Crosskeys
Crosskeys
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![]() ![]() Crosskeys Location within Caerphilly | |
Population | 3,265 (2011))[1] |
OS grid reference | ST225915 |
Principal area |
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Ceremonial county | |
Country | Wales |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | NEWPORT |
Postcode district | NP11 |
Dialling code | 01495 27 |
Police | Gwent |
Fire | South Wales |
Ambulance | Welsh |
UK Parliament | |
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament |
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Crosskeys (Welsh: Pont-y-cymer) is a village, community and an electoral ward in Caerphilly county borough in Wales.
Location[]
Crosskeys is seven miles north west of Newport, just past Risca off the A467 road. Located near to the confluence of the Ebbw River and the Sirhowy River, it was originally called Pont-y-cymer.[2] The name 'Crosskeys' is taken from the name of the local hotel,[3] although there is some variation in spelling with the train station and Ordnance Survey maps using Crosskeys but the local rugby club and other local organisations using Cross Keys.
History[]
Crosskeys is a South Wales Valleys community, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, once part of the coal mining community of the South Wales coalfield and originally developed as part of Risca from the 1830s to serve the local mines - first the Black Vein and later the New Risca pits, both of which had large explosions during the later part of the 19th century.
The village has a railway station on the Ebbw Vale Line. [4][5]
The junction between the main Ebbw Vale and Tredegar roads is called Pennyless Corner as it was a meeting place for unemployed men during the great depression of the 1920s
Amenities[]
It is now a quiet area complete with a residents' society. It has a large park in the lower part and listed buildings in neighbouring , which is normally considered as part of Crosskeys.
Many of the secondary school pupils attend nearby Cwmcarn High School. It is also home to Coleg Gwent's Crosskeys Campus.
Additionally, it has a local rugby union team, Cross Keys RFC, and consequently many different age-banded teams such as youth and mini rugby.
Crosskeys is close to the Cwmcarn Forest Drive which has extensive mountain-biking trails. There is a large local park toward the lower part of the village. The park is home to the local cricket club, again with age-banded youth teams as well as the men's team. There is also a park and a multiple-sports facility.
Sirhowy Valley Country Park is also easily accessible from Crosskeys. It is a base for walking or cycling with access to Flatwoods Meadows Local Nature Reserve. There is also mountain bike trails, a traditional working hill farm that is open to school visits and a small farm trail. Nearby is an ancient mixed woodland.
References[]
- ^ "Ward/community population 2011". Retrieved 5 November 2015.
- ^ http://www.caerphilly.gov.uk/loopsandlinks/pdf/crosskeys.pdf[bare URL]
- ^ The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales page 178, John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6
- ^ "Western Valleys Railway timetable". Monmouthshire Merlin. 1851. hdl:10107/3395213. Cite journal requires
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(help) - ^ "Railway times". Monmouthshire Merlin. 1868. hdl:10107/3442459. Cite journal requires
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External links[]
- Cross Keys Silver Band The Cross Keys Silver Band Official Website.
- Welsh Coal Mines - every pit, all the history
- Crosskeys Rugby Football Club website All you need to know about Cross Keys RFC.
- Villages in Caerphilly County Borough