Anthony Bacon MP (1717-1786)

Following on from the last article, I am pleased to announce the publication of another new book.

Local historians Wilf and Mary Owen have written an excellent account of the life of Anthony Bacon, founder of the Cyfarthfa Ironworks which has now been published.

The book is priced at £6.00. If anyone would like a copy, it will be available at Merthyr Central Library and at Cyfarthfa Museum and Art Gallery, or please get in touch via the e-mail – merthyr.history@gmail.com and I will pass on any orders.

Merthyr Historian Volume 30

The Merthyr Tydfil Historical Society is pleased to announce the publication of Volume 30 of the Merthyr Historian.

There will be a book-launch for the new volume on Tuesday 3 December at 2.00pm at The Red House (The Old Town Hall), and all are welcome.

The cost of the book will be £10. If anyone would like a copy, please get in touch via the e-mail – merthyr.history@gmail.com and I will pass on any orders.

The contents of Volume 30 are below.

Volume 30 (2019) ISBN 978 0 992981 0  6   Eds.  Christine Trevett and Huw Williams

 An Editorial Statement

A tribute to Dr T. Fred Holley at 90

  1. Three Merthyr Artists (with particular Reference to William Gillies Gair) by T.F. Holley and J.D. Holley
  2. The Crown Inn, Merthyr, in the Nineteenth Century  by Richard Clements
  3. Facets of Faenor (Vaynor) by Lyndon Harris
  4. David Irwyn Thomas of Treharris (1923-2018): a Story of Wartime Survival and Search by David Irwyn Thomas
  5. ‘Yr Aberth Fwyaf’ (‘The Greatest Sacrifice’): Words, Images, Messages and Emotions in the First World War Memorials in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough by Gethin Matthews
  6. Sir Pendrill Charles Varrier-Jones (1883-1941): The Papworth Medical Scheme and the Fight Against Tuberculosis by Huw Williams
  7. J.D. Williams Jeweller, High Street, Merthyr and an iconic building by Carl Llewellyn
  8. Merthyr Tydfil and industry – decline and commemoration, 1859 and 1899 (transcriptions and photograph) by Stephen Brewer
  9. Rhyd –y-Car, Wales’ most popular cottages: a  success  in Preservation   by Clive Thomas
  10. Penry Williams: from Georgetown to Rome – Journey of an Artist by Ben Price
  11. From Zero to Hero: William Thomas, Brynawel (1832-1903), Mining Engineer  by T. Fred Holley

Merthyr’s Bridges: Court Street Railway Bridge

Following on from the previous couple of posts concentrating on Court Street, here is another of Merthyr’s Bridges.

Court Street Railway Bridge

In 1851 the Vale of Neath Railway was constructed to carry goods from the Merthyr Ironworks to Neath, and then onto Swansea for export by sea. The line originally stopped at Aberdare, but with the construction of the Aberdare/Merthyr Tunnel the line finally reached Merthyr in 1853.

The Court Street Railway Bridge was built in 1852 to carry the new line to Merthyr Station, over the main parish road to Twynyrodyn.

The original bridge was built on a slight skew and had three spans – the main central span for road traffic of 24 ft 9in, and two smaller side spans for pedestrians of 8ft each. The bridge was built with dressed stone abutments and piers, with a wrought iron ‘trough’ across them to carry the railway.

The original bridge. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

From the time of its construction, the bridge was prone to problems with large volumes of water coming off the bridge on to the traffic below. The Vale of Neath Railway, and later the Great Western Railway (when they took over the Vale of Neath line) continually tried to rectify the problem, but without success.

In 1938, the GWR requested permission to reconstruct the bridge, but this was denied. In 1946 however, permission was granted for the bridge to be modified, with a single trestle being built in place of the side piers. As a result of this modification, only one pedestrian footpath could now be used due to the base of the trestle being built on the other side.

In 1963, British Rail and Merthyr Borough Council agreed that a new bridge should finally be built to accommodate the increase, and type of traffic using the roadway. Work began in 1965, with the removal of the old urinal at the bridge, and the road was lowered to provide more headroom for traffic. The new single-span bridge, built of masonry abutments and stressed concrete beams was opened in 1967, and the bridge is still in use today.

The Court Street Railway Bridge in 2019

Merthyr’s Chapels: Twynyrodyn Chapel

The next chapel we are going to look at is a chapel that has been somewhat forgotten – Twynyrodyn Unitarian Chapel.

When Rev T B Evans was appointed as minister at Ynysgau, he was considered far too conservative by the Arminian members of the congregation, and they lodged a protest. The matter was taken to court, but the Arminians lost their appeal and left Ynysgau.

In 1814 they began meeting in a room at the Patriot Inn near Ynysgau with Rev Thomas Evans taking the services. In the following few years, discussions were held regarding the opening of a Unitarian Chapel in Merthyr.

In 1820, therefore, when the congregation was forced to leave the Patriot Inn, a committee was appointed and within a year, Twynyrodyn Unitarian Chapel was opened in Court Street, and Rev David Rees was appointed as the first minister there.

After Rev Rees left in 1823, Rev David John became minister in 1826. By the 1840’s David John began expressing sympathy for the Chartist Movement and the congregation, not comfortable with his views began to leave the chapel. Due to the severe drop in the congregation, the chapel closed in 1847. Rev John thus left the chapel, but the following year, the chapel reopened and new ministers were appointed.

By the beginning of the 20th Century the old chapel was becoming obsolete and the congregation decided that they should build a new chapel. It was decided to build the new chapel in Lower Thomas Street, and the architect chosen was Mr A E Johnson who designed a very opulent, striking gothic building. With the building of the new chapel, Twynyrodyn Chapel became vacant until it was bought and became the Gospel Hall.

The chapel was demolished in 1969 during the redevelopment of the town.

The name plaque from Twynyrodyn Chapel which is now located at Hen-dy-Cwrdd Chapel in Cefn-Coed.

Court Street, Twynyrodyn

Below is a marvellous aerial photograph of the Court Street area taken in 1965. Whilst a lot of the buildings shown remain, quite a number have gone. Some of the more important buildings have been labelled (many thanks to Christine & Kenneth Brewer, Keith Lewis-Jones, Carl Llewellyn & Joan Newman for clarifying a number of details).

Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm
  1. St Tydfil’s Church
  2. Eggafords (formally the Three Salmons Inn)
  3. Jones Brothers’ Garage
  4. St Mary’s Catholic School
  5. The Old Angel Inn
  6. Jerusalem Chapel
  7. Sterling’s Frozen Foods Warehouse
  8. Merthyr High Street Signal box and Engine Sheds
  9. Court Street Railway Bridge
  10. The Labour Club (formally the Old Court House)
  11. The Glove and Shears Public House
  12. The Gospel Hall (formally Twynyrodyn Unitarian Chapel)

How many of these buildings do you remember?