Top Attractions in Caerphilly County Borough

Caerphilly

Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, South Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley. At the time of the 2001 Census the town had a population of 30,388. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively. It is separated from the Cardiff suburbs of Lisvane and Rhiwbina by Caerphilly mountain. It is traditionally within the county of Glamorgan, on the border with Monmouthshire and it is the largest town in the county borough of Caerphilly, which since 2003 has formed part of the lieutenancy area of Gwent. The town gives its name to Caerphilly cheese, which originated in the area.

Caerphilly Castle

Caerphilly Castle is a medieval fortification in Caerphilly in South Wales. The castle was constructed by Gilbert de Clare in the 13th century as part of his campaign to conquer Glamorgan, and saw extensive fighting between Gilbert and his descendants and the native Welsh rulers. Surrounded by extensive artificial lakes – considered by historian Allen Brown to be "the most elaborate water defences in all Britain" – it occupies around 30 acres and is the second largest castle in Britain. It is famous for having introduced concentric castle defences to Britain and for its large gatehouses. Gilbert began work on the castle in 1268 following his occupation of the north of Glamorgan, with the majority of the construction occurring over the next three years at a considerable cost. The project was opposed by Gilberts Welsh rival Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, leading to the site being burnt in 1270 and taken over by royal officials in 1271. Despite these interruptions, Gilbert successfully completed the castle and took control of the region. The core of Caerphilly Castle, including the castles luxurious accommodation, was built on what became a central island, surrounding by several artificial lakes, a design Gilbert probably derived from that at Kenilworth. The dams for these lakes were further fortified, and an island to the west provided additional protection. The concentric rings of walls inspired Edward Is castles in North Wales, and proved what historian Norman Pounds has termed "a turning point in the history of the castle in Britain". The castle was attacked during the Madog ap Llywelyn revolt of 1294, the Llywelyn Bren uprising in 1316 and during the overthrow of Edward II in 1326–27. In the late 15th century, however, it fell into decline and by the 16th century the lakes had drained away and the walls were robbed of their stone. The Marquesses of Bute acquired the property in 1776 and under the third and fourth Marquesses extensive restoration took place. In 1950 the castle and grounds were given to the state and the water defences were re-flooded. In the 21st century, the Welsh heritage agency Cadw manages the site as a tourist attraction.

Ystrad Mynach

Ystrad Mynach is a town in the County Borough of Caerphilly, within the ancient county of Glamorgan, Wales, and is 5 miles north of Caerphilly town. It has a population of around 13,500 and stands in the Rhymney Valley [1]. Before the Industrial Revolution and the coming of coal mining in the South Wales Coalfield the valley was rural and farmed [2]. It lies in the community of Gelligaer.

Twmbarlwm

Twmbarlwm also known as Twm Barlwm, Twyn Barlwm, or locally known as "The twmp" or the Pimple because of the mound that lies at its summit, is a hill situated 2 km to the northeast of Risca in South Wales. It is often mistakenly referred to as a mountain but is actually a hill due to being under 600m. It is 419 m high and is a well known landmark throughout the region. It commands extensive views across what is now the M4 corridor, over Newport and Cwmbran and out over the Bristol Channel .

Hengoed Viaduct

Hengoed Viaduct is a Grade II* listed railway viaduct, located above the village of Maesycwmmer, in Caerphilly county borough, South Wales. Originally built to carry the Taff Vale Extension of the Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway across the Rhymney River, it is now part of National Cycle Route 47

St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church

St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church is the first Coptic Orthodox Church in Wales, at St Mary Street in Risca, Newport, Wales. It was consecrated in 1992 by H. H. Pope Shenouda III in the town of Risca, South Wales, under the official name of St Mary’s and St Abu Saifain’s Coptic Orthodox Church as a parish of the Coptic Orthodox Church. NB: St Abu Saifain meaning "the Double-sworded" in Arabic is another name of Saint Mercurius.

English Baptist Church

The English Baptist Church is a Grade II-listed Baptist church in the town of Abercarn, Caerphilly, Wales. It was built in the mid-nineteenth century to give the Baptists a church of their own. The building was extensively remodelled later in the century.

Caerphilly mountain

Caerphilly mountain lies between Cardiff and Caerphilly at the southern edge of the South Wales Coalfield. It is 271 metres in height. Since 1957 there has been a small wooden Snack Bar located near to the summit. In September 2011 this is being replaced by an eco-friendly permanent building, with under floor heating, solar panels and rainwater-flushed toilets, at a cost of £300,000. The mountain includes Caerphilly Common . The climb features regularly on the Tour of Britain cycle race, with double climbs in the 2012 and 2013 races.

