The other way of travelling was to use one of the regular stage coach services that were in operation travelling between aberystwyth and merthyr tydfil or tredegar. Addis, jp, 1957, the crawshay dynasty barclay, wj, 1988, geology of the south wales coalfield part v merthyr tydfil memoir for sheet e231. The town has stations on the brecon, merthyr, andrhymney railway, and on the l. The hills in and around merthyr tydfil were noted for their iron ore long before coal was used for smelting purposes, as iron ore was conveyed on the backs of mules to. So far we have discovered the southern engine and boiler houses, a small section of walling belonging to the. South wales valleys, in rolling hills and under craggy mountain.
Very poor children sometimes got free books from the proprietor. Merthyr tydfil iron works exposed by diy store project. The dowlais ironworks in merthyr tydfil was notable in that it became the largest industrial concern in the world. Bruce, merthyr tydfil in 1852, a lecture delivered to the young mens improvement society at merthyr tydfil, merthyr tydfil 1852, p. Buy the history of the dowlais ironworks, 17591936 by owen, john alastair isbn. Merthyr tydfils iron revolution celebrated 250 years on. Iron transformed merthyr tydfil from a small rural hamlet to the largest town in wales and the centre of the worlds iron making industry. Railways and crisis at dowlais, the 1840s springerlink. The town stands on the river taff, on the glamorgan canal, and at a convergence of railways, 1. As for the records of that time we find that in his book gwyn alf williams. Monday 7 october 2019 anthony bacon 17171786 a man of foresight founder of cyfarthfa ironworks mary owen. Cyfarthfa ironworks was one of five important iron and steel works in the merthyr tydfil area and, like dowlais, was for a while the largest ironworks in the world.
Taff between the pentyrch iron works and melingriffith. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Merthyr tydfil wales history traethawd ar hanes plwyf merthyr, or cyfnod boreauf hyd yn bresenol in welsh. The history of merthyr tydfil borough force tells the. See also whats at your library, or elsewhere broader terms.
Particularly well situated for the establishment of iron works with its natural reserves of coal, limestone and water from the river taff, merthyr grew to be one of the most important producers of iron during the industrial revolution. Dowlais ironworks were the first business to license the bessemer process, using it to produce steel in 1865. The deck was a castiron tube for the gurnos leat with the gurnos tramroad laid on it. Lewis, r, richard lewis, if cap and tie are worn, cyfarthfa school, cyfarthfa, merthyr memories, the kirkhouse, ymca, penydarren end, palace cinema, cyfarthfa park, top field. Merthyr tydfil, glamorgan genealogy heraldry and history. Some say it was also a rampart that was never finished.
The merthyr guardians, themselves mostly mine and ironworks owners, initially refused to offer any relief whatsoever to single men on strike. Merthyr tydfils iron revolution celebrated 250 years on bbc news. Rich landscapes, scenery and heritage mark out this town, which was once the iron capital of the world. I learned a lot about culture, history, and life of the people who lived there. Book accommodation and get discounts on activities. Excavations at the former ynysfach ironworks, merthyr. The story of cyfarthfa ironworks began in 1765, when cumbrian slave and tobacco trader bacon secured the rights to a tract of 4,000 acres on. This was a fascinating book about the town and various iron works that drove the economy. Apr 19, 2018 this is a short film focusing on french and german travellers to the industrial town of merthyr tydfil in the midnineteenth century and their descriptions of the town. Cyfarthfa ironworks from its inauguration in 1765 to its closure in 1919. Download the app get a free listing advertise 0800 777 449. Developers building a new diy store in merthyr tydfil have uncovered significant remains of the cyfarthfa iron works.
Childs, dowlais worlds largest ironworks, merthyr tydfil 1840. Merthyr was the largest town in wales and one of the worlds most important centres of iron production. Smallscale iron working and coal mining had been carried out at some places in south wales since the tudor period, but in the wake of the industrial revolution the demand for iron led to the rapid expansion of merthyrs iron operations. A provisional red data book of british plant communities. The rich industrial heritage forged by ironmasters and mining has left indelible marks on the surroundings, in the form of housing, historic buildings and areas of. The guests and foundations at merthyr, 175993 springerlink. If youre new to mountain biking, book a halfday coaching course.
