Neath Port Talbot Council is celebrating the birth centenary of Hollywood legend Richard Burton, opening a new trail that marks significant locations as the area celebrates ‘RB100’.

Born 10 November 1925 in Pontrhydyfen in Glamorgan’s Afan Valley, Richard Jenkins went on to be famously known as Richard Burton. Following celebrated performances in the theatre, Burton’s Hollywood career included roles in movies including The Longest Day, Where Eagles Dare, The Spy who came in from the Cold, and Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?

To commemorate these achievements, a new film, Mr Burton, highlighting the influence that Welsh schoolmaster Philip Burton had on Richard’s early life and career, is coming to UK cinemas in April 2025.

The Centenary Year ‘RB100’ will also see events take place across the area, aiming to raise awareness of Richard Burton’s legacy and inspire people to engage with the arts. The Richard Burton Trails, in his birthplace of Pontrhydyfen and childhood village of Taibach, are free to visit, with QR codes available across each route, sharing more insight and information about Richard Burton’s early life.

A programme of Richard Burton Tours will also be launched in April until the end of the year, delivered by Griff Harries, Green Badge Guide, which will explore the landscapes that shaped Richard Burton’s life and career. This fascinating tour visits key locations connected to the legendary Welsh actor and offers insights to his life in Port Talbot.

Bespoke tours can be arranged for groups on request. Contact Hannah Evans at  hannah@rethinkprm.com or call 01792 460200. You can also find out more about the RB100 events here: richardburton100.org

Photo: Richard Burton at the Miners Arms with his dad 1953. Raymond Kleboe Stringer Getty Images.