Llantrisant

Llantrisant is a small town in Glamorgan, South Wales. Llantrisant is a hilltop settlement, at an altitude of 174 m (565 ft) above sea level. The town is home to the Royal Mint.

Understand

Llantrisant (the "Parish of the Three Saints") is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, lying on the River Ely and the Afon Clun. The three saints of the town's name are Illtyd, Gwynno, and Dyfodwg.

History

There is evidence for settlements in and around Llantrisant stretching back over three millennia. Two Bronze Age burial mounds are on Mynydd Garthmaelwg, the opposite side of the Ely Valley. A 1.05 metres (3 ft) tall, by 1.68 metres (6 ft) wide, possibly Bronze Age, standing stone, was discovered in Miskin during excavations prior to the M4 motorway construction. An Iron Age hillfort stands on Rhiwsaeson Hill. The enclosure, now known as Caerau Hillfort, measures 230 metres (755 ft) by 180 metres (591 ft).

A settlement has existed on this site from at least the beginning of the 6th century, when the poet Aneurin wrote of 'the white houses of Glamorgan' when referring to Llantrisant. It was seized around 1246 by Richard de Clare who built Llantrisant Castle. It is thought that de Clare established the borough of Llantrisant though the exact charter occurred in 1346.

In 1346, Llantrisant was granted a Royal Charter months before the archers from the town helped Edward, the Black Prince, win a victory against the French army at the Battle of Crécy. The Llantrisant longbow men were pivotal in the adoption of the English longbow as the missile weapon of choice for the English crown during the Middle Ages.

Llantrisant was one of the eight boroughs constituting the Glamorgan county following the Act of Union, a status it held until 1918.

Culture

An ancient tradition called the Beating the Bounds, where local children are bounced by elders on to the boundary stones of the old borough, still occurs every seven years and has its roots set as far back as the 14th century. The rite was intended as a reminder to each generation of the importance of the borough boundaries. The children in question are held under the arms and the legs, and their backside is bounced on each of the stones of the old borough. It is believed that the Beating of the Bounds started in 1346, when Llantrisant was awarded its Royal Charter. This allowed them the freedom to trade without paying tolls within the boundaries of the former borough. The last occasion of this event was in June 2017, but the event is now seen as a purely historic tradition and social community event.

Get in

On the intersection of the A473 (Bridgend - Pontypridd) and the A4119 (6 miles north of the M4 junction 34)

• 1 Pontyclun railway station (3 miles from the village). On the South Wales Main Line and the Maesteg Line, providing connection from Cardiff Central. (updated Jun 2017)

See

The focal point of the town is the Bull Ring, a commercial square in the centre of the town that was used for bull-baiting, until it was disallowed in 1827 due to unruly crowds. The square contains a statue of Dr William Price a pioneer of cremation.

• 1 Llantrisant Castle. The ruins of Llantrisant Castle stand in parkland in the centre of the town. Only one wall of the raven tower remains. It was built as a wooden fortification, then rebuilt as a stone structure around 1246 by Richard de Clare, Lord of Glamorgan. In 1294 the castle was damaged during the uprising against the Norman overlords, led by Madog ap Llywelyn, and again in 1316 by Llywelyn Bren. It is believed that the castle was destroyed in 1404 by Owain Glyndŵr. (updated Jun 2017)
• 2 Llantrisant Church. The three saints to which the church is dedicated are St. Illtyd, St. Gwynno and St. Dyfodwg. The site is believed to have been a place of Christian worship since at least the 7th century, and in 1096 the parish church was built and dedicated. The church was rebuilt by Richard de Clare in 1246 in the Norman style, and in the 15th century the tower was added. Its interior houses an effigy of a 13th-century warrior, believed to be Cadwgan, lord of Miskin, a valuable Welsh church monument. The interior was restored in 1874 by Welsh neo-gothic designer John Prichard. The former parish office built 1873 on George Street is now a private home. (updated Jun 2017)
• 3 The Royal Mint Experience, Heol-Y-Sarn, ☏ +44 333 241 2223. Interactive exhibition on the history of coins, factory tour and the inevitable gift shop and coffee shop. The Royal Mint, which produces all British coins, moved from London to Llantrisant in 1967 in order to meet demand when the UK converted to decimal currency. (updated Jun 2017)
• Llantrisant Common and Pastures, a 113-hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest, which is home to several rare plants.

The second religious building in Llantrisant is Tabor Baptist Chapel, built in 1828. It is in on an elevated site next to Llantrisant Castle, accessed by steps from the High Street.

• Y Billy Wynt: At the highest point of Y Graig is a stone tower known locally as “Billy Wynt”. It is said to have been used as an auxiliary tower. By the early 19th century the tower was in ruins, and in 1890, it was restored as a folly by the Llantrisant town trust.
• Y Pwysty, the weighing house, was located on this site since medieval times. Once known as the Angel Inn, it was at Y Pwysty that the weight of goods were regulated at the markets and fairs held in the town.
• At nearby Tarren Deusant is a spring with unusual petrosomatoglyph carvings of two faces, two saints (1696), but now six are present (Sharp 1979).

Do

• Golf: Vale Resort is a hotel with a championship golf course south of Pontyclun and M4. White tees 5897 yards, par 71.

Buy

• 1 Talbot Green Shopping Park. (updated Jun 2017)
• 2 The Model House, 20 Swan St, ☏ +44 1443 238884. The Union Workhouse was built in 1884 on the Bull Ring – west of where Dr Price's statue stands today and behind the town pump. It became known as the Model House, in the belief that its inmates would lead a life of model Christianity. In 1989 the Model House re-opened as a craft and design centre. The ground floor contains galleries that include glass, ceramics and designer jewellery from established British and Welsh artists. The upper floors have workshops that are used by craftspeople, whose work can be purchased from their studio or from the ground floor shop. The Model House has a programme of art and crafts exhibitions throughout the year. (updated May 2019)

Eat

• 1 O'Sullivans Brasserie, 7 Swan St, ☏ +44 1443 237774. (updated Jun 2017)
• 2 The Castell Mynach, Groesfaen, Llantrisant Rd, Pontyclun, ☏ +44 1443 237395. (updated Jun 2017)
• 3 Fullbrook's Bistro, 28 Cowbridge Rd, Pontyclun, ☏ +44 1443 237344. (updated Jun 2017)

Drink

Llantrisant is known for its pub culture with a number of venues including The New Inn, the Wheatsheaf and the Cross Keys Hotel.

There's a vineyard at Llanerch Hotel, see Sleep.

Sleep

• 1 Premier Inn Llantrisant, Gwaun Elai, Magden Park, Magden Park, Llantrisant. (updated Jun 2017)
• 2 Miskin Manor Hotel, Pendoylan Road, Groesfaen, Pontyclun, CF72 8ND, ☏ +44 1443 224204.  
• 3 Llanerch Vineyard Hotel, Hensol Rd, Pontyclun CF72 8GG (Exit 34 of M4), ☏ +44 1443 222716. Plush hotel and restaurant with its own vineyard. Some rooms dog-friendly. B&B double £140. (updated Jun 2021)

Go next

• Cowbridge
• Caerphilly
• Cardiff