Townapedia
MountainAshTownHall
MountainAshTownHall · Darren Wyn Rees at Aberdare Blog, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pontygwaith
Pontygwaith · The original uploader was Varitek at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0
Y tu mewn i gapel Bethania, Aberpennar
Y tu mewn i gapel Bethania, Aberpennar · GeraintTudur2, CC BY-SA 3.0
Abernant St Matthews Church
Abernant St Matthews Church · Nick Earl, CC BY-SA 2.0
Mtn-ash-comp-school
Mtn-ash-comp-school · Darren Wyn Rees at Aberdare Blog, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Barclay No.2074 · hugh llewelyn, CC BY-SA 2.0

Mountain Ash, United Kingdom

Mountain Ash is a town of 11,230 people in Wales, United Kingdom.

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Population11,230 GeoNames
RegionWales
Elevation381 ft 116 m
Time zoneEurope/London
Nearest airportCardiff Airport (CWL) 20 mi
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Why visit Mountain Ash

Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 28 places to eat and 3 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Pont-y-gwaith and Penrhiwceiber Clock Tower And War Memorial.

About Mountain Ash

Mountain Ash (Welsh: Aberpennar) is a town and former community in the Cynon Valley, within the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, with a population of 11,230 at the 2011 Census, estimated in 2019 at 11,339. It includes the districts and villages of Cefnpennar, Cwmpennar, Caegarw, Darranlas, Fernhill, Glenboi and Newtown, all within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Aberdare lies about 4.5 miles (7.2 km) north-west, Cardiff 19 miles (31 km) south-east, and Penrhiwceiber a mile to the south-east. It divides into two communities (civil parishes): West covers the town centre and the districts of Miskin, Darranlas, Fernhill and Glenboi, and East the districts of Cefnpennar, Cwmpennar, Caegarw and Newtown.

From the Wikipedia article Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photos of Mountain Ash

Things to do3

Pont-y-gwaith

Bridge · 2.3 mi

Historical bridge over the River Taff near Edwardsville, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales

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Twyn Brynbychan

Scenic view · 1.0 mi

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Twyn Sych

Scenic view · 1.3 mi

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Museums and landmarks2

Guto Nyth Bran

Monument and historic site

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Penrhiwceiber Clock Tower And War Memorial

Monument and historic site · 1.3 mi

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Parks, trails and playgrounds2

Gwynifor Park

Park · 0.4 mi

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Mountain Ash Golf Course

Golf course · 1.1 mi

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Restaurants and cafes28

Woods

Restaurant · British

Dyffryn Road, Mountain Ash

Mo off; Tu-We 12:00-16:00; Th-Fr 12:00-20:00; Sa 12:00-16:00; Su...

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The Baileys Arms

Bar and pub · 0.5 mi

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Adore Lounge

Cafe

38 Oxford Street, Mountain Ash

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Kalan Café & Noodle Bar

Cafe

76 Oxford Street, Mountain Ash

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Kirty's Cakes & Bakes

Bakery

20 Oxford Street, Mountain Ash

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Mam's Kitchen

Cafe · 1.3 mi

61 Rheola Street

09:00-15:00; We off

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Mountain Ash Inn

Bar and pub

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Napiers Arms

Bar and pub

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Osbourne Hotel

Bar and pub · 1.4 mi

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Aberdare Hotel

Bar and pub

Ffrwd Crescent, Mountain Ash

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Butchers Arms

Bar and pub

10 Allen Street, Mountain Ash

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Cap Coch Inn

Bar and pub · 1.5 mi

108 John Street

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16 more on the map.

History

Like the rest of the Cynon Valley, Mountain Ash continued to be predominantly Welsh-speaking well into the 20th century. Unlike others in the South Wales valleys, the village was undisturbed until the construction of the Aberdare Canal in 1818. This became disused in the early 1920s and was filled in as New Cardiff Road in 1933.

The population of 1,614 in 1841 rose to 11,463 in 1871 as local collieries opened. The 1851 census shows the construction of Duffryn Street and Navigation Street. By 1859 there were 12 public houses, among the earliest being the Bruce Arms, the Junction Inn and the New Inn. By 1920, Kelly's Directory listed over 200 businesses in the village.

The coal industry began to decline after the First World War, but after the Second, manufacturing was introduced to offset the serious fall in local employment. By the end of the 20th century the last mines had closed and so had many of the factories. The economic hardships were mitigated partly by new light industry and service activities.

From the History section of Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

More about Mountain Ash

Education

Mountain Ash Comprehensive School caters for pupils aged 11–18, on the site of the former estate of Lord Aberdare. The main Dyffryn House was used by the school until its demolition in the 1990s. Opposite the site is the hospital, Ysbyty Cwm Cynon that replaced the Mountain Ash General Hospital in 2012.

Local primary schools include Our Lady's RC Primary School, Caegarw Primary School (Ysgol Gynradd Caegarw), Glenboi Primary School (Ysgol Gynradd Glen-boi), Darranlas Primary School (Ysgol Gynradd Darren-las), Miskin Primary School (Ysgol Gynradd Meisgyn), Pengeulan Primary School (Ysgol Gynradd Pengeulan) and Penrhiwceiber Primary School (Ysgol Gynradd Penrhiwceibr).

From the Wikipedia article Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Notable people from Mountain Ash

Born in Mountain Ash, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.

Churches and places of worship18

Shopping1

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Gas and EV charging1

Schools, colleges and libraries11

Healthcare4

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Map of Mountain Ash

70 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Cardiff Airport (CWL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 20 miles away.

  • Rhondda 3 mi southwest, about 5 min by car
  • Treharris 3 mi southeast, about 5 min by car
  • Nelson 5 mi southeast, about 7 min by car
  • Pontypridd 6 mi south, about 9 min by car
  • Tredegar 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
  • Risca 13 mi southeast, about 21 min by car
  • Pontypool 14 mi east, about 23 min by car
  • Whitchurch 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
  • Cardiff 16 mi southeast, about 27 min by car
  • Newport 18 mi east, about 28 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Towns near Mountain Ash

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Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.