The background of the town of Pontypridd is quite difficult to unravel but it appears that prior to the building of the bridge by William Edwards in 1756 the area was very sparsely populated consisting of just scattered farms and was in fact a rural backwater. It wasn't until some 50 years later that the population started to expand with the establishment of Treforest Tin Works circa 1800 and the canal transportation system that carried the raw materials from the Cynon and Merthyr Valleys.

The use of the William Edwards Bridge today is restricted to pedestrians. The structure still stands to this day as a monument to William Edward's ingenuity and perseverance.

The Welsh National Anthem Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of my Fathers) is amongst the finest anthems of the world and a song steeped in history. It was written by Evan James and his son James, two modest tradesmen living at Pontypridd in the mid nineteenth century.

Although the National Anthem is linked with the town of Pontypridd there are many other sites associated with the history of the Anthem within the local area. This trail - by highlighting some of the main sites of interest allows the more adventurous reader to explore the area and learn more about our National Anthem

Known locally as "The Chainworks", Brown Lenox and Co. Ltd enjoyed a long association with Pontypridd and played a significant part in the town's history.

A gravestone marking Philip Thomas's place of burial today stands in Glyntaff Cemetery.