Pontypool ( cy, Pont-y-pŵl ) is a town and the administrative centre of the county borough of
Torfaen
Torfaen (; cy, Torfaen ) is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. Torfaen is bordered by the county of Monmouthshire to the east, the city of Newport to the south, and the county boroughs of Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent to the south ...
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...
in
South Wales
South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
. It has a population of 28,970.
Location
It is situated on the
Afon Lwyd
The Afon Lwyd or Afon Llwyd ( en, 'grey river') is a long river in south-east Wales which flows from its source northwest of Blaenavon, through Abersychan, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, Llanfrechfa and Cwmbran before flowing, at Caerleon, into the R ...
river in the
county borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control, similar to the unitary authorities created since the 1990s. An equivalent ter ...
of
Torfaen
Torfaen (; cy, Torfaen ) is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. Torfaen is bordered by the county of Monmouthshire to the east, the city of Newport to the south, and the county boroughs of Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent to the south ...
. Located at the eastern edge of the
South Wales coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield ( cy, Maes glo De Cymru) extends across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Blaenau Gwent and Torfaen. It is rich in coal deposits, espec ...
s, Pontypool grew around industries including
iron
Iron () is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from la, ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is a metal that belongs to the first transition series and group 8 of the periodic table. It is, by mass, the most common element on Earth, right in f ...
and
steel
Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...
production,
coal mining
Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...
and the growth of the
railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the vehicles run on a pre ...
s. A rather artistic manufacturing industry which also flourished here alongside heavy industry was
Japanning
Japanning is a type of finish that originated as a European imitation of East Asian lacquerwork. It was first used on furniture, but was later much used on small items in metal. The word originated in the 17th century. American work, with the ...
, a type of
lacquer
Lacquer is a type of hard and usually shiny coating or finish applied to materials such as wood or metal. It is most often made from resin extracted from trees and waxes and has been in use since antiquity.
Asian lacquerware, which may be ca ...
ware.
Pontypool itself consists of several smaller districts, these include
Abersychan
Abersychan is a town and community (Wales), community north of Pontypool in Torfaen, Wales, and lies within the boundaries of the Monmouthshire (historic), historic county of Monmouthshire and the Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county o ...
Pontnewynydd
Pontnewynydd is a predominantly working class suburb of Pontypool, Torfaen, in Wales. It should not be confused with Pontnewydd in nearby Cwmbran.
Location
It lies in between Pontypool to the south and Snatchwood to the north. The area of Torf ...
,
Trevethin
Trevethin ( cy, Trefddyn) is a suburb of Pontypool and a community
in Torfaen, Wales. It includes two electoral wards (Trevethin and St Cadocs and Penygarn) for Torfaen County Borough Council. It is in the historic county of Monmouthshire.
His ...
Wainfelin
Wainfelin is a suburb of Pontypool in the county borough of Torfaen, in south-east Wales.
Demographics
At the United Kingdom Census 2001 demographics showed:
*Population
Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area ...
Pontymoile
Pontymoile (Welsh: ''Pont-y-moel'') is a suburb of Pontypool in Torfaen, South Wales.
It is all but merged with the nearby suburbs of Cwmynyscoy and Upper Race.
It is a community of Torfaen, and includes the electoral wards of Brynwern, Cw ...
Cwmynyscoy
Cwmynyscoy is a suburb of Pontypool in Torfaen, South Wales.
Statistics
*All figures quoted have been derived from the 2001 Census unless otherwise stated.
Demographic Indicators
Total population of 1283 (Torfaen 90,949)
48.6% Male, 51.4% F ...
,
New Inn
New Inn - ( cy, Y Dafarn Newydd) - is a village and community directly south east of Pontypool, within the County Borough of Torfaen in Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It had a population of 5,986 at the 2011 Census.
L ...
,
Griffithstown
Griffithstown is a large suburb of Pontypool in the borough of Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in May 1898, from Llanfrechfa Upper and Panteg, and includes Sebastopol, but, ...
and
Sebastopol
Sevastopol (; uk, Севасто́поль, Sevastópolʹ, ; gkm, Σεβαστούπολις, Sevastoúpolis, ; crh, Акъя́р, Aqyár, ), sometimes written Sebastopol, is the largest city in Crimea, and a major port on the Black Sea ...
