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Ystrad
Village in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Ystrad (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈəstrad]), also known as Ystrad Rhondda or Ystrad-Rhondda, is a village, community and electoral ward situated in the Rhondda Fawr valley, within the Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough of Wales. As of the 2021 census, the population stood at 5,075.[1] The village lies in the historic county of Glamorgan and forms part of the South Wales Valleys, a region shaped by intensive industrial development during the 19th and 20th centuries. It is served by Ystrad Rhondda railway station on the Rhondda Line and is connected by road and bus services to nearby towns and Cardiff.
Historically part of the extensive parish of Ystradyfodwg, Ystrad remained a rural and agricultural area until the mid-19th century, when the discovery and exploitation of coal brought rapid industrial growth. The sinking of Bodringallt Colliery in 1864 marked a turning point in the village's development, and the associated brickworks became one of the largest in the region.[2] Although the colliery closed in 1959, Ystrad retains many features of its industrial past, including characteristic South Wales Valleys terraced housing and post-industrial landscapes that have since been regenerated.
Ystrad is known for its strong community identity and rich cultural heritage. The village is home to Ystrad Rhondda RFC, which plays in the Welsh Rugby Union WRU Admiral Premiership and to the Rhondda Sports Centre, which provides leisure and recreational services for the wider area.[3] Ystrad also occupies a prominent place in the religious history of the Rhondda Valley, being the location of Nebo Chapel, the first Baptist chapel in the district, established in 1786.[4]
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Toponymy
Ystrad is Welsh for "vale". "Ystrad" is in Welsh "Yr Ystrad", with the definite article. It is a short form of the village name Ystradyfodwg or Ystrad-dyfodwg ("vale of Tyfodwg", the name of a saint) which gave its name to an extensive parish, and from 1887 the name of a local government district, renamed as "Rhondda" in 1897.
The Taff Vale railway station at Ystradyfodwg, opened in 1861, was given the short name "Ystrad". In 1930 it was renamed Ystrad Rhondda, possibly to avoid confusion with other stations with "ystrad" (Ystradmynach and Ystradgynlais).
Ystrad Rhondda is "the Ystrad which is the Rhondda district". Sometimes Ystrad Rhondda is said to mean "Vale of the Rhondda" but this is not the correct explanation.
See also other townships in Wales containing "Ystrad" as part of their name: All pages with titles containing Ystrad
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History
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Pre-industrial period
The early history of Ystrad is closely linked to the broader story of the Ystradyfodwg parish, of which it formed part. The area was mentioned as early as 1538 by the traveller John Leland, who described "Glin Rodenay" (the Rhondda) as having but one parish, "Ystrate".[5]
Prior to the industrial transformation of the 19th century, the area was characterised by scattered farming settlements and heavily wooded valleys. Through the post-medieval period, the Rhondda was described as being "heavily wooded" with the main economic activity being "the rearing of sheep, horses and cattle". The historian Rice Merrick noted there "was always great breeding of cattle, horses and sheep; but in elder time therein grew but small store of corn, for in most places there the ground was not thereunto apt".[6]
Before urban development, the Ystrad area was held by five different estates with no single dominant interest, and settlement eventually expanded to take in the low-lying pasture of farms including Ty-isaf, Tyr Melin-yr-Om, Ty'n-tyle, Gelli Dawel and Bodringyll.[2] An early description of pre-industrial Ystrad was provided by C.F. Cliffe, who stayed at a "primitive hostelrie" called the "Gellidawel" (quiet grove), which served as an important meeting place for local farmers to conduct business.
Of particular significance to the pre-industrial heritage was the old mill of Melin-yr-Om, associated with the Cistercian grange of Llantarnam at Mynachdy Penrhys, indicating the area's early monastic connections.[2]
Industrial development
The transformation of Ystrad from a rural farming community began in the mid-19th century with the exploitation of the area's rich coal reserves. The historic landscape area of Ystrad and Pentre originated as a linear ribbon settlement along the main road through the Rhondda Fawr during the 1860s.[2]
The most significant industrial development was Bodringallt Colliery, which was sunk in 1864 by Warner Simpson and Company, producing over 34,000 tons of coal within its first year.[2] The colliery passed through several ownerships, being purchased in 1890 by David Davies and Sons, Ferndale, who renamed it Ferndale No. 3 Colliery.[7] Eventually, it came under the ownership of the Cory Brothers & Co. Ltd, who operated it until nationalisation in 1947, after which it was run by the National Coal Board until its closure in 1959.[2]
Associated with the colliery was the Bodringallt brick works, which became the second largest producer of bricks in the Rhondda after Llwynypia.[2] The brickworks exported throughout the South Wales coalfield, providing materials for walling shafts and constructing colliery buildings and houses.
