Jump to content

Rhondda Cynon Taf

Coordinates:51°39′00″N3°26′24″W/ 51.65000°N 3.44000°W/51.65000; -3.44000
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Rhondda Cynon Taf
County Borough
Bwrdeistref Sirol
Rhondda Cynon Taf(Welsh)
County borough
Coat of arms of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough
Coat of arms
Location of Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough
Admin HQPontypridd
Largest townAberdare
Government
• TypeRhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council
• ControlNo overall control
•MPs
•MSs
Area
• Total424 km2(164 sq mi)
• RankRanked 13th
Population
(2022)
• Total239,018
• RankRanked 3rd
• Density564/km2(1,460/sq mi)
• RankRanked 8th
• Ethnicity
98.9% White
Welsh language
• RankRanked 13th
• Speakers12.4%[1]
Geocode00PF (ONS)
W06000016 (GSS)
ISO 3166 codeGB-RCT

Rhondda Cynon Taf(Welsh pronunciation:[ˈr̥ɔnðaˈkənɔnˈtaːv];RCT;also spelt asRhondda Cynon Taff) is acounty boroughin thesouth-eastofWales.It consists of five valleys: the Rhondda Fawr, Rhondda Fach, Cynon, Taff (Welsh:Taf) and Ely valleys, plus a number of towns and villages away from the valleys.

Results from the 2011 census showed 19.1% of its 234,410 residents self-identified as having some ability in the use of theWelsh language.[2]The county borough bordersMerthyr Tydfil County BoroughandCaerphilly County Boroughto the east,Cardiffand theVale of Glamorganto the south,Bridgend County BoroughandNeath Port Talbotto the west andPowysto the north. Its principal towns are -Aberdare,LlantrisantwithTalbot GreenandPontypridd,with other key settlements/towns being -Maerdy,Ferndale,Hirwaun,Llanharan,Mountain Ash,Porth,Tonypandy,TonyrefailandTreorchy.

The most populous individual town in Rhondda Cynon Taf isAberdare(Welsh:Aberdâr) with a population of 39,550 (2011), followed byPontypriddwith 32,694 (2011). The largestbuilt-up areaas defined by theOffice for National Statisticsis theTonypandybuilt-up area, with a population of 62,545 (2011), which covers much of theRhonddavalley.[3]TheNational Eisteddfodwill be held at Rhondda Cynon Taf in 2024, postponed twice from 2022.[4]

History[edit]

The county borough was formed on 1 April 1996, by the merger of the former Mid GlamorgandistrictsofRhondda,Cynon ValleyandTaff-Ely(with the exceptions ofCreigiauandPentyrch,which were added to Cardiff). Its name reflects all these, and thus also the riversRhondda,CynonandTaff.Pontypridd, a University and Market Town, is the principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf; situated 12 miles north of the capital city of Cardiff. Pontypridd is often abbreviated “Ponty” by local residents.

Some of Wales' most notorious unsolved murders occurred in Rhondda Cynon Taf in 1993, themurders of Harry and Megan ToozeinLlanharry.[5]

Industry[edit]

The district developed from the discovery and mining, primarily for export, of high-qualityWelshcoals,such assteam coal,via Cardiff andBarrydocks. The landscape was dominated bycoal wasteheaps and deep mine pit-heads. Many of the roads are lined with semi-ribbon development of closely packedVictorianterraces of houses which have given theRhonddaandCynonvalleys their distinctive appearance. In the nineteenth century the Rhondda had over 60 mines.

As deep mines closed, a number of very large open-cast coal mines were created and remain in operation, especially towards the north of the area.

TheWelsh Development Agency,which was formed in 1976 to help reverse the economic down-turn in Wales caused by the recession in both thecoalandsteelindustries, was very active in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area in supporting and encouraging industrial and commercial regeneration. Recent investment in the area has included theDragon International Film Studios,on the site ofLlanilidopen-cast mine. The location of the project has led it to become known locally as "Valleywood", even though the Welsh valleys are some miles away.

Environment[edit]

Wildfires on the hillsides of the Valleys.

The coal industry has had major adverse impacts on the quality of the environment, such that most of the rivers were severely polluted to the exclusion of all fish life. Recent decades have shown great improvement with the return ofsalmonrecorded in theRiver Taffand theRiver Rhonddabut the continued presence of man-made obstacles in the rivers is inhibiting regeneration of their pre-industrial numbers and condition.

