Rhigos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rhigos |
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 Rhigos village and Tower Colliery as viewed from the Rhigos Mountain viewpoint |
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| Principal area |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | ABERDARE |
| Postcode district | CF44 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament |
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| Welsh Assembly |
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Rhigos is a small village in South Wales. It sits on high ground between the Vale of Neath and the Cynon Valley. For a long time, it was part of the old Neath Rural district. In 1996, it became part of Rhondda Cynon Taf.
The village is near the old road that connected Aberdare and Glynneath. This was before the A465 road was made longer in the 1960s. Two smaller areas, Cefn Rhigos and Cwm-Hwnt, are just west of the main village.
In 2011, about 894 people lived in Rhigos. Even though it's about 7 miles (11 km) from Aberdare, its mail goes through Aberdare. It's also only 2 miles (3 km) from Glynneath. People used to move here for work in local industries. Today, Rhigos is a quiet place. It has great views of the Brecon Beacons National Park. You can also walk to Waterfall Country from here.
Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Rhigos comes from an older Welsh word. It means "small clumps of heather." Heather is a type of plant that grows on hills. The original name was likely "Y Rugos" or "Y Grugos."
Nature and Geography
Rhigos is located where the Cynon Valley meets the Vale of Neath. Above the village is Craig y Llyn. This is the highest mountain peak in the area of Glamorgan.
There's a special lake called Llyn Fawr on Craig y Llyn. It was formed by glaciers, which are like giant ice rivers. These glaciers also shaped the valleys into a "U" shape.
Some areas around Rhigos are very important for nature. They are called Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). These include the forests of Waterfall Country and Blaencynon. These places protect special plants and animals. For example, the Blaencynon site helps protect the marsh fritillary butterfly. This butterfly is rare in the UK and across Europe. This makes the area important for saving this species.
Since August 2022, the Rhigos Mountain road (A4061) has been closed. A big mountain fire damaged the metal wires that hold rocks in place. This makes the road unsafe. Experts are working to fix it, but it will be closed for some time.
A Look Back in Time
An amazing discovery was made at Llyn Fawr between 1909 and 1913. It was called 'The Llyn Fawr Hoard'. This collection of items is very important. It shows the time when people started using iron instead of bronze. The objects came from many different places. This period (750-600 BC) is even named after Llyn Fawr in Britain! You can see these special items at the National Museum and Galleries of Wales.
A famous historical event also happened nearby. The first red flag was raised on Hirwaun Common. This led to the Merthyr Uprising in 1831.
Village Industries
Rhigos was mostly farmland until the late 1700s. Then, it grew during the Industrial Revolution. This was because of mining for coal, iron ore, and limestone.
The first furnace that used coke (a type of fuel from coal) was built nearby in 1757. The Crawshay family owned it later. They provided many jobs until the 1830s. The site was then used by the Gloucester Railway Carriage and Wagon Company until the 1930s.
A coal mine called British Rhondda Colliery opened in the 1920s. It later became Rhigos Colliery and closed in 1965. Another mine, Tower Colliery, was also very important. It closed in 2008, marking the end of deep coal mining in Wales.
However, the Tower Colliery site is getting a new life! In 2019, plans were approved for Zipline Cymru to build a new zipline there. This will help bring tourism to the area.
Hirwaun Industrial Estate
During Second World War, a factory called ROF Hirwaun was built in Rhigos. It made parts for bullets. Workers came from all over South Wales. Raw materials arrived by train. The factory was discovered by German planes, and they bombed it once in 1943.
After the war, the factory was closed. The buildings were taken down in the late 1960s. Now, many different businesses are located on the Industrial Estate.
Sports and Fun
The Rhigos RFC club house is a popular place in the village. The rugby team plays in a Welsh league. The Rhigos Sports Hall is run by volunteers. It offers many indoor sports for the community. The Rhigos WCKA Kickboxing Club meets there. Members of this club even went to the World Kickboxing Championships in Greece in 2018!
The Vale of Neath Gliding Club is near the village. You can learn to glide there with expert teachers. The Rhigos mountain is also great for paragliding. This is because of the good air conditions and amazing views.
Cyclists love Rhigos too. The climb up the mountain is part of many competitions. It's known as a beautiful but very tough climb in Wales.
Getting Around
In 1850, the Vale of Neath Railway opened. It connected Rhigos to places like Neath and Aberdare. Rhigos Halt was a train stop with two platforms. Trains often needed an extra engine to help them climb the steep hill from Glynneath.
The railway closed in the 1960s. The council then used the old railway path to build a better road. This became part of the A465 road. This road is now being improved to make traffic flow better and increase safety. The work is planned to finish by 2024.
Another road, 'The Parrish Road', was closed in 1997. This happened when a large opencast mine opened nearby. There have been talks about reopening this road.
Famous People
- Professor Kevin Morgan was born and grew up in Rhigos. He is a professor at Cardiff University. He teaches about important topics like poverty and how communities develop.
- Gweirydd (Dai) Walters started the Walters Group of Civil Engineers in 1982. His company's main office is on the nearby Industrial Estate. He was named one of the richest people in Wales in 2019.
- Rhigos has also produced some international rugby players. Dai Morris played for Wales in the 1970s. Glyn Shaw played both rugby union and rugby league for his country.
- Mrs C. Ann Jenkins from Rhigos was the High Sheriff of Mid Glamorgan in 2012-2013. This is an old, non-political role. High Sheriffs support crime prevention and emergency services.
Rhigos Today
Rhigos has one convenience store on Heol Pendarren. There are also two pubs, "The Plough" and "The New Inn," plus the rugby club. The village has a small playground with views of the Rhigos mountain.
Rhigos Primary is the village school. The original building was built in 1876. Most students from Rhigos Primary go on to Aberdare Community School or St John The Baptist High School. There are also Welsh-speaking schools nearby.
A group of volunteers in Rhigos organizes a summer carnival. They also take local children to the pantomime at Christmas. They even make sure 'Santa' visits every street! The village Community Centre is on Heol Esgyn. It was renovated in 2013. The Rhigos Community Council meets there every month. It's also used by senior citizen groups and youth clubs.
Rhigos is represented in the RCT council by Cllr Graham Thomas. In the Welsh Parliament (Senedd), it's represented by Vicki Howells AS. Beth Winter MP is the representative for Cynon Valley in the UK Parliament.
Images for kids
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Rhigos Community Sports Hall
See also
In Spanish: Rhigos para niños
