Georgetown
CF48 1BN
Grade II Listed
Number four Chapel Row is a superb example of a skilled ironworker's cottage.
The ground floor has been carefully restored and furnished to give a glimpse into life in the 1840s. For music lovers, the first floor houses a Joseph Parry exhibition.
Description
2-storey terraced row with taller remains of polygonal structure at N end. Uniform rubble frontage with some rough dressings; continuous slate roof, hipped to S end, brick stacks. 2-window fronts (wider at S end), cemented reveals under voussoir lintels (painted to No 1), modern small-pane sash windows. Central 6-panel doors (offset to No 5). Low walled forecourts with plain cappings link to splayed outer wall of former chapel/warehouse forward on left; pale quoins and round-arched window openings.
Bedlinog
CF46 6TG
Trelewis
CF46 6AB
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Brecon Mountain Railway This ventilation shaft served the Morlais Tunnel which ran for 1037 yards. It was built by John Mackay and Sons for the London and North Western Railway in 1879. |
CF48 2UP
(Ventilation Shaft - Grade II Listed)
The two foot gauge railway was built on the trackbed of the standard gauge Brecon & Merthyr Railway that closed in 1964. The narrow gauge line, which has a length of three and a half miles, was opened in 1979.
Ventilation Shaft
History
Later C19 large ventilation shaft, one of 3 to Morlais or Miler tunnel of 1879 on the London and North Western Railway. This railway, one of several in the Merthyr area, came from Abergavenny went through the tunnel to Pontsarn, Cefn Coed and eventually to Merthyr using the joint line with the Brecon and Merthyr Railway.
Description
Ventilation shaft to railway tunnel, circular, red brick with battered sides and raised brick square labels under brick top band, itself under sandstone coping carrying shallow-domed iron protective grille. Bricks are laid in alternate courses of headers and stretchers
The plaque read:
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Carmel Particular or Calvinistic Welsh Baptist Church |
Cefn Coed
CF48 2PG
Grade II Listed
Built in 1844, rebuilt in 1895, and further modified from 1898-1900, disused from 1986.
Description
Exterior
Chapel, painted stucco with slate close-eaved roof, lateral facade with thin stucco pilaster at each angle, 2 long paired centre windows and 2 shorter outer gallery lights, all arched, and 2 flat-headed doors. Later C19 stucco surrounds to main windows with keystones and pier between windows treated as broad pilaster with fluted lower part and moulded cap. Doors are plain with C20 doors and overlights. Outer windows have stucco moulded arches and keystones. All glazing is C20. Raised plinth. Plaque with concave corners above centre windows:
''''''''Carmel Capel y Bedyddwyr Adeiladwyd 1844''''''''. Left end wall also stuccoed has raised strip each side and C20 window each floor replacing Georgian-style sash windows mentioned in 1987. Rear of rubble stone has 2 C20 similar windows each floor with stone voussoirs. Lean-to on right end wall, rubble stone main gable above. Right schoolroom range at right angles to facade has rendered wall (exposed rubble in 1987), C20 steps up at left to door.
Interior
Three-sided galleries of c1860-70 date, on marbled cast-iron columns with chamfered and stopped bressumer, paired brackets to painted grained frontal. Frontal has panels in moulded surrounds, centre square panel with clock, longer panels each side, top cornice with fretwork course below and curved gallery angles with square panels. Painted grained raked gallery pews with panel backs and ends. Ground floor pews removed. Semi-circular
balustraded pulpit with turned balusters, 2 large turned newels with finials, 2 ringed columns supporting beneath, and curving steps up each side without rails. Stud partition inserted to rear of columns. Flat ceiling divided by strips into panels, probably all C20. The 2 doors open into enclosed panelled lobbies with 4-panel doors and tilting overlights. Schoolroom, now chapel has boarded ceiling.
The plaque read:
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Castle Cinema 1929 Built on the site of the Castle Hotel, the place where the Merthyr Rising occurred in 1831. Designed by O.P. Bevan and built by Mr. Warlow of Merthyr. It was one of the Principality's finest cinemas. |
CF47 8GB
The Castle Cinema, Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales opened on the 11th February 1929, the architect O.P. Bevan, and was built by local contractor G. Warlow of Merthyr Tydfil.
The cinema was built on the site of the original Castle Hotel which was demolished in the mid-1920s for the construction of the New Castle Super Cinema.
The seating capacity at the time was 2,500 in stalls, balcony and a second balcony. Originally, the cinema was not powered by the public electricity supply and had a pair of gas engines in the basement. The Castle also had installed one of the finest organs in Wales, a Christie 3Manual/10Rank organ which was heard on many broadcasts on radio during the 1930's and 1940's. The organ however fell into disrepair in the late-1940's and was removed in 1954.
Ownership of the Castle Cinema passed to Associated British Cinemas(ABC) in November 1932 and was renamed ABC Castle Super Cinema circa 1963, still seating a vast 1,696 seats. Pop concerts were occasionaly staged, one being by Pink Floyd in 1967 and another by the group Small Faces. In 1972 control passed to the Leeds based Star Group, converting the stalls area into a bingo hall, and constructing two studio cinemas in the balcony, seating 195 and 98, both were by means of periscope mirror projection with Westar Projectors and long play towers. The projection room being constructed from the second balcony level high in the original building, making it a nightmare journey for any projectionst to carry films up and down.
From 1977 the cinemas passed to a series of independant operators, and when bingo ceased in 1998, the former stalls area was reseated and a giant 45 foot screen placed in front of the original stage area, with luxury seating for 300, this new Screen 1 opening in June 1999 with "The Mummy". The two other screens also remained in operation.
After the opening of a 12 screen multiplex ten miles from the town, and the high costs in maintaining such an old and rambling building, the cinema finally closed in September 2003. The building degenerated into a delapidated state and was not used for presentation of films again. It was converted into a skating rink, a venture which soon failed and the building became a pub. The former Castle Cinema was demolished in January 2011.
The plaque reads:
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Cefn Coed Viaduct This viaduct stands at 115 feet high and was built to carry the Merthyr to Brecon Line. The cost of building was £25,000. Notice the curving sweep of the viaduct so built to avoid Crawshay land. |
CF48 2RD
Grade II* Listed
The Cefn Coed Viaduct was built in 1866 to carry the Brecon and Merthyr Railway across the river Taff Fawr at Pontycapel. The design was by Alexander Sutherland, a friend of Robert Thompson Crawshay, and it was partly built by Messrs. Savin and Ward and was, after the failure of the original builders, finished by Sutherland.
It consists of 15 openings, each one 39 feet 6 inches, a length of 770ft. and a maximum height of 115ft. It was built on a curve and this curve is the viaduct?s main point of architectural interest. The original cost of the viaduct was £25,000 and it is the third largest viaduct in Wales.
HistoryRailway viaduct, built 1866 by Henry Conybeare and Alexander Sutherland for Savin and Ward at a cost of £25,000. Sutherland was a friend of Robert Crawshay of the nearby Cyfarthfa Iron Works. The viaduct carried the former Brecon and Merthyr Railway over the Afon Taff Fawr and was built on a curve to satisfy conditions laid down by the Crawshay Estate. It was planned to be constructed entirely of limestone like the nearby Pontsarn
Viaduct but a trade union strike by stonemasons in February 1866 caused the company to buy 800,000 bricks from Hirwaun and Welshpool and use bricklayers to complete the fifteen arches. Most of the masons were sacked shortly after returning to work. The first arch from the Vaynor side was keyed on 12 May 1866 and the last on 27
August 1866. The viaduct was built for double-line working but a single track only was installed, on the N side.
Description
Railway viaduct; abutments, tall slender piers and parapets of coursed irregular sized rock-faced limestone blocks and fifteen ring-built semi-circular brick arches each of six courses. The piers have a projecting impost band and there are 2 projecting string courses below the parapets. The viaduct is built on a gentle arc some 235m long and has a maximum height of approximately 36m. An inscription on the S side reads ''''''''Built by Savin and Ward 1866''''''''.
The plaque read:
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Central Library 1935-6 Designed by Councillor J. M. Ross and built with help from the Carnegie Foundation. Opened by the Honourable Henry Seymour Berry, a Freeman of the Borough of Merthyr Tydfil. |
CF47 8AF
Grade II Listed
Designed by Councillor T. Edmund Rees (of Messrs Johnson, Richards & Rees, architects of Merthyr) and built by Messrs Enoch Williams and Sons, contractors of Dowlais at a cost of £8,500.
Description
Exterior
Arts and Crafts Modern.
2-storey and basement, Portland stone front, hipped Cumbrian slate roof swept to wide eaves. 7 windows with 3- light (2-light centre) mullioned windows in moulded architraves, leaded lights. Cornices and guttae drops to ground-floor surrounds. Stepped plinth. Central doorway and fanlight grouped in pilastered frame with niches
and Tudor arch in moulded surround to entrance, flight of steps with coped flanking walls lead up.
Similar side elevations, one-storey extension to rendered rear.
Interior
Interior retains panelled and glazed entrance-hall with heraldic stained-glass dog-leg staircase etc.
Vaynor
CF48 2TT
CF47 8DW
The plaque reads:
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Court House The old Court House dates back as far as 1150, the house being an ancient family seat (including a court) for a local Welsh Prince named Ifor Bach. From 1880 there was a ladies school in the house. |
CF47 8DU
Grade II Listed
This was the earliest large house in Merthyr Tydfil. It was built in 1717, probably on the site of an ancient 12th century court. It is a two storey building with gables at either end and a porch containing a pointed arch. Very little of the original structure remains.
History
The stone core of the main part of the house is attributed by RCAHMW to periods of construction in C16 and in the later C17, perhaps as late as1717 after it was sold by Thomas Lewis of the Van, near Bedwas. In C19 a crosswing was built on to the S of the house, the old building was refurbished with new windows inserted and the porch added to the main front in Tudor Revival style. It is believed to be the earliest surviving structure in the town and thought to take its name from an ancient courthouse on this site. Much of the house was completely
reshaped and extended to E and S after it became the Merthyr Tudful Labour Club. Arthur Trystan Edwards (1884-1973), the eminent pioneer of town planning and notable writer on architecture, was born at the Court House in 1884 [plaque on building].
Description
Exterior
The main 5-bay range comprises a rectangular a two-storey and attic block with flush-set gable over entrance bay and offset gabled, solid porch. Forward to right (SE) end is a second two-storey and attic range with the ground floor largely masked by modern extensions. Plastered and colour-washed masonry walls with exposed stone dressings to gable cappings with kneelers, plinth course linked to chamfered surround of porch entrance and
pointed hood-moulding to secondary door on left.
Slate roofs with a pair of pitched roof dormers to centre bays and twin rubble stacks set diagonally over rectangular chimney at junction of roof pitches to right of gable over entrance bay. Single-light sashes to attic windows, double-hung 12-pane sashes to first-floor windows and canted bay with small-pane sashes to centre of ground floor; narrow small-pane sash to right.
