Treforest

infobox UK place
latitude=51.5878
longitude=-3.3221
country = Wales
welsh_name= Trefforest
constituency_welsh_assembly=Pontypridd,
South Wales Central Electoral Region
map_type=
official_name= Treforest
population= 5,072 (2001) [ [http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=3&b=5939125&c=treforest&d=14&e=16&g=419607&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1211731049627&enc=1 Office of National Statistics] ]
unitary_wales= Rhondda Cynon Taff
lieutenancy_wales= Mid Glamorgan
constituency_westminster= Pontypridd
post_town= PONTYPRIDD
postcode_district = CF37
postcode_area= CF
dial_code= 01443 40
os_grid_reference= ST085885
OldMapsYear= 1885
OldMapsEasting= 308500
OldMapsNorthing= 188500
OldMapsCounty= 10glamo481

Treforest ( _cy. Trefforest) is a village to the south-east of Pontypridd in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales situated in the Treforest ward along with the village of Glyntaff.

The village is historically connected with the Crawshay family who established a major tinplate works in 1835. Treforest is now known for its association with the University of Glamorgan, originally established as The School of Mines at Treforest in 1913. ["The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales". John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) pg896 ISBN 9780708319536]

Transport

Treforest has one railway station, Trefforest. (Trefforest Estate is in The Willowford area between Tonteg and Nantgarw). The station is located on the Merthyr and Rhondda lines.

Education

Treforest is home to two primary schools, Parc Lewis and St. Michael's, though a third school, Trefforest Primary, closed in 2006 despite the petitions from parents, governors and local councillor as a result of a process commenced by the 1999-2004 administration on the "Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council". The University of Glamorgan's Trefforest campus is located in the village.

Culture

The population of Treforest consists substantially of students living away from home, who often leave the village during the summer months and return in the new academic year. Notable bars and pubs in the area include 'The Forest' (or as its formally known, the cot), 'Toms bar', named after singer Tom Jones, Flagstones tapas bar, and The Pick & Shovel.

Notable people from Trefforest

Tom Jones

Treforest is the birthplace of singer and 1960s and 1970s sex symbol, Tom Jones, who was born in Laura Street, Treforest. Tom has a telephone box in his Las Vegas home from Wood Road, which he imported as a souvenir of Wales.

Morfydd Llwyn-Owen

Morfydd Llwyn-Owen (1891-1918) was a Welsh composer born in Treforest and educated at the Royal Academy of Music, London. ["The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales". John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) pg639 ISBN 9780708319536] She wrote hymns, choral music and orchestral works often inspired by Welsh literacy and folk songs. In 1917 she married psychoanalyst Ernest Jones, but she died the following year at the age of 26.

Tourist attraction

A notable tourist attraction, The World of Groggs is on the Broadway in Treforest.

Places of worship

A number of places of worship exist in Treforest, meeting the requirements of the diverse faiths in the village. The University of Glamorgan offers a chaplaincy service, which occasionally provides services in conjunction with Castle Square United Reformed Church. Other Christian churches in the village include St Dyfrig's Roman Catholic church off Broadway and Calvary Baptist Church off Wood Road.

References