.
History
The name of the town in Welsh – ''Pont-y-pŵl'' – originates from a bridge ('pont') associated with a pool in the Afon Lwyd. The Welsh word ''pŵl'' is a borrowing from English ''pool'' and is found in other place-names in Gwent. ''Pontypool'' is an anglicised form of the Welsh name.
Pontypool has a notable history as one of the earliest industrial towns in Wales. The town and its immediate surroundings were home to significant industrial and technological innovations, with links to the iron industry dating back to the early fifteenth century when a
bloomery
A bloomery is a type of metallurgical furnace once used widely for smelting iron from its oxides. The bloomery was the earliest form of smelter capable of smelting iron. Bloomeries produce a porous mass of iron and slag called a ''bloom ...
furnace was established at
Pontymoile
Pontymoile (Welsh: ''Pont-y-moel'') is a suburb of Pontypool in Torfaen, South Wales.
It is all but merged with the nearby suburbs of Cwmynyscoy and Upper Race.
It is a community of Torfaen, and includes the electoral wards of Brynwern, Cw ...
. During the sixteenth century, largely due to the influence of the Hanbury family, the area developed its association with the iron industry and continued to consolidate its position in the seventeenth century, when the development of the town began in earnest. Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the metallurgical and extractive industries of the area, along with the development of the canals and railways, provided the impetus to the expansion of Pontypool and its surrounding villages and communities.
Industrial development
The
Afon Lwyd
The Afon Lwyd or Afon Llwyd ( en, 'grey river') is a long river in south-east Wales which flows from its source northwest of Blaenavon, through Abersychan, Pontnewynydd, Pontypool, Llanfrechfa and Cwmbran before flowing, at Caerleon, into the R ...
valley, in which Pontypool is situated, provided an abundance of resources for the manufacturing of iron, including coal, iron ore, charcoal and waterpower. The wider technological developments of the
Tudor period
The Tudor period occurred between 1485 and 1603 in History of England, England and Wales and includes the Elizabethan period during the reign of Elizabeth I until 1603. The Tudor period coincides with the dynasty of the House of Tudor in Englan ...
, such as the utilisation of
blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally pig iron, but also others such as lead or copper. ''Blast'' refers to the combustion air being "forced" or supplied above atmospheric ...
s to produce iron, allowed for the greater exploitation of the mineral resources of south Wales. A blast furnace was in use at Monkswood, near Pontypool, from as early as 1536 and was followed by the erection of other blast furnaces in the area surrounding Pontypool. An ironworks was established in what later became
Pontypool Park
Pontypool Park ( cy, Parc Pont-y-pŵl) is a park in Pontypool, Torfaen, Wales. The park was formerly the grounds of Pontypool House and was laid out in the closing years of the 17th century for John Hanbury, an ironmaster, who is closely associ ...
in c. 1575. Forges, where cast iron could be converted into wrought iron, were also developed and included Town Forge within Pontypool, which was in operation during the last quarter of the sixteenth century, and the Osborne Forge, near
Pontnewynydd
Pontnewynydd is a predominantly working class suburb of Pontypool, Torfaen, in Wales. It should not be confused with Pontnewydd in nearby Cwmbran.
Location
It lies in between Pontypool to the south and Snatchwood to the north. The area of Torf ...
, which produced the renowned Osmond iron.Cadw (2012), pp.6–7
Richard Hanbury of Worcestershire, a notable entrepreneur, developed interests within the Pontypool area during the 1570s, acquiring and developing forges and furnaces in Monkswood, Cwmffrwdoer, Trosnant,
Llanelly
Llanelly ( cy, Llanelli) is the name of a parish and coterminous community in the principal area of Monmouthshire, within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire, south-east Wales. It roughly covers the area of the Clydach Gorge. The popula ...
and
Abercarn
Abercarn is a small town and community in Caerphilly county borough, Wales. It is 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Newport on the A467 between Cwmcarn and Newbridge, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.
History
An estate at ...