The rapid industrialisation brought about significant social changes. When Bodringallt Colliery school opened in 1861, only three other schools existed in the entire Rhondda valleys, highlighting how quickly the area was developing.[8] The village also became home to some of the most profitable collieries belonging to the Cory brothers, establishing its reputation as an important centre within the South Wales coalfield.[9]
Established in 1887, the Ystradyfodwg Cottage Hospital at Tyntyla, Ystrad, marked a significant moment as the Rhondda's first hospital. Its initial capacity was modest, with a four-bed ward designated solely for treating infectious diseases.[10]
The hospital played a crucial role during a major public health crisis when the Rhondda Urban District was struck by a severe typhoid fever epidemic in 1904. The outbreak was traced to contaminated water supplies, with the Tyntyla water source being identified as the primary cause. The epidemic ultimately affected 399 people across the district, with 373 cases occurring in areas served by the contaminated Tyntyla supply.[11]
The village suffered a tragic loss during the Second World War when the Ystrad Free Library was completely destroyed on the night of Tuesday, 29 April 1941, during the same German air raid that devastated nearby Cwmparc.[12] A single stray bomb struck the building, killing the librarian's wife who had returned to collect a coat whilst her family was on the mountainside watching the air raid.[13] The bombing occurred during the same raid that caused the heaviest loss of life the Rhondda suffered in a single night, with 28 fatalities in Cwmparc. Many local residents had taken shelter at the Nebo Chapel, which served as a temporary air raid shelter, whilst others watched the bombing from the mountainsides above the village.
Post-industrial period
The decline of the coal industry, which had defined Ystrad for over a century, began in the latter half of the 20th century. Bodringallt Colliery closed in 1959, and its site was subsequently cleared and landscaped.[2]
The post-industrial transformation of Ystrad, like many former mining communities, has involved adapting to economic diversification and regeneration efforts. The village has retained its strong community character, with facilities such as the Rhondda Sports Centre serving the wider area, while the landscape has gradually recovered from the intensive industrial activity of the mining era. Former colliery sites have been landscaped and repurposed, contributing to the area's transition from its industrial past to its modern identity as a residential community within the South Wales valleys.
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Geography and layout
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As a community and ward, Ystrad contains the neighbouring district of Gelli. The village lies in the Rhondda Fawr valley, which was formed by glacial action during the last ice age when slow-moving glaciers gouged out the deep, U-shaped valley that exists today.[14] Like other valleys in the area, the Rhondda displays the characteristic U-shaped cross-section typical of glaciated valleys, with steep sides and a relatively flat floor.[14]
The village is long and narrow, built along a main road where most amenities can be found, with a series of smaller residential streets branching off into the steep valley sides. This linear development pattern is characteristic of South Wales valley settlements, where the challenging topography constrains urban growth to follow the valley floor.[15] The majority of the housing stock consists of the classic South Wales valleys terraces with infills of newer builds.[16]
The Rhondda Fawr River runs through the village, separating it from Gelli on the southern bank. The river has its source at Ffynnon y Gwalciau at an elevation of about 544 metres above sea level and flows down through the valley, passing through Ystrad as part of its journey towards its confluence with the River Taff.[17]
Demography
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The 2021 census showed that Ystrad ward had a total population of 5,075, of whom 2,522 were male and 2,553 were female. The median age was not specified, but 20.1% of residents were aged 50-64, making this the largest age group.[1]
97.7% of residents stated their ethnicity as white, with 0.8% as Asian, 1.0% as mixed or multiple ethnic groups, 0.3% as Black, and 0.2% as other ethnic groups.[1]
The area showed strong Welsh identity, with 72.8% declaring Welsh only identity and 11.6% Welsh and British identity. Religiously, 63.0% stated no religion, whilst 29.9% declared Christianity. Only small percentages identified as other faiths: 0.2% Muslim, 0.2% Hindu, 0.3% Sikh, and 0.1% Buddhist.[1]
The population was predominantly UK-born, with 98.2% born in the United Kingdom. 99.2% of households had all adults speaking English or Welsh as their main language. Educational attainment showed 28.7% had no qualifications, whilst 21.4% held Level 4 qualifications or above (degree level).[1]
In terms of health, 40.8% reported very good health, though 13.8% were disabled under the Equality Act with day-to-day activities limited significantly. The ward had higher levels of economic inactivity (44.7%) compared to Wales overall (43.5%), with 23.4% retired and 9.2% long-term sick or disabled.[1]
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Culture
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Like most former coal mining communities in the South Wales Coalfield, Ystrad is remarkably self-contained with a very strong sense of community - a common feature of these former mining towns. The village maintains several key community facilities that serve as focal points for local life.
