What is "griffithstown"

Griffithstown is a large community of Pontypool in the borough of Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It is an ecclesiastical parish, formed in May 1898, from Llanfrechfa Upper and Panteg, and includes Sebastopol, but, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1894, became a separate civil parish.

It is situated between two other Pontypool suburbs - Pontymoile to the north and Sebastopol to the south and is within walking distance of Pontypool and Cwmbran and a short commute from Newport and Cardiff. It is named after the first station master of Pontypool and New Inn railway station (then known as Pontypool Road), Henry Griffiths. Griffiths founded a 'terminating' Building Society to finance the construction of houses in the village so that his workforce could become freehold owner-occupiers, rather than constructing rental or leasehold housing as was the more usual practice in industrial South Wales and Monmouthshire. He lived in the substantial St. Dunstan's House (now demolished) on what is now Commercial Street and his memorial is in St Hilda's Church. Today the site is occupied by a nursing home and a modern house of the same name.