Treorchy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Treorchy | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | ||
| Population: | c. 8000 (2001) | |
| Ordnance Survey | ||
| OS grid reference: | Maps for SS955965 | |
| Administration | ||
| Principal area: | Rhondda Cynon Taff | |
| Constituent country: | Wales | |
| Sovereign state: | United Kingdom | |
| Other | ||
| Police force: | South Wales Police | |
| Ceremonial county: | Mid Glamorgan | |
| Historic county: | Glamorganshire | |
| Post office and telephone | ||
| Post town: | TREORCHY | |
| Postal district: | CF42 | |
| Dialling code: | +44 (0)1443 77 | |
| Politics | ||
| UK Parliament: | Rhondda | |
| European Parliament: | Wales | |
 |
||
Treorchy (Welsh: Treorci) is a village, although it used to be and still has characteristics of a town, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, traditional county of Glamorgan, South Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. The town grew around the coal mining industry, but all the local pits have closed.
Contents |
[edit] Employment
Treorchy was, for many years, a town that relied on the coal mines such as Abergorki, Tylecoch and the Dare colliery. All of the collieries had closed by the end of the 1970s, leaving many to find new work. Treorchy fast became a commuter village, with many people using public transport, or their own transport to leave the area each morning to work in the larger towns and cities that surround it, such as Cardiff and Bridgend. The work in Treorchy, however, is mostly retail.
[edit] Education
Treorchy has two main schools: Treorchy Primary School and Treorchy Comprehensive. Treorchy Primary is not on the original site of Treorchy Boys and Treorchy Girls schools, but is built 100 m further along Glyncoli Road. It is built to the original plans used on many of the older schools in the upper Rhondda. Treorchy Comprehensive was built on the old site of the Tylecoch colliery, with its western athletics track being named the "Red Ash", after it being the remnants of the mine shaft. This was removed in 2006 to build an astroturf sportsfeild. The school is officially 500 m from the main gate to the rear gate,and runs from Chepstow Road, Cwmparc, to the Tylecoch Bridge, Treorchy.
[edit] Transportation
There are several roads linking Treorchy to other towns and villages. The A4061 leads over the Bwlch y Clawdd Pass, and it is possible to travel to Bridgend via the Ogmore Valley and also to Maesteg and Port Talbot. Within the Rhondda Fawr Valley, taking the A4061 northwards leads to the end of the valley, at Treherbert, and utlimately the road continues to Hirwaun, which is at the junction of the Heads of the Valleys Road, and just south of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Following the valley's course southward on the A4058, one reaches Llwynypia, Tonypandy, Porth and Pontypridd, where one can use the A470 to reach Cardiff.
Treorchy also has its own railway station, which is located on the Rhondda Line, which has regular services up the line to Treherbert railway station and also to Cardiff Central.
It also is served by buses operated by Stagecoach in South Wales to Blaenrhondda, Blaencwm, Treherbert, Tonypandy, Porth, Pontypridd and Caerphilly. On summer Sundays, Shamrock Travel provides a route to Bridgend (via the Ogmore Valley) and Brecon under the Beacons Bus branding.
[edit] Entertainment
Treorchy is home to the Royal Male Voice Choir, better known as the Treorchy Male Choir, while attractions in the town include the Parc and Dare Hall. The Parc and Dare hall provides entertainment from new films, to pantomime and theatre. The Parc and Dare work closely with Treorchy Comprehensive on many show's such as "Back To Broadway", the school Eisteddfod and school musicals. The Parc and Dare also hosts the Eisteddfod for Ysgol Gyfun Y Cymer
[edit] Trivia
Treorchy hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1928.
Max Boyce recorded a hit album, "Live at Treorchy" in the Treorchy Rugby Club.