Wide single-light gable to road with small-pane sash windows and modern door opening to ground floor. Fullheight cross-gable to rear of far (SE) end, plus various lower extensions including masonry evidence (?) of a possible lateral chimney in the angle of the original block and the narrow hipped range to running parallel to rear.
Interior
The interior was not inspected. The RCAHMW Inventory records, within the original C16 block, a possible cross-passage to S, under an open roof of four bays. Three plain collar-beam roof trusses survive although mainly boxed in. These trusses have cambered collars that are morticed into the principal rafters which carry three purlins each side and a ridge beam. The RCAHMW's recording suggests that much of this timberwork is reused. In the roof, the evidence is that the whole building was floored to provide accommodation on two main levels with attics over. Apart from the thick outer walls and the four-bay roof, no visible features survive from the
early building. At the same time as this roof was constructed , a gabled front was added to the N part of the house.
Georgetown
CF48 1AY
Grade II Listed
History
Early 19th century. Converted1911-12 from one large dwelling house to three house with shop. There have been further subsequent alterations. In use as a Court of Requests in 1834.
The house is thought to be important for the establishement there in 1809 of the Court of Requests for the recovery of small debts. Consequently the house became a principal target of the Merthyr Rising in 1831 and was broken into by Dic Penderyn.
In 1829 depression set in in the iron industry which was to last for three years. As a result Merthyr Tydfil Ironmasters made many workers redundant and cut the wages of those in work. Against a background of rising prices this caused severe hardship for many of the working people of the area and, in order to survive, many people were forced into debt. Often they were unable to pay off their debts and their creditors would then turn to the Court of Requests which had been set up in 1809 to allow the bailiffs to seize the property of debtors. As a result the Court was hated by many people who saw it as the reason for their losing their property.
DescriptionExterior
Wide 2-storey and basement late Georgian N front, pebbledash with band course and plain margins. Modern pantile roof, hipped to road end, two large stone stacks with moulded cornices. Assorted 12-pane sash windows (boarded); small boarded door to No 9a up steps. Lower extension (former stable, now roofless) attached at far end. Two-window rubble gable-end to road with first-floor cantilevered bay windows and shop window to left of doorway. Altered S front with 4 assorted windows, plain margins, glazing and doors replaced; brick-walled forecourt.
Interior
Interiors retain plan-form of separate service end to W and family end to E with ground-floor communication only. Good Regency detailing includes exceptional architraves (treated as pilasters) with paterae; moulded cornices; segmental, pilastered sideboard recesses etc. Stone-vaulted cellars (divided for prison use) reached by
stone stairs, flagged floors, bed platforms etc.
The plaque read:
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Crown Inn 1785 Built as a coaching Inn on the site of an earlier thatched property. Note the iron gates and carriage arch to the right hand side of the building leading to a cobbled courtyard where coaches from Cardigan were berthed. |
CF47 8DP
Grade II Listed
Description
Dated 1785, later alterations.
Long 2-storey simple Georgian front of painted render with incised coursing, simplified pilasters. Steep slate roof with two tall brick stacks, boarded eaves. 6 windows, replacement sashes with small glazing bars, deeper reveals on left; centre first-floor surround linked vertically to doorcase below, open pediment with fluted pilasters over arched fanlight (modern door). Carriage arch with ironwork gate and scrolly bracket to cobbled yard entry on
right.
The Architect should be shown as Robert Lugar.
CF47 8RE
Grade I Listed
A large country house situated in its own landscaped park overlooking the Taff Valley and site of the former Cyfarthfa Ironworks.
History1824-5. Designed by Robert Lugar, architect of London, for ironmaster William Crawshay II. Cost £30,000. Sold in 1909 to Merthyr Corporation; large extensions of 1912 for school.
Description
Exterior
Large country house Picturesque castle style.
Terraced site. Basically rectangular in shape, with almost symmetrical entrance and garden fronts meeting at a circular corner tower. Coursed bull-nosed facings with ashlar dressings. Crenellated parapets with false machicolation to towers, weathered stringcourses to rest. Stair and outlook turret to rear of corner drum-tower, dummy arrow
loops, rectangular hoodmoulds (arched to drum tower which also has 3-light mullioned windows to top floor). Cross windows (later?) to entrance front and drum, sash windows with glazing-bars to ground-floor of garden front. Central towers to both fronts with splayed angles, splayed bay with finial over porch to main entrance with round turrets and arched openings; oriel over Tudor garden doorway.
Attached to left of main building are the castellated screen-wall and towered entrances to former stable courtyard and offices (now rebuilt as school accommodation). Composition of walls with dummy loops, polygonal end turret, solid left-hand gatehouse with arched entry under 3-light window and right-hand entry between round and
square turrets. Tudor-style school buildings to rear.
Interior
Interior retains main suite of state rooms including entrance hall, library, drawing room and dining room (now used as museum and art gallery). Entrance hall is baronial with ribbed ceiling, heraldic cornice, Gothic shafts and panelling to doorcases and castellated chimney-piece in library, the rest of public rooms are neo-classical in style with anthemion plaster bands, egg-and-dart cornices, wide architraves with angle paterae. Ceiling roses to
drawing rooms, plus fine caryatid chimney-piece and scallop-shell niches to long drawing-room; Ionic pilasters from columned screen remain in dining-room.
Accessed from CF48 2SB
Scheduled Ancient Monument
(together with the adjacent Gurnos Quarry Tramroad)
RCAHMW Schedule
A leat, some 1.6km long, was constructed in 1825 to provide water for the ornamental lake at Cyfarthfa Castle and, via Pont-y-cafnau, for Cyfarthfa Ironworks. The northern end of the watercourse is at a sluice on the River Taff opposite Gyrnos Quarry; it runs parallel to the earlier Gyrnos Tramroad and still supplies the lake at Cyfarthfa Castle.
Gyrnos or Gurnos Tramroad was built by the ironmaster William Crawshay in 1792 to carry limestone from Gyrnos Quarry to Cyfarthfa Ironworks. The tramroad ran south from the quarry, serving a bank of three limekilns at SO03790749 , and continuing over Pont-y-cafnau to the ironworks, a total distance of approximately 1.8km.
CF47 8RE
This series of four small ponds passed in the woods were holding ponds, built shortly after the construction of Cyfarthfa Castle. They supported the water level in the lake to the front of the castle. They took their water supply from Bryn Cae Owen pond to the north-east.
CF47 8RE
(Gatepiers & Railings - Grade II Listed)
This comprises the grounds surrounding Cyfarthfa Castle which date from 1824-25.
History
ca 1825. Probably designed by Robert Lugar (the demolished lodges matched the style of the house).
Description
Two fine sections of ironwork railings with ironwork gate piers flanking the driveway. Large urn finials
surmount round gatepiers with hinges, attached cluster of smaller urn-topped uprights. Matching pair of ironwork gates. Spear railings sweep down with 7 bays to left and right divided by square groups of urn-finial uprights; spear dog-bars. Railings are attached at outer ends to square, castellated stone turrets with boundary walls beyond.
Gates restored (Spring 1987).
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Deep Navigation Originally called Harris Navigation Colliery after Frederick William Harris, the main shareholder. It was dogged by financial difficulties and was sold to David Davies in 1893 changing its name to Ocean Colliery. The Deep Navigation name came after nationalisation in 1947. |
Accessed from CF46 5EX
The plaque reads:
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Dowlais Blast Engine House Constructed between 1905-1907, shortly after the Dowlais Iron Company had become part of Guest Keen and Nettlefolds and Co. Ltd. The Engine House was built to feed a bank of furnaces with air. |
CF48 3HA
Grade II* Listed
History
Blowing engine house of 1905-7 built for Guest, Keen & Nettlefold to provide blast for the new blast furnace plant at the Dowlais Works completed in 1909. The building is 54m long and 15m high and had 3 blowing engines of vertical compound condensing quarter crank type with Corliss Gear for steam and Southwark Valve Gear for air. Iron and steel making stopped in Dowlais in 1930 and the bulk of the Dowlais Works closed in 1936. The building was used for offices and storage in the late C20 by the OP Chocolate Factory and at the time
of survey was unused.
Description
Very large industrial building in red brick with yellow dressings and hipped roof behind parapet. Apparently of 2- storeys, a high lower floor and attic but actually a single space within. Nine-bay side walls, 3-bay end walls, the bays divided by piers with yellow brick quoins. Rubble stone plinth, double yellow-brick string course under upper windows and similar triple course under parapet. Lower openings are long, arch-headed with yellow brick rusticated surrounds and arches with stone impost and key blocks. Third-length windows in bays 1, 2 and 9, quarter-length window in bay 5, with lintel below at mid height over recessed walling with yellow-brick arch and fanlight over narrower C20 door (early photographs show a tall arch under the window here). Bay 9 has yellowbrick arched doorway, infilled with C20 small door. Upper level has similar but short windows. Original metal glazing survives at this level with small panes and radiating bars.
Rear NW side has the same upper windows but blank long yellow-brick arched panels to each lower bay with 2 yellow-brick blank roundels over each panel, all with stone key and impost blocks. Centre bay has roundels over cast-iron portico with 2 columns each side, corniced flat top similar double-column responds. Two further shorter
columns stand on flat roof. Cambered-headed yellow-brick doorway within. The bays each side of centre have only one roundel over the panel and that asymmetrically set, but in mirror image.
End elevations are similar to main front at NW, and plain at SE with just blank yellow-brick framed panels to upper level and 2 oddly random roundel windows below.
CF48 3LP
Once known as Dowlais Lloyd Street Station, and locally as Dowlais Tip Station. It was closed to ordinary passenger services in 1952 and to workmen's services in 1960. Goods traffic continued until 1964.
CF48 3HS
Grade II Listed
History
Public library, 1903-7, by E. A. Johnson of Abergavenny, built as the Free Public Library with a grant from theCarnegie Trust. Arts and Crafts free style, with Tudor to C17 detail. The carved detail, in Art Nouveau manner, now much eroded, was by T A Jones of Cardiff.
Description
Exterior
Public library in rock-faced Pennant stone with red Alveley sandstone dressings and slate roof. Basement and main storey, L-plan with main reading room in N crosswing, entrance and exhibition room in S range, over basement. Free C17 style with Art Nouveau carved details, and plain square section mullions and transoms to flush grid windows.
Main E and S gables have ornate shaped gables with ogee tops and finials, the coping interrupted by 2 raised piers with shaped curved caps. Two ground floor 3 x 3-light windows with moulded sills, flush band below and above and large gable roundel with 9-pane grid and ornate carved cartouche above. The 2 raised piers are carried on brackets to each side of ground floor sills. Copings have a concave curve each side of the raised piers, then an ogee curve to a shoulder and then a big convex curve going ogee at the top for the finial. Piers have a carved cartouche at tops. N side wall has 5 grid windows, 3 3x3 and outer ones 2x3 lights, similar moulded sills with brackets, flush band below and another band under eaves cornice which is split in 2 by little gable with ornately carved roundel window, ogee gable with finial framed by piers with ashlar tops and curved caps. subtle projection of outer windows to emphasis narrow centre bay. Three basement openings to right.
