Mynydd y Glyn

The Cymmer Colliery explosion occurred in the early morning of 15 July 1856 at the Old Pit mine of the Cymmer Colliery near Porth (lower Rhondda Valley), Wales, operated by George Insole & Son. The underground gas explosion resulted in a "sacrifice of human life to an extent unparalleled in the history of coal mining of this country": 141  in which 114 men and boys were killed. Thirty-five widows, ninety-two children, and other dependent relatives were left with no immediate means of support. The immediate cause of the explosion was defective mine ventilation and the use of naked flames underground. Factors contributing to the explosion included the rapid development of the mine to meet increased demand for coal, poor mine safety practices allowed by management despite official warnings, and deteriorating working relationships between miners and management. After the explosion, mine owner James Harvey Insole and his officials were accused of "neglecting the commonest precautions for the safety of the men and the safe working of the colliery".: 2  At the coroner's inquest into the deaths, Insole deflected responsibility onto his mine manager Jabez Thomas and the jury brought a charge of manslaughter against Thomas and the four other mine officials. To the outrage of the local mining communities, the subsequent criminal proceedings resulted in the exoneration of the mine officials from any blame for the disaster. The Cymmer Colliery disaster influenced the introduction of mine safety improvements including legislation for improved mine ventilation and the use of safety lamps, employment of children, and qualifications of mine officials. The tragedy highlighted the need for a workable compensation scheme for miners and their dependents to reduce their reliance on public charity after such disasters.

Glynfach (Welsh for 'small valley') is a district of the community and electoral ward of Cymmer, within the town of Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf. There are no shops in Glynfach, however there is one pub - The Colliers Arms - and one parish church - St. John's Church. Glynfach consists of only a handful of streets, most of which are terraces. Adjoining Glynfach is the small district of Britannia. Glynfach was also once the location of Glynfach Colliery, sunk in 1851.

Llwyncelyn (English: Hollybush) is a district of Porth, Rhondda Cynon Taf. Consisting of five long terraces and two modern housing developments, Llwyncelyn has one shop and a parish church, St. Luke's Church. Llwyncelyn is also where Porth Harlequins RFC play their home rugby union matches. Nearby Nyth-Brân Farm was the home of athlete Guto Nyth Brân.

Porth Community School is a Community School located in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. The school was formed in 1973 by the amalgamation of two leading grammar schools, Porth County Girls and Porth County Boys, along with the amalgamation of the Secondary Modern Schools of Llwyncelyn, Trealaw and Ynyshir. Porth is now described as a good school and the previous Porth Infants and Porth Juniors schools have all moved to the Porth Community School to form the new school. Children of various ages attend the school, ranging from 3–16 years old.

Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhondda (English: Cwm Rhondda Secondary School) is a Welsh-medium secondary school located in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, situated near Porth.

Porth railway station is a railway station serving the town of Porth in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. It is located on the Rhondda Line.

Cymmer (Welsh: Y Cymer) is a village and community in the Rhondda Valley, Wales. It is so named because of being located at the 'confluence' of the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach river valleys. Several collieries were opened here in the middle part of the nineteenth century. A coal mine disaster in 1856 resulted in 114 casualties, and the lack of payment of any compensation to the miners' families caused bitter feelings in the community.

Rhondda Heritage Park, Trehafod, Rhondda, South Wales is a tourist attraction which offers an insight into the life of the coal mining community that existed in the area until the 1980s. Visitors can experience the life of the coal miners on a guided tour through one of the mine shafts of the Lewis Merthyr colliery. Tours are led by former colliery workers. Rhondda Heritage Park is an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage. Rhondda Heritage Park exists on the site of the former Lewis Merthyr Colliery as a testament to the coal mining history of the Rhondda Valleys, which until the end of the 20th century was one of the most important coal mining areas in the world - in an area only 16 miles (26 km) long, Rhondda alone had over 53 working collieries at one time.

Porth (Welsh: Y Porth) is a town and a community in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales. Lying in the Rhondda Valley, it is regarded as the gateway connecting the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach valleys due to both valleys meeting at Porth. The Welsh word "porth" means "gate". Porth is a predominantly English-speaking community. Neighbouring villages include Trealaw, Trebanog, Trehafod and Ynyshir.

The South Wales Bible Training Institute was a Bible college in Porth. It was started by R. B. Jones in 1919. Classes were initially held in his church's vestry in Ynyshir, but later moved to Tynycymmer Hall in Porth. It was inspired by American fundamentalist Bible schools, especially Moody Bible Institute. It closed in 1937.South Wales Bible Training Institute trained men and women in Bible knowledge "for all kinds of Christian work at home and abroad." Densil D. Morgan has called it and the Bible College of Wales "Welsh fundamentalism's two most visible inter-war manifestations".

The Rhondda by-pass, also known as the Porth and Lower Rhondda Fach Relief Road, is a relief road running through the Rhondda, a valley in South Wales. It is built partly on the former Maerdy Branch of the Rhondda Line and a former branch line to Cymmer Colliery. The road runs from Trehafod at the eastern edge of the Rhondda to Pontygwaith in the Rhondda Fach via Porth. The route includes the Rheola Bridge, which crosses near the point the Rhondda Fawr and Rhondda Fach divide. It opened in December 2006, and a plaque commemorating the road was unveiled by the First Minister for Wales, Rhodri Morgan, the following year. Local residents have complained about the noise on the road, as the imposing local geography of the Rhondda means it has to pass as close as 40 feet (12 m) to residential streets.

The Tynewydd Colliery disaster occurred on 11 April 1877, when water from a nearby closed colliery flooded the Newydd Colliery in Porth and 14 miners became trapped, of which five died. For his efforts in the rescue, Henry Naunton Davies received the first BMA Gold Medal.