Wenvoe Quarry

Wenvoe Quarry is a quarry between Wenvoe and Culverhouse Cross in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. It is situated in an area off the A4050 road known as "The Alps", not far from Caerau and Culverhouse Cross on the outskirts of Cardiff. Operations at the quarry took off in the 1880s to supply the building of Barry Docks, and as of 1889 the quarry employed some 200 men. The quarry is operated today by CEMEX UK Materials Ltd.

Blackwood Miners Welfare Institute

The Blackwood Miners Welfare Institute is a Grade II* listed building located at the north end of Blackwood High Street in Blackwood, Caerphilly, Wales. Built in 1925 it was originally used as a single floor snooker hall but was expanded eleven years later. It was sold to Islwyn Borough Council in 1989 after falling into disrepair and reopened the building as an entertainment venue.

Gelligroes Mill

Gelligroes Mill is a water powered corn mill in Pontllanfraith, Caerphilly county borough, south Wales. It features an overshot wheel with a cast iron frame and wooden buckets. It was built around 1625, and much altered in its working life eventually falling into disuse in the late 1980s. It was soon restored and 1992. The mill was designated as a Grade II* listed building in 1962. It is believed to have been the last mill operating commercially in Monmouthshire. As mining developed and farming declined the business adapted to changing needs. In 1874 the owners became suppliers of seed and animal feed to smallholders, and in the 1900s generators were installed to charge batteries for customers. When fully operational the mill contained 2 pairs of rotating stones to grind barley and wheat.

Nelson

Nelson is a village and community in the county borough of Caerphilly, Wales. It sits five miles north of Caerphilly and ten miles north of Cardiff, at the lower end of the Taff Bargoed Valley, and lies adjacent to Treharris, Trelewis and Quakers Yard.

Thornhill

Thornhill (Welsh Draenen Pen-y-graig draen thorn + -en one + pen top + 'y' the + craig rock [mutated to 'graig']) is a northern suburb in the city of Cardiff, capital of Wales, south of Caerphilly. It is a relatively modern area with housing stock dating mainly from the late 1980s and beyond. The area has a centralised precinct providing services, comprising a community centre (Thornhill Church Centre), a Sainsbury's supermarket, with an integral Post Office and Pharmacy; and a Medical Centre. There are four public houses located in Thornhill: the Old Cottage, Pendragon, Pentre Gwilym House and the Ffynnon Wen. A fifth pub, The Traveller's Rest is de facto in Thornhill due to its geographic location; although it is de jure in Caerphilly based on its postcode and council locale. Despite being placed directly off the M4 corridor, Thornhill has no motorway junction; although it is generally theorised amongst residents that the long-awaited 'Junction 31' will serve Thornhill. Thornhill Cemetery is a major cemetery located in this area of Cardiff. Thornhill crematorium was built on this site during the 1950s as a dedicated crematorium. This differs from the crematorium that was set up in nearby Glyntaff; this in contrast was a chapel that was originally used for traditional burials and modified to serve as a crematorium. Most of Thornhill's residential development took place during the 1990s, Cardiff County Council originally planned Thornhill as "The Villages of Thornhill"; with clusters of houses interspersed by large "green" areas. These green areas were short lived as rapid housing development resulted in homes being built in areas adjoining the "Villages". Thornhill also houses a few tucked away historical sites including the remains of a castle situated close to the Caerphilly/Thornhill border known as Castell Morgraig. Thornhill falls into the Llanishen Ward on Cardiff County Council.

Gelligaer

Gelligaer is a town and community in the County Borough of Caerphilly, Wales, in the Rhymney River valley. The community also includes the villages of Cefn Hengoed and Hengoed to the south. The population of the Town as shown at the 2011 census was 18,408.

Workingman's Institute and Memorial Hall

The Workingman's Institute and Memorial Hall is an historical Miners' institute, Working men's club and multi-purpose community centre in Newbridge in South Wales which includes a memorial to those from the town who died in the World War I and World War II. It also houses a library, reading rooms, an art deco cinema, a Sprung floor dance floor and a theatre. The Hall was built in 1908 and in 1924 the Memorial Hall was added. The whole project was paid for from small contributions from the local miners.

