Ynysybwl ( ) is a village 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 community of Ynysybwl and Coed-y-Cwm.
The market town of Pontypridd lies to the south at the meeting point of the three valleys; and to the north lies the large Llanwynno forestry. Before the local government reforms of 1996 Ynysybwl was in the Cynon Valley district of Mid Glamorgan, and the area is historically a part of Glamorgan (Morgannwg).
Etymology
Ynys is a placename element often translated as "island" or "river meadow", in the south Wales Valleys the word commonly refers to meadows on the banks of rivers, and Ynysybwl likely refers to one such meadow on the Clydach. However the meaning of the second element is much less certain.
The modern spelling of Ynysybwl suggests that the second element may be "bŵl" (meaning a bowl or bowl-shaped) in reference to the shape of the river-meadow or the valley itself. In the nineteenth century, Ynysybwl was noted as a place for fairs and sports, especially ballgames such as Welsh handball. Thomas Morgan stated that he believed that Ynysybwl was a corruption of "Ynys-y-bêl" (the meadow of the ball) in reference to its long history as a meeting place for ballgames. A third derivation is that this element is "pwll" the Welsh word for a pit. This is also noted by Morgan, who also suggests that the element may be "pwl", which means unprofitable.
Early history
Ynysybwl is located in the centre of the Llanwynno parish, at the point where the stream known as Y Ffrwd flows into the Nant Clydach. Then a collection of small local farms and meadows in a quiet and completely rural valley, at the 1841 census around 200 people lived in the village and surrounding farms.
Religion
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|+Churches/Chapels in/serving Ynysybwl
!scope=col|Church/Chapel
!scope=col|Denomination
!scope=col|Language
!scope=col|Founded
!scope=col|Built
!scope=col|Location
!scope=col|Disbanded
!scope=col|Notes
|-
|Saint Gwynno Church
|Church in Wales, Diocese of Llandaff, Parish of Pontypridd
|
|
|
|Llanwynno Forestry
|
|
|-
|Bethel
|Calvinistic Methodist
|Welsh
|
|1876
|Rock Terrace
|~1970s
|
|-
|Christ Church
|Church in Wales, Diocese of Llandaff, Parish of Pontypridd
|
|
|
|36 Church Street,
|
|
|-
|Jerusalem
|Calvinistic Methodist
|Welsh
|1885
|1888
|Thompson Street
|1976
|
|-
|Noddfa
|Originally Baptist, now United Welsh Language Church
|Welsh
|1885
|1890
|High Street
|
|
|-
|Tabernacle
|Independent
|Welsh
|1885
|1887
|Other Street
|2021
|
|-
|Zion
|Baptist
|English
|1890
|1905
|Robert Street
|
|
|-
|Ebeneezer
|Wesleyan
|Welsh
|
|1892
|Robert Street
|
|
|-
|Crossroads
|Originally Wesleyan, then Pentecostal
|English
|1890
|
|Thompson Street
|~1970s
|
|-
|Glyn Street
|Presbyterian
|English
|
|1896
|2 Glyn Street
|
|
|-
|New Road Congregational
|Independent
|English
|1896
|1906
|New Road
|
|
|-
|Gospel Hall
|
|English
|
|
|
|
|
|}
Governance
Ynysybwl was the name of an electoral ward, created in 1898 for elections to Mountain Ash Urban District Council.
Since 1995 Ynysybwl has been an electoral ward to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, electing one county borough councillor. Following a local government boundary review, the number of councillors was increased to two, effective from the 2022 Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council election.
At the lowest tier of local government, Ynysybwl is represented by Ynysybwl & Coed-y-Cwm Community Council.
Coal Industry
The rich seams of coal in the Mynachdy level that lie beneath the surface had thus far only been tapped to the amount required to supply these local farms. David Davies began test bores in the early 1880s at Graigddu ("Black Rock"), which proved positive, and the resultant sinking of Lady Windsor Colliery by the Ocean Coal Company on 16 June 1884 gave birth to new coal town.
Notable people
:See also :Category:People from Ynysybwl
- Alun Wyn Davies - rugby, Welsh team coach
- Don Dearson - Footballer, Welsh international
- Garin Jenkins - Wales' most-capped hooker
- Staff Jones - rugby, capped for Wales in 1983 and toured with the British Lions to New Zealand in 1985
- Ken Leek - footballer, Welsh International, played for Northampton, Leicester, Newcastle, Birmingham, Northampton, Bradford City, Rhyl, Merthyr, Ton Pentre.
- Neville MacDonald - singer with UK rock band Skin (British band)
- Dale McIntosh - rugby, Pontypridd RFC captain
- Leighton Rees - darts player, first ever World Champion in 1978
- Tommy Scourfield - rugby union player capped for Wales in 1930
- Gareth Dean - Rugby League player, Welsh International, played for Wigan Warriors, London Broncos, Celtic Crusaders, Cardiff Demons, Workington, Carcassonne.
- Adam Thomas - Rugby Union player, Wales 7's International, played for Cardiff Blues, Pontypridd, Ynysybwl.
References
External links
- Ynysybwl.com
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Ynysybwl and surrounding area
- [http://www.ynysybwlandcoedycwmcc.co.uk] : Ynysybwl & Coed-y-Cwm Community Council