Sport
Ystrad has a rich sporting heritage dating back to the early 20th century. In 1902, Ystrad Stars achieved notable success by winning the Glamorgan Times League, a significant trophy in Welsh football at the time.[20][21]
This early success helped establish Ystrad's sporting tradition, which continues today through Ystrad Rhondda RFC. Ystrad Rhondda RFC is a prominent local institution, playing in the Welsh Rugby Union WRU Admiral Premiership.[22] The club, which serves as a feeder team for Cardiff Blues, is noted for its strong community involvement and runs youth and mini-rugby programmes.[22] The club's facilities include a rugby pitch, clubhouse, and the Ystrad Rhondda Bar, which serves as a social centre for members and supporters.
The Rhondda Sports Centre, located at Gelligaled Park, is a modern leisure facility that serves the wider Rhondda area.[3] The centre features swimming pools, gymnasium facilities, and hosts various community events including birthday parties, weddings, and conferences. It serves as an recreational hub for residents of Ystrad and neighbouring communities.
Religion
Ystrad holds a position of considerable significance in the religious history of the Rhondda Valleys, being home to the first Baptist chapel in the area. Nebo, originally known as Ynysfach Chapel, was founded in 1786 at Heolfach on the banks of the River Rhondda.[4] Its first minister was Thomas Edwards, and the name was changed to Nebo in the early part of the nineteenth century.[4]
Nebo served as the 'mother' church to numerous other Baptist chapels throughout the Rhondda Valley, including Hebron, Ton Pentre (established in 1868 when 52 members were released from Nebo) and Noddfa, Treorchy.[23]
As the valley industrialised, Nebo was rebuilt and extended in 1857 and again in 1876 to accommodate the growing congregation.The chapel's membership peaked at 318 in 1905, following the Welsh Revival. However, it was demolished in the early 1980s, though a neighbouring council estate was named in its memory and some remnants including a wall and railings survive.[24]
The village was also served by other nonconformist chapels. Tabernacle English Baptist Chapel was built on Cross Street in 1876, with modifications in 1908, serving the English-speaking Baptist community.[4] This chapel remained active until 1986.[4] Various Methodist chapels also served the community, including Bethel Calvinistic Methodist Chapel on Heol-fach (built 1858, extended 1870) and Tabernacle English Primitive Methodist Chapel, reflecting the diversity of nonconformist worship in the area.[4]
For Anglican worship, the Church of St Stephen represents the Church in Wales tradition in Ystrad. Built in 1895–1896, it forms part of the Parish of Trealaw with Ystrad Rhondda with Ynyscynon in the Diocese of Llandaff.[4] The church continues to serve the Anglican community in the area today.
The area around Pentre and Ystrad figured prominently in the early history of nonconformity in the region, with the construction of Ynysfach/Nebo marking the beginning of organised Baptist worship that would spread throughout the South Wales valleys during the industrial boom of the 19th century.[24]
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Education
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Educational provision in Ystrad has historically been shaped by the area's religious heritage and industrial development, with chapels and mining companies playing crucial roles in providing schooling for local children before the establishment of state education.
Early chapel-based education
The village figures prominently in the early history of non-conformity in the region with the construction in 1786 of the Ynysfach Baptist Meeting House, later renamed Nebo, at Heolfach. At a time when educational provision was scarce or non-existent its Sunday School taught the children of the rural residents of the Rhondda to read and write. Nebo Chapel, as the first Baptist chapel in the Rhondda Valley, established a pattern of chapel-based education that would spread throughout the region.
Nebo served as the mother church to several other chapels in the valley, including Hebron in Ton Pentre, established in 1868 when 52 members were released from Nebo[23]. This expansion demonstrated how chapel-based education spread as the mining population grew throughout the 1860s.
Other nonconformist chapels in Ystrad also provided educational facilities. Tabernacle English Baptist Chapel was built on Cross Street in 1876, with modifications in 1908, serving the English-speaking Baptist community. Various Methodist chapels served the community, including Bethel Calvinistic Methodist Chapel on Heol-fach (built 1858, extended 1870), reflecting the diversity of denominational education provision before state schools were established.
The Elementary Education Act 1870[25] established school boards to build schools where voluntary provision was insufficient, directly addressing the educational needs of Ystrad's rapidly expanding mining population.
The mining industry's growth created an urgent need for schools to serve the children of miners' families who had moved to the area. Previously, many working-class children in mining communities found their only chance to learn was at Chapel Sunday Schools, where lessons concentrated on reading, writing, arithmetic and scripture[26].