Main range to left of E gable has slightly projected entrance bay to right with hipped roof and moulded sandstone eaves cornice stepped forward over carved plaque with 'Public library' in art Nouveau letters. Cornices each side have short piers with curved caps over. Flush band under plaque over 3 small plain leaded lights over cornice of doorway. Doorway has splayed sides, ashlar depressed-arched head with scrolled keystone and dental cornice, supported by Art Nouveau shield each side. Six stone steps, concreted over to inner arch with Art Nouveau carved books in spandrels, and keystone over double panelled doors.
Wing to left has modillion eaves cornice over 4 grid windows, one 2x3 the others 3x3, moulded sills. Basement door to left and 2 3-light and one 2-light mullion windows. Panelled door with 2-light overlight and cornice. Big carved cartouche each side of overlight with bearded face.
Iron railings in front on ramped stone wall with ashlar coping.
Rear mostly C20 render. Projecting bay with mullion window on S side of reading room.
Interior
Main reading room has open timber roof with double-collar trusses, ceiled at upper collar with arch bracing at both levels, the trusses on corbels. Glazed screens to 2 small W end areas. C20 ceiling to S exhibition room.
CF48 2AJ
Designed by Edward Haycock of Shrewsbury and built in 1844. Once part of a thriving community. The stalls varied from those selling food and clothing to gambling stalls of many types.
The market was demolished in 1971.
CF48 2AJ
Grade II Listed
History
Former stable range for the Dowlais works, built for Sir Josiah John Guest in 1820. The large first-floor rooms were used as a boys school until the Dowlais Schools were built in 1854-5. Soldiers were stationed here for several years after the Merthyr riots of 1831. The stables closed in the 1930s. The range was derelict by the 1970s and bought by the Merthyr Tydfil Heritage Trust in 1981. The interior and rear were wholly rebuilt as flats and the facade walls were also substantially rebuilt.
Description
Former stable range now flats, squared grey brown rubble stone with dressings in grey limestone and some renewed in tooled sandstone. Slate eaves roofs. Two-storeys with centre and end pavilions separating 9-bay ranges. The right range and upper part of left pavilion are entirely rebuilt. Originally the 2 ranges had limestone voussoirs to cambered headed lower windows and segmental headed upper windows, with small-paned glazing and stone sills. Left range had plinth with limestone coping, due to slope of site. The front wall of the right range
is rebuilt with sandstone voussoirs to openings. All windows are later C20, small-paned casements with 4-pane top-light. Centre entrance has grey stone quoins, tall broad entry with depressed arch with grey stone voussoirs and keystone, and plain impost course, also in grey limestone. Below impost level on each side is narrow plate of cast-iron built-in with pierced hole for door pin. Upper storey has stone framed eroded rectangular plaque between flush bands of grey stone. Plaque had date 1820 in Roman numerals. Star-shaped cast-iron tie-rod end
each side. Pediment with thin base course and bargeboards to gable, 2 further tie-rod ends and centre large castiron clock face. Renewed octagonal timber lantern on ridge with ogee lead dome and urn finial. End pavilions have coped pediments with big blind keyed roundels in grey stone. Main floors have triumphal-arch motif with quoined piers, thin impost band and grey stone arch with voussoirs. One window each floor within arch. Left pavilion is rebuilt with impost course and pediment as at other end, but dressings in tooled sandstone. Windowless end walls.
Within arch are rebuilt stairs to upper floors. Rear is wholly rebuilt in yellow brick as flats with access balcony, except the 3 main features. Rear of 3 main features all rubble stone, plain. Centre has stone voussoirs to depressed arch, 2 louvred square lights above with renewed voussoirs and blocked brick roundel. Outer pavilions have a window each floor, renewed with C20 glazing.
The plaque reads:
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Flooks Flooks is the oldest surviving jewellers in Merthyr Tydfil and was established by the year 1885. The original building dates back to the early 19th century (No 49 was once the Black Cock Inn). |
CF47 8UN
Grade II Listed
History
Early to mid C19 (shown on 1851 Board of Health map).
Description
2 storeys, 4+3 windows, stucco; slate roof splayed round corner. Twin dormers with bargeboards on right, central brick stack. Heavily moulded architraves with lion-mask keyblocks to sash windows. Splayed shopfront with boxed-in fascia, end volute brackets, recessed door with Victorian curved glazing, ornamented overdoor. Modern
brick right gable.
The building has now been converted into offices and a cafe.
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Glamorgan Canal Completed in 1794 by Cyfarthfa, Dowlais, Penydarren & Plymouth Works iron masters to transport goods to Cardiff Docks. The canal ended in Cyfarthfa as Crawshay was the major shareholder. |
Accessed from CF48 1UT
History
The Glamorganshire Canal, backed by the principal ironmasters of Merthyr Tydfil, was built to carry iron twenty five and a half miles from Merthyr to the port of Cardiff, descending (originally) through 50 locks. It was opened on 10 February 1794 and became the most successful canal in south Wales. A southern extension giving direct access to the Bristol Channel and known as the sea pound was opened in 1798. The Aberdare Canal branched off from Abercynon and the Doctor's Canal branched from Denia to Treforest. Control of the Glamorganshire and Aberdare Canals passed to the Marquis of Bute in 1885. Merthyr to Abercynon closed 1898, Abercynon to Pontypridd closed 1915, Pontypridd to Cardiff closed 1942 and Cardiff sea pound closed 1951. Remains of the canal are now scanty, having been built over by realignments of the A470 trunk road.
Dowlais
CF48 3HA
Grade II* Listed
History
Former library and reading room built 1855 - 1863 as a memorial to Sir Josiah John Guest (d1852) of the Dowlais Iron Works. In March 1854 a public meeting of Dowlais workmen decided on the memorial and £2,200 was subscribed. The building was probably designed by Sir Charles Barry who died in 1860, but had been the favoured architect of the Guest family. Work was started in 1855 but as costs exceeded the money available, the Dowlais Iron Company took over the completion of the building on condition that it became their property. The original subscriptions were returned to the trustees who used the money to provide annual scholarships for the children taught in the Dowlais schools. The library was opened in 1863 at a total cost of £7,000. At the time of survey the building was in use as a social and sports club.
Description
Exterior
Former library, classical style cruciform 2-storey building, the main rooms raised on a basement storey. Varied stones, massive rock-faced grey stone basement, coursed squared brown sandstone walling above with Bath stone balustrade, tetrastyle portico, eaves cornices and pediments. Windows to side walls are in grey Forest of Dean stone recessed panels.
Raised portico to front with pedimented wings each side and long main hall range behind.
Front has rock-faced square piers to basement with grey stone frieze over, and within recess, centre door flanked by narrow windows in stuccoed wall. Above are 4 Bath stone Tuscan columns on pedestals with balustrades between, carrying fine plain entablature and pediment. Within portico is painted stucco wall with long French windows between Tuscan pilasters, with sunk panel over each window. Wings each side are windowless, with
grey rock-faced basement, coursed sandstone walling above, with thin band at level of pedestal tops, and ashlar entablature and eaves cornice. Ends of wings have similar but smaller pediments, over 3 recessed long first floor panels, the centre one broader. Each long panel has recessed panel over a long window with top lights, 2-light to centre one-light each side. Sill course carried right around. Basement has similar short square windows between
piers. Hall range behind has 4 similar long windows with sill course over rock-faced grey stone basement with short square windows. End wall has pediment over C20 lean-to additions.
Interior
Interior modernised as social club.
|
Gwaelodygarth House |
CF47 8EX
Grade II Listed
History
Richard Crawshay probably built Gwaelodygarth House in about 1809 for his son-in- law Benjamin Hall, then living in Abercarn. The building was owned by ?Crawshay and Hall,? the name of the company later to be known as Cyfarthfa Ironworks.
Records from 1815 show that the house, and a great deal of associated farmland, were rented to a Mr Overton, son of an Ironmaster at Hirwaun. After Halls death, William Crawshay II lived there until he went to live at Cyfarthfa Castle in 1852.
Gwaelodygarth House was later sold to a Mr Meyrick, a local lawyer for £2,500. Meyrick died in 1852 and left the property to two friends. Meyrick's will, however, was successfully contested and the property was awarded to his great-grand daughter. She sold it to Henry Seymour Berry, later Lord Buckland of Bwlch.
Gwaelodygarth House was Lord Buckland's home until 1922.Then it was bought by Guest Keen and Nettlefolds, who allowed it to be used as a domestic training institution and a wartime school for girl evacuees.
After the war the Hospital Board for Merthyr General Hospital acquired it. Dr. Creswell of Dowlais opened Gwaelodygarth House in 1950 as a training school for State Registered and Fever Nurses.
In 1953 the training school was united with the Aberdare General Hospital. It was used as a residential unit until 1975.
DescriptionMain symmetrical exterior in simple classical style with two-storey three-window pedimental frontispiece, heraldic cockerel within gable panel. Thin Bath stone facings (painted) in channelled rustication with plain bands over ground and first floor windows and with plinth band. Upper level windows have residual Tudor dripmoulds and ground floor windows have cornices on scrolled volutes. Large architraved doorway under
cornice in setback range to right and second doorway under modern porch to setback range to left. Gutted and roofless at the time of inspection and upper floor of left-hand range collapsed; modern brick chimneys. Earlier roughcast brickwork can be seen behind the Bath stone facings. Some panelled window splays remain, though the small-pane sash windows have now gone.
Hen D? Cwrdd Unitarian Chapel,
Cefn Coed y Cymer
CF48 2PR
Grade II Listed
History
Unitarian chapel founded 1747, rebuilt 1853 and 1895, much restored 1991-3. the previous chapel was galleried as the gallery was in need of whitewash and repair 1826. The new chapel of 1853 was designed by John Lewis of Cwm-moel, Vaynor and the contractors were Watkin Meredith, mason, Thomas Vaughan, carpenter, and Philip
Jones, plasterer, the contract cost was £434. The design for the 1853 facade shows that it had a pediment, outer giant pilasters, arched upper windows each side over smaller square-headed windows below, and arched doorway between, the doorway pilastered with cornice and plaque over. The present facade dates from the near complete
rebuilding in 1895 for £750, and it is assumed that all the interior detail dates from this period, though the wall structure may be of 1853. In 1991-3 the facade was taken down and rebuilt, to almost the same design, slightly simplified, and the interior altered. An organ in the gallery and pulpit backboards have been removed.
