Today marks the 105th anniversary of the opening of Pontsarn Sanatorium.
In 1913 the Merthyr Board of Guardians decided that the town needed an isolation hospital to house the ever-growing number of patients suffering from tuberculosis. The hospital needed to be sited away from the town where the patients could have fresh air.
The Earl of Plymouth made them a gift of some land in the Parish of Vaynor, just below Morlais Castle, and also gave them £1,000 towards the building of the sanatorium.
The sanatorium was officially opened on 13 November 1913 by Dr J L Ward. A report of the opening ceremony can be seen below.
Pontsarn Sanatorium later became the Pontsarn Chest Clinic, and closed in the late 1950’s. It has since been converted to flats.