The chemical industry has also had adverse effects due to the dumping of toxic waste in the now disusedBrofiscin Quarryin the village ofGroes-faen.Dumping took place over a 6-year period between 1965 and 1970 by theMonsanto Company.[6]Clean-up costs have been estimated to be over £100 million. A Dr Papageorge, formerly Monsanto's chief scientist, estimates that between 60,000 and 80,000 tonnes ofpolychlorinated biphenyl(PCB) contaminated wastes were dumped there.[7]Works costing £1.25 million to reduce health risks to local residents and members of the public using a nearby footpath were completed at the quarry in 2012.[8]Monsanto,BPandVeoliacontributed to the cost of the clean-up while continuing to deny liability.[8]

Government[edit]

The area is governed byRhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Councilfrom headquarters inPontypriddand is the host authority to the South East Wales Improvement Collaborative (SEWIC), Excellence Wales award winner 2010. Rhondda Cynon Taf is represented by four MPs in theUK Parliamentuntil 2024. There are also fourconstituenciesrepresented in theSenedd(Welsh Parliament).

The five UK parliament constituencies covering Rhondda Cynon Taf (in pink) from 2024. 1 =Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare,2 =Rhondda and Ogmore,3 =Pontypridd,4 =Cardiff West,and 5 =Cardiff North.

From 2024, Rhondda Cynon Taf would be in five UK Parliament constituencies,Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare,Rhondda and Ogmore,Pontypridd,Cardiff West,andCardiff North.[9]

Notable people[edit]

  • SirTom Jones— Treforest, Pontypridd — singer, known to some people locally by his birth name of Tommy Woodward
  • Neil Jenkins— Church Village, near Pontypridd — Wales and British & Irish Lions rugby union player
  • Kelly Jones— Cwmaman — lead singer and lead guitarist of the rock band theStereophonics
  • BaronMerlyn Rees(1920-2006) — Cilfynydd, near Pontypridd — served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1974–1976) and Home Secretary (1976–1979)
  • SirGeraint Evans(1922–1992) — Cilfynydd, near Pontypridd — bass-baritone opera singer

Twinning[edit]

Towns that havetwinningarrangements in Rhondda Cynon Taf are:

Freedom of the Borough[edit]

The following people and military units have received theFreedom of the Boroughof Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Individuals[edit]

Military units[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^"How life has changed in Rhondda Cynon Taf: Census 2021".
  2. ^"Population Density, 2011".Office for National Statistics.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk.Retrieved3 January2014.
  3. ^"Tonypandy built-up area".NOMIS.Office for National Statistics.Retrieved22 October2022.
  4. ^"Covid: Wales' National Eisteddfod postponed until 2022".26 January 2021 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  5. ^"The five other unexplained deaths linked to Pembrokeshire Murders killer John Cooper that have never been proved".WalesOnline.16 January 2021.Retrieved20 August2022.
  6. ^"Brofiscin Quarry: What's happened so far?".Environment Agency.Retrieved11 December2010.
  7. ^Hughes, John; Thomas, Pat (May 2007)."Burying The Truth".The Ecologist.37(4): 33–63.
  8. ^abLevitt, Tom (14 July 2015)."Monsanto, BP and Veolia agree to pay for cleanup of contaminated Welsh site".The Guardian.Retrieved19 July2016.
  9. ^"2023 Parliamentary Review - Revised Proposals | Boundary Commission for Wales".Boundary Commission for Wales.Retrieved20 June2023.
  10. ^"Tenor granted freedom of borough".WalesOnline.31 January 2008.
  11. ^Best, Jessica (10 April 2013)."Award-winning columnist Elaine Morgan given the freedom of Rhondda Cynon Taf".WalesOnline.
  12. ^McCarthy, James (8 October 2016)."Royal Welsh soldiers marched through Pontypridd watched by thousands".
  13. ^"Welsh Guards hold freedom parade".BBC News.15 May 2013.
  14. ^"Freedom Of County Borough".www.rctcbc.gov.uk.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toRhondda Cynon Taf.

51°39′00″N3°26′24″W/ 51.65000°N 3.44000°W/51.65000; -3.44000

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rhondda_Cynon_Taf&oldid=1231268762"