Pontnewydd
Encyclopedia
Pontnewydd is a suburb of Cwmbran
in the county borough of Torfaen
, south-east Wales
.
Beginning in the late 19th/early 20th century, as a small village in the locality of Llanfrechfa Upper, Pontnewydd has grown rapidly since the start of the Cwmbran New Town development in 1949. Locally, it is known as 'The Village'. Pontnewydd has its main commercial centre along Commercial Street, Richmond Road, New Street & Chapel Street.
Pontnewydd is split into many unofficial sub-districts;
North Pontnewydd Estates, Five Locks Estate, Lowlands, Ty Newydd Estate, South Pontnewydd Estates and The Village.
was designated as a new town
under the New Towns Act 1946
. It is the largest new town in Wales. The town was intended primarily to provide homes near work for those employed in the area and also to provide social and commercial facilities as well as to preserve open spaces, aiming for a balanced and self-contained community. Cwmbran’s original population was 12,000 of whom most who lived in Pontnewydd and Old Cwmbran
.
West Pontnewydd is a residential area in the north-west of Cwmbran. Built in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it hosts a pub - The Yew Tree, congregation centre, a row of commercial units and Birches Park.
The Canal
The most knowledgeable area of Pontnewydd is the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal
. It splits the district roughly in half; arriving at the Five Locks Estate, cutting the Lowlands and South Pontnewydd area into two and then takes the route down through Forge Hammer, towards Old Cwmbran.
runs through the village. Although not navigatable, it provides a route for cyclists and walkers.
There are also many parks and recreation grounds surrounding Pontnewydd and the Lowlands area; Pontnewydd Park, Brookland Park, The Rec, Glen Park, Clarksfield & Pontnewydd Rugby Club.
railway line from Newport
to Blaenafon ran through the village until it was removed in the early 1980s. Upper Pontnewydd railway station (closed to passengers in 1962) was situated on this line. Cwmbran Drive was then built in the late 1980s, along the bed of the disused railway that bisects the village.
Lower Pontnewydd Station on the Pontypool, Caerleon and Newport Railway was 300 metres North of the current site of Cwmbran railway station
off Station Road, and closed to passengers in 1958.
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...
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:...
, south-east 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...
.
Beginning in the late 19th/early 20th century, as a small village in the locality of Llanfrechfa Upper, Pontnewydd has grown rapidly since the start of the Cwmbran New Town development in 1949. Locally, it is known as 'The Village'. Pontnewydd has its main commercial centre along Commercial Street, Richmond Road, New Street & Chapel Street.
Pontnewydd is split into many unofficial sub-districts;
North Pontnewydd Estates, Five Locks Estate, Lowlands, Ty Newydd Estate, South Pontnewydd Estates and The Village.
The village as part of the new town
CwmbranCwmbran
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...
was designated as a new town
New town
A new town is a specific type of a planned community, or planned city, that was carefully planned from its inception and is typically constructed in a previously undeveloped area. This contrasts with settlements that evolve in a more ad hoc fashion. Land use conflicts are uncommon in new...
under the New Towns Act 1946
New Towns Act 1946
The New Towns Act 1946 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which allowed the government to designate areas as new towns, and passing development control functions to a Development Corporation. Several new towns were created in the years following its passing...
. It is the largest new town in Wales. The town was intended primarily to provide homes near work for those employed in the area and also to provide social and commercial facilities as well as to preserve open spaces, aiming for a balanced and self-contained community. Cwmbran’s original population was 12,000 of whom most who lived in Pontnewydd and Old Cwmbran
Old Cwmbran
Old Cwmbrân is an area of Cwmbrân, Torfaen in Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.-Original village:As its name would suggest, Old Cwmbrân was the 'original' village that the 1950s New Town of Cwmbrân grew out of...
.
Links with other Cwmbran Districts
Northville is a large and enclosed housing estate that lies between Pontnewydd and Croesyceiliog. Being the first set of housing developments after the set up of Cwmbran New Town in 1949, it housed the residents that worked in the booming post-war industry around the New Town in the early 1950s. Like Thornhill several decades later, it reincorporated its surroundings and is now seen as an economically improved area of Torfaen County.West Pontnewydd is a residential area in the north-west of Cwmbran. Built in the late 1950s and early 1960s, it hosts a pub - The Yew Tree, congregation centre, a row of commercial units and Birches Park.
The Canal
The most knowledgeable area of Pontnewydd is the Monmouthshire & Brecon 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...
. It splits the district roughly in half; arriving at the Five Locks Estate, cutting the Lowlands and South Pontnewydd area into two and then takes the route down through Forge Hammer, towards Old Cwmbran.
Environment
The Monmouthshire & Brecon CanalMonmouthshire & 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 the village. Although not navigatable, it provides a route for cyclists and walkers.
There are also many parks and recreation grounds surrounding Pontnewydd and the Lowlands area; Pontnewydd Park, Brookland Park, The Rec, Glen Park, Clarksfield & Pontnewydd Rugby Club.
Industry
Historically the area was dominated by heavy industry, revolving around the local coal and iron industries. Today the industrial landscape has completely changed, and is completely based upon light industry represented around the village in neighbouring industrial estates; Avondale Park, Forge Hammer & Springvale.Transport
The Monmouthshire Railway and Canal CompanyMonmouthshire Railway and Canal Company
The Monmouthshire Railway and Canal Company built and operated the Newport and Pontypool Railway. It was known as "The Rat and Cat's".- Overview :...
railway line from 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...
to Blaenafon ran through the village until it was removed in the early 1980s. Upper Pontnewydd railway station (closed to passengers in 1962) was situated on this line. Cwmbran Drive was then built in the late 1980s, along the bed of the disused railway that bisects the village.
Lower Pontnewydd Station on the Pontypool, Caerleon and Newport Railway was 300 metres North of the current site of Cwmbran railway station
Cwmbran railway station
Cwmbran railway station is situated in the northeast of Cwmbran town centre within five minutes walking distance. It is part of the British railway system owned by Network Rail and is operated by Arriva Trains Wales. It lies on the Welsh Marches Line line from Newport to Hereford...
off Station Road, and closed to passengers in 1958.
Census data
At the 2001 Census http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census, the following information was collected:- Population 6132 (Torfaen 90,949)
- 47.9% Male, 52.1% Female
- Age Structure
- 21.9% aged between 0-15
- 37.2% aged between 16-44
- 19.0% aged 45-59/64
- 21.9% of pensionable age