Flying the flag for merthyr tydfil all around the world thank you for all your messages, donations and support. With plentiful local supplies of iron ore, limestone, timber and coal, merthyr tydfil was an important early centre of iron and steel making. Transcription, rejoicings at the clydach iron works llanelly breconshire 1865, clydach iron works, clydach works. Merthyr tydfil or merthyr tydvil, a markettown, a parliamentary borough, the head of a poorlaw union and county court district, and a parish in glamorgan. We have a wealth of historical and cultural attractions. The road to merthyr tydfil our jones family history. Dowlais ironworks was a major 19century ironworks located near merthyr tydfil, one of the four main ironworks in merthyr the other three were cyfarthfa, plymouth and penydarren ironworks. Merthyr tydfil coal industry in south wales the first miners of whom we have any records were the monks of neath abbey, who used coal for iron making as far back as 1284 ad. The cyfarthfa ironworks, northwest of merthyr tydfil was established in 1765 by anthony bacon and william browning and watkin george. The merthyr tydfil historical society is pleased to announce details of forthcoming lectures. Merthyr was close to reserves of iron ore, coal, limestone, lumber and water, making it an ideal site for ironworks. History of taff trail tongwynlais to llandaff outdoor cardiff. During the first few decades of the 19th century, the ironworks at cyfarthfa and. Glyn jones book the island of apples is largely set in merthyr.
Smallscale iron working and coal mining had been carried out at some places in south wales since the tudor period, but in the wake of the industrial revolution the demand for iron led to the rapid expansion of merthyr s iron operations. Above was a wooden trough carrying the taff fawr leat. Merthyr tydfil iron works discovery open to the public bbc. Policing merthyr tydfil was an arduous task in the 70 years since the.
Historical monuments of wales rcahmw provided the photography. The cyfarthfa works were begun in 1765 by anthony bacon by then a merchant in london, who in that year with william brownrigg, a fellow native of whitehaven, cumberland, leased the right to mine in a tract of 4,000 acres 16 km 2 land on the west side of the river taff at merthyr tydfil. Jul 21, 2015 merthyr tydfil s iron revolution celebrated 250 years on. A history of the dowlais ironworks, 17591936 owen, john a on. John lloyd, the early history of the old south wales iron works, 17601850, london 1906, pp. John newman, penguin books, university of wales press, 1995. Monday 2 september 2019 the rev maber and merthyrs glebelands barrie jones. Plaque sited on the fence of the disabled car park at swan street, merthyr tydfil thomas dyke 18161900 was born in merthyr and played an active part in its public life for the greater part of a century.
Boldmere house, faraday avenue, hams hall distribution park, coleshill, birmingham. British library, historical print editions the british library is the national library of the united kingdom. Merthyrtydfilheritagestrategy merthyr tydfil county borough council. Iron capital of the world merthyrs importance rests foursquare upon its industrial achievements. Merthyr tydfil in 1763 john guest and isaac wilkinson started the plymouth works, on land leased from the earl of plymouth, they failed to make it a success, and sold it two years later, to anthony bacon, this was about the same time as bacon built his first furnace at cyfarthfa. This is a short film focusing on french and german travellers to the industrial town of merthyr tydfil in the midnineteenth century and their descriptions of the town. Merthyr tydfil iron works discovery open to the public. Following bacons death in 1786, crawshay acquired the lease of cyfarthfa. Crawshay, 1 january 17883 november 1797, circular dated july 1788. The town is administered by merthyr tydfil county borough council and is about 23 miles 37 km north of cardiff, wales. The biggest iron works in the town was the great cyfarthfa works, owned by the crawshay family.
Jun 15, 2016 wandering through the south wales town of merthyr tydfil one encounters many relics of its industrial past. A roman fort once stood proudly on what is now merthyr football clubs ground in the penydarren area. Cymorth chwilio finding aid cyfarthfa papers, gb 0210. Request a quote from wrought iron gates near you today with yell. During this time, the cyfarthfa works lost its position as the leading ironworks in merthyr tydfil to its longtime rival, the dowlais ironworks.
Merthyr tydfil is a beautiful and historically fascinating area of wales. Iron metropolis life in a welsh industrial town first edition by keith strange isbn. Registered in england 06557400, company vat number 5 5978 79. From 1929 to 1953 the leat was used to generate hydroelectricity, originally for the corporation tram network, in the turbine house next to the bridge. Dowlais ironworks merthyr tydfil local business facebook. By the 1820s, merthyr was the source of 40% of britains iron exports. Cyfarthfa operated for more than 150 years and was run by members of the crawshay family for almost a century. Founded in the 18th century, it operated until the end of the 20th, at one time in the 19th century being the largest steel producer in the uk.
