St Mary's Church

St Mary’s Church stands in the village of Glyntaff, just north of Pontypridd in South Wales. It is the oldest Anglican church in the Pontypridd area and was designed by the London architect Thomas Henry Wyatt. The church opened for worship in April 1838 after local landowners and the Ecclesiastical Commissioners raised the funds. The first vicar, John Griffiths, served here from 1848 until 1875. Its interior was once plain and functional, typical of Commissioners’ churches, but a 1906 refurbishment introduced oak fittings and a chancel screen.

The church’s tower lost its pyramidal cap in a storm in 1913, and the damage extended to the vicarage. A new vestry was added in 1922, and a First World War memorial stands in the porch. The building became Grade II listed in 2001 and contains a memorial to Gordon Lenox, a local benefactor. The churchyard also holds the grave of the Lenox family, owners of the Brown Lenox chainworks.

Inside, the oak screen and pews were removed in 2022 as part of reordering for Citizen Church. The church remains an active place of worship and a landmark in the community. Its setting near the A470 and close to Treforest station makes it easy to reach. The building’s history and surviving features offer a quiet reminder of the area’s past.