Cefn y Brithdir

Cefn y Brithdir is the name given to the broad ridge of high ground between the Rhymney Valley and Cwm Darran in the Valleys region of South Wales. It lies within the unitary area of Caerphilly. The northwest-southeast aligned ridge whose top surface is plateau-like, achieves a height of 477m at the summit of Pen Garnbugail . There are significant subsidiary tops of 446m to the southeast at OS grid ref SO 114049 and, to the north, of just over 460m at Mynydd Fochriw . To the south it drops away to the confluence of the Nant Bargod Rhymni with the Rhymney River. To the northwest it falls to a broad saddle at around 360m between Pontlottyn and Fochriw. Much of its western flanks are afforested with conifer plantations. There are numerous cairns, house platforms and other archaeological features scattered across the area. A Roman road is recorded as crossing the eastern slopes of Pen Garnbugail.

Mynydd Eglwysilan

Mynydd Eglwysilan is a 355-metre-high hill in the Caerphilly county borough in South Wales 3 km to the south of Nelson and a similar distance southwest of Ystrad Mynach. To its south is Senghenydd at the head of the Aber Valley. Like neighbouring Cefn Eglwysilan, the hill is named after the hamlet of Eglwysilan 4 km to the southwest, the church here being dedicated to an obscure Saint Ilan. Remains of a linear earthwork known as Senghenydd Dyke stretch across the southern side of the hill. It is considered to mark the edge of an extensive 13th-century deer park associated with nearby Caerphilly Castle.

Mynydd Meio

Mynydd Meio is a 322-metre-high hill in the county borough of Caerphilly in South Wales. Parts of its western slopes fall within Rhondda Cynon Taf county borough. Its eastern slopes drop away to Cwm yr Aber between Caerphilly and Abertridwr and its western slopes to the valley of the Taf. The high point is just over 200 m north of the trig point which sits at 321 m above sea level. The hill is crossed by the Senghenydd Dyke, an ancient earthwork considered to date from the 13th century and associated with nearby Caerphilly Castle.

Mynydd y Grug

Mynydd y Grug is a hill lying just west of the village of Cwmfelinfach and about 4 km to the northeast of Caerphilly in Caerphilly county borough in South Wales. Its summit was formerly at a height of around 358 m, but since the top has been covered by a large spoil heap and landscaped its height has now increased to 375 m, though some authorities take other values for the summit height. A number of ancient cairns are found along its edge overlooking the Sirhowy Valley, the slopes up from which are largely wooded.

Mynydd y Lan

Mynydd y Lan is a 381-metre-high flat-topped hill in Caerphilly county borough in South Wales. It falls largely within the community of Ynysddu but its northern and eastern margins are within Crosskeys community.Its largely wooded southern and eastern flanks rise steeply from the Sirhowy and Ebbw valleys respectively. A wireless transmission station is located towards the northern end of the summit plateau.

Oakdale Hospital

Oakdale Community Hospital, located in Oakdale, Caerphilly, Wales, provided 20 beds including 2 Macmillan beds for palliative care prior to its closure in 2011. There was also a service for respite and continuing care patients. The hospital was opened in 1915, and was a part of the planned Oakdale village which had started around 1911. Oakdale Hospital was closed when the new Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr was opened at Ystrad Mynach in November 2011. Oakdale hospital is now a house.

Caerphilly District Miners Hospital

Caerphilly District Miners’ Hospital was a Hospital in Caerphilly It was built in 1923 to provide healthcare to the 10,000 miners who worked in the 29 pits of the Rhymney Valley and their families. It was acquired by the miners from Mr Fred Piggott, a coal mining engineer, and was at that stage a red brick mansion known as The Beeches. The weekly subscription was 6d (2½ pence). The hospital received its first patient on 2 July 1923. The wards of the hospital were named after the local pits whose miners contributed to the funds that financed the building of the hospital - Nantgarw, Penallta, Bedwas, Llanbradach, Nelson, and Senghenydd. The hospital was originally used to care for miner's families in the 1930s until 1942, where it began to serve the whole community. In October 1945 new nurses homes were built. The mines have all now closed, so the hospital latterly ran as part of the NHS, from 1948, serving the people of Caerphilly Borough. Another mansion nearby along St Martin's Road, Redbrook House, provided accommodation and teaching to the hospital's nurses, but this was demolished controversially in the early 1970s to make way for a housing development. Following the opening of a new facility Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr at Ystrad Mynach, from 2009. the hospital closed in November 2011. The site is being redeveloped for housing. The development of 82 houses is expected to incorporate a community centre based in the old main hospital building, the Beeches.

