Cylchgronau Cymru

Between the two World Wars considerable use was made of the Polo Ground for a variety of sports including athletics, cricket, tennis, hockey, association football and greyhound racing. By then the village had adopted the name Pontypool Road this label appeared on the 1922 six inch Ordnance Survey map. However, after World War II, the village name eventually reverted to the original one of New Inn. Early in the 1920s New Road was made, linking New Inn with Griffithstown. This provided fur- ther convenient access to the Polo Ground as well as helping to define its southerly limit. Local schools' sports athletics meetings took place most years in the 1920s and 1930s at the Polo Ground. Here the elementary schools of New Inn, Pontymoile, Griffithstown and Sebastopol competed a big occasion drawing many spectators. For several years the Pontypool Road Cricket Club used the Polo Ground whilst a tennis club had courts there also. The 1920s saw Pontypool Hockey Club play matches there and consider- able use of the ground was made by Pontypool Road Association Football Club in the 1930s. The advantages of access to the Polo Ground by excellent railway and bus links were recognised by a greyhound racing company in setting up a track there in the 1930s. Greyhound race meetings took place on four days per week bringing many visitors to New Inn.