Editing Treorchy

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country                     = Wales
| welsh_name                  = Treorci
| static_image_name           = Treorchy-6760698615 o.jpg
| constituency_welsh_assembly = [[Rhondda (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Rhondda]]
| map_type                    =
| official_name               = Treorchy
| coordinates                 = {{coord|51.6594|-3.5055|display=inline,title}}
| population                  = 7681
| population_ref              = (Mid-2017 Estimate)<ref>{{cite web |title=Population estimates for Parishes in England and Wales, mid-2002 to mid-2017 |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/populationestimates/adhocs/009305populationestimatesforparishesinenglandandwalesmid2002tomid2017 |work=[[Office for National Statistics (ONS)]] |access-date=8 July 2019}}</ref>
| unitary_wales               = [[Rhondda Cynon Taf]]
| lieutenancy_wales           = [[Mid Glamorgan]]
| constituency_westminster    = [[Rhondda (UK Parliament constituency)|Rhondda]]
| post_town                   = TREORCHY
| postcode_district           = CF42
| postcode_area               = CF
| dial_code                   = 01443
| os_grid_reference           = SS955965 
| module=  {{Collapsible list
| framestyle=border:none;text-align:center; padding:0; |title=Community map
|1=[[File:2024 Wales Rhondda Cynon Taf Community Treorchy map.svg|240px]]<br />Map of the community
}}
}}

'''Treorchy''' ({{langx|cy|Treorci}}; {{pronunciation|LL-Q9309_(cym)-Jason.nlw-Treorci.wav|Welsh pronunciation|help=no}}) is a town and [[Community (Wales)|community]] (and [[electoral ward]]) in [[Wales]]. Once a mining town, it retains such characteristics. Situated in the [[county borough]] of [[Rhondda Cynon Taf]] in the [[Rhondda Fawr]] valley. Treorchy is also one of the 16 [[Community (Wales)|communities]] of the [[Rhondda]]. It includes the villages of [[Cwmparc]] and [[Ynyswen]].

==History==
Prior to industrialisation, most of the land was owned by one of the great families of [[Historic counties of Wales|Glamorgan]] with Treorchy coming under the domain of the [[Marquess of Bute]] Estate.<ref name="Our Past - Treorchy">{{cite web |title=Our Past |url=http://webapps.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk/heritagetrail/english/rhondda/treorchy.html |publisher=RCT Library Services |access-date=27 January 2014}}</ref> The discovery of coal transformed the area. The period following 1851 saw Treorchy becoming an industrial town. The town grew around the [[coal mining]] industry during the late 19th and early 20th century, but by the end of the 20th century all the local pits had closed, creating an economic downturn in the community.

Treorchy had been established when the Abergorki Colliery, situated in Cwm Orci to the north, was opened as a level in 1859 by a Mr Huxham, a former manager of the Bute Merthyr Colliery. This was sold to [[James Harvey Insole|J. H. Insole]] of Cymmer in 1862.<ref name="HistL - Treorchy">{{cite web|title=Historic Landscape|url=http://www.ggat.org.uk/cadw/historic_landscape/Rhondda/English/Rhondda_011.htm|publisher=Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust|access-date=28 January 2014}}</ref>  The first deep mine in Treorchy was sunk in the 1860s by [[David Davies (industrialist)|David Davies]] of [[Llandinam]] who would later own the [[Ocean Coal Company]].<ref>''The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales''. [[John Davies (historian)|John Davies]], [[Nigel Jenkins]], Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) pg750 {{ISBN|978-0-7083-1953-6}}</ref> The initial development of the town was linear, based on the main road through the valley, but by 1875 a grid pattern of streets was emerging.<ref name="HistL - Treorchy" />

==Language==
The pre-industrial Rhondda community was Welsh-speaking, and the [[Welsh language]] continued to be widely spoken in the valley and in the upper villages of the Rhondda until the mid-twentieth century. The original migrants to the Rhondda were from rural Wales but later a higher proportion came from England. In 1901 64.4% of the population of the Rhondda Urban District were recorded as Welsh-speaking but this proportion fell to 56.6% by 1911.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jones |title=Statistical Evidence |pages=44}}</ref>

Ysgol Gymraeg Ynyswen, a Welsh-medium primary school, is situated in the nearby village of [[Ynyswen]]. Established in 1950, it was the first Welsh-medium school in the Rhondda. It serves Treorchy and the surrounding villages, including [[Treherbert]], [[Cwmparc]], [[Penyrenglyn]] and [[Blaencwm]].