Aber railway station

Aber railway station is a railway station serving the town of Caerphilly, south Wales. It is a stop on the Rhymney Line 8¼ miles (13 km) north of Cardiff Central on the Valley Lines network. The station is located in the Bondfield Park and Trecenydd areas of Caerphilly.

Bargoed railway station

Bargoed railway station serves the town of Bargoed in the county borough of Caerphilly, South Wales. It is a stop on the Rhymney branch of the Valley Lines network. The station, which is the northernmost on the double-track section of the branch, has recently seen the reinstatement of a second platform (although it did at one time have three).

Brithdir railway station

Brithdir railway station is a railway station serving the village of Brithdir near New Tredegar, South Wales. It is a stop on the Rhymney Line 18¾ miles (30 km) north of Cardiff Central which is part of the Arriva Trains Wales network. Work to extend the platform for six-car trains is in progress.

Caerphilly railway station

Caerphilly railway station (Welsh: Gorsaf reilffordd Caerffili) is a railway station serving the town of Caerphilly, south Wales. It is a stop on the Rhymney Line of the Valley Lines network. The station is located at Station Road in the South of the town. Facilities include a small shop and a Ticket Kiosk. A self-service Ticket machine was installed near the entrance to the station on 22 December 2008. Several advertising murals depicting holiday travel in various parts of South Wales have been placed on the northbound side of the station in order to improve the 'look' of the station.

Crosskeys railway station

Crosskeys railway station is a station on the Ebbw Valley Railway in Wales. The station is situated near the former station site closed in 1962, behind houses on Risca Road and Carlton Terrace. The access to the station is via a one-way system off High Street exiting via Carlton Terrace. Crosskeys is a two-platform station and there is no car park. The station provides good access to the town and the local college as well as being near local bus links. The station marks the end of the double-track passing loop between Risca and Crosskeys, upon leaving Crosskeys trains enter the single track which extends to the rail head in Ebbw Vale Town. The station opened on 7 June 2008, four months after services between Cardiff Central and Ebbw Vale Parkway railway station commenced. Plans include an hourly service to Newport.

Energlyn & Churchill Park railway station

Energlyn & Churchill Park railway station (Welsh: Eneu'r-glyn a Pharc Churchill) is a railway station in Caerphilly, Wales, on the Rhymney Line. The northbound platform is in the Energlyn suburb of Caerphilly, whilst the southbound one is in Churchill Park. The station is between Llanbradach and Aber. The first services from the station ran on 8 December 2013. The station was formally opened on 16 December 2013 by Edwina Hart, the Welsh Government Transport Minister.

Gilfach Fargoed railway station

Gilfach Fargoed railway station is a railway station serving the village of Gilfach, in Caerphilly county borough, south Wales. It is a stop on the Rhymney Line of the Valley Lines network. The platforms are short (16 m) and can barely accommodate a British Rail Class 153 train. Passengers can only alight from the front doors of any train calling here, so the conductor on longer trains must give passengers advance notice so that they have time to move towards the front set of doors.

Hengoed railway station

Hengoed railway station is the name of an operational National Rail station situated in Hengoed, Wales, on the Rhymney Line of the Valley Lines network. The current station was initially named Hengoed & Maesycwmmer when opened by the Rhymney Railway in 1858. Then on railway grouping into the Great Western Railway in 1923 it became known as Hengoed Low Level to avoid confusion.

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Top Attractions in Caerphilly County Borough

Caerphilly

Caerphilly Castle

Ystrad Mynach

Twmbarlwm

Hengoed Viaduct

St Mary and St Mercurius Coptic Orthodox Church

English Baptist Church

Caerphilly mountain

Wenvoe Quarry

Blackwood Miners Welfare Institute

Gelligroes Mill

Nelson

Thornhill

Gelligaer

Workingman's Institute and Memorial Hall

Cefn y Brithdir

Mynydd Eglwysilan

Mynydd Meio

Mynydd y Grug

Mynydd y Lan

Oakdale Hospital

Caerphilly District Miners Hospital

Aber railway station

Bargoed railway station

Brithdir railway station

Caerphilly railway station

Crosskeys railway station

Energlyn & Churchill Park railway station

Gilfach Fargoed railway station

Hengoed railway station

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