes is a Welsh footballer who plays as a midfielder. He is currently playing for Clevedon Town in the Southern Football League Premier Division.-Career:...
, footballer - Llew EdwardsLlew EdwardsLlewellyn "Llew" Edwards was a Welsh boxer who fought professionally between 1913 and 1922. He is most notable for winning the British Empire featherweight boxing championship in 1915.-Boxing career:...
, British featherweight boxing champion - J. Gwyn GriffithsJ. Gwyn GriffithsJohn Gwyn Griffiths , was a Welsh poet, Egyptologist and nationalist political activist who spent the largest span of his career lecturing at Swansea University.-Early history:...
, Egyptologist, poet and Welsh nationalist - Cliff JonesCliff Jones (rugby player)Clifford 'Cliff' William Jones OBE was a Welsh international rugby union fly-half who played club rugby for many teams but is most associated with Cardiff and Cambridge University...
Wales international rugby captain - Percy JonesPercy Jones (boxer)Rhondda's Percy Jones became the first Welshman ever to win a World Boxing title when he took the World Flyweight Championship from Bill Ladbury in 1914...
, World Boxing Flyweight champion - Gwyn ThomasGwyn Thomas (novelist)Gwyn Thomas was a Welsh writer who has been called 'the true voice of the English-speaking valleys'.-Early life:...
, novelist in the English language