Description
Exterior
Chapel, stucco with slate roof. Pedimented gable facade in 2 storeys and 3 bays with cornice and frieze above ground floor, broken forward over 4 pilaster strips. (There was a second frieze under pediment with similar forward breaks in tops of pilasters, but this has been simplified to plain pilasters). Romanesque-style openings, first floor has 2 ashlar roundels each with 3 stone roundels within and centre triple window of 3 arched lights with ashlar heads, bases and column shafts with moulded capitals. Arched stucco hoodmoulds over roundels and triple arched hood over centre. Ground floor has arched window each side with ashlar 2-light and roundel tracery with low transom over 2 blind bottom panels, and stucco hoodmoulds. Big centre arched doorway with arched hoodmould (formerly the hoodmould was extended out as string over pilasters each side and there were sunk spandrel panels over the arch). Inscriptions in raised capital letters (slightly altered in 1991-3): in frieze below
centre window ''''''''''''''''Hen Dy Cwrdd.''''''''''''''''; then below frieze ''''''''''''''''Built 1747 Rebuilt 1853. 1895. 1991.'''''''''''''''' and arched over door ''''''''''''''''I ni nid oes ond un Duw y Tad.''''''''''''''''. Double doors with fanlight. Stuccoed 2-storey, 3-window sides with arched windows above and square headed windows below, all with glazing bars (windows were linked vertically with panels between before 1991).
Interior
Plain pitch-pine 3-sided gallery with canted angles, cambered-headed panels infilled with boarding and front carried on moulded brackets. Five fluted iron columns with ornate capitals and mid-ring, probably of 1853. Two 6-panel lobby doors and window between with stained glass, earlier C20, of the Good Shepherd, removed from Capel Coffa Aubrey, the Welsh Wesleyan chapel, Cefn, demolished in 1977. Patterned late C19 or early C20 coloured glass in triplet behind gallery. Pitch pine pews with boarded backs. Large pitch pine pulpit platform with stairs up each side, the stairs with turned balusters and turned newels with finials, the platform with similar balusters to quarter-round angles, flanking panelled projecting 3-sided pulpit. Panelled base with quarter-round angles.
The plaque read:
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High Street Baptist Church 1840 Built for the English Baptists who previously used Bethel Chapel, Georgetown. The Chapel has a finely decorated interior. Pastor Luke Jenkins ran a highly regarded Sunday School here in the 1950s. |
CF47 8DN
Grade II Listed
History
Built 1840.
Description
Exterior
Bold neo-classical front of 3 bays, painted render with advanced, pedimented centre, parapets to side bays, gable crucifix. Bracket cornice, band course under recessed "High Street Chapel" tablet, deep cornice over banded rusticated ground-floor. Pediments to outer first-floor windows with leaded glazing, plain ground-floor windows. Monumental central entrance with plain arch to later vaulted porch breaking through cornice, detached Doric columns to jambs, twin pilasters flank segmental inner doorway.
One-bay return flanks in similar style, then 4-bay simple walls with plain bands and round headed upper windows with tracery.
Interior
Fine 2-storey interior with cast-iron columns supported 3-sided panelled gallery, arcade treatment at gallery level. Great platform with pulpit, big seat etc to inner wall.
The plaque reads:
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Hope Chapel 1892 Built at a cost of around £4,000 under the Rev. D. Charles Edwards, it replaced an earlier chapel on the same site. The Presbyterian congregation outgrew the original building's seating capacity. |
CF47 8UG
Designed by Thomas Roderick in Cuspless Gothic. The chapel has a galleried interior.
Hope Methodist Chapel was built in 1861 and rebuilt in 1891.The later chapel was built in the Gothic style with a gable-entry plan, leaded perpendicular windows and flanking turrets.
Dowlais
CF48 3HA
Dowlais
CF48 3LR
Grade II Listed
History
English Congregational chapel of 1860. The main founder, George Houlson, was brought from Bristol by the Dowlais Iron Company in 1857 to be the first headmaster of the Dowlais Infants School. The church was originally funded by Bristol people (at the instigation of the Will's tobacco family) seeking to help English speaking people at the Dowlais Iron Works. The site was obtained from the Dowlais Iron Company for £175 and a lease of £2.7s.6d (£2.38) per annum. The foundation stone was laid on 22/5/1860 by H.O. Wills of Bristol, the chapel was built by John Gabe for £811.10s.0d (£811.50) and it was opened 1/4/1861. The church was renovated
in the early 1870s, in 1895 when the organ was installed, in 1928-9 and 1951. A further major renovation has been undertaken c1992-2002 with the aid of a Biffaward. The stuccoed forecourt walls have been altered since the 1975 listing.
Description
Exterior
Chapel, painted stucco with slate deep-eaved roof and pediment gable. Two-storey gable front with moulded pediment, frieze beneath with evenly-spaced console brackets and three-bay front with moulded cornice over ground floor, plinth and Ionic pilasters, 4 to ground floor, 2 to upper floor. Large arch-headed plaque in gable '1860 Ivor English Independent Chapel'. Upper floor has arched windows with moulded surrounds, keystones, impost blocks and impost band. Centre triple window with narrower slightly shorter side lights, the centre light equal in size to those in the flanking bays. Ground floor has square-headed 4-pane window in moulded surround with sill brackets each side of centre arched doorway. Doorway has moulded arch with keystone on crude Ionic half columns. Double boarded doors. Raised plinth. Four-bay side walls with very long arched lights, impost band and brackets in eaves frieze.
Rear vestry/hall with window each end.
Interior
Plastered walls, 3-sided gallery on 7 iron columns with deep cove under cornice beneath painted panelled front of alternate long and square panels with centre clock. Painted grained box pews in 3 blocks.
Later C19 platform with stairs each side, turned balusters and big turned newels with ball finials. Inner stair rails continue along platform front to panelled pulpit with arched-panelled front in contrasted coloured wood.
Boarding behind pulpit under 1895 organ gallery which has ornate iron rail. Organ recess behind has broad arch on short pilasters. Large Peter Conacher 2 manual pipe organ.
Raked gallery pews, painted with large panels to backs and shaped bench ends. Moulded cornice. Ceiling has centre rose within 2 moulded rings, and is divided by ribs.
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Ivor Works Reservoir This reservoir is one of few remaining features of the Ivor works that were situated nearby. The water was used as a coolant in the production of iron and steel. |
Accessed from CF48 3NU
CF47 8LL
Grade II Listed
Erected in 1793 by the Dowlais Iron Company to carry the Dowlais Tramway over the River Taff to the Glamorganshire Canal.
Description
Formally a dual purpose road & Dowlais Tramroad bridge of stone rubble with arch of wide span with dressed voussoirs. Flanking pilasters on stepped plinths; parapet with stone coppings.
CF47 0BA
Grade II Listed
This building is the last survivor of three Synagogues that once existed in Merthyr.
History
Built as a Synagogue, 1872-5, in heavy Northern Gothic style.
Description
Snecked rubble facings with ashlar bands and dressings; slate roofs with red tiled ridges and finials. Crowning gable with polygonal finials and narrow louvred openings. 5-light window with lancets and blocked lights over 3- storey transverse narthex. Narrow entrance gable, with plate-traceried window under scissor-braced bargeboards, flanked by two 2-storey polygonal staircase turrets with conical roofs on eaves brackets, narrow windows with stone lintels. Double flight of steps with stone piers, iron balustrade (partly missing) and iron lamp
standards rises to gabled doorway with dripstone.
The plaque read:
|
Kingdom Hall 1855-6 Originally known as Capel Salem, the chapel was established by Wesleyan Reformers. In 1857 the church became recognised as Welsh Independent with the Rev. Thomas Jenkins as its first minister. |
Newcastle Street
CF47 0BH
Grade II Listed
Latterly used as a meeting place by the Jehovah's Witnesses, the building started life as Salem Chapel, built by the Wesleyan Reformers. Between religious uses, the Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council had used the building as its computer centre.
Description
Stone with some render to R return gable; plinth. Elevation facing New Castle Street of 3 bays. Central gabled bay has 2 small round-headed windows over round-headed doorway with keystone and moulded surround; panelled doors with fanlight. Outer bays with taller round-headed window. Right gable end has three tall roundheaded
windows, that to L has lower drop than others. Rear return has round-headed window at upper level
above window with rectangular head.
Abercanaid
CF48 1AJ
Grade II Listed
History
Villa, possibly for colliery manager, part of the group of industrial housing at Abercanaid that included the lost squares immediately adjoining and the Nightingale Street, River Row and Canal Row terraces beyond. The terraces are mid C19 but the villa detail suggests an earlier to mid C19 date. The settlement is named 'Llwynyreos' on maps of 1850 and 1852 but the census of 1841 lists only one dwelling named Llwynyreos which is probably Llwynyreos House. Occupied by Mrs Green 1926. Since 1975 a late C19 porch has been removed..
Description
Villa, painted stucco with hipped roof and roughcast tall end stacks. Concrete tiles replace slates since 1975. Deep eaves with paired brackets. Three-storey, 3-window range with quoins, hornless 16-pane sash windows with painted stone sills, and ground floor late C19 canted bay windows flanking door. The bay windows with 2-4-2- pane sashes and modillion cornices, half-glazed door with overlight in rusticated stucco surround with 3 big
voussoirs. Windowless side walls, lean-to on S end, and 2-storey centre rear projection with hipped roof, roughcast tall end stack and first floor window each side. Door to ground floor N.
CF47 8EB
This was an early public house that was believed to have been used for worship by the Mormons.
CF47 8RF
Designed by C. M. Davies and built between 1910 and 1912 with Doric ornamentation. The rear facade, overlooking Pontmorlais has a pediment on an odd number of pilasters.
CF47 8DF
established 1836,
incorporated 1858
CF47 8DP
formerly
Shiloh Welsh Wesleyan Chapel
CF47 0BA
Grade II Listed
History
Originally built as Shiloh Welsh Wesleyan Chapel. Probably designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, engineer of the Vale of Neath Railway Company who erected the new chapel when the railway station was built on the earlier site. Corner tower cut down and building lengthened in 1921 when converted to Miner's Hall. In 1987 the building was converted to club use as "Charbonniers". Since extensively damaged by fire.
Description
Exterior
Tall, gabled Romanesque front, snecked rubble facings, freestone dressings, modern slate roofs with bargeboards. Gable corbel-table rises from end pilasters with outer scalloped capitals linked horizontally by stringcourse; sillband. Oculus with chevron splay and hoodmould to gable; incised lettering below. 9-light window band set into
Romanesque interlace with taller two-order centre window, chevron to arch-ring, nook-shafts with scallop capitals. Three arched doorways, centre with corbelled hoodmoulds, chevron arch-ring and nook shafts with scallop capitals; plain boarded doors and tympana. Cut-down tower on left with modern hipped roof, recessed panels.
Terraced forecourt with original outer gatepiers and ironwork railings on side walls.
Aisled side elevation to Tramroad Site North with four 3-light interlaced clerestory windows, plainer arched openings below; different treatment to added bay.
Interior
Interior retains 3-sided galleries on columns and large blind arch with corbelled hoodmould. Probably now largely destroyed.
Bedlinog
CF46 6RH
Built in 1870, modified, altered or rebuilt 1876, and 1901-1909.
