Visit Aberdare Places

Welcome to Visit Aberdare Places
The Walkfo guide to things to do & explore in Aberdare

  

Aberdare Places Overview: History, Culture & Facts about Aberdare

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Aberdare history

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Early history

There are several cairns and the remains of a circular British encampment on the mountain. This may have led to the mountain itself being named Bryn-y-Beddau (hill of graves) Other local traditions associate the name with the Battle of Hirwaun Wrgant.

Middle Ages

Aberdare is traditionally given as the scene of the battle of Hirwaun Wrgant, where allied forces of the Norman Robert Fitzhamon and Iestyn ap Gwrgant defeated Rhys ap Tewdwr, the last Welsh prince of Glamorgan. It was originally a small village in an agricultural district, centred around the Church of St John the Baptist, said to date from 1189.

Industrial Aberdare

In the early 19th century the population of Aberdare grew rapidly, owing to the abundance of coal and iron ore. The population of the whole parish, 1,486 in 1801, increased tenfold during the first half of the 19th Century. A postgraduate theological college opened in connection with the Church of England in 1892, but moved to Llandaff in 1907.

Aberdare culture & places

Aberdare, during its boom years, was considered a centre of Welsh culture. It hosted the first National Eisteddfod in 1861, with which David Williams (Alaw Goch) was closely associated. A newspaper entitled Y Gwladgarwr (the Patriot) was published from 1856 until 1882 and circulated widely throughout the South Wales valleys.

Aberdare etymology

The name Aberdare translates as “mouth/confluence of the river dare”, a reference to the Dare river (Welsh: Afon Dâr) flowing into the Cynon. Dare is an archaic Welsh word for oak, and may have been associated with Daron, an ancient Celtic goddess of oak.

You can visit Aberdare places with Walkfo Aberdare to hear history at Aberdare’s places whilst walking around using the free digital tour app. Walkfo Aberdare has 53 places to visit in our interactive Aberdare map, with amazing history, culture & travel facts you can explore the same way you would at a museum or art gallery with information audio headset. With Walkfo, you can travel by foot, bike or bus throughout Aberdare, being in the moment, without digital distraction or limits to a specific walking route. Our historic audio walks, National Trust interactive audio experiences, digital tour guides for English Heritage locations are available at Aberdare places, with a AI tour guide to help you get the best from a visit to Aberdare & the surrounding areas.

“Curated content for millions of locations across the UK, with 53 audio facts unique to Aberdare places in an interactive Aberdare map you can explore.”

Walkfo: Visit Aberdare Places Map
53 tourist, history, culture & geography spots

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Aberdare historic spots	Aberdare tourist destinations	Aberdare plaques	Aberdare geographic features
Walkfo Aberdare tourism map key: places to see & visit like National Trust sites, Blue Plaques, English Heritage locations & top tourist destinations in Aberdare

  

Best Aberdare places to visit

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Aberdare has places to explore by foot, bike or bus. Below are a selection of the varied Aberdare’s destinations you can visit with additional content available at the Walkfo Aberdare’s information audio spots:

St Fagan’s Church, Trecynon St Fagan’s Church is a Grade II-listed Anglican church in the village of Trecynon near Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales . It was originally built in the mid-nineteenth century in the Gothic Revival style .

Hen-Dy-Cwrdd Hen-Dy-Cwrdd is a disused Unitarian chapel in Trecynon, Aberdare, Wales . Services at the chapel were conducted in the Welsh language .

Elim, Cwmdare Elim, Cwmdare was an Independent (Congregationalist) chapel in Aberdare, Wales . The chapel was built in the 1920s and 1930s .

Salem, Robertstown Salem, Robertstown is an Independent (Congregationalist) chapel in Robertstown, Aberdare, Wales. The chapel is located in Bridge Street, Robertstown.

St John’s Church, Aberdare St John the Baptist’s is an ancient parish church in Aberdare, Wales. It is located in the centre of the town of Aberdares.

Siloa, Aberdare Siloa was the largest of the Welsh Independent, or Congregationalist, chapels in Aberdare. Established in 1844, Siloa is one of the few Welsh language chapels to remain open today.

St Elvan’s Church, Aberdare St Elvan’s Church is a Grade II* listed Anglican church. It was built in 1851–1852, largely at the instigation of John Griffith, vicar of Aberdare from 1847 until 1859. The population of the parish was close to 14,000 people and increasing at a rate of approximately a thousand each year.

Aberdare General Hospital Aberdare General Hospital (Welsh: Ysbyty Cyffredinol Aberdâr) was a health facility in Rhondda Cynon Taf. It was managed by the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.

Saron, Aberaman Saron, Aberaman was a Welsh Independent (Congregationalist) chapel in Aberaman. It was formed as an initiative of David Price of Siloa, Aberdare. Saron was claimed to be the largest chapel in the Cynon Valley.

Bethania, Cwmbach Bethania, Cwmbach was a Baptist Chapel in the Aberdare Valley in Wales. Badly damaged by an air raid attack in 1941 it was restored but closed in the 1980s. Services were held in the Welsh language.

Visit Aberdare plaques