Sebastopol, Wales
Encyclopedia
Sebastopol is the southernmost suburb of Pontypool
in the county borough of Torfaen
, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire
in South Wales
. It is named in honour of the Ukrainian city Sevastopol
(also known as Sebastopol) that was taken during the Crimean War
. It is a working-class area consisting of mainly privately-owned terraced houses and a substantial number of local authority/ex-local authority housing (known as the Kemys Fawr Estate).
. Like nearby New Inn
, Sebastopol doesn't have a central village area, but is spread out along its main thoroughfares South Street & Greenhill Road.
The town boasts little infrastructure due to its proximity with Griffithstown
. There are three general shops: two on South Street and a general store on The Avenue (Kemys Fawr Estate). There is the locally-renowned Page's Fish & Chip Shop as well as a barber shop, printer, a garage door operation and poodle parlour. A large number of second hand cars salesrooms are based on Station Rd. "The Crown", "The Open Hearth", "Sebastopol Social Club" and "The Waterloo" are the local pubs. There are two churches: Penry Gospel Hall and St. Oswald's Anglican Church, but most ecclesiastical needs are met by Griffithstown
. Kemys Fawr Infant & Nursery School is located on the Kemys Fawr Estate and provides education for 3 - 7 year olds, but children must then attend Griffithstown
Junior School for further schooling. There is also a special needs school: Crownbridge School, catering for pupils in the age range 3 - 19 with severe learning difficulties. There is a rundown park near Kemys Fawr Infant & Nursery School with a football pitch.
The Monmouthshire Canal
runs through Sebastopol from Brecon
on its way to Newport
.
to prevent plans for a new village being built on a large greenbelt
zone to the south of the town. To be known as "South Sebastopol", the sprawl of new housing would join the Pontypool
district suburbs of northern Torfaen
to the Cwmbran
district suburbs of southern Torfaen
. On 21st July 2011 the plans were refused by the councillors.
Pontypool
Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales....
in the county borough of Torfaen
Torfaen
Torfaen is a county borough in Wales within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It was originally formed in 1974 as a district of the county of Gwent and in 1996 it was reconstituted as a unitary authority.-Education:...
, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
in South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. It is named in honour of the Ukrainian city Sevastopol
Sevastopol
Sevastopol is a city on rights of administrative division of Ukraine, located on the Black Sea coast of the Crimea peninsula. It has a population of 342,451 . Sevastopol is the second largest port in Ukraine, after the Port of Odessa....
(also known as Sebastopol) that was taken during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
. It is a working-class area consisting of mainly privately-owned terraced houses and a substantial number of local authority/ex-local authority housing (known as the Kemys Fawr Estate).
The town itself
Today Sebastopol is a large community that is all but merged with nearby GriffithstownGriffithstown
Griffithstown is a large community of Pontypool in the borough of Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in May, 1898, from Llanfrechfa Upper and Panteg, and includes Sebastopol, but, under the provisions of the Local Government Act...
. Like nearby New Inn
New Inn
New Inn is a village and community of approximately 3,000 households located to the south east of Pontypool, within the County Borough of Torfaen in Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.- Location :...
, Sebastopol doesn't have a central village area, but is spread out along its main thoroughfares South Street & Greenhill Road.
The town boasts little infrastructure due to its proximity with Griffithstown
Griffithstown
Griffithstown is a large community of Pontypool in the borough of Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in May, 1898, from Llanfrechfa Upper and Panteg, and includes Sebastopol, but, under the provisions of the Local Government Act...
. There are three general shops: two on South Street and a general store on The Avenue (Kemys Fawr Estate). There is the locally-renowned Page's Fish & Chip Shop as well as a barber shop, printer, a garage door operation and poodle parlour. A large number of second hand cars salesrooms are based on Station Rd. "The Crown", "The Open Hearth", "Sebastopol Social Club" and "The Waterloo" are the local pubs. There are two churches: Penry Gospel Hall and St. Oswald's Anglican Church, but most ecclesiastical needs are met by Griffithstown
Griffithstown
Griffithstown is a large community of Pontypool in the borough of Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in May, 1898, from Llanfrechfa Upper and Panteg, and includes Sebastopol, but, under the provisions of the Local Government Act...
. Kemys Fawr Infant & Nursery School is located on the Kemys Fawr Estate and provides education for 3 - 7 year olds, but children must then attend Griffithstown
Griffithstown
Griffithstown is a large community of Pontypool in the borough of Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in May, 1898, from Llanfrechfa Upper and Panteg, and includes Sebastopol, but, under the provisions of the Local Government Act...
Junior School for further schooling. There is also a special needs school: Crownbridge School, catering for pupils in the age range 3 - 19 with severe learning difficulties. There is a rundown park near Kemys Fawr Infant & Nursery School with a football pitch.
The Monmouthshire Canal
Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal
The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal is a small network of canals in South Wales. For most of its length it runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park, and its present rural character and tranquillity belies its original purpose as an industrial corridor for coal and iron, which were brought to...
runs through Sebastopol from Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
on its way to Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
.
Future developments
Since 1996 local residents have been fighting long and hard with developers and Torfaen County Borough CouncilTorfaen County Borough Council
Torfaen County Borough Council is the governing body for Torfaen, one of the Principal Areas of Wales.- Current composition :-Electoral divisions:...
to prevent plans for a new village being built on a large greenbelt
Green Belt (UK)
In United Kingdom town planning, the green belt is a policy for controlling urban growth. The idea is for a ring of countryside where urbanisation will be resisted for the foreseeable future, maintaining an area where agriculture, forestry and outdoor leisure can be expected to prevail...
zone to the south of the town. To be known as "South Sebastopol", the sprawl of new housing would join the Pontypool
Pontypool
Pontypool is a town of approximately 36,000 people in the county borough of Torfaen, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire in South Wales....
district suburbs of northern Torfaen
Torfaen
Torfaen is a county borough in Wales within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It was originally formed in 1974 as a district of the county of Gwent and in 1996 it was reconstituted as a unitary authority.-Education:...
to the Cwmbran
Cwmbran
Cwmbrân is a new town in Wales. Today forming part of the county borough of Torfaen and lying within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, Cwmbrân was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield. Cwmbrân means Crow...
district suburbs of southern Torfaen
Torfaen
Torfaen is a county borough in Wales within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It was originally formed in 1974 as a district of the county of Gwent and in 1996 it was reconstituted as a unitary authority.-Education:...
. On 21st July 2011 the plans were refused by the councillors.