. Hanbury acquired leases and rights to utilise the raw materials of the wider area, including a large expanse of woodland to produce charcoal and some 800 acres of land to extract coal and iron-ore at
Panteg
Panteg ( cy, Pant-teg) is a large village and community in the county borough of Torfaen, Wales. It is adjacent to Griffithstown, between the towns of Cwmbran and Pontypool. The village is best known for Panteg Steel Works, which closed in 2004. ...
, Pontymoile and
Mynyddislwyn
Mynyddislwyn was a civil parish and urban district in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. It was abolished in local government reorganisation in 1974. It is named for the Mountain in its centre MynyddIslwyn (Islwyn Mountain or Islwyn's Mountain, Islwy ...
. Furthermore, he secured the rights to extract coal and iron-ore on
Lord Abergavenny
Marquess of Abergavenny (pronounced Aber''genn''y) in the County of Monmouth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom created on 14 January 1876, along with the title Earl of Lewes (pronounced "Lewis"), in the County of Sussex, for the ...
's Hills in and around
Blaenavon
Blaenavon ( cy, Blaenafon) is a town and community (Wales), community in Torfaen county borough, Wales, high on a hillside on the source of the Afon Lwyd. It is within the boundaries of the historic county of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshi ...
. The Hanburys were also active at Cwmlickey, Lower Race and Blaendare during the seventeenth century as the demand for coal was met.
Major John Hanbury (1664-1734) acquired a reputation as an industrial pioneer and through the endeavours of Hanbury and his leading agents, Thomas Cooke, William Payne and Thomas Allgood, significant developments within the British tinplate industry were made in Pontypool, including the introduction of the world's first
rolling
Rolling is a type of motion that combines rotation (commonly, of an axially symmetric object) and translation of that object with respect to a surface (either one or the other moves), such that, if ideal conditions exist, the two are in contact ...
for the production of iron sheets and
blackplate
Blackplate is hot rolled or cold rolled,DIN 55405:2006-11 ''Verpackung - Terminologie - Begriffe'', Berlin: Beuth Verlag. non-descaled sheet steel or sheet iron.
at the Pontypool Park works in 1697.
Tinplate
Tinplate consists of sheets of steel coated with a thin layer of tin to impede rusting. Before the advent of cheap milled steel, the backing metal was wrought iron. While once more widely used, the primary use of tinplate now is the manufacture of ...
was being produced at Pontypool from c. 1706, with an important tin mill in operation at Pontymoile during the early eighteenth century.
During the 1660s, Thomas Allgood of Northamptonshire, was appointed manager of the Pontypool Ironworks. Allgood developed the Pontypool 'japanning' process, whereby metal plate could be treated in a way that generated a lacquered and decorative finish. Thomas Allgood died in 1716, having been unable to commence production of his Pontypool Japanware but the increased creation of tinplate at Pontypool from the early eighteenth century allowed for japanning to enter wide scale manufacture. There was a growing demand for these artistic, luxury products and Allgood's sons, Edward and Thomas, established a japanworks in Pontypool, which was producing large quantities of Japanware by 1732.Cadw (2012), p.9 The brothers produced a range of products, including decorative bread baskets, tea trays, dishes and other items, and were renowned for their high quality work. Following the death of Edward Allgood in 1761 there was a family quarrel between his two sons and a rival japanning factory was established in Usk. Both the Pontypool and Usk concerns had ceased production by the early 1820s.
From the mid to late eighteenth century, as the industrial revolution took hold, there was a massive expansion in the economic development of south Wales. Iron-making flourished in emerging towns and settlements, notably at
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...
,
Tredegar
Tredegar (pronounced , ) is a town and community situated on the banks of the Sirhowy River in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent, in the southeast of Wales. Within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, it became an early centre of the In ...
, and Blaenavon. By the early nineteenth century, south Wales was the most important centre of iron production in the world. Whilst Pontypool was not as competitive as some of the larger ironworks towns, it retained a niche in the metallurgical market, producing specialist tinplate. The japanning industry of Pontypool continued to decline and had ceased by the mid-nineteenth century, by which time the economy of the Pontypool area relied on the iron and coal industries, the tinplate industry and the production of iron rails. The twentieth century witnessed a decline in the heavy industries of south Wales and this had a direct impact on the economy of Pontypool and its district.
