A community is preparing to come together to mark a special anniversary at the heart of its remembrance.
The 100th anniversary of the Pontnewydd Cenotaph will be commemorated with a public service on Saturday, May 23, at 11.30am, and to support the event, parts of Lowlands Road and Clark Avenue will be closed between 11am and 1pm.
The service marks a century since the granite obelisk, located at the junction of Lowlands Road and Clark Avenue in Pontnewydd, was unveiled on Armistice Day, November 11, 1925.
It was originally dedicated by Major-General Lord Treowen, honorary colonel of the 3rd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment.
A Torfaen County Borough Council spokesman said: "The closures are in place to allow the 100th Anniversary Service of the Pontnewydd Cenotaph to take place safely.
"Access for residents and emergency services will be maintained as far as is reasonably practicable."
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The Pontnewydd Cenotaph was first erected in memory of 26 men from Pontnewydd, Cwmbran, and Croesyceiliog who died during the First World War.
It was later updated to include those lost in the Second World War, bringing the total number of names on the memorial to 67.
Its left face bears a bilingual inscription, in both English and Welsh, commemorating those lost in later conflicts, including individuals who died in Cyprus in 1956 and in Afghanistan.
The rededication ceremony has been organised by the Pontnewydd branch of the Royal British Legion and is open to the public.
In recent months, volunteers have researched and shared the stories of all 67 individuals named on the memorial, posting brief biographies on the anniversary of each man’s death.
The memorial has been refurbished twice, first in 2006 by the Royal British Legion and Torfaen Council, and again in 2025 with council-funded restoration.
Details of the refurbished work include cleaning, re-waxing, and the re-laying of inscriptions ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
The upcoming road closures will affect Lowlands Road between Parklawn Close and Park View, and Clark Avenue between Lowlands Road and Fields Avenue.
A diversion will be in place via Lowlands Road, Lowlands Crescent, Five Locks Road, Ty Trappa, Mount Pleasant Road, Commercial Street, and Richmond Road.
Residents and drivers are advised to plan their journeys accordingly on the morning of the event.
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