Pontyberem facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pontyberem |
|
|---|---|
 Pontyberem |
|
 Pontyberem
|
|
| Population | 2,768 |
| OS grid reference | SN501111 |
| Community |
|
| Principal area | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | LLANELLI |
| Postcode district | SA15 |
| Dialling code | 01269 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament |
|
| Welsh Assembly |
|
Pontyberem is a village and a community in Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is located in the Gwendraeth Valley. You can find it about halfway between the towns of Carmarthen and Llanelli. In 2011, about 2,768 people lived there.
The community of Pontyberem shares borders with several other communities in Carmarthenshire. These include Llanddarog, Gorslas, Llannon, Llanelli Rural, and Llangyndeyrn.
Contents
Village History
Pontyberem grew a lot in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This was because of the growing coal mining industry in the area. There were four main coal mines near Pontyberem. These included Pontyberem colliery, which opened in 1845, and Pentremawr, which operated from 1889 to around 1974. Glynhebog was another mine, open from 1892 to 1949. The Gwendraeth colliery, also known as Watney pit, was the fourth.
A sad event happened at the Gwendraeth colliery (Watney pit) in 1852. Twenty-six men and boys lost their lives when water flooded the mine. This terrible accident happened during the night shift. It took about 18 months to recover the bodies of the miners.
Today, there are no large anthracite coal mines working in the Gwendraeth Valley. This is because the coal industry in the South Wales Coalfield has declined.
Between 1909 and 1953, Pontyberem station served the village. It was part of the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway. The station was important for miners and other local residents.
Famous safety lamps from Pontyberem were made by John Jones (1879–1976). He worked as the Chief Mechanic at Pentremawr Colliery.
What Does Pontyberem Mean?
The name Pontyberem comes from three Welsh words. Pont means bridge. Aber means the mouth of a river, or where two rivers meet. Beran comes from Nant Beran, which is a river that flows through Pontyberem.
Local people have a simple way to understand the name. They believe 'Berem' refers to the frothy foam on the surface of the Nant Beran river. This foam looks a bit like yeast. The 'Pont' refers to the bridge over the Gwendraeth Fawr river, especially near where it meets the Nant Beran.
Welsh Language in Pontyberem
The Welsh language is widely spoken in Pontyberem. In 1991, Pontyberem had one of the highest numbers of Welsh speakers in Carmarthenshire.
According to the 2001 Census, over 81% of the people in Pontyberem could speak, read, or write Welsh. About 60% of the population could do all three. A survey in 2000 showed that 47% of people in the Gwendraeth valley spoke Welsh very well.
Menter Cwm Gwendraeth, a special group that promotes the Welsh language, is based in Pontyberem. It started in 1991 after the successful Urdd Gobaith Cymru and National Eisteddfod events in the Gwendraeth Valley.
Schools
Pontyberem has two primary schools. Both schools teach most of their lessons in Welsh.
- Ysgol Gynradd Pontyberem / Pontyberem Primary School
- Ysgol Gynradd Bancffosfelen / Bancffosfelen Primary School
Sports
Pontyberem is a place where sports are important.
- Rugby union - The local team is Pontyberem RFC. They play at Pontyberem Recreational Park.
- Football - Football is also played at Pontyberem Recreational Park.
- Cricket - Pontyberem C.C. is the local cricket club.
Famous People from Pontyberem
Many notable people have connections to Pontyberem.
- Arthur Daniels (1922–2001) – A famous rugby league player for Wales and Great Britain.
- John Jones (Shoni Sguborfawr) (1811–1858) – Known for taking down toll gates in Pontyberem during the Rebecca Riots.
- Nigel Owens (1971– ) – A well-known international rugby union referee.
- Dorothy Squires (1915–1998) – A popular singer.
- Arthur "Waring" Bowen (1922–1980) – The person who started Arthritis Care.
- Rob Wainwright (civil servant) (1967– ) – A partner at Deloitte.
- Jonny Clayton (1974– ) – A professional darts player.
See also
In Spanish: Pontyberem para niños
