Treharris

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coordinates: 51°40′08″N 3°18′36″W / 51.6689°N 3.3100°W / 51.6689; -3.3100
Treharris
Welsh: Treharris
Treharris

 Treharris shown within Merthyr Tydfil
Population 6,252 2001 Census
OS grid reference ST095975
Community Treharris
Principal area Merthyr Tydfil
Ceremonial county Mid Glamorgan
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town Treharris
Postcode district CF46
Dialling code 01443
Police South Wales
Fire South Wales
Ambulance Welsh
EU Parliament Wales
UK Parliament Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
Welsh Assembly Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
List of places
UK
Wales
Merthyr Tydfil

Treharris is a small town and community in the Taff Bargoed Valley in the south of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, South Wales. It is located around 1 km west of Trelewis, from which it is separated by the Taff Bargoed river, and 1.5 km from Nelson in Caerphilly county borough and has a population of 6,252. As a community, Treharris includes the villages of Quakers Yard and Edwardsville. Due to steepness and narrowness of both the Taff and Taff Bargoed valleys at Treharris several notable bridges and viaducts have been built in the area.[1]

History

The town was formed around Harris's Deep Navigation Colliery, which begun coal mining excavations in 1878, after sinking started in 1872. The colliery and village were named after F. W. Harris and his Harris Navigation Steam Coal Company. Originally known as Harris's Navigation Pits, the Deep Navigation shafts were the deepest at the time in South Wales. With the some shafts sunk to a depth of 760 yards to access the Nine Feet Seam, 200 yards deeper than any other colliery in the coalfield.[2] Ownership transferred to the Ocean Coal Co. Ltd. in 1893 - so called because the pit supplied the coal for the transatlantic ocean liners, including the Cunard Line. The pit became known as Deep Navigation Colliery and remained in production until 1991.

During the early 21st century, like many ex-mining villages in the area, Treharris underwent significant regeneration to the town/village centre. Most, if not all of the land where Deep Navigation was situated has been landscaped and is now part of the new Parc Taff Bargoed, where many of the local football and rugby teams train and play.

Sport and leisure

Treharris has the oldest Boys and Girls club in the whole of the United Kingdom.[3]

Treharris Athletic is the local football (soccer) team, once winners of the Western League in 1910, who now ply their trade in the Welsh Football League.

Treharris Mini and Junior Rugby Football Club was founded in 1994. The continued success of this club paved the way for the re-introduction of senior and youth rugby in 2009. Treharris Rugby is represented at senior level by Treharris Phoenix who compete in the WRU/SWALEC Leagues. Treharris Youth compete in the Welsh Rugby Union RAF Youth League.

Transport

Treharris is served by Quakers Yard railway station, on the Merthyr Line between Cardiff Central and Merthyr Tydfil.

Arts & Entertainment

BBC series The Two Ronnies filmed one of their sketches around Treharris, The sketch was The Worm That Turned.

Notable People

Bibliography

  • Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6. 
  • Thomas, Dr. W. Gerwyn (1979). Welsh Coal Mines. Cardiff: National Museum of Wales. ISBN 0-7200-0059-9. 

References

  1. Davies (2008), pg 554.
  2. Thomas (1979), pg 27.
  3. Treharris Boys and Girls Club is back in business University of Glamorgan

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.