{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}} {{Use British English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox UK place | country = Wales | welsh_name = | static_image_name = Markham - geograph.org.uk - 502528.jpg | static_image_caption = | coordinates = {{coord|51.706002|-3.209790|display=inline,title}} | constituency_welsh_assembly = [[Islwyn (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Islwyn]] | official_name = Markham | unitary_wales = [[Caerphilly (county borough)|Caerphilly]] | lieutenancy_wales = [[Gwent (county)|Gwent]] | constituency_westminster = [[Newport West and Islwyn (UK Parliament constituency)|Newport West and Islwyn]] | post_town = BLACKWOOD | postcode_district = NP12 | postcode_area = NP | dial_code = 01495 | os_grid_reference = SO165015 }} '''Markham''' is a small village in the [[South Wales Valleys]] in [[Caerphilly County Borough]], to the northeast of [[Bargoed]]. The B4511 road links to Markham from [[Aberbargoed]] and joins the [[A4048 road]] to the north of Argoed. The [[Sirhowy River]] flows to the east of the village.<ref name="Britain)Association1975">{{cite book|last=Beach|first=Russell|title=AA touring guide to Wales|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kQRXxfoZGSwC|date=1 January 1975|publisher=Automobile Association|isbn=978-0-09-211570-7|page=118}}</ref><ref name="GM">{{Google maps | url =https://www.google.com/maps?ll=51.706002,-3.20979&q=51.706002,-3.20979&hl=en&t=h&z=12 | access-date =29 April 2016}}</ref> The village's population was around 1,495 people in 2011.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=W37000178| title = Custom report - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics}} </ref>
==History== The area was formerly known as ''"Berllan Llwyd"'' and this name appears on tithe maps until the twentieth century. The name would seem to mean "The Grey/Brown Orchard" and was also the name of a farm whose land the modern village was built on. The modern Miners Institute and Welfare Club occupy the site of the farm buildings.<ref>{{cite web |title=Welsh Tithe Maps |url=https://places.library.wales/browse/51.713/-3.433/17?page=1&alt=&alt=&leaflet-base-layers_70=on |website=The National Library of Wales |access-date=14 December 2021 |location=Aberystwyth}}</ref>
The nature of the area was dramatically changed when the Markham Steam Coal Company opened Markham Colliery in 1913.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Leeworthy |first1=Daryl |title=Markham Colliery |url=https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/33573/?term=markham |access-date=14 December 2021 |date=27 October 2011}}</ref> The mine cost £600,000 to sink, but the company also planned and built a new village which would house around 1,000 workers. This village quickly became known as ''Markham'' by both [[Welsh language|Welsh]] and [[English language|English]] speakers. The planned village was seen as an attractive place to live, as exemplified by the often stated belief that Markham was the first mining village to have a bath in every property.<ref>[https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/10401146.residents-of-markham-the-model-mining-village-mark-its-centenary/ South Wales Argus ''Residents of Markham – the model mining village - mark its centenary''] - 6 May 2013</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=NOW AND THEN: The old chapel in Markham |url=https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/10476864.now-and-then-the-old-chapel-in-markham/ |access-date=14 December 2021 |publisher=South Wales Argus |date=11 June 2013}}</ref> It was shown as Markham Village on an Ordnance Survey map published in 1947, the village affix was dropped on later maps however.
Markham Institute was funded by the colliery workers and built in 1928 on land formerly belonging to the Berllan-Llwyd farm.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Leeworthy |first1=Daryl |title=Markham Miners' Welfare Hall And Institute |url=https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/415140?term=markham |website=Coflein |access-date=14 December 2021 |date=27 October 2011}}</ref> Today Markham is a district of the [[Community (Wales)|community]] of [[Argoed, Caerphilly|Argoed]].<ref>{{cite book |editor1-first=John |editor1-last=Davies|editor1-link=John Davies (historian)|editor2-first=Nigel |editor2-last=Jenkins | editor2-link=Nigel Jenkins| editor3-first=Baines |editor3-last=Menna|editor4-first=Peredur I. |editor4-last=Lynch|title=The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales |year=2008 |publisher=University of Wales Press|page=35 |location=Cardiff |isbn=978-0-7083-1953-6}}</ref>
==Landmarks== At the heart of the village is an active Congregational Chapel. It celebrated its centenary in 2016. A Welfare Hall was built during its time as a mining village, which also housed a cinema. Today the hall is still used as a Social Club.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/10476864.NOW_AND_THEN__The_old_chapel_in_Markham/?ref=rss|title=The old chapel in Markham|newspaper=South Wales Argus|access-date=29 April 2016}}</ref>
The village's primary school, Markham Primary School, is a feeder school for Islwyn High School Markham RFC currently play in the WRU Swalec League Five South East.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wru.co.uk/eng/club/swalecleagues/23195.php|title=SWALEC East Round Up|publisher=Welsh Rugby Union|access-date=29 April 2016}}</ref>
==Notable people from Markham==
* [[Gerwyn Price]] — 2021 World Champion and three-time [[Grand Slam of Darts]] champion and the first Welshman to win a PDC televised major.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/darts/46256594 |title =Grand Slam of Darts: Gerwyn Price beats Gary Anderson in bad-tempered final|date=18 November 2018|work=BBC Sport|access-date=19 November 2018}}</ref> He is a 6-time major champion and the number eleven player in the world according to the rankings as of February 2026.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-03-06 |title=PDC Order of Merit |language=en-gb |work=Darts Rankings |url=https://www.dartsrankings.com/ |access-date=2022-03-06}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Caerphilly}}
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[[Category:Villages in Caerphilly County Borough]] [[Category:1913 establishments in Wales]]