Urban and civic development
The growth of Pontypool accompanied the development of industry. Originally a dispersed, rural settlement, the first centres of growth took place in the hamlets of Trosnant and Pontymoile. However, as the focus of industry and investment became increasingly centred on Pontypool, the town began to emerge as a focal point for the wider, scattered community.
Pontypool was a little village within old Trevethin parish in the ancient
hundred
100 or one hundred (Roman numeral: C) is the natural number following 99 and preceding 101.
In medieval contexts, it may be described as the short hundred or five score in order to differentiate the English and Germanic use of "hundred" to de ...
of
Abergavenny
Abergavenny (; cy, Y Fenni , archaically ''Abergafenni'' meaning "mouth of the River Gavenny") is a market town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales. Abergavenny is promoted as a ''Gateway to Wales''; it is approximately from the border wi ...
William III William III or William the Third may refer to:
Kings
* William III of Sicily (c. 1186–c. 1198)
* William III of England and Ireland or William III of Orange or William II of Scotland (1650–1702)
* William III of the Netherlands and Luxembourg ...
and
Mary II
Mary II (30 April 166228 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, William III & II, from 1689 until her death in 1694.
Mary was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, and his first wife ...
, the Crown accepted a petition for a market to be established in Pontypool, permitting a weekly market and three annual fairs—the village thus officially became a town. A market hall and assembly rooms were erected in 1730–31, thereby elevating the civic position of the community. During the early eighteenth century, the Hanbury family were also developing their Pontypool Park estate as a permanent family residence. The development of industrial works and employment opportunities near the emerging town also precipitated the building of dwellings along the Afon Lwyd to provide housing for the workforce. Trade and commerce also developed and Pontypool, largely due to the endeavours of the Vaughan family, acquired a strong reputation for clock-making during the eighteenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, a small town had clearly developed, providing employment, housing and a commercial role, also serving as an important local centre for the surrounding hamlets. By the time Archdeacon William Coxe visited Pontypool at the dawn of the nineteenth century, the town had some 250 houses and a number of thriving shops and businesses, catering for a population of approximately 1,500 people.
Pontypool continued to grow during the nineteenth century, with many new houses and buildings being erected during the late Victorian period. Concurrently, the outlying villages also grew, effectively providing suburbs to Pontypool town centre. Key civic and community buildings were created during the course of the century, including an abundance of chapels and churches,
Pontypool Town Hall
Pontypool Town Hall ( cy, Neuadd y Dref Pont-y-pŵl) is a municipal structure in Hanbury Road, Pontypool, Wales. The town hall, which forms the original part of a civic centre that now serves as the headquarters of Torfaen County Borough Counci ...
, which was provided by Capel Hanbury Leigh in 1856, and a great number of shops, banks, public houses, hotels and a public library from 1906.
The town also developed an important educational role. Pontypool became home to a Welsh Baptist College in 1836, when it moved from Abergavenny. The college trained many Welsh Baptist ministers, large numbers of whom went on to lead congregations in Wales and overseas. It relocated to the new
University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire
, latin_name =
, image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg
, image_size = 150px
, caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University
, motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord
, mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord
, established = 1 ...
, in Cardiff, in 1893. The former Pontypool College became the County Grammar School for Girls in 1897 and, in the following January, West Monmouth Grammar School was opened for boys. The school's origins date back to the early seventeenth century when William Jones, a wealthy merchant, left a considerable fortune to the Company of Haberdashers to provide charitable and educational services in Monmouth.
Monmouth School
Monmouth School for Boys is a public school (independent day and boarding school) for boys in Monmouth, Wales. The school was founded in 1614 with a bequest from William Jones, a successful merchant and trader. The School is run as a trust, t ...
was built in 1615 and many years later, the trustees of the charity decided to invest in additional schools within the county. 'West Mon' School was consequently built, at a cost of £30,000, on a site donated by John Capel Hanbury in 1896.
