Coat of Arms
On incorporation in 1955, the borough was granted a coat of arms. the blazon was as follows:
Vert a pall wavy argent on a chief indented sable a balance between two acorns leaved and slipped Or, and for a Crest out of a mural crown Sable a demi-dragon gules gorged with a riband pendant therefrom an escutcheon Or charged with three chevrons of the second and supporting a torch erect of the first enflamed proper. Supporters: On either side a sea-dragon sable the tail proper gorged with a collar checky argent and azure.
In 1974 the arms were transferred to the Rhondda Borough Council.
The shield was an heraldic map of the borough, with the white wavy "pall" depicting the confluence of the Rhondda Fach and Rhondda Fawr rivers. The indented edge of the "chief" or upper third of the shield represented the mountainous nature of the valley. The chief was coloured black symbolising coal-mining. On this were placed symbols in gold: acorns for the growth of new industries and a balance for balanced development. The crest featued a mural or walled crown symbolic of local government. From this rose the red dragon of Wales. The dragon supported a flaming torch for coal and allied industries. around the dragon's neck hung a shield bearing three chevrons, from the arms of the de Clares, Lords of Glamorgan. These formed the basis of the arms of both Glamorgan and Mid Glamorgan County Councils. The supporters were black sea-dragons, for Welsh sea-coal. Around their necks were silver and blue chequered collars. These were derived from the arms of the Marquess of Bute. The third Marquess was responsible for the initial exploitation of the coal reserves of the valley.
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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