Pontardawe

History

The name first appears on a map in 1729, as "Pont-ar-Dawye", in Emmanuel Bowen's New and Accurate Map of South Wales. By 1796, the Swansea Canal had connected Pontardawe with Swansea Docks. The accessibility by canal enabled the industrial development of the area, which started with the Ynysderw ironworks in 1835. Close to the ironworks, tinplate and steel works became the basis of the town's development during the latter part of the 19th century, with exports all over the world. The industrialist William Parsons of Neath developed the town's early industry, but from 1861 onwards the Gilbertson family became the most important proprietors of the town. As well as metal work, there were also significant coal mines in the area, and pottery works at Ynysmeudwy.

These industries declined in the middle of the 20th century. None of the heavy industry remains; on the site of the Alloy works there is now a small industrial estate of a number of small engineering firms, motor maintenance, building supplies and a health centre for the area.

From 1861 until its closure in 1964 (see "Transport" below), a railway line connected Pontardawe with the rest of the valley and further afield.

The Anglican church of St Peter, financed by William Parsons, was completed in 1862. The church has unusual French-style architecture, and is still today one of the main features of the town.

Sights

Attractions in the town include the Swansea Canal and the Pontardawe Arts Centre. The old stone bridge of Pontardawe was built by William Edwards of Eglwsilan, a famous bridge builder. He also built the Old Bridge at Pontypridd, which was the longest single-span bridge in the world when it was constructed, as well as the bridge at Cenarth in west Wales. Edwards was also responsible for the design of Morriston, a new town developed by the Swansea Valley industrialist Sir John Morris.

Music and arts

The Pontardawe Festival of world music and dance was held at a weekend in August each year from 1978 and there are also regular meetings of music groups such as the long-established Valley Folk Club, held on the first and third Friday of each month at the Ivy Bush Hotel. Many of the pubs in Pontardawe feature live music at the weekends. The Pontardawe Arts Centre also stages quality performances by musicians of both national and international fame.

Pontardawe also has an active film society which shows about 20 films selected by its membership each year.

Retail

The first phase of a new retail park on Ffordd Parc Ynysderw, close to Cwmtawe Community School, opened in July 2008. Argos and Focus DIY were the first two retail companies to open stores. The Poundstretcher discount chain has also occupied a unit at the site, while frozen foods specialists Farmfoods opened 8,000 sq ft (740 m²) premises in March 2009. Since the Focus chain liquidated in early 2011, a Home Bargains store now occupies the former Focus store.

The Tesco supermarket in Pontardawe plans to expand its store by adding an escalator-accessible first-floor area which will include a cafe. As part of the planning deal the company is to make a sum of £100,000 available for local development of the town.

In 2008 The Pontardawe Chamber for Trade & Commerce was formed. Its goal is to promote business in the area, and rekindle a sense of community in and around the Town Centre, which was subsequently lost by the creation of the nearby superstores. The Chamber of Trade was active in creating a Tourism Map of the Area, and holds seasonal Festivals in the Town Centre. There are plans to re-instate the Pontardawe Market, and revive Pontardawe's historical status as a Market Town.

Notable people

Notable people born or raised in Pontardawe include

Ignacio Lopez (1986-), stand-up comedian

Twinning

Pontardawe is twinned with:

Politics

Prior to local government reorganisation in 1974, Pontardawe and district was served by Pontardawe Rural District Council; this merged in 1974 to become part of Lliw Valley DC and was subsequently reorganised again when the Pontardawe area became a part of Neath Port Talbot county borough. Pontardawe Town council is currently controlled by Plaid Cymru.

The town is the location of the Constituency office of Jeremy Miles AM. Pontardawe is part of the South Wales West regional constituency served by Suzy Davies AM, Caroline Jones AM, Dai Lloyd AM and Bethan Jenkins AM.

Sports and recreation

Pontardawe has a cricket team, a rugby club – Pontardawe RFC – and a football (soccer) club. The playing fields adjoining the Pontardawe Leisure Centre at Parc Ynysderw are one of the UK's 471 King George Fields established as a memorial to King George V. They were officially transferred to their present site in 2003 and occupy land which formerly belonged to the tinplate works but is now owned and maintained by the local authority. The Cwmtawe rugby sevens competition, held at Parc Ynysderw, attracts entries from far and wide.

Pontardawe also has a very successful karate and kickboxing team who are members of the Welsh Contact Karate Association and train in Alltwen Community Centre.

There is also a Swim Wales swimming club (Swansea Valley SC / Clwb Nofio Cwmtawe).

On a hill overlooking the town is the local golf course which has views of the Brecon Beacons and Bristol Channel from the 16th hole.

A local community group, Arena Pontardawe, is planning a recreational development on the Glanrhyd Industrial Estate. The development will comprise indoor and outdoor arenas and business units.

Events

Every August Pontardawe hosted the Pontardawe Festival, which was held on the leisure centre playing fields at Parc Ynysderw. This world music event featured singing, dancing, and other artistic performances by acts from all over the world. Because several years of bad weather affected on admissions and due to the Wales-wide withdrawal of arts funding, the Festival has now ceased.

Transport

First Cymru provides bus services linking Pontardawe to Swansea, Neath, and Ystradgynlais.

Pontardawe lies at the crossroads of the A4067 road, which runs the length of the Swansea Valley and on to Sennybridge on the A40, and the A474 from Briton Ferry and Neath to Ammanford.

National Cycle Route 43 traverses the centre of the town and part of the recreation ground.

Railway history

The Swansea Vale Railway (SVR) – founded in 1845 to develop and extend a short tramroad which had been opened nearly 30 years earlier to transport coal down the lower part of the valley to the docks at Swansea – reached Pontardawe in 1860, Ystalyfera in 1861, and Brynamman in 1863. On 1 October 1873 the SVR opened a branch from Ynysygeinon, near Ystalyfera, to Coelbren on the Neath and Brecon Railway, thereby connecting Pontardawe for the first time to the national rail network.

The Midland Railway took over operation of the SVR from 1 September 1874 and by 1877 the timetable of passenger trains calling at Pontardawe included three services a day in each direction conveying through carriages between Swansea and Brecon, Hereford, Malvern, Worcester and Birmingham. Traffic on the route began declining between the wars, however, and passenger services to Brecon were withdrawn in 1931 and those to Brynamman in 1950 – the railway line through Pontardawe finally closing to all traffic in 1964.

In 2010, the Amman Valley Railway Society announced plans to relink Pontardawe to the main line.

Primary schools

Secondary schools

Further education