I.

Introduction

Merthyr Tydfil (Welsh, Merthyr Tudful), county borough and unitary authority, South Wales, bounded on the north by the county of Powys, on the east and south by the county borough of Caerphilly, and on the west and south by the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff. The county borough came into existence as a unitary authority on April 1, 1996, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1994, which changed the structure of local administration in Wales from a two-tier system of county and district councils to a single-tier system of unitary authorities. It comprises the district of Merthyr Tydfil from the north-east of the former county of Mid Glamorgan. Before 1974, when Mid Glamorgan was created under the local government reorganization implemented in that year, the territory covered by the county borough was part of the county of Glamorgan. It has an area of 111 sq km (43 sq mi).

II.

Land and Resources

The county borough lies in the mountainous area of the South Wales coalfield and is characterized by high moorlands with deep, incised valleys running parallel north-west to south-east. It comprises mainly the Taf Fechan, Taf Fawr, and River Taff valleys. Many of the mountain peaks are well over 450 m (1,475 ft) in height. Some 25 sq km (10 sq mi) on the northern boundary of the county borough is within the Brecon Beacons National Park.

The climate is cool to moderate, with average temperatures in January of 2° C (36° F) and in July of 20° C (68° F). Average annual rainfall is fairly heavy, and is in the region of 1,500 to 2,500 mm (60 to 100 in).

III.

Population and Administration

The population of the county borough is 55,983 (2001). Approximately 18 per cent of the population is Welsh-speaking (see Celtic Languages). The main town and administrative centre of the unitary authority is Merthyr Tydfil (population, 1991, 39,600), situated in the north of the county borough. The remaining settlements are mostly industrial villages in the base of the valleys that stretch south-eastward from Merthyr Tydfil, often consisting of terraced houses built for the miners who worked the coalfield. For many years the traditional scenery of the valleys included huge heaps of coal waste, dumped on the slopes above the villages. Most of these have now been reclaimed, a programme initiated in part by the Aberfan disaster of October 1966, when an unstable coal tip collapsed on to the school beneath killing 144 people, 116 of them children.

There is a Crown Court in Merthyr Tydfil. The police authority is the South Wales Constabulary, with headquarters in Bridgend in Bridgend county borough.

IV.

Places of Interest

The Taf Fawr and Taf Fechan valleys both offer beautiful scenery with reservoirs and man-made lakes set among forests. In Merthyr Tydfil itself is the 65-hectare (160-acre) Cyfartha Park, which surrounds Cyfartha Castle; formerly the home of a family of ironmasters, the castle now houses a museum depicting Merthyr Tydfil's history. Ynysfach Engine House Heritage Centre is a restored industrial building offering exhibitions, working models, and an audio-visual show that recounts the story of history and development of the ironworks in the region. At Pant, just to the north of Merthyr Tydfil, is the departure terminus for the Brecon Mountain Railway, a 5.6-km (3.5-mi) narrow-gauge railway line, which operates vintage steam locomotives through the Brecon Beacons National Park. The Welsh International Climbing Centre at Trelewis is located on the site of three former pits in the Taff Bargoed Valley and offers indoor climbing facilities, an artificial cave system, and a range of outdoor leisure pursuits.

V.

Economy

The closure of the collieries and heavy industries which were traditionally the mainstay of the area's economy have led to efforts to attract new sources of employment. A number of light industries have been established, producing a variety of products including electrical goods, steel tubing, toys, lingerie, and office equipment.

VI.

History

The area of Merthyr Tydfil, along with the rest of Glamorgan, was conquered by the Normans during the late 11th and early 12th centuries. Glamorgan was made a county in 1536. Originally a market town, Merthyr Tydfil became one of the world's great iron-working centres; in 1801 it was the largest town in Wales and was the most significant Welsh town during the Industrial Revolution. By the end of the 19th century it was beginning to decline, overtaken by Cardiff, Swansea, and Newport on the South Wales coast. Keir Hardie, the first leader of the parliamentary Labour Party was Member of Parliament for Merthyr Tydfil from 1900 until his death in 1915.