==Governance==
The Treorchy [[electoral ward]] is coterminous with the borders of the Treorchy [[Community (Wales)|community]] and elects three county councillors to [[Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council]]. Since 1995 representation has been by either the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] or [[Plaid Cymru]]. Since 2008 the ward has had three Plaid Cymru representatives.<ref name=electionresults>[http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Rhondda-Cyon-Taff-1995-2012.pdf Rhondda Cyon Taff County Borough Council Election Results 1995-2012], The Election Centre. Retrieved 27 October 2018.</ref><ref>[https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Council/Votingandelections/Electionresults/CountyBoroughCouncilElections2017.aspx County Borough Council Elections 2017], Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 27 October 2018.</ref>

A 2018 review of electoral arrangements by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales would see Treorchy's representation reduced from three to two councillors. The proposals would take effect from the 2022 council elections.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lewis |first=Anthony |title=The number of electoral council wards in Rhondda Cynon Taf could be cut for 2022 election |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/number-electoral-council-wards-rhondda-15086710 |work=Wales Online |date=30 August 2018 |access-date=27 October 2018}}</ref>

==Economy==
After being a town whose employment relied almost entirely on coal mining in the Abergorki, Tylecoch, Parc and Dare [[collieries]],<ref name=":0">{{cite web |title=The Rhondda Main |url=http://www.ggat.org.uk/cadw/historic_landscape/Rhondda/English/Rhondda_011.htm |url-status=live |website=www.ggat.org.uk |access-date=2020-01-24 |date=2 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160916221113/http://www.ggat.org.uk/cadw/historic_landscape/Rhondda/English/Rhondda_011.htm |archive-date=16 September 2016}}</ref> by the end of the 1970s all of these collieries had closed.<ref name=":0" /> Treorchy became a [[commuter]] village, with the working population seeking employment in the larger towns and cities nearby, such as [[Cardiff]] and [[Bridgend]].<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Resident/PlanningandBuildingControl/LocalDevelopmentPlans/LDPEvidenceBaseLibraryandAnnualMonitoringRe/RelateddocumentsEvidenceBase/EB114.pdf|title=Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council - Local Development Plan (2006-2021) - Record Of Development Of Preferred Strategy|last=Cook|first=Jane|date=1 November 2007|website=Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124163911/https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Resident/PlanningandBuildingControl/LocalDevelopmentPlans/LDPEvidenceBaseLibraryandAnnualMonitoringRe/RelateddocumentsEvidenceBase/EB114.pdf|archive-date=24 January 2020|access-date=24 January 2020}}</ref> Employment in Treorchy is now mostly in [[retail]].<ref name=":1" />

In 2020, Treorchy was named by the [[Great British High Street Awards]] as the UK High Street of the Year, succeeding 2019 winner and fellow Welsh town [[Crickhowell]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jan/24/it-came-out-of-adversity-how-treorchy-became-uk-best-high-street|title='It came out of adversity': how Treorchy became UK's best high street|last=Morris|first=Steven|date=2020-01-24|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-01-24|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> It was praised for the number of independent shops in the town, and for organising a number of events, from Christmas parades to arts festivals, as well as a gay pride gathering which was a first for the area.<ref name=":2" /> [[The Guardian]] reported that the town has grown its chamber of trade from 30 members to 120, and nearly 30 businesses have opened in recent years, producing an occupancy rate of 96%.<ref name=":2" /> The town has a number of cafes, pubs, and shops on its high street.<ref name=":2" />

==Religion==
In its early days as an industrial settlement, Treorchy was considered a nonconformist stronghold, with many chapels, the largest of which was [[Noddfa, Treorchy|Noddfa]], a Welsh Baptist chapel which could seat upwards of a thousand people and which had a proud choral tradition.

==Education==
Treorchy has two main schools: Treorchy [[Primary school|Primary School]] and [[Treorchy Comprehensive]]. The primary school is not on the original site of Treorchy Boys and Treorchy Girls schools, but is built 100m further along Glyncoli Road. It is built to the original plans used on many of the older schools in the upper Rhondda.

