Aberdare Park

For the Kenyan National Park, see Aberdare National Park.
Sculpture of Lord Merthyr by Thomas Brock

Aberdare Park (Welsh: Parc Aberdâr) is a well-preserved Victorian public park located in the village of Trecynon, near the town of Aberdare in South Wales.

History

The park occupies nearly fifty acres (20.25ha). It opened on 27 July 1869. It was landscaped and planted by William Barron who had laid out many parks in England. The park was created at the instigation of Rees Hopkin Rhys.

In 1956 the National Eisteddfod was held in the park. A Gorsedd circle was erected to commemorate this event, the stone circle still remaining.

The park is the location of the annual Aberdare Park National Road Races, which is a motorcycle race held on the 0.9-mile (1.4 km) circuit within the park. The road races in 2011 were held on the weekend of July 9th & 10th

The track is the only track in the country which takes a left course. It is also one of the best on the country, and the hardest.

Sculptures and Features

Visitors to the park are greeted by the prominent sculpture of Sir William T. Lewis (Lord Merthyr). Unveiled in 1913, the sculptor was Thomas Brock.

Trees at the Park

The park contains a mixture of native and exotic trees most of which date back to the Victorian Era, the following is a list of the trees which can be found at the park.


Araucariaceae; Araucaria araucana(Monkey Puzzle Tree)

Birch; Betula pendula

Beech; Fagus sylvatica

Cedars; Cedrus atlantica, Cedrus libani

Hawthorn; Crataegus monogyna

Maples; Acer palmatum, Acer campestre, Acer platanoides, Acer pseudoplatanus

Pines; Pinus nigra, Pinus wallichiana

Poplar; Populus nigra 'Italica'

Oaks; Quercus Robur, Quercus Ilex

Cherries; Prunus serrulata

Chestnuts; Castanea sativa

Redwoods; Sequoiadendron giganteum, Sequoia sempervirens, Metasequoia

Spruce; Picea sitchensis

Willows; Salix chrysocoma

Yew; Taxus baccata

Gallery of Aberdare Park photos

See also

Coordinates: 51°43′09″N 3°27′30″W / 51.71917°N 3.45833°W

External links