Ward in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales
| Coordinates: | 51.668, -3.463 |
|---|---|
| OS grid ref: | SS 98 97 |
Ferndale and Maerdy lie in the steep-sided valleys of Rhondda Cynon Taf in the South Wales Valleys, with Maerdy perched high at the head of the Rhondda Fach and commanding wide views, while Ferndale sits lower in the valley with a compact town centre and river running through it. The landscape is classic valley country - ridges of scrub and woodland dropping to terraces of miners' housing - and both places are firmly rooted in the geography of Wales.
Both communities grew rapidly during the 19th- and early 20th-century coal boom and retain a strong industrial heritage: miners' institutes, chapels and memorials speak to that past, and Maerdy in particular gained a reputation for robust trade union and left-wing politics, sometimes nicknamed “Little Moscow.” Since pit closures the area has faced economic challenges but also lively community-led regeneration, with active rugby clubs, choirs and heritage trails attracting walkers and anyone interested in South Wales' social and industrial history.
CF43 4AS, CF43 4BQ, CF43 4DJ, CF43 4RD, CF43 4RE, CF43 4AN, CF43 4EY, CF43 4RB, CF43 4BW … See all