Llwynypia

**Llwynypia** (spelt **Llwyn-y-pia** an aw), is a veelage an commonty in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, near Tonypandy in the Rhondda Fawr. Afore 1850 a lightly populated landwart fermin aurie, Llwynypia experiencit a population boom atween 1860 an 1920 wi the sinkin o several coal mines efter the discovery o lairge coal deposits throuoot Rhondda.

The Welsh name means "the grove o the Magpie" or "Magpie's Bush" an wis taken frae the name o a ferm that ance existit in the area.

## Early history
Situatit on the River Rhondda Fawr whaur the river chynges direction frae sooth-east tae sootherly, Llwynypia haulds evidence o human habitation frae the Bronze Age throu tae modren times. On Mynydd y Gelli, a hill owerleukin the aurie tae the wast, lees the Airn Age dounset o Hen Dre'r Gelli, a steid which haes several Bronze Age cairns an aw.

In 1850 the first mine wis sunk in the upper Rhondda in Treherbert but it wis no till 1859 that Isaac Smith, manager o the Church Colliery, first attemptit tae prospect the aurie for coal when he opened a smaw level beneath Llwynypia Farm. Efter encoonterin numerous problems, Smith abandoned the level but in 1862 anither entrepreneur, the Scots minin ingineer Archibald Hood, leased laund at Llwynypia an sank the Llwynypia No. 1 pit in 1863. Awtho facin mony difficulties at the No. 1 pit, Hood continued in his endeavours an bi 1873 haed sunk 4 mair pits, nou unner the name o the Glamorgan Coal Company. Hood wis a popular figur in the aurie an his mines became kent as the 'Scotch mines', efter Hood hissel an the nummer o Scots miners who follaeed him tae live an wirk in Llwynypia. After Hood's daith in 1902, he receivit mony tributes frae his wirkforce, an in 1906 a staute o him wis unveiled bi Rhondda MP William Abraham ootside the Llwynypia Miners' institute. Hintle o the cost o the statue wis met bi donations frae the miners o his pits.

In 1908 the Glamorgan Colliery became pairt o the Cambrian Combine Company an, in 1910-1911, wis a scene o violent clashes durin the Tonypandy Riots.

The vera heich quality o Rhondda coal wis recognisit bi the Admiralty which specifee'd it as the fuel o choice for the steam ships o the Ryal Navy frae the late 19t century. The Llwynypia pits wur extractin excellent cokin coals an, bi the time o Warld War I, the veelage hoosed aroond 140 coke ovens. Bi-products o the coke distillation process wis uised tae licht the mines an the narrae streets o miners' cottages kent as "terraces".  Some o the terraces hae been widened but ithers remain so narrae that a single caur can barely pass throu.

On 25 Januar 1932, a gas explosion occurred at the colliery. Eleven wirkers wur killed in the incident, twa o whom wur members o the rescue pairty. Aw perished efter inhalin efterdamp follaein the explosion.

By 1936, o the oreeginal sax pits opened at the Glamorgan, twa remained in operation, employing anerly 560 workers, as against 2904 employed in 1923. The colliery wis eventually closed in August 1945.

## Notable biggins
Built in the early 1900s on the steid o the Glyncornel ferm, awned bi the DeWinton faimily, Hen Glyncornel is ane o the maist imposin hooses in the veelage. Built bi Archibald Hood for his son William, this biggin wis then surpassed bi nearbi Glyncornel House which wis built bi the Cambrian Coal Combine for senior management, but wis turned intae a maternity hospital in 1939 bi Rhondda Borough Council.

Llwynypia is hame tae the lairgest hospital in the Rhondda an aw. Llwynypia hospital wis built in the early 1900s, oreeginally as a wirkhoose, later becomin a general hospital. As the anerly veelage wi maternity facilities in the Rhondda, maist residents frae the aurie ower the last century hae Llwynypia as their place o birth on their birth certificates. Llwynypia's accident an emergency unit wis closed in the 1990s an the closest A&E unit is nou at Llantrisant's Royal Glamorgan Hospital.

## Transport
The Llwynypia railwey station is servit an operatit bi Arriva Trains Wales on the Rhondda Line frae Cairdiff.

## Sport an leisur
Llwynypia wis ance hame tae Llwynypia Rugby Football Club. The club played in the Glamorgan leagues an wis affiliatit tae the Welsh Rugby Union providin mony trialists an Welsh internaitional rugby union players. The club disbandit in the 1930s durin the depression like mony Rhondda clubs, but unlike teams such as Treherbert, did no recover.

Welsh internaitional fitbawer Robert Page wis born in the veelage.

Llwynypia held the qualification roonds o the Field Archery World Championship in 2008.

## Freemit airtins
*Llwynypia Commonty Wabsteid 
*www.geograph.co.uk : photos o Llwynypia an surroondin aurie
*Rhondda Cynon Taf Library Services  Heritage Trail Llwynypia

## References