Rhymney

Coordinates: 51°45′32″N 3°16′59″W / 51.759°N 3.283°W / 51.759; -3.283
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Rhymney
  • Caerphilly
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBARGOED
Postcode districtCF81
Post townTREDEGAR
Postcode districtNP22
Dialling code01685
PoliceGwent
FireSouth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney
List of places
UK
Wales
Caerphilly
51°45′32″N 3°16′59″W / 51.759°N 3.283°W / 51.759; -3.283

Rhymney (

Unitary Authority, Caerphilly County Borough Council. As a community, Rhymney includes the town of Rhymney, Pontlottyn, Abertysswg, Butetown and Twyncarno.[2]

Rhymney is known to many outside Wales as a result of the song "The Bells of Rhymney", a musical adaptation of a poem by Idris Davies.

Etymology

The town is named after the Rhymney River, whose name derives from the Welsh word rhwmp "auger" + -ni, a derivational noun ending.[3][4]

History

The countryside around present day Rhymney would have been very different in the early 17th century. In 1624 the parish of Bedwellty was created which covered the lower division of the Wentloog Hundred, in the county of Monmouth, a hilly district between the river Rumney, on the West and the Sirhowey on the East. The upper Sirhowy Valley at this time would have been a natural well wooded valley, consisting of a few farms and the occasional small iron works where iron ore and coal naturally had occurred together. Later it would have contained the chapelries of Rhymney and Tredegar, the latter being known as a market town. It was not until the 1750s that industrialisation began with the establishment of the Sirhowy Iron Works.

The town was founded with the establishment of the Union

collieries
employed nearly the entire local population.

The parish church of Rhymney is a Grade II listed building that was constructed in the neo-classical style. It was built by architect Philip Hardwick from London on commission for Andrew Buchan who was the manager of the local Rhymney brewery between 1838–1858.[5] The building was listed in 1990 and was noted for being one of the most 'interesting' examples of neoclassical architecture in South Wales. Buchan himself is buried in the parish church vaults and is commemorated with a plaque in the nave of the church. The parish is occasionally visited by enthusiasts of Hardwick's work who are interested in neo-classical buildings of this type.[citation needed]

The history of Rhymney is described in Rhymney Memories, a book by

Eirene White, was later granted the title Baroness
White of Rhymney.

Education and transport

The town's secondary school, Idris Davies School, serves a catchment area that includes Fochriw, Pontlottyn and New Tredegar. There is also a Welsh language primary school in Rhymney.

In 1999, Ystrad Mynach College launched its sister campus in Rhymney to serve the top end of the Rhymney Valley under the name The College Rhymney. The College Rhymney underwent rapid growth after its opening, with over 700 students enrolling on various courses in the 2007–2008 academic year. The College Rhymney is now permanently closed.

Rhymney Line. Featured on the Rhymney Line is a viaduct that was built by the Rhymney Railway company to facilitate the line in 1857 after the incorporation of the company to build the line to the steel works in 1854. The viaduct which opened in 1858 was designed by English engineer Joseph Cubitt.(1811–1872).[citation needed
]

Notable people and organisations

See also Category:People from Rhymney

The celebrated Welsh poet Idris Davies (1905–1953) was born in Rhymney.[6] After leaving school at the age of 14 he worked as a miner in the nearby Abertysswg and Rhymney Mardy Pits.[6] After participating in the failed General Strike of 1926, Davies moved to London where he worked as a teacher at various schools.[6] Four volumes of his poetry were published during his lifetime: Gwalia Deserta (1938), The Angry Summer: A Poem of 1926 (1943), Tonypandy and other poems (1945), and Selected Poems (1953).[6] He returned to Rhymney in 1947 and died of cancer on 6 April 1953.[6]

General manager and engineer of the Rhymney Railway

Caerphilly mountain, and a masonry viaduct of seven spans over the River Taff, besides new locomotive
shops at Caerphilly, and other works. He was 93 when he died in 1908 and is thought to be the oldest railway director of his time.

The professor, civil servant, administrator, and author

Glasgow University in 1890.[8] Between 1904 and 1905 he lectured in Ireland and upon returning to Wales in 1910 became Secretary of the Welsh National Campaign against Tuberculosis.[8] He was appointed Secretary of the National Health Insurance Commission (Wales) in 1912 and transferred to London in 1916 as Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet, eventually becoming Deputy Secretary.[8] He suffered a serious fall indoors at his home in Kent in June 1955 and died in a private nursing home on 15 October 1955.[8]

Notable people born in Rhymney include the

Wing Tom James, and Professor W. John Morgan, Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner, and Chair of the United Kingdom National Commission for UNESCO.https://www.ukwhoswho.com/

One of the largest employers in Rhymney is

Williams Medical Supplies Ltd
.

The town is home to the Rhymney Silurian Male Choir, which was formed in 1951 to renew the tradition of male voice singing in Rhymney.[9] During its history, the choir has won four National Eisteddfod titles and raised money for a number of charities.[10]

"The Bells of Rhymney"

Rhymney is known to many outside Wales due to

Marine Colliery disaster of 1 March 1927.[11][12] In addition to Rhymney, the poem also refers to the bells of Merthyr, Rhondda, Blaina, Caerphilly, Neath, Brecon, Swansea, Newport, Cardiff and the Wye Valley.[11][13]

The song has been covered by a number of acts over the years, including Judy Collins, Cher, the Alarm, the Ian Campbell Folk Group, John Denver, Robyn Hitchcock, Oysterband and Ralph McTell.[14][15] Arguably the most widely known rendition of the song, however, was that recorded by the American band the Byrds for their 1965 album Mr. Tambourine Man.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Town population 2015". Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  2. .
  3. .
  4. ^ "Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru".
  5. ^ Stuff, Good. "Church of St David, Rhymney, Caerphilly". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Davies, Idris (1905–1953)". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  7. Obituaries
    .
  8. ^ a b c d e f "Jones, Thomas (1870–1955)". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  9. ^ "Rhymney Silurian Male Choir: History". Rhymney Silurian Male Choir website. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  10. ^ "Rhymney Silurian Male Choir overview". Rhymney Silurian Male Choir website. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  11. ^ a b c d "The Bells of Rhymney". BBC. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  12. ^ a b Rogan, Johnny. (1996). Mr. Tambourine Man (1996 CD liner notes).
  13. ^ "The Bells of Rhymney Lyrics". Pete Seeger Appreciation Page. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  14. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 1 December 2009.
  15. Allmusic
    . Retrieved 1 December 2009.

Bibliography

External links

Media related to Rhymney at Wikimedia Commons