Modern primary education
Today, Ystrad is served by two primary schools, both reflecting the area's mining heritage through their shared connection to the historic Bodringallt Colliery. Ysgol Gymraeg Bodringallt provides Welsh-medium education with 134 pupils on roll, including 33 in nursery classes[27]. The school serves a community where 31.5% of statutory school age pupils speak Welsh at home, continuing the Welsh-speaking tradition established by the area's historic chapels.
Bodringallt Primary School provides English-medium education in the same locality[28]. Both schools are located on Bodringallt Terrace, serving the educational needs of local children aged 4-11 and maintaining the area's educational provision that began with the chapel Sunday schools of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Secondary education
Secondary school pupils from Ystrad typically attend schools in the wider Rhondda area, as part of Rhondda Cynon Taf's comprehensive secondary education provision[29].
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Transport
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Bus
Local bus services connect Ystrad with other communities in the Rhondda Valley and provide links to Cardiff and surrounding areas. Services are operated by various operators as part of the regional bus network serving the South Wales valleys.
Rail
Ystrad Rhondda railway station serves the village and is located on the Rhondda Line. The current station was opened by British Rail on 29 September 1986, replacing an earlier station originally opened in 1861 on the Taff Vale Railway.[30] The original station, initially called "Ystrad", was renamed "Ystrad Rhondda" in 1930, and then renamed Ton Pentre in 1986 when the new Ystrad Rhondda station opened approximately one mile further down the line.[30]
The station is notable for being the location of the only passing loop on the section of route north of Porth, which enables a half-hourly service to operate.[31]
The line had been progressively singled by British Rail between 1972 and 1981, making this passing loop essential for train operations. Until recently, the station retained historic token exchange signalling equipment, some dating back to the 1930s, which was described as among the oldest railway signalling equipment in use in Britain.[32]
As part of the South Wales Metro modernisation programme, Ystrad Rhondda station was closed for several months during 2023-2024 while extensive upgrade works were carried out.[33] The modernisation work included the installation of new platforms, a new footbridge, electrification infrastructure, and the replacement of the historic token signalling system with modern colour light signalling.[32] The line reopened in early 2024 as part of the electrified South Wales Metro network.
Transport for Wales operates services from the station, with a half-hourly service Monday to Saturday to Cardiff Central via Pontypridd southbound, and to Treherbert northbound. Sunday services operate every hour, with some southbound trains continuing through to Barry Island.
Road
The A4058 road (William Street) runs through the centre of Ystrad, forming part of the main arterial route through the Rhondda Fawr valley.[34]
The A4058 has undergone significant improvements since the closure of local coal mines, with sections of the route utilising reclaimed railway land after the pits shut down.[34] There is a roundabout junction with the A4119 from Llantrisant approximately a mile south of Ystrad, providing links to Cardiff and the M4 motorway network.[34] The B4278 crosses the A4058 on the south bank of the Rhondda Fawr near Dinas Rhondda railway station, running along the north bank of the river through the valley.[35]
The A4058 through Ystrad crosses the Rhondda Fawr via Bodringallt Bridge, which underwent major repair works in 2024. The bridge carries William Street and required a 12-week programme of structural improvements including infilling voids under the bridge deck, repainting metal parapets, and rebuilding approach walls.[36]
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Governance
The Ystrad electoral ward is coterminous with the borders of the Ystrad community[37] and elects two county councillors to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. From 1995 to 2004 it was represented by Plaid Cymru. Between 2004 and 2017 it was represented by the Labour Party[38] though at the May 2017 election Plaid Cymru re-took the ward.[39]
Notable people
Several notable people are associated with Ystrad. Sir Ben Bowen Thomas was born in Ystrad and became a prominent civil servant and educationalist.[40] He served as Permanent Secretary to the Welsh Department of the Ministry of Education and chairman of UNESCO's executive board. He was knighted in 1950.
Annie Powell was born in Ystrad and became Britain's first female Communist mayor when elected Mayor of Rhondda in 1979.[41] A teacher for 40 years, she joined the Communist Party in 1938 and served as a councillor for over twenty years.
Local sportsmen include rugby players Mike Griffiths, Maurice Richards and Rex Willis, all Wales internationals and British Lions. Football is represented by Wales international Mel Hopkins and manager Nathan Jones. John Dennis Boocker (1922–1987), known as "Dinny", was a professional rugby league footballer who played for Wales.
Other notable residents include Jill Evans, a former Plaid Cymru MEP, and artist Ernest Zobole, a founding member of the Rhondda Group and 56 Group Wales, regarded as one of Wales' most important modern artists.
References
External links
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