Tag: Nixonville

Merthyr’s Lost Buildings: Lost Chapels Abercanaid to Merthyr Vale

Carrying on with the requested look at Merthyr’s lost chapels, here is the next batch – the lost chapels of Abercanaid down to Merthyr Vale.

ABERCANAID

Deml Welsh Baptist Chapel

Church View, Abercanaid

Built 1896. Demolished ?

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

(Old) Graig Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel

Graig Road, Abercanaid

Built 1848. Demolished 1948

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

(New) Graig Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel

Church View, Abercanaid

Built 1905. Demolished 1996

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Silo Welsh Baptist Chapel

Upper Abercanaid

Built 1842. Demolished ?

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

TROEDYRHIW

Mount Zion Congregationalist Chapel

Cardiff Road, Troedyrhiw

Built 1871. Demolished 2004

Courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Saron Welsh Independent Chapel

Chapel Street, Troedyrhiw

Built 1835. Rebuilt 1852. Demolished 1990

ABERFAN

Capel Aberfan Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel

Aberfan Road, Aberfan

Built 1876. Burned down 2015

Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Old Bethania Welsh Independent Chapel

Aberfan Road, Aberfan

Built 1876. Rebuilt 1885. Demolished 1968

Courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Hope Church of Christ

Bridge Street, Aberfan

Built 1900. Demolished ?

Mount Hermon Congregationalist (later Gospel Hall)

Aberfan Crescent, Aberfan

Built 1899. Demolished ?

Smyrna Welsh Baptist Chapel

Aberfan Road, Aberfan

Built 1879. Rebuilt 1902. Demolished 2002

Courtesy of the Alan George Archive

MERTHYR VALE

Bethel Welsh Wesleyan Chapel

Wesley Place, Merthyr Vale

Built 1886. Demolished ?

Courtesy of the Alan George Archive

Calfaria Welsh Baptist Chapel

Cardiff Road, Merthyr Vale

Built 1877. Rebuilt 1910. Demolished 1979

Photo courtesy of Mrs M Davies

Trinity Presbyterian Chapel

Wesley Place, Merthyr Vale

Built 1876. Rebuilt 1904. Demolished ?

Zion English Baptist Chapel

Nixonville, Merthyr Vale

Built 1879. Rebuilt 1891. Demolished 1971

If anyone has photographs of any other chapels that are no longer with us, and there are a few I can’t find photos of, or if anyone can fill in any details, please get in touch.

How well do you know Merthyr? The answers

Here are the answers to the questions I posed you last week. How did you do?

  1. What was the name of St Tydfil’s father?

King Brychan Brycheiniog

  1. Who founded the Cyfarthfa Ironworks in 1765?

Anthony Bacon

  1. Who was Merthyr’s first Labour M.P.?

James Keir Hardie

  1. What was the name of the first chapel to be built in Merthyr town?

Ynysgau Chapel

  1. What was the name of the pub that Lord Nelson stayed in when he visited Merthyr in 1800?

The Star Inn in Caedraw

  1. Nixonville in Merthyr Vale is named after whom?

John Nixon, the founder of Merthyr Vale Colliery

  1. Who has ‘God Forgive Me’ inscribed on his grave?

Robert Thompson Crawshay

  1. Where was the Olympia Skating Rink?

In Pontmorlais, just further up than the Theatre Royal

  1. Which Merthyr-born boxer won the WBC World featherweight title in 1968?

Howard Winstone

  1. Where would you find St Matthias Church?

Treharris

  1. The Bwthyn Bach Inn is missing from the Old Merthyr Tydfil list of pubs, where was it situated?

At the corner of what was known as the Broad Pavement, opposite was the name given to a street built behind the Palace Cinema.

  1. Where was Tai Harri Blawd?

Behind the Theatre Royal and bordering the old Tramroad

  1. What is the area known as Daniel’s Waterloo?

The area now known as the Grove

  1. Where was the Merthyr Tydfil clay pipe factory?

In Vaughan Street, Caedraw

  1. What did the factory next to Factory Cottages make?

Factory Cottages were alongside the old Drill Hall and given this name as they adjoined a flannel factory.

  1. How did Storey Arms get its name?

The first landlord there was a Mr Storey

  1. Where was Pendwranfach?

A narrow street by the Fountain …… turn left at the bottom of the High Street

  1. What is the real name of the pub often called The Spite?

The Farmer’s Arms, Mountain Hare

  1. Who was Miss Florence Smithson and what building is she associated with?

A famous actress associated with the Theatre Royal

  1. Why was an area by St Tydfil’s Church named Lle Sais?

Its name is derived from the fact that most of the English people brought in to the area to work in the Penydarren Ironworks lived here

How well do you know Merthyr?

To round the year off, here is a quiz for you about Merthyr’s history.

There are 20 questions in all – 10 easy and 10 difficult. See how well you can do. The answers will appear in the New Year.

  1. What was the name of St Tydfil’s father?
  2. Who founded the Cyfarthfa Ironworks in 1765?
  3. Who was Merthyr’s first Labour M.P.?
  4. What was the name of the first chapel to be built in Merthyr town?
  5. What was the name of the pub that Lord Nelson stayed in when he visited Merthyr in 1800?
  6. Nixonville in Merthyr Vale is named after whom?
  7. Who has ‘God Forgive Me’ inscribed on his grave?
  8. Where was the Olympia Skating Rink?
  9. Which Merthyr-born boxer won the WBC World featherweight title in 1968?
  10. Where would you find St Matthias Church?
  11. The Bwthyn Bach Inn is missing from the Old Merthyr Tydfil list of pubs, where was it situated?
  12. Where was Tai Harri Blawd?
  13. What is the area known as Daniel’s Waterloo?
  14. Where was the Merthyr Tydfil clay pipe factory?
  15. What did the factory next to Factory Cottages make?
  16. How did Storey Arms get its name?
  17. Where was Pendwranfach?
  18. What is the real name of the pub often called The Spite?
  19. Who was Miss Florence Smithson and what building is she associated with?
  20. Why was an area by St Tydfil’s Church named Lle Sais?

Many thanks to Carolyn Jacob for the hard questions…..she obviously has a hidden vicious streak!!!!