Urban growth continued in the twentieth century as national social reforms encouraged the provision of public housing schemes to improve the quality of housing in working class communities. Redevelopment programmes in the latter half of the century resulted in the demolition of old streets and historic buildings, as well as the creation of new road networks to relieve the increased pressure of vehicular traffic.
Transport
The industries of the area necessitated good transport links. A network of tramroads was established throughout the Pontypool area to connect sites of extraction to the centres of the production and subsequently to export, and market routes. The construction of the
Monmouthshire Canal
Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, wit ...
during the 1790s connected Pontnewynydd to Newport and later connected with the
Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal
The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal ( cy, Camlas Sir Fynwy a Brycheiniog) is a small network of canals in South Wales. For most of its currently (2018) navigable length it runs through the Brecon Beacons National Park, and its present rural ...
at
Pontymoile
Pontymoile (Welsh: ''Pont-y-moel'') is a suburb of Pontypool in Torfaen, South Wales.
It is all but merged with the nearby suburbs of Cwmynyscoy and Upper Race.
It is a community of Torfaen, and includes the electoral wards of Brynwern, Cw ...
in 1812. Tramroads leading from industrial areas within an eight-mile radius of the canal converged at either Pontnewynydd or Pontymoile.Cadw (2012), pp.16–18
The tramroads and canals were superseded by the railways in the mid-nineteenth century. From 1845, work commenced on establishing a railway from Pontypool to Newport. The line opened to passengers in 1852 and connected with
Blaenavon
Blaenavon ( cy, Blaenafon) is a town and community (Wales), community in Torfaen county borough, Wales, high on a hillside on the source of the Afon Lwyd. It is within the boundaries of the historic county of Monmouthshire (historic), Monmouthshi ...
in 1854. It eventually came under the management of the
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...
. Another line was constructed during the 1860s and 1870s to connect Pontypool with Newport via Caerleon. Connections were also made with Abergavenny, Hereford and the Taff Vale. Pontypool had three railway stations, namely Crane Street,
Clarence Street
Clarence Street is a former rugby stadium in York, England. From 1885 until 1989 it was the home of York F.C. (later York R.L.F.C.) before being sold and demolished. The site is now housing.
History
York Football Club was formed in 1868 and pla ...
and
Pontypool Road
Pontypool and New Inn railway station ( cy, Pont-y Pwl & New Inn) is situated to the south east of Pontypool town centre between the town and the suburb of New Inn, Wales. The station was formerly called Pontypool Road until renamed just Pontypool ...
. Line closures during the 1960s greatly reduced the valley's railway connections, which were replaced by modern roads. The only passenger line still operating within Pontypool is at an unmanned station in New Inn.Pontypool & New Inn station is on the Welsh Marches Line with trains provided by
Transport for Wales
Transport for Wales (TfW; cy, Trafnidiaeth Cymru; cy, TrC, label=none) is a not-for-profit company owned by the Welsh Government and managed at arms length by its appointed board. TfW oversees the Transport for Wales Group (TfW Group) consi ...
.
Pontypool Park
Pontypool is well known for its extensive park. Pontypool Park was the historic seat of the Hanbury family, who developed a permanent residence in Pontypool in c. 1694 and, under the direction of Major John Hanbury, subsequently established a deer park in the early 1700s. The park became a venue for recreation and enjoyment for the Hanbury family and their associates.Cadw (2012), p.48 An example of the luxury and display demonstrated by the family is the ornate shell grotto summerhouse within the park, completed and decorated during the 1830s.
Pontypool Park House was gradually extended and modified, with major changes being carried out in the mid-18th century, the early 1800s and 1872. Alterations were also made within Pontypool Park during the 19th century and included the dismantling of the old ironworks in 1831, the reconstruction of the park gates by Thomas Deakin of Blaenavon in 1835, the planting of trees to increase the privacy of the family from the gaze of outsiders, and the development of the American Gardens in 1851.
In 1920, the house and its park entered public ownership, and this allowed for the site to be developed as a public amenity. Developments during the 1920s witnessed the introduction of public tennis courts, a rugby ground and a bowling green. A notable event was the Royal National Eisteddfod, which took place in the park in 1924. A bandstand was added in 1931, allowing the townspeople the opportunity to listen to music in the open air. A leisure centre and artificial ski slope were introduced in 1974.
