Tonna
Encyclopedia
Tonna is the name of a village
and a coterminous electoral ward and community
in Neath Port Talbot
, Wales
, located to the north-east of Neath
town, of which it is effectively a suburb. Once mainly agricultural fields, the name derives from the archaic
Welsh
tonnau, meaning grassland
and not, as is sometimes assumed, the modern Welsh
for "waves". Some areas of pasture
remain.
One of these fields houses the Ivy Tower, a folly
built by the wealthy Mackworth family in the 1740s as a ballroom
to entertain their guests. Although now largely ruined, the Ivy Tower is still the most visible and distinctive landmark in the Neath
Valley. The nearby Moss House Cascades in the Gnoll Estate, built by the Mackworths around the same time as the Ivy Tower, have recently been restored and are popular family attractions.
Immediately between Tonna and the adjoining parish
of Llanilltud ("Llantwit-juxta-Neath") is a cottage once occupied by the Welsh born engineer
and naturalist
Alfred Russel Wallace
, who had arrived at his theory of evolution
independently of Charles Darwin
, with whom he later corresponded. Eventually Wallace and Darwin jointly presented the first paper on Natural Selection
to the Linnean Society.
The village's rugby union
team is Tonna RFC
.
. The ward consists of a small built-up area of Tonna village to the northwest with rest of the ward consisting of woodland and pasture. Tonna is bounded by the wards of Aberdulais
to the north; Resolven
to the northeast; Pelenna
to the southeast; Cimla
and Neath North
to the southwest; and Cadoxton
to the west.
In the 2008 local council elections
, the electorate turnout was 42.05%. The results were:
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and a coterminous electoral ward and community
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
in Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot is a county borough and one of the unitary authority areas of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most populous county in Wales and the third most populous county borough....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, located to the north-east of Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
town, of which it is effectively a suburb. Once mainly agricultural fields, the name derives from the archaic
Archaism
In language, an archaism is the use of a form of speech or writing that is no longer current. This can either be done deliberately or as part of a specific jargon or formula...
Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
tonnau, meaning grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
and not, as is sometimes assumed, the modern Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
for "waves". Some areas of pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
remain.
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
built by the wealthy Mackworth family in the 1740s as a ballroom
Ballroom
A ballroom is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding formal dances called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions contain one or more ballrooms...
to entertain their guests. Although now largely ruined, the Ivy Tower is still the most visible and distinctive landmark in the Neath
Neath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
Valley. The nearby Moss House Cascades in the Gnoll Estate, built by the Mackworths around the same time as the Ivy Tower, have recently been restored and are popular family attractions.
Immediately between Tonna and the adjoining parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Llanilltud ("Llantwit-juxta-Neath") is a cottage once occupied by the Welsh born engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace
Alfred Russel Wallace, OM, FRS was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist...
, who had arrived at his theory of evolution
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
independently of Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
Charles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, with whom he later corresponded. Eventually Wallace and Darwin jointly presented the first paper on Natural Selection
Natural selection
Natural selection is the nonrandom process by which biologic traits become either more or less common in a population as a function of differential reproduction of their bearers. It is a key mechanism of evolution....
to the Linnean Society.
The village's rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team is Tonna RFC
Tonna RFC
Tonna Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the village of Tonna, Wales, UK. Tonna RFC is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys..-History:...
.
Government and politics
The electoral ward of Tonna falls within the parliamentary constituency of NeathNeath (UK Parliament constituency)
Neath is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election and one Assembly Member by the first past the post system of election.- The Constituency of Neath :The constituency...
. The ward consists of a small built-up area of Tonna village to the northwest with rest of the ward consisting of woodland and pasture. Tonna is bounded by the wards of Aberdulais
Aberdulais
Aberdulais or mouth & Dulais) is a village in Neath Port Talbot, Wales, lying on the River Neath.- History, amenities & attractions:...
to the north; Resolven
Resolven
Resolven is a small village in Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. It is located in the heart of the Vale of Neath.- Location :The village is situated in the Vale of Neath, next to the A465 Heads of Valleys Road, and is the main settlement in the community of Resolven...
to the northeast; Pelenna
Pelenna
Pelenna is an electoral ward coterminous with a community in Neath Port Talbot county borough, south Wales. The ward consists of some or all of the following areas: Cefn-Saeson, Tonmawr, Pontrhydyfen in the parliamentary constituency of Neath....
to the southeast; Cimla
Cimla
Cimla is a suburb of the town of Neath in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It is set high up on a hill. It is pronounced Kim-la. The Welsh language spelling is Cymla, pronounced the same way....
and Neath North
Neath North
Neath North is an electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales falling within the community of Neath.Neath North includes some or all of the neighbourhoods of Llantwit and Neath town centre in the parliamentary constituency of Neath...
to the southwest; and Cadoxton
Cadoxton, Neath Port Talbot
Cadoxton , is a village situated in Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. Cadoxton is located just outside the town of Neath and borders the villages of Cilfrew and Bryncoch. The village is home to just over 1,500 people and is located in the Cadoxton ward...
to the west.
In the 2008 local council elections
United Kingdom local elections, 2008
The 2008 United Kingdom local elections were held on 1 May 2008. These elections took place in 137 English Local Authorities and all Welsh Councils....
, the electorate turnout was 42.05%. The results were:
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Walters | Independent | 616 | Independent re-elected |
| Kelvin George | Labour | 190 |