The plaque reads:
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Morlais Buildings 1904 The buildings have some of the most impressive upper facades in the town?s business district, constructed of red brick and stonework mouldings. |
CF47 8UL
The plaque reads:
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Pandy Farm and Clock Tower c.1766 The farmhouse is thought to have been built on land previously used as a fulling mill in the 14th century, and owned by the Earl of Plymouth. The clock tower dates from 1816, but was later rebuilt by George Cope-Pearce. |
CF47 8PA
Grade II Listed
Farmhouse
History
Probably ca 1825 (date of Cyfarthfa Castle).
Description
2-storey, 5-window roughcast asymmetrical front with steeply hipped slate roof, single rubble stack. Sash windows without glazing bars in plain reveals, segmental head to larger window offset left. Painted surround to doorway offset right; walled forecourt.
Clock Tower
History
Soon after 1825 (same style as Cyfarthfa Castle). Probably designed by Robert Lugar.
Description
Square, rubble clock tower with castellated parapets and false machicolation. Bell-cage with cock weathervanebehind parapet; blue clock-faces to upper storey with arched window facing over farmhouse. Twin rubble rangesof farm square attached to left.
Barn & L-Plan Stable Ranges
History
Probably soon after 1825, later alterations and additions.
Description
Rubble-built barn flanking Brecon Road; dressed quoins, brick to oculus, ventilation slits and loft openings in gables. Pointed arched wagon entrance with projecting brick frame offset to right. Modern tiled roof.
Single-storey stables behind enclose NW and SW sides of farmyard. Coursed rubble with cambered freestone arches to openings. Slate roof to NW range, modern tiles to twin SW ranges.
Outer sides of SW ranges have (later) cambered openings with rusticated dressings and attached 2-bay coachhouse set back. SE front adjoining the Clock Tower has two segmental arched windows and an offset doorcase with dressed surrounds.
Originally formed the stables, coach-house and stores to Cyfarthfa Castle.
Pant
CF48 2DD
Pant Cadifor could mean Cadifor?s hollow, but, since Cad is the Welsh word for battle, it could be the place where the Welsh hero Ivor Bach had a battle. The famous Ivor Bach, who rebelled against English rule is reputed to be buried in this area near to the old Pant Cad Ivor Inn
Pant
CF48 2DD
The Pant Cemetery was opened in 1849 originally for the victims of cholera as the existing parish cemetery around St John?s Church, Dowlais no longer had room for all the burials. Pant Cemetery gates have impressive ironwork.
CF48 4BD
Grade II Listed
History
Mid C19 ironmaster's mansion said to have been built in 1850 for Anthony Hill (died 1862) of the Plymouth Ironworks. The house is a substantial late Georgian to Italianate country house but was sited right up against the S boundary of the industrial area. Occupied by N.F. Hankey, owner of Plymouth Collieries in earlier C20. Used as old people's home by council until 1974 then proposed for demolition, converted to inn in late C20.
Description
Large villa, now inn, painted stucco Italianate classical style, with slate roof and stuccoed end stacks and 2 stacks on front roof slope, the right end stack rebuilt much smaller in C20. Two storeys, seven bays with projecting sections in second and sixth bays. Angle quoins to main range and to the two projecting bays, moulded cornice and parapet. Plate glass sash windows without surrounds, fine stucco pedimented doorcase in right projection
with moulded architrave and pediment on console brackets, C20 glazed doors. Seventh bay has added later C19 2-storey canted bay with plate-glass sashes, cornice and parapet carried around. Ground floor centre has large C20 conservatory-style addition across the 3 bays, formerly with sash windows as elsewhere. Various additions to end
walls and rear, end walls with first floor and attic window each. The 1876 OS map shows originally one rear projection to centre right, now there is another of equal or larger size to left.
Accessed from CF46 5PD
Scheduled Ancient Monument
(Overbridge - Grade II Listed and Scheduled Ancient Monument)
The Penydarren or Merthyr Tramroad ran for 9 1/2 miles from Merthyr to Navigation (now known as Abercynon). It was constructed in 1799/1800 and fell 351 feet with an average gradient of 1 in 145.
On 21st February, 1804, Richard Trevithick made history by driving his high pressure tram engine, together with five wagons containing 10 tons of iron and 70 men from Penydarren to Abercynon. This was the first steam engine to pull a load on rails.
RCAHMW Schedule
1. Merthyr Tramroad, sometimes referred to as the Penydarren Tramroad, ran from quarries near Morlais Castle via a junction on the Dowlais - Jackson's Wharf tramroad at SO05120669 (at the present junction of Tramroadside North and Penydarren Road and now marked by the Trevithick Memorial) in Merthyr, to the Glamorganshire Canal basin at Abercynon (ST08469493) where a commemorative plaque has been erected. The tramroad is famous as the line on which Trevithick's engine ran on 21 February 1804, the first steam locomotive to pull a load on a railway. The Morlais Quarry section was built to supply Merthyr's Ironworks with limestone, and the Merthyr to Abercynon section to avoid the congested Glamorganshire Canal.
2. At ST08069784 , there is a stone revetment wall between the tramroad and the Taff Vale Railway embankment to the west.
Overbridge
History
Overbridge carrying the track to Pont y Gwaith over the Penydarren tramroad, said to be mid C19 as crossing a diversion on the tramroad. The bridge immediately adjoins the bridge over the Taff Vale railway opened in 1841 and may have been rebuilt to accommodate the altered roadway. In poor condition at time of inspection, supported with steelwork. Said to be due for repair as part of the Trevithick 2004 Project.
Description
Road bridge over former tramroad, abutting railway bridge. Rubble stone, tall narrow arch with stone voussoirs and rubble stone, the parapets sloping up with roadway to abut railway bridge parapets.
RCAHMW Schedule
Early nineteenth century high stone-arched bridge carrying a minor road over a later re-alignment (avoiding a sharp curve) of the Merthyr Tramroad .
There is a bulge in the bridge about halfway up on both sides and the abutments are being undermined by sheep action; earth has fallen away and stones have become dislodged and a large section of masonry has cracked away on the southeast abutment.
Abercanaid
CF48 1YT
Pond Row was constructed between 1830 and 1840. The front of the row is of two storeys, whilst the rear is of three. The rear houses being separate from those at the front.
The houses were constructed on the bank of the Glamorganshire Canal, probably to house colliers employed by the Plymouth Ironworks.
CF46 5PD
Grade II Listed
Pont-y-Gwaith means the 'Works' Bridge. Originally a wooden bridge crossed the river Taff at this point in connection with a 16th century iron works. The present bridge was erected in 1811 as a replacement.
History
Road bridge carrying farm lane over Taff marked on plaque as of 1811, the arch rebuilt in 1993, but said in previous listing to be probably later C18 and by G Breese said to be post 1828, when bridge was recorded as being of wood.
Description
Road bridge, rubble stone humped-backed with single arch of exceptional steepness and wide (16.8m) span, rise of 4.8m and width of 4.2m. Arch has thin long cut stone voussoirs, rubble stone soffit. Spandrels are of small stones, the coursing swept up over thin arch crown. Abutment piers are broader, square, with squared stone quoins and base courses. Parapets are rebuilt in rock-faced stone with rock-faced stone rounded copings, splayed
out at ends.
The plaque reads:
|
Pontrhun Bridge |
Troedyrhiw
CF48 4DT
The original bridge, made of wood, is listed by John Leland in the 1540's.The bridge illustrated collapsed in December 1878.
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Pontsarn Inn style="color: white;"> Built as a station master's house in the mid 19th century to serve the Brecon to Merthyr line. The building later served as a post office, shop and an inn, providing refreshment for miners and their families enjoying their Sunday school trips to the countryside. |
CF48 2TS
CF48 2TS
Grade II* Listed
History
Railway viaduct, built 1866 by Henry Conybeare and Alexander Sutherland for Savin and Ward. The viaduct carried the former Brecon and Merthyr Railway and London & North Western Railway. . over the Afon Taff Fechan and was built of limestone from railway cuttings. The viaduct was designed for double-line working but a single track only was installed, on the N side. In deteriorating condition at time of survey. Each of the seven spans is 40'6".
Description
Railway viaduct of 7 arches; abutments, tall slender piers and parapets of coursed irregular sized rock-faced limestone blocks and seven segmental arches with limestone voussoirs . The piers have a projecting impost band and a projecting string course below the parapets. The viaduct is built on a straight line some 138m long and has a maximum height of approximately 28m.
Burial Ground
CF46 5AW
(Goitre Coed)Viaduct
CF46 5NS
Grade II* Listed
History
Railway bridge over the Afon Taf of 1840-1 by I K Brunel built for the Taff Vale Railway, opened April 1841, doubled in width before 1861. A remarkable early railway bridge of massive construction with octagonal piers necessitating deep chamfers to the arches. The viaduct crosses the line of the Penydarren tramroad on the N side of the river.
Description
Railway viaduct over the Afon Taf. Very tall slightly curving viaduct of 6 arches, the original viaduct upstream and only visible from N. Massive rock-faced squared masonry and highly modelled octagonal piers, the rockfacing tooled at edges, banded 3 times with broad 3-course bands of tooled masonry, and the capitals of 6 stepped courses of rock-faced stone. Remarkable arches deeply splayed at edges, the splays in tooled stone as also the arch soffits. Rockfaced stone in spandrels, big coved string course in tooled stone and rock-faced stone parapets with ashlar copings. Splayed out ends to abutments.
Addition of matching scale is simpler, having regular piers, caps in 2 courses, arches with rock-faced stone voussoirs and vermiculated keystones. Coved string course breaks forward over keystones.
CF48 1YP
Grade II Listed
History
House in row of early C19 industrial workers cottages associated with the nearby collieries, situated just NW of the former Lucy Thomas dock on the Glamorganshire Canal. The early C19 OS maps show 2 parallel rows of cottages and the 1850 tithe map shows additional rows to the W. At this time the area was part of the estate of Thomas Thomas. By 1919 the W most of the 2 parallel rows had been demolished leaving Quay Row.
House in row of 4 fronting former canal. The 2-storey rubble stone row of houses has 4 double-fronted houses (Nos 2-5) and one halfwidth house on the end, formerly No 1 now part of No 2. As built Nos 2-5 had a plan form arranged around a centre passageway and rear staircase. Openings have stone voussoirs. Narrow depth, no outshut or lean-to to rear. The wholly rebuilt Nos 6-7 may once have been similar to Nos 2-5.
Exterior
No 2 is whitewashed with slate roof, small red brick left end stack to former No 1 and red brick stack at left of former No 2. No 1 has a very small window to first floor left and a ground floor right window in stucco surround with C20 aluminium glazing. Rubble stone left end wall. The original No 2 has 2 narrow 4-pane sashes above 2 wider windows with C20 aluminium glazing and centre ledged door. All openings have stucco surrounds with minimal pediments, door surround with keystone.