Pontypool Park House was sold to the Sisters of the Order of the Holy Ghost in 1923, who utilised the building as a girls' boarding school. It eventually became St. Alban's R.C. High School. The adjacent stable block was used for a variety of purposes during the 20th century but ultimately became home to the Valley Inheritance Museum Amgueddfa Torfaen Museum in 1981, which was set up by Torfaen Museum Trust (est. 1978) to accommodate, safeguard and present the collections relating to the heritage of the Afon Lwyd valley.
Education
The town is home to two
comprehensive school
A comprehensive school typically describes a secondary school for pupils aged approximately 11–18, that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude, in contrast to a selective school system where admission is res ...
s:
West Monmouth School
West Monmouth School (Welsh: ''Ysgol Gorllewin Mynwy''; colloquially: West Mon) is a state-funded and non-selective secondary school in Pontypool, Torfaen, south Wales.
Admissions
Pupils who attend the school generally live in the Torfaen area. ...
, (formerly Jones' West Monmouth
Grammar School
A grammar school is one of several different types of school in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, originally a school teaching Latin, but more recently an academically oriented secondary school ...
Trevethin Community School
Trevethin Community School ( cy, Ysgol Gymunedol Trefddyn) was a non-selective state secondary school in the Pontypool suburb of Penygarn, Wales.
The school—established in 1982 as Trevethin Comprehensive School—was originally housed on two s ...
has been closed. This was formerly Pontypool Grammar School for Girls (also known as 'The County'), although at one time the sole campus was where the Welsh medium school,
Ysgol Gyfun Gwynllyw
is a Welsh-medium comprehensive school located in Trevethin, Pontypool in Torfaen, Wales and named for Saint Gwynllyw. The school had 926 pupils on roll in 2017.
History
The school was founded in 1988 as the first Welsh-medium school in the ...
now stands. Trevethin Community School was also the original site of the Welsh Baptist College. There is also a
Coleg Gwent
Coleg Gwent ( en, Gwent College) is Wales' largest further education college at various locations in the former county of Gwent, South Wales.
It has 24,000 students ranging from secondary school leavers to mature students. A wide range of part-t ...
campus located in the town, formerly known as Pontypool College.
Pontypool Park
Pontypool Park ( cy, Parc Pont-y-pŵl) is a park in Pontypool, Torfaen, Wales. The park was formerly the grounds of Pontypool House and was laid out in the closing years of the 17th century for John Hanbury, an ironmaster, who is closely associ ...
is a
leisure centre
A leisure centre in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia (also called aquatic centres), Singapore and Canada is a purpose-built building or site, usually owned and operated by the city, borough council or municipal district council, where people ...
with the only swimming venue in Pontypool. It has a 25-metre swimming pool for competitive swimming galas and viewing for up to 200 spectators. It also has a separate teaching pool and two hydroslides.
Pontypool Park
Pontypool Park ( cy, Parc Pont-y-pŵl) is a park in Pontypool, Torfaen, Wales. The park was formerly the grounds of Pontypool House and was laid out in the closing years of the 17th century for John Hanbury, an ironmaster, who is closely associ ...
is also home to Wales' oldest and longest artificial ski slope. Built in 1974 and at 230m long it is used for leisure and by the Welsh Ski Squad for training. The ski slope is closed for part of the year due to local council funding cutbacks.
Pontypool has a prize-winning Brass Band who were chosen to perform in the Finals of the National Brass Band Championships of Great Britain (Section 3) in 2012 and 2013.
Rugby
Pontypool Rugby Football Club is one of the town's cornerstones. Founded in the 1870s, the club became a founder member of the
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; cy, Undeb Rygbi Cymru) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby.
The WRU is responsible for the running ...
in 1881. Under the captaincy of
Terry Cobner
Terence John Cobner (born 10 January 1946) Scrum.com is a former
Bobby Windsor
Robert William Windsor (born 31 January 1948 in Newport, Monmouthshire), known as Bobby and nicknamed "The Duke", is a former rugby union player who gained 28 rugby union caps for Wales as a hooker between 1973 and 1979. Windsor published his au ...
