Llanwonno ( cy, Llanwynno) is a
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
high up in the hills between the historic mining valleys of the
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley ( cy, Cwm Rhondda ), is a former coal mining, coalmining area in South Wales, historically in the county of Glamorgan. It takes its name from the River Rhondda, and embraces two valleys – the larger Rhondda Fa ...
and the
Cynon in
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Rhondda Cynon Taf (; RCT; also spelt as Rhondda Cynon Taff) is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. It consists of five valleys: the Rhondda Fawr, Rhondda Fach, Cynon, Taff (Welsh: ''Taf'') and Ely valleys, plus a number of towns and vill ...
, deep in the heart of the
South Wales Valleys. Llanwonno consists of St
Gwynno's Church and an inn – The Brynffynon Hotel.
History
The ancient parish of Llanwynno (or Llanwonno) included
Abercynon
Abercynon (), is both a village and a community (and electoral ward) in the Cynon Valley within the unitary authority of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The community comprises the village and the districts of Carnetown and Grovers Field to the south, ...
,
Penrhiwceiber
Penrhiwceiber is a small Welsh village and community (and electoral ward) in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf that lies south of the town Aberpennar and north of the village of Tyntetown, and is one of many villages that lies within th ...
,
Ynysybwl
Ynysybwl ( cy, Ynys-y-bŵl ) is a village in Cwm Clydach in Wales. It is situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, roughly north-north-west of Cardiff, north of Pontypridd and south of Merthyr Tydfil, and forms part of the communit ...
, most of
Mountain Ash Mountain ash may refer to:
* ''Eucalyptus regnans'', the tallest of all flowering plants, native to Australia
* Mountain-ashes or rowans, varieties of trees and shrubs in the genus ''Sorbus''
See also
* Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Mounta ...
, part of
Pontypridd
() ( colloquially: Ponty) is a town and a community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.
Geography
comprises the electoral wards of , Hawthorn, Pontypridd Town, 'Rhondda', Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan ( Rhydfelen), Trallwng ( Trallwn) and Treforest (). ...
(the area north of the
River Rhondda and west of the
River Taff
The River Taff ( cy, Afon Taf) is a river in Wales. It rises as two rivers in the Brecon Beacons; the Taf Fechan (''little Taff'') and the Taf Fawr (''great Taff'') before becoming one just north of Merthyr Tydfil. Its confluence with th ...
),
Porth,
Stanleytown,
Ynyshir
Ynyshir () is a village and community located in the Rhondda Valley, within Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales. The name of the village means "long island" in Welsh and takes its name from a farm in the area, falling within the historic parishes o ...
,
Wattstown
Wattstown ( cy, Aberllechau) is a village located in the Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Located in the Rhondda Fach valley it is a district of the community of Ynyshir. Prior to mid 19th century industrialisati ...
and
Blaenllechau
Blaenllechau is a small village located in the Rhondda Fach valley, Rhondda Cynon Taf. Neighbouring villages are Ferndale, Maerdy and Tylorstown. The population of Blaenllechau is less than 1000.
History
Originally a single farm in the Rhondda, ...
in the Rhondda. The parish boundaries were adjusted in 1894 to remove the parts of the parish in the
Ystradyfodwg
Ystradyfodwg or Ystrad Dyfodwg (Vale of Tyfodwg) was an ancient upland parish in Glamorgan, Wales. It is believed to have been named after Dyfodwg (or Tyfodwg) a 6th-century saint or chieftain. The parish included most of the area which would late ...
(Rhondda) and Pontypridd urban districts, alongside other adjustments to make the parish cover the same area as the
Mountain Ash Urban District.
The mountainous area around Llanwonno itself is easily reached on foot or by car, using mountain roads, which lead to
Penrhiwceiber
Penrhiwceiber is a small Welsh village and community (and electoral ward) in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf that lies south of the town Aberpennar and north of the village of Tyntetown, and is one of many villages that lies within th ...
, Mountain Ash,
Ferndale,
Ynysybwl
Ynysybwl ( cy, Ynys-y-bŵl ) is a village in Cwm Clydach in Wales. It is situated in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, roughly north-north-west of Cardiff, north of Pontypridd and south of Merthyr Tydfil, and forms part of the communit ...
, and
Pontypridd
() ( colloquially: Ponty) is a town and a community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.
Geography
comprises the electoral wards of , Hawthorn, Pontypridd Town, 'Rhondda', Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan ( Rhydfelen), Trallwng ( Trallwn) and Treforest (). ...
.
The legendary athlete
Guto Nyth Brân (1700–1737) is buried in the churchyard. The story of the life, and death, of Guto Nyth Brân is remembered and celebrated in the centre of the nearby town of Mountain Ash every New Year's Eve, with an event known as the
Nos Galan Road Races, in which runners hailing from all parts of the world race through the local streets, with the finishing-line placed at the point of the bronze statue of the legendary figure, which sits in the centre of a public seating area known as 'Guto Square' on Oxford Street.
A
Victorian history of the parish, ''Glanffrwd's History of Llanwonno 1843–90'', was published by the Rev. W. Thomas in 1888 in serial form in the ''Darian''. A revised edition by Prof Henry Lewis for the University of Wales Press appeared in 1949.
Welsh writer and broadcaster
Gwyn Thomas immortalised Llanwonno in his 1968 autobiography ''A Few Selected Exits'', in which he recounted how every Sunday he and his father would begin a journey from their home in
Cymmer in the Rhondda Valley to visit family in
Mountain Ash Mountain ash may refer to:
* ''Eucalyptus regnans'', the tallest of all flowering plants, native to Australia
* Mountain-ashes or rowans, varieties of trees and shrubs in the genus ''Sorbus''
See also
* Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf
Mounta ...
. They never completed their journey, the pub in Llanwonno being the only place that would serve Gwyn's father on a Sunday. When Gwyn Thomas died in 1981 his ashes were scattered in the churchyard. Later, Llanwonno was used for location filming of the 1993
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
'' (BBC, 2010) were shot in Llanwynno.
The nearby Llanwynno forestry is the location of the Daerwynno Outdoor Centre, an outdoor pursuits centre run by local people. The centre offers a wide range of activities to visitors, including several training courses for disadvantaged young people.