No 3 is whitewashed with slate roof and stone chimney to right. Facade offset to left, with 2 9-pane sashes each floor and centre C20 framed ledged door, all with stucco surrounds with minimal pediments, door surround with keystone, as on No 2. Since 1975 windows have been restored and pebbledash cladding removed.
No 4 is whitewashed with imitation-slate roof and stone stack to left. Two C20 hardwood windows each floor and C20 centre door, all in thin stucco surrounds. Since 1975 sash windows have been removed.
No 5 is plain rubble stone with concrete tiles, no chimneys, and 2 windows each floor and centre door in thin stucco surrounds with uPVC windows and door.
Cefn Coed
CF48 2NA
Grade II Listed
Built 1874.
When funds for the church were being raised the curate wrote "We live in a nest of dissenters and each denomination has a decent place of worship". A walk around Cefn today shows the truth of this statement!
History
Anglican parish church of 1870 by G E Robinson of Cardiff, David Jenkins builder, built on land given by A G Holford. Known as the Swiss church for its slated spire. Vestry and organ chamber added after 1922.
Description
Exterior
Parish church, distinctive stonework in crazed rubble with bands of thin stones at sill and impost levels, rockfaced sandstone quoins, and ashlar windows, steep slate roofs. Nave, chancel, S porch, SE tower with slated spire and N gabled organ-chamber with vestry. W end has 4 bands of thin stones, diagonal buttresses and 2-step buttresses framing lower half of large W window with chamfered surround of sandstone, with hoodmould. Odd tracery of 3 lancets with transoms at mid height and across tops and tracery in head, apparently partly or wholly
renewed in concrete in C20. Coped shouldered gable with stone finial. Big S porch has steep gable and ashlar pointed door, hollow-moulded with hoodmould. Double doors with diagonal boarding. Within porch S door has roll-moulded pointed arch with double cambered-headed doors with diagonally boarded panels. Nave has buttresses of rock-faced sandstone between pointed windows with ashlar heads and hoodmoulds, chamfered rockfaced sandstone jambs, and ashlar 2-light tracery with quatrefoils in heads, 3 windows S, 4 to N.
Lower chancel has attached S tower of 3 stages with high battered base, clasping buttresses at angles with similar high bases and long set offs, reaching up to base of top stage. Top stage has paired long bell openings with segmental-pointed ashlar chamfered heads, and big ashlar corbels under eaves of slated spire. Spire is broached with 4 small timber lucarnes set low with metal 3-sided roofs, and 4 similar but smaller vents in diagonal faces.
Tower S side has cross in stonework above second stage and lancet in lowest stage, and E side has door with segmental-pointed arch.
Chancel S has no windows, E end has coped gable, 3-light pointed window with ashlar tracery and hoodmould
Chancel N has c1925 gabled organ chamber with small flat-roofed vestry to E. Organ chamber has reset 2-light N window, matching those of nave.
Interior
Walls of pale brick with thin decorative bands of red brick and encaustic tile, one at level of capitals the other at level of corbels of the colonnettes that carry the roof trusses, and alternating buff and white bricks to pointed window reveals and chancel arch. Plastered dado. Open roofs of thin arch-braced collar trusses, the braces carried down low onto short colonnettes with moulded square caps at level of upper decorative band, marble shafts and
corbels at level of lower band. Broad 4 bay nave roof. Tall pointed chancel arch in 3 orders of moulded brick, the inner 2 round-moulded, the outer one hollow-moulded with hoodmould, and the inner arch on corbelled colonnettes as in nave. Pointed door at E end of nave to left of chancel arch. One step into chancel, considerably narrower than nave with similar 3-bay roof on corbelled paired colonnetes. Timber lintel to N organ chamber,
gabled organ chamber, vestry to E, with plaque recording addition of both in memory of K Jones died 1922. Sanctuary has plain 3-colour tiles to floor, E window has ashlar frame with column shafts and hoodmould. Ashlar cusped piscina on S wall with moulded gabled hood mould and broad segmental-pointed tall entry into base of tower.
Fittings: Ashlar octagonal font on octagonal shaft. Ornate brass eagle lectern post 1895, Gothic panelled pulpit post 1922. Gothic stalls of 1904 with colonnettes to bench ends, tall backs with pierced band of cusped triangles, similar cusped heads to arcaded fronts. Fine brass rails also of 1904, 2 round rails on 4 standards with pointed arch on twisted shafts with Gothic leaf scroll each side. Oak Gothic reredos of 1918 with 8 blind traceried panels
between tall side pieces with crocketted gables and finials. Oak altar with traceried panels, early C20. Stained glass: Nave S first window, Suffer the children, post 1938, by Wippell & Co of Exeter, signed G. Cooper-Abbs; second window post 1884, Angel at the tomb, possibly by Mayer of Munich; third post 1904, 2 saints to 2 brothers; large E window Sermon on the Mount, early C20 by Heaton, Butler & Bayne of London, to Kate Jones,
died 1901; N third, Ann Griffiths and St David, 1984 by Celtic Studios; N fourth Dorcas and Joanna, post 1932. Memorials: marble scroll to W. Gould died 1902, brass plaque to Mrs Williams, caretaker, died 1905.
In porch is an early Christian inscribed stone.
|
St. John The Baptist Church |
Dowlais
CF48 3HS
Grade II Listed
The Church was built in 1827 by the most successful iron-master of his generation, John Josiah Guest, who is buried inside the Church, in an iron coffin.
The Church was well known for its unusual historic stained glass window, dedicated to the coal-mining industry, ?The Miners Window?, which was funded by the Martin family. Inside the Church there are a large number of memorials, many to great figures of the Industrial Revolution, who were employed by the prestigious Dowlais Iron-Works.
The Church was closed in 1997.
HistoryAnglican parish church, originally built in 1827 for £3,000 for Sir Josiah John Guest, of the Dowlais Iron Company, but sequentially rebuilt such that the whole is now Victorian Gothic. Chancel of 1873, transept of 1881 by William Lintern, and finally nave with aisle and porches of 1893-4 by E A Johnson of Abergavenny. Organ by Norman & Beard 1906. Closed in late C20, now derelict. The church is oriented N-S, so that the transept is on the W and porches are E and W. Sir Josiah John Guest is buried here.
Description
Exterior
Anglican parish church, rubble stone with slate roofs and ashlar dressings. Three distinct parts. Large nave and aisle of 1893-4 in rock-faced coursed stone (Llancaiach blue Pennant stone) with Bath stone ashlar dressings to windows and porches, sandstone ashlar to buttresses and turret. E and W porches and octagonal SW turret to front left, lancet Gothic. Big stepped buttresses to S front pierced by pointed arches at feet. Large triple lancet S window, the centre 2-light. Side walls have gabled porches in first bay then E side has 3 pairs of lancets and one
stepped triplet, each bay separated by buttresses, taller to last bay. W side has 3 tiny paired clerestorey lights over lean-to aisle with 3 pairs of lancets and porch to right. Turret is octagonal with sandstone ashlar top stage with narrow louvred openings and sandstone cap with finial. Rendered E wall.
Chancel of 1873 is much lower with rougher rubble stone and 2 lancets W, 3-light ashlar N window and one small lancet set higher on W with lean-to vestry to right, with lancet N, door and lancet W. Chancel and vestry have grey limestone quoins. Moulded sill course to chancel, eroded on E. W transept of 1881 in similar rubble stone with grey stone quoins and similar 3-light W window. Blank N wall sill course and plinth course. Inset plaques above plinth.
Interior
Not accessible for inspection. It had walls of yellow brick in the nave with an arcade of round columns with pointed arches: large arch to transept and 3 to aisle, with additional small arch at left end. Large hammerbeam trusses to nave roof on 6 large and 6 smaller corbels. Pointed chancel arch with dog-tooth ornament. Arch-braced chancel roof, organ to left, doors to left and right to vestries, right vestry demolished. Timber reredos with painted triptych in C15 style. Memorial plaque to Sir J J Guest (died 1852) in Jacobean style. Other plaques to workers at the iron works. Arcade blocked in C20. Hexagonal font, polygonal pulpit, timber transept screen. Stained glass: chancel E window, the Ascension to Jane Cresswell (d 1884), chancel lights Faith, Hope and Charity, c1900 by R.J. Newbery to Mrs J R Jones; W transept 3-light Resurrection and Light of World c1893 by Jones & Willis (semi-destroyed), nave S 3-light Creation with scenes of industry to Martin family 1896 by R J
Newbery.
Troedyrhiw
CF48 4HB
Grade II Listed
History
Anglican parish church built 1852-3 by John Prichard for Anthony Hill of the Plymouth Ironworks, who insisted that only he should be buried within, and is buried under chancel in three coffins of yew, oak and lead. The church was a chapel of ease to Merthyr Tydfil, but became a parish church by 1860, the parish then known as
Pentrebach parish but the church called Pontrhun church, Pentrebach and Troedyrhiw being strictly the other side of the river. The intention was to build a cruciform church, but only a short projection was built on the site of the N transept. There was a painted frieze around chancel.
The Eagle Lectern was presented to the Church by W. T. Lewis, the first Lord Merthyr.
Description
Exterior
Church, coursed Pennant stone with ashlar dressings, steep slate roofs and coped gables. Nave and long chancel under single roof, large S transept, gable of unbuilt N transept, S porch, NE vestry and W bellcote. Severe early Gothic style with flush simply cusped lancets and emphasis on form over decoration. Ashlar chamfered plinth, coved eaves, chancel sill course, bellcote and openings. W end has large 6-light window grouped as a 2-light with
roundel and hoodmould to centre, with stone voussoirs above, and 2 lights each side the heads stepped down. Deep moulded ashlar sill, stepped down each side, the walling below slightly forward of main wall-plane, with trefoil-cusped chamfered doorway with arched hoodmould. Broad ashlar angle buttresses with 2-step plinths and one set-off below gable shoulders. Each side of centre 2-light is a tall thin ring-shafted column carried right up from sill to carry pointed-arched base of ashlar bellcote, the arch framing a vesica gable opening. Bellcote has
raised side piers, 2 pointed openings with miniature clasping buttresses, and small cusped lancet in steep gable.
Nave has paired cusped lancets, one to left and 2 to right of gabled S porch with pointed chamfered entry, hoodmould, stone voussoirs and coped gable with cross finial. Small cusped lancet to each side wall of porch, and inner pointed S doorway with double boarded doors. Large S transept has quoins to chamfered angles, windowless sides, long 2-light window with roundel, hoodmould with carved stops and trefoil in gable apex.
Chancel S has 3 well spaced lancets and heavy sill band carried around ashlar angle buttresses to E end where it steps up under E window. Ashlar-faced buttresses have chamfered plinths, set-off above sill band level and gabled caps. Very large E window of 5 stepped lancets under single pointed hoodmould with carved stops and stone voussoirs. Trefoil in gable apex. Chancel N has lean-to vestry to left, with E end cusped lancet and W shouldered-arched door, and to right a single lancet like those on S. N transept has stubs of wall for extension, 2-light long window with roundel as on S transept and trefoil in apex. Nave N has C20 lean-to and 2 pairs of
lancets as on S.