Graham Price
Graham Price MBE (born 24 November 1951 in Moascar, Egypt) is a former Welsh rugby union player, who was a member of the famous Pontypool RFC front row known as the "Viet Gwent". He won 41 caps for , and a record 12 for the British and Irish Li ...
was immortalised in song by
Max Boyce
Maxwell Boyce, (born 27 September 1943) is a Welsh comedian, singer and entertainer. He rose to fame in the mid-1970s with an act that combined musical comedy with his passion for rugby union and his origins in a South Wales mining community. B ...
. The club's contribution to Wales was seen again in 1983, when Pontypool's "forward factory" produced five of the Welsh pack in the
Five Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship (known as the Guinness Six Nations for sponsorship reasons) is an annual international men's rugby union competition between the teams of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. The current champions ar ...
. Other
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...
Talywain RFC
Talywain Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in Talywain near the town of Pontypool, Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.
In December 1947 a combined Pontypo ...
and
Blaenavon RFC
Blaenavon Rugby Football Club are a Welsh rugby union club based in the town of Blaenavon, South Wales. Blaenavon RFC is one of the older members of the Welsh Rugby Union founded in 1877 in the Iron and coal town of Blaenavon and is a feeder club ...
. Pontypool's
rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...
club are called the
Torfaen Tigers
Torfaen Tigers are a rugby league team based in Pontypool, Torfaen, Wales. They play in the Southern Conference League division, which is the 4th tier in the Rugby league pyramid
Torfaen Tigers runs 4 junior teams U12’s,14’s,16’s and 19’ ...
and play in the
Rugby League Conference Welsh Premier
The South Wales Premiership is the league for amateur clubs in southern Wales. Previously it was part of the Rugby League Conference but became standalone in 2012.
History
The Rugby League Conference was founded in 1997 as the ''Southern Conf ...
Lee Dainton
Lee Dainton (born 22 August 1973) is a Welsh stunt performer, skateboarder, and filmmaker best known as the star and co-creator of MTV UK's '' Dirty Sanchez''.
Career Early life
Dainton is a native of Pontypool, Wales. He attended Abersy ...
Jennifer Daniel
Jennifer Daniel (born Jennifer Ruth Williams; 23 May 1936 – 16 August 2017) was a Welsh actress. Her film appearances included assorted roles in the ''Edgar Wallace Mysteries'' film series, ''Gideon's Way'' and the Hammer horror films ''T ...
Luke Evans
Luke George Evans (born 15 April 1979) is a Welsh actor and singer. He began his career on the stage, performing in many of London's West End productions such as ''Rent'', ''Miss Saigon'', and '' Piaf'' before making his film breakthrough in ...
– actor and singer.
*
Taulupe Faletau
Tangaki Taulupe "Toby" Faletau (born 12 November 1990) is a Welsh professional rugby union player for Cardiff Rugby in the United Rugby Championship and has represented the national team for over 10 years. The back row forward played for Cr ...
– Wales international rugby union player.
*
Annabel Giles
Annabel Claire Giles (born 20 May 1959) is a British former television and radio presenter. She currently works as a counsellor and psychotherapist, and has also worked as a model, actress and novelist.
Early life and career
Giles was born in ...
– model and presenter.
*
Myfanwy Haycock
Myfanwy Haycock (1913–1963) was a Welsh poet, illustrator, BBC broadcaster, and journalist. She was born Blodwen Myfanwy Haycock in Pontnewynydd, Wales, near Pontypool, in the traditional county of Monmouthshire, .
Early life and educa ...
– poet.
*
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...
– actor, briefly attended
West Monmouth School
West Monmouth School (Welsh: ''Ysgol Gorllewin Mynwy''; colloquially: West Mon) is a state-funded and non-selective secondary school in Pontypool, Torfaen, south Wales.
Admissions
Pupils who attend the school generally live in the Torfaen area. ...
.