Treorchy [[Comprehensive school]] was built on the old site of the Tylecoch colliery. Its western athletics track was named the "Red Ash", being the remnants of the mine shaft. This was removed in 2006 to build an [[astroturf]] sportsfield. The school is officially 500m from the main gate to the rear gate, and runs from Chepstow Road, [[Cwmparc]], to the Tylecoch Bridge, Treorchy.

== Transport ==
[[File:Bwlch-y-Clawdd Road and Treorchy - geograph.org.uk - 1078775.jpg|thumb|Bwlch-y-Clawdd Road and Treorchy]]
The [[A4061 road|A4061]] over the [[Bwlch y Clawdd]] Pass leads to Bridgend, via the [[Ogmore Vale]], and to [[Maesteg]] and [[Port Talbot]]. Within the Rhondda Fawr Valley, the A4061 runs northwards to the top of the valley at [[Treherbert]] and ultimately, [[Hirwaun]]. The route on the [[A4058 road|A4058]] southwards follows the valley's course to [[Llwynypia]], [[Tonypandy]], [[Porth]] and [[Pontypridd]] to join the [[A470 road|A470]] for Cardiff.

[[Treorchy railway station]] is located on the [[Rhondda Line]], with regular services to [[Treherbert railway station|Treherbert]] and [[Cardiff Central railway station|Cardiff Central]] run by [[Transport for Wales Rail|Transport for Wales]].

Treorchy is served by buses operated by [[Stagecoach Group|Stagecoach]] running to [[Blaenrhondda]], [[Blaencwm]], [[Treherbert]], [[Tonypandy]], Porth, [[Pontypridd]] and [[Caerphilly]]. On summer Sundays, [[Veolia Transport|Veolia]] provides a service to [[Bridgend]] (via the Ogmore Valley) and [[Brecon]].

==Culture==
[[File:Parc and Dare Hall.jpg|thumb|The Parc and Dare Hall]]
Attractions in the town include the [[Parc and Dare Hall]], home of the [[Treorchy Male Choir]] and the Parc and Dare band.<ref>[http://www.brassbands.co.uk/history.htm The Parc & Dare Band] at brassbands.co.uk</ref> The hall also provides entertainment as a venue for [[Movie theater|cinema]], [[theatre]] and [[pantomime]], and for school [[eisteddfodau]] and other performances.

Treorchy hosted the [[National Eisteddfod]] in 1928, the only time the event has been held in the Rhondda.

==Sport==
[[Treorchy RFC]] is the [[rugby union]] club, nicknamed the Zebras.

Treorchy also has 6 tennis courts, situated in Ystradfechan Park, and is the home of the Rhondda Lawn Tennis Club.

Upper Rhondda Cricket Club play on Ystradfechan Fields in Treorchy. The club was founded in 2002 when Blaenrhondda CC and Treorchy CC merged, they also have a women's side which was the first women's cricket team in the Rhondda when they started in 2019.

==Notable people==
:''See [[:Category:People from Treorchy]]''
*[[Euros Bowen]] (1904–1988) – Welsh poet and bard
*[[Billy Cleaver]] (1921–2003) – Wales international rugby union player
*[[Donald Davies]] (1924–2000) – Computer scientist
*[[John Davies (historian)|John Davies]] (1938–2015) – Welsh historian
*[[Bram Gay]] (1930-2019) - Musician and musical director
*[[Peter George (author)|Peter George]] (1924–1966) – Author and Oscar nominated screenwriter
*[[Noel Kinsey]] (1925) – Welsh international footballer
*[[Wayne Jones (footballer)|Wayne Jones]] (1948) – Welsh international footballer
*[[Clive Thomas (football)|Clive Thomas]] (1936) – World Cup football referee
*[[Frank Vickery]] (1951-2018) – Playwright
*[[Geraint Williams]] (1962) – Welsh international footballer
*[[Tomos Williams]] (1995) - Wales international rugby union player

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last=Jones|first=Dot|title=Statistical Evidence relating to the Welsh Language 1801–1911|year=1998|publisher=University of Wales Press|location=Cardiff|isbn=0708314600}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|Treorchy}}

{{Rhondda Cynon Taf}}
{{Rhondda Valley}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Treorchy| ]]
[[Category:Rhondda Valley]]
[[Category:Communities in Rhondda Cynon Taf]]
[[Category:Towns in Rhondda Cynon Taf]]
[[Category:Wards of Rhondda Cynon Taf]]