Tylorstown

infobox UK place
country = Wales
welsh_name= Pendyrus
constituency_welsh_assembly= Rhondda
map_type=
official_name= Tylorstown
latitude= 51.6494
longitude= -3.4395
population= 4715 (2001)) [ [http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=3&b=5939122&c=tylorstown&d=14&e=16&g=419666&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1212273434480&enc=1, 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics: National Statistics. UK government. Retrieved 31 May 2008] ]
unitary_wales= Rhondda Cynon Taff
lieutenancy_wales= Mid Glamorgan
constituency_westminster= Rhondda
post_town= TREORCHY
postcode_district = CF43
postcode_area= CF
dial_code= 01443 77
os_grid_reference= SS955965
OldMapsYear= 1884
OldMapsEasting= 300500
OldMapsNorthing= 195500
OldMapsCounty= 10glamo481

Tylorstown ( _cy. Pendyrus) is a village located in the Rhondda valley, in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales. It was founded by Alfred Tylor who set up an early coal mining operation in the location in the mid 1800s.

The last working mine in the village closed in the 1960's setting off a long period of economic decline which worsened following the 1984-1985 national miner's strike which resulted in pits in nearby locations such as Maerdy closing. The local passenger train line closed in the 1960's following the Beeching review which also limited the prospects of easy commuting to Cardiff.

It is neighboured by the villages of Blaenllechau, Ferndale and Stanleytown.

ocial and economic standing

The Tylorstown electoral ward is classed as one of the most deprived areas in Western Europe based on various indices such as public health, local income etc. There are also numerous social problems caused by drug use, the village recently featured in the national news when in April 2007 a cannabis plant factory was found based at the "Jubilee" a closed local hotel; [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/6523577.stm BBC news] ] the value of plants destroyed being estimated at £2,400,000.

Currently much hope of economic regeneration is based upon a new road (December 2007) to "open up" the valley for outward transport and inward investment the road terminating at the entrance to Tylorstown. Due to the topography of the Rhondda Fach which is a narrow valley with steep sides and limited flat land on the valley floor the construction of the road has been a major civil-engineering project many years in the planning and two and a half years in the execution.

There are signs that due to the affordable nature of the housing that some inward migration is taking place to the village.

port

Tylorstown has a rugby union team called Tylorstown Tigers. The club has supplied a British and Irish Lions rugby union player John Bevan who toured New Zealand in 1971 with the only Lions side to win a series in that country. The club also has a very successful women's side the Tigresses who won the Welsh national women's cup in season 2005 to 2006 and were runners up in the national league. The women's side has provided many internationals to the Wales women's team. The club has also supplied an international and first class rugby coach in Lyn Howells.

The village has also supplied a world boxing champion Jimmy Wilde the "ghost with a hammer in his hand".

People from Tylorstown

*Mansel Thomas - Composer
*Jimmy Wilde - World boxing champion [ [http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/wilde-j.htm Cyber Boxing Zone] ] Grew up in Tylorstown.

References

External links

* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2793282 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Tylorstown and surrounding area]
* [http://www.welshcoalmines.co.uk Welsh Coal Mines website - all the pits, all the history]