Clydach Vale      

Named after the River Clydach, which flows down the valley into the River Rhondda at Tonypandy, the records show that in the 17th century the valley was already known as Duffryn Clydach (Duffryn meaning Vale). The valley can be divided into two separate villages, Blaenclydach, literally the head of the Clydach, and Cwm Clydach, or Clydach Valley.

As early as the 1840's small mining settlements mined the Bedw vein seam where it outcropped in Clydach at Tarren-Ty-Cneifio. In 1845 the attention of mineral prospectors were drawn to, 'the densely wooded valley of Clydach Vale' and the directors of the Taff Vale Railway requested their agent to prepare a report on, 'a survey of the ravine valley...of Cwm Clydach'. Thus towards the middle of the 19th century a number of levels were opened up at the extreme end of the valley by Messrs' William Perch & Company mining the No.2 Rhondda seam. Coal thus mined was conveyed to the Taff Vale Railway by means of an inclined railroad running down the valley. At this time a terrace of twenty houses known as 'Perch Row' were erected for the workmen at the Pit.

Despite this early industrial activity Clydach Vale remained a 'wooded glen' of 'great natural beauty'. However the period between 1863 and 1880, was an era of unprecedented expansion leading to Clydach Vale being one of the most populous, heavily built up areas, not just in the Rhondda, but in the whole of Wales. This expansion began when Bush and Company opened Lefel-Y-Bush to the No.2 Rhondda Seam, and when in 1863 Blaenclydach Colliery was opened to the No.3 Rhondda seam. Additionally in January 1864 Daniel and Edmund Thomas acquired the mineral rights of the Blaenclydach Estate and Ffynondwyn Farm and opened the Cwmclydach Colliery. Also Samuel Thomas and Osborne Riches sank the Clydach Vale Collieries Nos. 1,2 and 3 over a twenty-year period starting in 1872, and by 1879 the two Clydach Vale Collieries were producing over 100 tons of coal per day.

Clydach Vale has been a traditionally close-knit community and also a politically active one. Setting up within its confines the first permanent organisation of Rhondda miners, the Cambrian Miners' Association, a number of members of which joined the International Brigade to fight in the Spanish Civil War. It also formed 'The Clydach Vale and Blaenclydach Recreation Ground Committee' in 1921, which later became the 'Cambrian Welfare Association'. This committee was set up with a £57,000 grant and its early priorities were a children's playground, a football field, tennis courts, and bowling green. Over its sixty-plus years of existence it became the focal point of community life in the Clydach area, building and running halls, institutions and public recreation grounds. Until financial considerations meant that it had to bequeath the running of its facilities to the Rhondda Borough Council in 1977. It is a little know fact that the boxer Tommy Farr was born in Clydach Vale.