Interior
Tall spacious interior with S transept and N transept gable (intended to be removed for full transept if funds allowed), plastered walls and dominant open truss roofs with high collars and deep arched braces, 5 main trusses to nave, 4 to chancel, 2 to S transept and one to N transept. Nave has corbels to main trusses and intermediate trusses without the bracing, chancel roof is slightly higher and narrower, more ornate with windbracing and trusses on ashlar corbelled column shafts with moulded capitals and carved corbels. Crossing trusses rest on similar corbelled columns, paired in W angles and single columns on E walls of transepts, the chancel being
narrower.
Plastered walls with ashlar dressings to segmental pointed surrounds to windows. Transepts have 2-light long window with roundel in big pointed shafted surround with keeled arch moulding.
Chancel has stone flagged floor, pointed N vestry door, and two steps, one before vestry, the other at sanctuary with timber rails with column shafts and pointed cusped arches. Patterned tiles to sanctuary floor. Very large E window in moulded pointed
surround with angle shafts and splayed sill.
Nave W end has late C20 lightweight inserted meeting room with low ceiling.
Fittings: Large and ornate later C19 Gothic pine organ case in S transept with painted pipes said to have come in 1880 from Exeter via St Andrew's Church, Cardiff, but it seems improbable that such a large piece would have moved twice so soon. Three fine hanging brass coronae on twisted iron rods, each with 5 gas lamps now electric Four small brass wall-lamps in chancel. Severe ashlar octagonal font with chamfered top and bottom to deep bowl on quatrefoil squat column. Hexagonal timber pulpit with cusped traceried blind panels and angle buttressing, matching reading desk with poppyhead finials attached to stalls with pierced frieze of square quatrefoils. Pitch pine nave pews. Timber reredos with painted texts of Lords Prayer, Ten Commandments and Creed. Fine E window stained glass of 1863-4 with 15 scenes in bright colours on blue grounds, each in oval frame, probably by
Wailes, and given in memory of Anthony Hill, the founder of the church. Marble scroll plaque on S wall to Hill 'for many years joint and of late sole proprietor of the Plymouth Iron Works', died 1862, and buried under chancel, the memorial by H. Cade of Bristol. Shafted memorial to Rev. W. Green died 1891 by C. Price of Troedyrhiw, and matching plaque opposite to Rev P. Williams, died 1926. Also on N wall marble plaque to S.B.Edwardes of Rhydygors, Carmarthen, and Plas Brynteg, 1824-79, by W. Davies of Carmarthen; and brass
plaques, one with design of 2 mourning soldiers, to Pte J. Ball died at Pretoria 1900, another to William Lewis of Fernbank, died 1906, 'erected by the surface workers of Messrs Nixon collieries Merthyr Vale and other friends'.
CF48 1TJ
History
Built in the Simple Gothic style, long-wall entry type. Present status [2003] : unknown
The plaque read:
|
Salvation Army Hall 1936-7 Built in distinctive red brick, the hall lies at the base of , what was, the cinder tip of the old Penydarren Ironworks. Incorporated in its walls are twelve inscribed limestone tablets dedicated to various important personalities. |
CF47 8BH
Built in the 1930s at the foot of the Abermorlais cinder tip.
The plaque reads:
|
Samuels This building was originally the Post Office for the town. H. Samuel has occupied No 118 Glebeland Street since August 1954. The premises were enlarged in 1970 with the purchase of No 117 from Merthyr Corporation. |
previously
the Old Post Office
CF47 8AU
|
Sion Chapel |
Abercanaid
CF48 1EX
Grade II Listed
History
Independent Chapel of 1860, designed by Jonathan Reynolds of Merthyr, built by Thomas Williams of Pentyrch, for £572. Altered and vestry added in 1864 by the Rev. Thomas Thomas of Landore for £500. Altered with fine Art Nouveau metal gallery front in 1908.
Description
Exterior
Chapel, stucco with two-storey gabled facade possibly of 1864, and slate roof with terracotta ridge tiles, and small finial to front. Pedimental gable, with bracketed moulded timber cornice and moulded verges. In raised letters: 'Sion Addoldy'r Annibynwyr. Adeiladwyd 1860. Helaethwyd 1864. Adnewyddwyd 1908'. Four arched windows
to upper storey, with narrower gap between centre two, all equal height, with channelled rustication up to level of moulded impost band carried around arched heads with keystones. Angle quoins. Larger stucco string course between storeys. Rusticated ground floor with 2 cambered-headed windows flanking broad cambered-headed doorway, all with voussoirs, door with keystone. Panelled wooden double doors with stained glass leaded lights
over. All windows are 2-light with transom and leaded lights. Plain rendered side wall with plinth to right of 5 bays, 2 storeys. Cambered-headed windows to upper storey, smaller square-headed windows below. First bay has no ground floor window. Left side similar, rear obscured by attached vestry.
Interior
Highly ornate interior, largely of 1908, with exceptional 3-sided gallery. Gallery is supported on 7 painted cast iron fluted columns with florid capitals, perhaps of earlier date than the gallery, which projects far out from columns on deep horizontal brackets. Gallery front, curved at angles, has fine wrought-iron balustrade, doublecurved
in profile and elaborately scrolled. Main motif is a large beaten copper cartouche in scrollwork with scrolls each side and then plain vertical bars. There are two such motifs to each long side and one to rear. Gallery has deeper rear, and raked pitch-pine pews with boarded backs. Lower pews similar with 2 aisles. Balustraded great seat with ball-finial newels, probably of 1908, as also the pulpit which has similar detail to twin stairs. Fine pulpit with convex and concave curve to either side with low balustrades over panels. Deep top cornice with moulded dentils, a distinctive feature of much of the internal woodwork, over 2-bay front with unusual triangular heads over three panelled pilasters. Fine quality painted graining in four shades. Pulpit back of 1908 has 6-bay panelling, long panels under square panels, all diagonally-slatted in opposed directions. Pilasters between, except to centre pair which are carried up a further stage under curved cornice with keystone support for clock. Painted scroll on back wall: 'Sancteiddrwydd a wedda i'th Dy, O Arglwydd, Byth '. Decorative panelled ceiling, also
probably of 1908, in timber and plaster. Moulded timber beams with dentils, in 5 main panels with narrower panels flanking. Large pierced cusped gothic timber brackets from wall corbels to beam intersections where there are pendant finials. Plaster panels all have moulded timber borders with rebated angles, and centre panels each have a raised octagonal timber vent, with moulded dentilled surround to pierced fretwork inset panel.
Vestry of 1864, to left of pulpit, probably refitted in 1908, has panelled, folding screen with glazing over. Threesided slatted ceiling, ceiled at collar level with arched braces rising from small corbels.
The plaque read:
|
Tabernacle Chapel 1897 Post classical style, this building was designed by architect George Morgan and was erected at a cost of £1,650 and replaced an earlier chapel in Cae Brynant set up in 1837 by dissatisfied Welsh Baptists. |
Brecon Road
CF47 8LS
Grade II Listed
History
Dated 1896. Designed by George Morgan, architect of Carmarthen. Cost £4,650. Mixed Romanesque and classical style.
Description
Exterior
Wide gabled front with snecked facings, pale freestone dressings, slate roof behind kneelered parapet with ball finial. Triple ventilators in banded frame over large first-floor arch flanked by arched two-light windows; hoodmoulds, nook shafts, diamond glazing. 3-window centre with blind thermal window treatment to head, porch gable rises through sill; enriched arch-rings and nook-shafts to double doors with traceried fanlight. Stepped triple windows light gallery stairs to outer bays.
5-window flank elevations and transverse hall range uphill to rear in similar style. Good area railings with twin gates and gatepiers topped by lamp-standards.
Interior
Interior said to have ribbed barrel-vault with white clouds.
|
Taff Merthyr Opened in 1926 it provided work much needed after the close of the nearby Bedlinog Pit 2 years earlier. The pit shafts reached a depth of 1,745 feet and by the 1980s produced 440,000 tons of coal a year and employed 680 men. |
CF46 6RD
The plaque read:
|
Theatre Royal and Thespian House 1891 Erected by the Merthyr Theatre Company Ltd. on the site of an old wooden theatre. The Theatre Royal became a cinema towards the end of the 1920s when it was rebuilt by Associated British Cinemas. The site is also connected with the author Jack Jones. |
Pontmorlais
CF47 0LJ
Grade II Listed
History
1891. By T C Wakeling, architect of Merthyr.
Description
Exterior
2-storey and attic, 5-bay classical front with modified parapets over centre (pediment removed), lean-to flanking parapets. Centre 3-bay cornice over small vents, THEATRE ROYAL panel below. First-floor sash windows, outer round-headed, inner with lion-mask brackets to cornices; central oculus over broken segmental pediment with urn finial and scrolled brackets. Ground-floor arched openings linked by impost and hood-mouldings, recessed doors up steps. Modern canopied entrance (replacing arched openings) to left. Bulky rear elevation with corrugated-iron fly-tower above wide slate roof.
Attached downhill to right is Thespian House, a 2-storey rendered block set back with a splayed bay further right. Continuous plain parapet (formerly crenellated), architraves with keyblocks to (boarded) windows, stringcourse over ground-floor links to theatre. Arched ground-floor openings also linked with segmental carriage arch on left, double boarded doors.
Interior
Fine auditorium completely rebuilt in later 1920s with a large balcony inserted. Splendid sunburst ceiling rose (1890s?) over stalls; Art Deco borders, rosettes etc. Art Deco proscenium with ramped and stepped surround, Royal Arms to centre, splayed crestings. Side walls with linked low-relief panels with stepped detailing, acanthus and anthemion cornices over. Organ pipes to niches flanking stage. Recessed coffering over gallery with convex,
cantilevered front, Art Deco embellishments. Polygonal, pendant light-fittings.
Georgetown
CF48 1AY
This is one of Merthyr's oldest public houses. Legend has it that Dic Penderyn, who was hanged for his part in the Merthyr Rising of 1831, held meetings at the rear of the pub. The Merthyr Chartists certainly used it as a meeting place.
CF47 8DS
Adjacent to the churchyard on Lower High Street is Three Salmon Street, a former public house. Old photographs show that this building originally jutted into what is now the road. When the building was restored, a touch of artistic licence was employed, and a false chimney stack was put on the gable end - directly above the window!
CF47 8GB
Grade II Listed
History
Dated May 1896 (foundation stone). E A Johnson MSA, architect of Abergavenny and Merthyr. Harry Gibbon, builder. Jacobethan style.
Description
Exterior
Symmetrical entrance front of two storeys, attics and basement; red brick facings with terracotta dressings, rusticated stone basement. Steep slate roof with painted clock turret (cupola removed).
