Pwllgwaun
Encyclopedia
Pwllgwaun is a village and small suburb of Pontypridd
within the 'Rhondda' electroal ward, bordered by Hopkinstown
and Graigwen
hill to the north and east, the hillsides of Maesycoed
above, and is located along the banks of the river River Rhondda
. It consists largely of mining terrace type housing.
Pwllgwaun for such a small area is quite famous, in that it is the home of rugby
in Pontypridd with the home ground, Sardis Road
(or as it is colloquially named the "House of Pain"). Also the area has a connection with Merlin
, in as far as he was said to have been helped across a ford in the river here and blessed the area with good fortune. The impressive structure of the local pub (The Merlin) bears his name.
The local mine working beneath the village, known locally as 'Dan's Muck Hole' (sunk in 1875 and closed in 1948) was one of the most shallow in the area, sunk at a depth of only 45 yards, it was a deep mine in all but name. The legacy of its working were a lot of subsidence in the area and as a result many homes were affected. The entrance to the old pit can still be seen behind the home stand at Sardis Road rugby football ground, and is also commemorated by a nearby coal dram.
The main place of worship in the area is the prominent Bethany Baptist Church sited along the banks of the river. Also further south towards the town centre is Mill Street School (today Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Evan James).
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...
within the 'Rhondda' electroal ward, bordered by Hopkinstown
Hopkinstown
Hopkinstown is a small village to the west of Pontypridd town centre in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales situated alongside the banks of the River Rhondda. Hopkinstown is a former coal mining industrial community and is a district in the town of Pontypridd within the Rhondda...
and Graigwen
Graigwen
Graigwen is the name of the large hill and the village or district located thereon, sited to the north of Pontypridd town centre and south of Glyncoch and Ynysybwl in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, and within the ancient parish of Llanwonno...
hill to the north and east, the hillsides of Maesycoed
Maesycoed
Maesycoed is a settlement to the south and west of Pontypridd town centre in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Maesycoed is a district in the town of Pontypridd within the Rhondda electoral ward and is bounded by Graig to the south, Pwllgwaun to the east and Hopkinstown and Mynydd...
above, and is located along the banks of the river River Rhondda
River Rhondda
The River Rhondda is a river in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales which has two major tributaries; the Rhondda Fawr and the Rhondda Fach .- Description :...
. It consists largely of mining terrace type housing.
Pwllgwaun for such a small area is quite famous, in that it is the home of 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...
in Pontypridd with the home ground, Sardis Road
Sardis Road
Sardis Road is a rugby union stadium situated in Pontypridd, Wales. It is home to the Principality Premiership team, Pontypridd RFC and previously the Celtic Warriors, the now defunct regional rugby union team...
(or as it is colloquially named the "House of Pain"). Also the area has a connection with Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
, in as far as he was said to have been helped across a ford in the river here and blessed the area with good fortune. The impressive structure of the local pub (The Merlin) bears his name.
The local mine working beneath the village, known locally as 'Dan's Muck Hole' (sunk in 1875 and closed in 1948) was one of the most shallow in the area, sunk at a depth of only 45 yards, it was a deep mine in all but name. The legacy of its working were a lot of subsidence in the area and as a result many homes were affected. The entrance to the old pit can still be seen behind the home stand at Sardis Road rugby football ground, and is also commemorated by a nearby coal dram.
The main place of worship in the area is the prominent Bethany Baptist Church sited along the banks of the river. Also further south towards the town centre is Mill Street School (today Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Evan James).