Tonyrefail, United Kingdom
Tonyrefail is a town of 9,317 people in Wales, United Kingdom.
Why visit Tonyrefail
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail, 4 places to eat and 3 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Royal Cinema, Mynydd Dinas, Rhondda Heritage Park and Royal Mint Museum.
Weather in Tonyrefail
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Full forecast
About Tonyrefail
Tonyrefail (Welsh pronunciation: [tɔnərˈɛvai̯l]) is a village and community in the Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough, Wales. It is situated at the head of the River Ely, 4 miles (6.4 km) north‑west of Llantrisant, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Trebanog, and about 2 miles (3.2 km) from Williamstown. During the second half of the 19th century, when coal and steel became synonymous with the South Wales Valleys, Tonyrefail evolved from a rural hamlet into an industrial village. The population at the 2001 census was 11,035.
From the Wikipedia article Tonyrefail (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do3
Royal Cinema
Cinema and theater · 3.0 mi
Former cinema in Tonypandy, Wales
Museums and landmarks2
Rhondda Heritage Park
Museum · 2.6 mi
Tourist attraction and museum in Trehafod, Rhondda, Wales, United Kingdom
Royal Mint Museum
Museum · 2.8 mi
Numismatics museum located in Llantrisant, Wales, United Kingdom
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Restaurants and cafes4
Griffin Inn
Bar and pub · 1.4 mi
Hendreforgan Crescent, Tonyrefail
Mo-Tu 16:30-23:00; We Off; Th 16:30-23:00; Fr 15:30-23:00; Sa-Su...
History
Tonyrefail was a dairy‑farming and livestock‑raising area, and many early farmhouses still exist today. This was in stark contrast to the nearby valleys, which were forced to adopt arable and sheep‑farming activities because of their hilly geography. Early industrialisation began in the late 18th century around a corn mill and a woollen factory, but it was not until deep coal mining began that employment grew on a large scale. At the peak of coal mining in Wales, Coedely Colliery employed nearly 1,800 men, which not only changed the face of Tonyrefail but also led to the establishment of nearby colliery settlements such as Coedely and Bryngolau. Tonyrefail was once a busy town in its own right, as well as serving the communities of Coedely, Trebanog, and Gilfach Goch.
It is widely believed that King Edward II was captured by forces loyal to Queen Isabella near Tonyrefail in 1326.
From the History section of Tonyrefail on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Notable people from Tonyrefail
Matthew ReesWelsh rugby union playerPhoto: National Assembly for Wales from Wales, CC BY 2.0
Alex Davies-JonesBritish politicianPhoto: ©House of Commons, CC BY 3.0- Jeffrey JohnDean of St Albans; Bishop-designate of Reading; British Anglican priest
- Vaughan JonesBritish footballer (born 1959)
- Trefor Richard Morgancompany director (1914 -1970)
- Albert WillisAustralian politician (1876–1954)
- Ned JenkinsWelsh rugby union player
- Mike Prosser
Born in Tonyrefail, according to Wikidata (CC0). Each name links to its Wikipedia article.
Churches and places of worship6
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging1
Schools, colleges and libraries5
Map of Tonyrefail
23 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, 14 miles away.
- Tonypandy 3 mi north, about 5 min by car
- Pontypridd 4 mi east, about 6 min by car
- Llantrisant 4 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Rhondda 5 mi north, about 8 min by car
- Coity 7 mi southwest, about 11 min by car
- Mountain Ash 7 mi north, about 12 min by car
- Bridgend 8 mi southwest, about 13 min by car
- Treharris 8 mi northeast, about 12 min by car
- Aberkenfig 8 mi southwest, about 12 min by car
- Nelson 8 mi northeast, about 13 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Towns near Tonyrefail
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Keep exploring
Local news
Headlines from INDB.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, coordinates, regions and time zone
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Remains of Capel y Ton, Tonyrefail, FruitMonkey, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Capel Rhondda 2022, Victuallers, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Ty Cwrdd Meeting House, Thomas Allen Glenn, Public domain
- Millerite on Siderite (47700373352), Pacific Museum of Earth from Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Rhondda Transport bus 457 (457 KTG), Rhondda Heritage Park, 3 April 2013, Chris Sampson, CC BY 2.0
Page built November 10, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.