St Catherine's church is prominently sidted in its own churchyard, located on the west side of Gelliwastad Road at its junction with Upper Church Street.
The church was built to designs of architect John Norton of London in 1866-70 (north aisle in 1885). It is a large geometrical style church with striking polychrome interior, and comprises a lofty, aisled five-bay clerestoried nave with west porch, lower chancel with transepts, and tall tower and spire attached to the south aisle. It is constructed of snecked rock-faced sandstone with lighter freestone dressings and slate roof behind coped gables; the nave and chancel have moulded eaves cornices. The four-stage tower and spire, with clock faces at its base, is the dominant feature in the Pontypridd townscape; its base was the original porch.
The interior is faced with red brick, but with black-brick patterning, including crosses, stars of David and plain banding, and pale stone bands. The nave arcades have round piers, the arches have red and black brick and Bath stone dressings, creating a rich polychrome effect, in addition to which the arches have cut brick zigzags. The chancel has whitewashed walls, black and white marble paving, added by Gilbert Scott in 1919 who also added the Perpendicular style choir stalls. Interior features also include reredos with relief depicting the last supper and stained glass which includes works by R.J.Newbery.

Sources: extracts from Cadw Listing description; J.Newman, Buildings of Wales: Glamorgan (1995), p.521-2.

RCAHMW, 13 January 2015