*
Roy Jenkins
Roy Harris Jenkins, Baron Jenkins of Hillhead, (11 November 1920 – 5 January 2003) was a British politician who served as President of the European Commission from 1977 to 1981. At various times a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Lab ...
– politician.
* Frank and Seth Joshua – Welsh Revival Evangelists (born in Tŷ Capel).
*
Dame Gwyneth Jones
Dame Gwyneth Jones (born 7 November 1936) is a Welsh dramatic soprano, widely regarded as one of the greatest Wagnerian sopranos in the second half of the 20th century.
Early life and career
Jones was born in Pontnewynydd, Monmouthshire, Wa ...
– opera singer.
* William Jones – (1809–1873) was a political Radical and Chartist, a former actor, worked as a watchmaker in Pontypool.
* David Llewellyn – author.
*
Caleb McDuff
Caleb McDuff is a British go-kart racer. McDuff is profoundly deaf and uses cochlear implants to hear, but can not be use them while racing in a crash helmet.
McDuff currently races in the Super 1 National Kart Championships, driving for AllS ...
– deaf racing driver.
* Steve Parry – experimental musician of the band
Hwyl Nofio
Hwyl Nofio (from Welsh meaning 'swimming fun') is a Welsh experimental music group formed by Steve Parry.
History
Formed in 1997, Hwyl Nofios' approach touches on various diverse styles and genres, including, industrial music, drone, am ...
(born in
New Inn
New Inn - ( cy, Y Dafarn Newydd) - is a village and community directly south east of Pontypool, within the County Borough of Torfaen in Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It had a population of 5,986 at the 2011 Census.
L ...
).
*
Joan Ruddock
Dame Joan Mary Ruddock, (née Anthony; born 28 December 1943) is a British Labour Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Lewisham Deptford from 1987 to 2015. Ruddock was Minister of State for Energy at the Departmen ...
– politician.
*
Elzear Torreggiani
Elzear Torreggiani D.D., O.S.F.C, (28 May 1830 – 28 January 1904)
was a Catholic Bishop of Armidale, New South Wales.
Torregiani was born in Porto Recanati, Loreto district, Papal States, Italy and consecrated bishop on 25 March 1879. Prior to ...
– Capuchin friar and superior 1860–76, later 2nd bishop of Armidale NSW.
*
Tony Villars
Anthony Keith Villars (24 January 1952 – 9 September 2020) was a Welsh international footballer.
Career
Born in Pontypool, Villars was a member of the youth set-up and groundstaff at Newport County but quit the job because the pay was so poor. ...
– footballer.
*
James Dean Bradfield
James Dean Bradfield (born 21 February 1969) is a Welsh singer-songwriter, musician and record producer. He is known for being the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers.
Biography Early life
B ...
– singer and guitarist, Manic Street Preachers.
*
Peredur ap Gwynedd
Pendulum is an Australian electronic rock band founded in 2002. Pendulum originally formed in the city of Perth, Western Australia, by Rob Swire, Gareth McGrillen and Paul "El Hornet" Harding. The band was later expanded to include members Ben ...
- guitarist,
Pendulum
A pendulum is a weight suspended from a pivot so that it can swing freely. When a pendulum is displaced sideways from its resting, equilibrium position, it is subject to a restoring force due to gravity that will accelerate it back toward the ...
Nearby areas
Twinned towns
Pontypool is twinned with the following towns:
*
Condeixa
Condeixa-a-Nova (), also known as just Condeixa, is a town and a municipality in the district of Coimbra, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 17,078, in an area of 138.67 km². It is located 15 km south of Coimbra, and is part of the R ...
, Portugal since 1994
*
Bretten
Bretten (; South Franconian German, South Franconian: ''Bredde'') is a town in the state of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route.
Geography
Bretten lies in the centre of a rectangle that is formed by Heidelber ...
, Germany since 1994
*
Longjumeau
Longjumeau () is a commune in the southern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.
Inhabitants of Longjumeau are known as ''Longjumellois'' ().
History
Longjumeau Party School
In 1911, Lenin founded the Longjumeau ...
, France since 1994
All four towns are twinned with each other and a twinning conference and youth festival is held each year in one of the towns.