Pontypridd was a frontier town, born out of the industrialisation of its surrounding valleys and transformed from a sleepy agricultural region into one of the largest towns in Wales.

Its incredible growth was due to two hugely important factors; firstly its proximity to the Glamorganshire Canal, allowing an easy route between industrial Merthyr and Cardiff; and secondly the coming of the Taff Vale Railway, this time linking the docklands to the rapidly expanding Welsh coal field in the Rhondda. Together they gave Pontypridd the foundations to develop into a major market town which blossomed at the very heart of industrial South Wales.

The first major development to take place in the vicinity was the building of a magnificent bridge in 1756 by local stonemason William Edwards. On his third attempt he succeeded in his aim to allow farmers easy access over the Taff by creating an architectural splendour, portrayed by a variety of artists who flocked there to gaze on his splendid achievement, nothing less than the longest single arch bridge in the world.

Although it did little to change the rural character of the district, the bridge led to a small cluster of houses grow on either side of the Taff and the area was named Newbridge. It was another century before the town was renamed Pontypridd. The original was probably Pont-y-ty-pridd (bridge of the earthen house), which is thought to refer to a small hut which may have stood near the eastern bank of the river.

By the end of the 18th century the first phase of industrialisation in Newbridge were under way. The most significant event was the opening of the Glamorganshire Canal in 1794. Beforehand coal had to be carried from Merthyr to Cardiff in waggons over rough tracks. In the next three and a half years workmen sliced through a 25 mile channel and the canal became a vital component that turned Newbridge into a major municipal centre. By 1818 Ynysangharad Works, a major chainworks was opened, marking the first major industry to come to the area due to the canal.

The next phase of industrialisation began with the Taff Vale Railway in 1840 which, like the canal, ran from Merthyr to Cardiff. No one had anticipated the enormous growth of the Rhondda coal industry which would follow the opening of a level at Gyfeillion, a mile from Newbridge, by Dr Richard Griffiths in 1790 and of another by Walter Coffin at Dinas in 1807.

Turning the lush green Rhondda into something of a vast black Klondyke, those early mining pioneers penetrated indiscriminately into the valley floor for their precious black gold. It was an event which had a tremendous effect on Newbridge as the town found that it was ideally placed for transporting coal to the docks. As the region produced most of the coal and iron on which the economy of the British Empire depended, the peak of production in 1913 saw 57million tons of steam coal pass through the town to Barry and Cardiff. Pontypridd had the longest railway platform in Britain in an effort to cope with its 500 trains and 11,000 passengers per day. It became famed for its open-air market and the gradually its commercial prosperity made it the shopping centre for the valley communities.

The pace and extent of the growth of the town in late Victorian and early Edwardian times was breathtaking. By 1839, Newbridge had acquired a police force and in 1850 it had lighting in the main streets. A County Court met in 1851 and it had a thousand homes and thirty-three public houses. In 1856 the first post office opened and the town changed its name to Pontypridd, largely due to a decision by the local postmaster. During the same year a father and son who worked a local woollen factory had a profound effect on the musical history of Wales. Evan James and his son James penned a haunting Welsh hymn which was eventually named Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau and became the National Anthem of their homeland.

During the twilight years of Victoria’s reign Pontypridd’s status as a major market town and urban area was strengthened. Following the widespread growth of Nonconformism and the building of many chapels, St Catherine’s Church was built in 1869, complete with its domineering spire overlooking the bustling town. The first newspaper was established in 1873, and by 1885 there was a horse-drawn tram service, closely followed by the electric tram and trolleybus. A new Town Hall was built in 1890 and a public library opened its doors. In 1905 the Municipal Building was opened for Pontypridd Urban District Council and in the middle of the town a charming Fountain was erected. The town played host to the National Eisteddfod of 1893 and established its own County School in 1896. The town's population had grown from 2,200 in 1847, to a staggering 38,000 in 1899.

With the passing of the First World War, Pontypridd folk dug deep in an effort to pay their respects to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. No better monument could have been erected in their honour than with the opening of Ynysangharad War Memorial Park in 1923, the jewel in Pontypridd’s crown. Culturally the town continued to blossom, particularly in the fields of choral singing and opera. World-famous Sir Geraint Evans and Stuart Burrows were born in the same street in neighbouring Cilfynydd and the town’s choirs achieved world-wide fame. In contrast, Pontypridd’s best-known musical artist in recent years, Sir Tom Jones, has continued to spread the good name of his hometown. In the sporting world Pontypridd  produced world-famous boxers, cricketers, swimmers and of course its incredibly popular rugby team which was formed way back in the late 1870s.

From those early days of industrialisation Pontypridd has indeed come a long way, now known around the globe as one of Wales’s most famous valley towns.