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| The bridges at Ponty. © Ben Salter |
| Pontypridd is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, south Wales.It has a population of roughly 33,000, and is situated 12 miles north of the capital city, Cardiff. It is correctly pronounced "Pont-uh-PREETHE", but is known locally as "Ponty" (pronounced "Pontee").
The name Pontypridd is from the Welsh for bridge by the earthen house; named for several wooden bridges that spanned the River Taff. Pontypridd is, however, more famous for the New Bridge, a stone bridge across the Taff built in 1756 by William Edwards. The bridge was the fourth attempted by Edwards, and at the time of construction was the longest stone-built single-arch bridge in Europe. The bridge is a perfect segment of a circle, the chord of which is 140 feet (43 m), and 35 feet (11 m) above the level of the river. Notable features are three holes of differing diameters through each end of the bridge. These were to reduce the weight of the bridge; the aesthetic nature of them was merely a bonus. However, the utility of the bridge was debatable. The steepness of the design made it difficult to get carts across it, and in 1857, a new bridge, the Victoria Bridge, was built adjacent to the old one, paid for by public subscription.
Pontypridd was known as Newbridge from shortly after the construction of the New Bridge until the 1860s.
The history of Pontypridd is closely tied to the coal and iron industries. Sited as it is at the junction of the Rhondda and Taff valleys, it became an important location for the transportation of coal from the Rhondda and iron from Merthyr Tydfil, first via the Glamorganshire Canal and later via the Taff Vale Railway, to the ports at Cardiff and Barry. Because of its role in transporting coal cargo, its train platform was at one time the longest in the world.
Today the town, which incorporates the village of Treforest, is perhaps best known as home of the University of Glamorgan which started life as a mining college.
Pontypridd boasts one of Wales' best rugby teams and frequently contributes players to the national team. It features a station called Pontypridd railway station, as well as a hospital, Dewi Sant Hospital.
Some say the best Live Nusic Venue in Wales is also here(: Clwb Y Bont home of the Roostafish promotion.
Notable people from Pontypridd include: Pontypridd hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1893. |
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Pont-Y-Pridd - From 'A Topographical Dictionary of Wales' (1849)
PONT-Y-PRIDD, otherwise called the New Bridge, over the river Tâf, forms a beautiful and picturesque object from the various points at which it is visible; but, owing to the steepness of the ascent, it is somewhat inconvenient to travellers on horseback, and is almost impassable for vehicles heavily laden, which ford the stream when practicable. It consists of one arch, 140 feet in the chord, and 35 feet in height above the level of the river when the water is low, forming the section of a circle 175 feet in diameter, which, at the time of its erection, was considered the largest stone arch in the world. At each extremity are three cylindrical holes, gradually diminishing in size as they approach the summit, introduced to relieve the arch from the extreme pressure arising from its abutments; the diameter of the lowest is nine feet, that of the middle six, and that of the uppermost four. The architect was William Edwards, a native of the parish of Eglwysilan, a self-taught genius, whose talents procured for him great distinction as a bridgebuilder. He began the work, in 1746, by constructing a light and elegant bridge of three arches, which, in the course of about two years and a half after the period of its completion, was swept away by a flood of extraordinary magnitude. The mountain torrents tore up by the roots several large trees, which, forming a dam as they floated along by the middle piers of the bridge, caused a vast accumulation of the waters; and these, ultimately bursting through their barrier with irresistible force, carried away the entire structure. Bound by the terms of the contract to maintain the stability of the bridge for seven years, Edwards conceived the design of surmounting the difficulty by a structure of one arch, of the then unexampled width of 140 feet, from pier to pier, which he completed in 1751, having only to add the parapets; but, owing to the keystone of the arch being unable to resist the pressure of the abutments, the whole gave way and fell into the river. The luckless architect was thus driven once again to the resources of his fertile genius, to prevent the recurrence of so unpropitious an event; and adhering to his latter plan of a single arch, he contrived an ingenious method for diminishing the enormous weight that had previously forced the keystone out of its place, by constructing the cylindrical holes in the present bridge, already described, which enabled him to complete this curious and much admired edifice. Some account of William Edwards is given in the article on Eglwysilan. |
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