Design Commission for Wales

Merthyr Tydfil sits in a shallow bowl of hills at the top of the Taff valley, on the cusp of the industrial Valleys to the south and the grand, windy heights of the Brecon Beacons to the north. Though it's a robust and enjoyable town today, Merthyr's appeal lies in a fascinating, unique pedigree.
Merthyr's strategic site was first exploited by the Romans as an outpost of their base at Caerleon. In 480AD, Tydfil, welsh princess and daughter of Brychan, Prince of Brychianog, was captured as she rode through the area, and murdered for her Christian beliefs. She became St.Tydfil the Martyr, and her name was bestowed on the scattered population in the area.