7-bay facade with emphasised centre and ends under shaped pediments linked by arched balustrades. Pilasters rise through balustrades, moulded string-course, architraves, cartouche panels etc. Splayed bays to outer ends (arched heads to attics behind); centre doorcase linked vertically to first-floor Shaw-style window with cantilevered balcony, flanking pedestals on elongated brackets topped with heraldic lions. Cross windows, moulded arched openings to centre ground-floor with foliage capitals to angled responds. Similar treatment to
main entrance with dated spandrels and keyblock, double ironwork gates. Curved balustrades to steps up, pedestals support ironwork lamp-brackets; good area railings linked to outer pedestals with lamp brackets as before.
Similar detailing to long right-hand elevation with corbelled bay window over arched doorway, bowed turret with pyramidal roof at angle of front. Left-hand elevation to New Castle Street steps uphill with similar detailing and splays forward at County Court entrance (dated 1896); tall gable-end with curved angle to rear on Tramroad Side
North.
Interior
Interior retains fine tiled entrance and staircase halls with cartouche panels, volute capitals to piers etc. Imperial staircase with ironwork railings incorporating cartouches, lamp pedestals to base. Swagged friezes, arched doorcases to corridor openings etc.
CF46 5ET
Grade II Listed
History
Public library of 1909 by W Dowdeswell in Edwardian free style. Single storey with high rear over basement.
Opened October 1909. Altered in 1987 with principal entry now through left side door.
Description
Exterior
Public library, red brick and Bath stone with slate hipped roof with leaded base of missing cupola. Single-storey front with basement to rear due to steeply sloped site. Front of 3 bays, the outer ones projected and gabled with moulded copings. Gables have channelled ashlar outer piers with modillion cornices and top blocking courses, fine large Palladian windows with Ionic columns, moulded arch, keystone and coloured leaded glass. Sandstone plinths, raised on tolled Pennant stone base on right due to slope. Cast-iron rainwater pipes in return to centre piece which has modillion cornice broken forward over ashlar centre which has parapet lettered Treharris between 2 ashlar blocks. Blocking course each side, ashlar frieze right across with Free and Library incised each side of motto with oak-leaves over shield with Virgin with spear and 2 swords, this over main door hood. Ashlar
segmental curved hood, moulded with panelled soffit on big brackets with acanthus carving, carried on bulbous Ionic columns. From hood projects very large iron clock in square frame, a 1914-18 war memorial. Tympanum under hood has roundel cartouche with sprays each side over broad doorway with 2 iron gates. Four stone steps up between sandstone moulded low walls curving out each side, with low curving iron rails. Flanking entry are paired small lights with single ashlar sill and lintel with dripstone.
Door is recessed in main entry, the recess with mosaic floor with CL in wreath (for Carnegie Library). Art Nouveau plaque recording opening. Double doors with bevelled glass and big overlight, some panes shaped.
Left end is roughcast with flush stone heads and sills to windows. Four bays, door in third bay, coloured leaded glazing to windows and door overlight. Plain rendered right end wall, rendered rear basement with pebbledash first floor, 2 window left, 3 centre and Palladian window right, most with leaded coloured glazing.
Interior
Left reading room has curved plaster ceiling, leaded Palladian window each end. Curved wall behind disused main entry with 7-light window in long lights with patterned leading. Former entrance lobby has moulded cornice.
CF48 2TT
The original Vaynor Church was built in 874 or 714 but was burnt down during the battle of Maesvaynor which took place in 1291, the church replacing this very early one became dilapidated by 1867 and the Crawshays had a new church built which was completed in 1870. The church is dedicated to St Gwynno.
One of the most remarkable memorials in Vaynor Churchyard is the grave of Robert Thompson Crawshay, known as the ?Iron King?. It is a slab of stone of immense size, said to weigh 10 tons. He famously had the inscription ?God forgive me? on his grave.
CF48 2TT
Grade II Listed
History
Remains of medieval parish church of Vaynor, dedicated to St Gwynno, but erroneously said to be dedicated to St Gwendoline. All that survives is the W end with the curious tower with battlemented parapets W and E and pitched roof between, presumably the battlements a C18 or early C19 alteration. The church as photographed in 1865 was a single chamber with S porch. The first church is claimed to have been burnt in 1291 at the battle of
Maesyfaenor, but the evidence for battle and burning is not clear. The church was allowed to decay after the building of the new church in 1870 at the expense of R.T. Crawshay, the remains were repaired in the C20 but are in poor condition again.
Description
W end of demolished medieval church with small tower and sloping roofs each side. Tower has battlemented parapet W and E and gabled tiled roof between. W front has loop in tower, small rectangular opening mid-way and left jamb of a blocked door (shown as arched in 1865 photograph). Tower sides are plain and have slate roofs abutting (continuing pitch of lost main roof). The E side, former W end of nave has corbelled block of masonry high up, purpose unknown, a low W door with cambered yellow brick arch infilled below a taller cambered head with stone voussoirs. Door to right with stone slab lintel into space N of tower with stone steps up to former bell
loft.
CF47 8LR
Grade II Listed
History
Vulcan House was built c1820-30, and is shown on a map of Merthyr Tydfil of 1836. Probably during the 1830s, David John, a blacksmith, mathematician and Unitarian minister, established a foundry there, and it is even possible that the house was built for him: the design, with few windows in the rear wall, is consistent with combined domestic/industrial premises. David John came from St Clears, but was in Merthyr by 1826, when he became minister of the Unitarian church at Tywynyrodyn. He was a political radical who espoused the cause of parliamentary reform in the 1830s and was chairman of Merthyr Political Union in 1832. His sons were also reformists and the Johns were key figures in the first generation of Chartist leadership in Merthyr. Matthew John, who worked the foundry at Vulcan House until his death in 1888, was a prominent radical, and had been deputed to take the rioters terms to the garrison at Penydarren House during the Merthyr rising of 1831.
Some alterations and additions to the premises were made c1900, including addition of rear wing to house, and further alterations to foundry wing were made during the C20.
The premises were latterly used as a council depot but were disused and derelict on inspection in July 2006.
Description
Large house in late Georgian style, with long wing attached to rear formerly providing industrial premises. House is rubble-built with brick dressings, but rendered to main elevations. Hipped slate roof with tiled cresting (most slates missing in July 2006). Single brick chimney stack at rear. 3 storeyed, with 5-bay elevation to the street. This is articulated by pilaster strips at angles and raised string-courses to upper storeys. Façade is symmetrically arranged, with wider openings giving emphasis to the central three bays. Central entrance in wide segmentally arched opening with stressed architrave and keystone: this originally contained doorway with
flanking side-lights surmounted by radial fanlight, but was blocked on inspection in 2006. Wide flanking
windows with shallow arched heads (formerly tripartite sashes with small panes), matched by the three central windows on the first floor. Three semi-circular windows in upper storey (formerly with 4-pane sash windows as centre opening lights). Outer bays on each floor have narrower window openings (formerly with small-paned sashes), except in lower right, which has wide segmentally arched carriage entry to rear yard. To the rear, the original rear wall of the house is largely blank, but has a 2-storeyed brick wing which was added in c1900. (This in turn is partly obscured by flat-roofed C20 additions). Adjoining the house to rear and running parallel with Vulcan Street is a long 2-storeyed works range which probably formed part of the original foundry premises. Partially heavily rebuilt in brick, it nevertheless retains elements of an original early C19 structure, characterised by rubble walling with segmentally arched openings with brick dressings. Cement rendered blank elevation to Vulcan Street.
In front of the house is a low rubble garden wall with brick gate piers at centre. One of these retains its shallow pyramidal coping, and there is a good C19 iron-work gate with spear head railings, mid-rail with curved brace below it.
CF47 8UN
Grade II Listed
History
ca 1930. Bronze figures by L S Merrifield, 1931; cast by A B Burton, founder of Thames Ditton.
Description
Tall Portland stone niche with moulded arched capping, tapering sides and stepped plinth with flanking pedestals. Central bronze, mythological figure of one of the Three Fates bearing (or measuring) the Web of Life. War trophy to swagged pedestal. To sides are standing figures of a miner and a female carrying a child.
Arrangement of curved flight of steps leads down to ca 1930 bronze guardrail with classical torch motif.
Ironwork urns on front wall.
The plaque reads:
|
Williamstown Both terraces were erected between 1836 and 1851 for skilled ironworkers employed at the Cyfarthfa works. They are named after ironmaster William Crawshay II. |
CF47 8PD
Nos 23 - 30 - Grade II Listed
Stepped terrace of industrial housing set into hillside below Brecon Road; facing SW over River Taff towards site of former Cyfarthfa Ironworks.
History
Built between 1836 and 1851.
Description
Exterior
2-storey rubble fronts, right hand house and middle three rendered. Slate roofs (No 24 modern pantiles), brick stacks (some rendered). Two windows per house, original cambered openings with plain raised surrounds to Nos 23, 24 and three left-hand houses. Sash windows remain to No 23 and left-hand group only, small-pane glazing to No 28. Wide later margins to openings of rendered houses. Central doorways, mostly altered.
Interior
Interiors planned with turning stone stairs flanking chimney-breast in thick party walls.
CF48 1AB
Grade II* Listed
&
Scheduled Ancient Monument
History
Engine House, built in 1836 for the adjacent furnaces of Ynysfach Ironworks, a subsidiary of the successful Cyfartha works owned by the Crawshay family. The Ynysfach Ironworks were founded in 1801 when 2 blast furnaces were built to plans by Watkin George, engineer and foundry manager at Cyfarthfa from 1792. In 1836 2 more furnaces were built together with the engine house which replaced an earlier one painted by Penry Williams c1815. The new engine house contained a beam blowing engine made at the Neath Abbey Ironworks. The Ynysfach works closed in 1874 and the engine house fell into disuse. It was restored between 1986 and 1989 and
converted to a heritage centre and offices. The building was formerly part of the scheduled ancient monument Gm 331, which was revised to exclude the building following its conversion to a heritage centre and offices. The heritage centre was closed at the time of survey (2002).
Description
Exterior
Blast engine house, 4-storey rectangular building of dressed blue Pennant sandstone with white-ashlared
limestone quoins and dressings and hipped slate roof with deep eaves, in the house-style of the Crawshay
ironworks. Windows have segmental heads with deep voussoirs and dressings, and small-paned replaced sash windows. N elevation has the main entrance through a round-headed arch approached by a modern stair, and one window above. The principal facade, to the E, is 4 bays long with equally spaced windows on 3 storeys, a semibasement
with round-headed arches, and cast iron brackets at the N end. The S end, facing the furnaces, has no
windows. The W elevation has 6 irregularly spaced windows, cast-iron fittings, and a tall blocked archway at the S end.
Interior
Not accessible. Said to have new floors and partitions inserted, the bob wall for the beam engine passing through the centre of the building, and cast iron brackets for the engine''''s supporting structure and components visible in many places.
RCAHMW Schedule
Stationary engine house, 4 storeys, roofless. Now in use as a museum.