As an industrial centre, it is perhaps appropriate that merthyr tydfil was. Merthyr tydfil, its industrial archaeology and history. Merthyr tydfil takes its name from a local heroine. This leaflet is designed to provide information on the history of the taff. Until now little was known about the coking plant which provided fuel for the. At the end of january ablebodied men were offered a labourtest outrelief in return for performing a task of manual labour. By 1823, about the time that hopkin thomas may have been in merthyr tydfil, dowlais had ten blast furnaces and produced 22,287 tons of pig iron. The history of the iron town of merthyr tydfil has always. Merthyr tydfil iron works exposed by diy store project bbc. The dowlais works, founded in 1759, was the first of four major ironworks which would flourish in the town, making it an important centre of the industrial revolution. The glamorgangwent archaeological trust ltd are working closely with merthyr tydfil college, davis langdon and interserve construction to investigate elements of the former ynysfach ironworks in merthyr tydfil, before the construction of a new college building. It was interesting to learn about the kinds of jobs people did and the working conditions of men, women, and children. Aberdare abergavenny amongst bacon bard became brecon breconshire broseley called cardiff castle cefn century chapel character chartists church coal congregation connection court cwmglo cyfarthfa cynon daughter david davies descendants died district dowlais english evans farm farmer father friends furnace gellygaer gentleman glamorgan griffith.
Merthyr iron works exposed by car park jump to media player developers building a new diy store in merthyr tydfil have uncovered significant remains of the cyfarthfa iron works. Anthony takes you to the never seen before gwersyll iron age hillfort over 3000 years old on top of yeolgerig mountain. The cyfarthfa works were, for a generation at the beginning of the 19 th century, the largest ironwork in the world and the source of great wealth to its owners, the crawshays the impressive remains that can still be seen are of six massive blast furnaces and the huge arch which bridged the gap in the bank between them it is sobering though to consider that these are just a small part of. In ad 480, wales was under threat as pagan saxons pressed westwards across britain. Thomass hospitals he was parish surgeon for various merthyr districts and for the dowlais iron company. No piece on merthyr tydfils history would be complete without a contribution from. Although these carriages had inside seats for comfort away from the weather, usually reserved for the more affluent traveller, most folk would be sat up on top with the luggage. It was an area which produced iron rather than things made of iron. The cyfarthfa band was formed in merthyr tydfil in the early years of queen victorias reign. The works continued to play an enormous role in providing highquality iron to fuel the industrial revolution. Merthyr tydfil the past gwersyll iron age hillfort youtube. Penry was an engineer in his own right, with the 1891 census revealing that he was an iron master and joint owner and manager of blast furnaces all by the age of 24.
The dowlais ironworks was a major ironworks and steelworks located at dowlais near merthyr. Aug 21, 20 developers building a new diy store in merthyr tydfil have uncovered significant remains of the cyfarthfa iron works. Merthyr tydfil has built its history on a spirit of conquest. They employed brownriggs brotherinlaw charles wood to build a forge there, to use the. Ironworks schools in south wales, 17841860 sage journals. It is the seat of the dowlais companys iron and steel works, one of the largest establishments for the manufacture of steel in the kingdom, founded about 1759, and greatly enlarged and improved by the late sir john guest died. The remaining building at the former dowlais iron works is listed grade ii. Dec 28, 2016 anthony takes you to the never seen before gwersyll iron age hillfort over 3000 years old on top of yeolgerig mountain.
Merthyr tydfil is the main town in merthyr tydfil county borough. Wandering through the south wales town of merthyr tydfil one encounters many relics of its industrial past. It is one of the worlds largest research libraries holding over 150 million items in all known languages and formats. For this purpose the ironsmelting areas of south wales.
The dowlais iron works was established at dowlais, near merthyr tydfil, in september 1759 when. The dowlais ironworks was a major ironworks and steelworks located at dowlais near merthyr tydfil, in wales. He began his involvement in the iron of merthyr tydfil in 1777 when he became the merchant partner of anthony bacon, who was a major government supplier of ordnance from his iron foundry at cyfarthfa ironworks, established in the late 1760s. Cyfarthfa ironworks, gegrundet 1765 durch anthony bacon, 1794 ubernommen durch richard crawshay. Wrought iron gates near merthyr tydfil get a quote yell.
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