Castle Hotel – The Melting Pot

The Crown Inn

by Carolyn Jacob

James Roberts, a freeholder and a dissenter opened the Crown Inn as one of his many business activities. In his book, ‘The Labyrinth of Flames’, Chris Evans writes that in the early 1790s the ironmasters hoped to install a landlord of their own choosing at the Crown Inn “as a competitor to Peggy Jenkins, the doughty if slapdash matriarch who ran the Star Inn. Each Company pledged £70 to their nominee, but little more was heard of the proposal thereafter.”

The Crown Inn is situated at number 28 on the Lower High Street, in the old ‘Village’ area of Merthyr Tydfil and dates from 1785, although there have been later alterations to the inn. It is a grade II listed building. The Crown Inn was built on the site of an earlier thatched property and was fully licensed to let post horses in the nineteenth century. The building has a simple 2 storey Georgian front with some interesting old features and is a fine example of a late 18^th century coaching inn. The Crown is contemporary with the time of Anthony Bacon, the first ironmaster. Following the building of the Cyfarthfa Ironworks visitors started to come to Merthyr Tydfil and the Crown provided essential refreshment and accommodation.

Before 1800 the first post-office was at the Crown Inn. An old woman brought letters from Brecon and these were put on a round table ready to be collected. Despite having undergone many changes, the building still retains many original features, such as 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.

The Merthyr Express of 28 July 1866 tells a tale of a traveller in the year 1806. He put up at the best hotel then, the Crown. He well remembered being taken by a friend to see the Castle Hotel, which was then in course of building.

One sunny afternoon, towards the close of the eighteenth century, two suspicions-looking travellers rode down through Twvnyrodyn, then the direct-road from Cardiff, passed the Court House and entered the village. They dismounted and entered the Crown Hotel. ‘In the queer old hostelry, then the principle inn, or at least equal rival to the Star’. The travellers were no other than the press gang, as Merthyr men would soon know to their cost. Coming at such a time the rumour about them spread quickly, terrified children hid them and one young fellow found a refuge in a large chimney at the Blast Furnace public-house. Never had such an alarm been caused before. A veritable panic seemed to have seized everybody, and the most ludicrous actions ensued to avoid these men. While all this commotion was going on in the little village the two travellers sat in the parlour quite at their ease and enjoyed the Crown’s best ale.

The Crown was a popular public house in nineteenth century Merthyr Tydfil and on Saturdays it was not unusual for a crowd of men to come out of the Crown or Star and for 2 of them to strip to the waist in order to have a public fight. Before the Glamorgan Constabulary was established there was only a village constable and he wisely kept well out of these occasions.

In the first half of the nineteenth century the market was outside the Crown Inn. The shops were crowded with customers and the fairs and markets were held in the open streets extending from the churchyard wall upwards, temporary stalls were erected along a poorly constructed pavement and the public highway itself was invaded by hand-barrows, baskets and panniers. These stalls sold clothes, boots, shoes, jewellery, gingerbread, sweets, Welsh flannels and so on. The butchering trade had its own area and small market in a side street.

In 1835 Pigot’s directory gives John Richards as the Inn Keeper of the Crown Inn and on the 1841 census Margaret Richards was the landlady living in the Crown with her daughters, Mary and Jane. In 1852 Slater’s directory lists Howell Davies as landlord.

In the mid nineteenth century the Crown was the most popular location for Friendly Societies to meet. Amongst those that met there were The Social Society, The Society of Gentleman, Tradesman and Mechanics, The Cambrian Friendly Society, The Star Brotherly Society and the Faithful Youths’ Society, according to the Merthyr Telegraph, Registered Friendly Societies, 26 September 1857.

A directory from 1889 shows John Davies to be the landlord here. The 1901 register of electors reveals that David Francis Williams lived in the Crown Inn. A trade directory of 1923 shows that D. Williams was still the Crown’s landlord at this time.

The 1901 National Eisteddfod in Merthyr

by Laura Bray

It was Tuesday 6 August 1901 – 120 years ago today. The weather was undecided, threatening rain but holding off. The town was looking festive, with banners and streamers hung across the High Street, coloured lights put up around the Castle Hotel door, hotels gaily festooned with paper flowers and even houses decorated to catch the eye. The train station was busy all day, carrying people to Merthyr from all over, and 18,000 people made their way to the magnificent Pavilion in Penydarren Park, for the opening of the 1901 Eisteddfod.

The planning for the Eisteddfod had begun in February 1899 when a sub-committee of the Cymmrodorion Society, who were meeting in a care-takers room in the Town Hall, were discussing the Dewi Sant banquet and it was suggested that the National Eisteddfod might be invited to Merthyr in 1901 or 1903. The idea caught on, was discussed by “The Great and the Good” of Merthyr society and by 14 June 1899 it had been unanimously agreed that an application would be made to the Gorsedd Committee for either 1901 or 1903. The invitation for the Eisteddfod to come to Merthyr was accepted for 1901 and fundraising commenced apace. Some members of the committee had been part of the 1881 Eisteddfod, the last time it had come to the town, others were new and all came to together to decide that the Penydarren Park site, used in 1881, would again be ideal for the 1901 event.

The Penydarren Park site was, in 1901 as in 1881, a large open field with plenty of room for the Pavilion and space for the crowds outside the barriers so that the streets did not become too busy at the entrances. A refreshment tent was set up, a fruit stall and adjacent to that, a Post Office. Everyone wanted to come and by the time the Eisteddfod opened before midday it was packed, and by the afternoon, there was standing room only. The band played and the mornings proceedings were chaired by the Lord Tredegar, and conducted by “Gurnos” (Gurnos Jones) and “Mabon” (Abraham Williams).

The event spanned the week and was a great success. On the final Saturday, the sun shone and the Archdruid conferred Druidic degrees on the Rev Dr Rowlands, America; the Rev David Owen, Llanfair Muallt; Miss Annie Rees M.D., New York; Miss S.M Lewis, Dr. Hughes, Dowlais and others. The next Eisteddfod, to be held in Bangor, was also proclaimed. Merthyr did itself proud with prizes – Miss Edith Matthews won £2 for the best paper on counterpoint and harmony in four parts; Tom Price won £3/3- for the best oboe solo; Harry Llewellyn won £3 for the cornet solo, and came second in the bass solo; The Merthyr Orchestral Society won the prize of £40. In the Arts and industries section, Zechariah Watkins from Dowlais won the prize for a set of six panels imitating marbles; J Westacott from Merthyr won the best painted and varnished door and David Thomas in Merthyr the prize for one white shawl.

“Dyfed” (Evan Rees from Aberdare ) was chaired as Bard, having already won five National Chairs, including that of the Chicago Eisteddfod. The Crown went to John Jenkins of Gwili

What was interesting about the Eisteddfod was the huge coverage it received from the Press – way beyond anything you would get today – and the distances people travelled to attend. Hotels in Merthyr were booked up well in advance and there are reports of visitors from as far afield as America. Ticket sales alone brought in £3343 10s 9d and subscriptions another £1100. The cost to the town of hosting it was calculated at £4200, which meant that there was a surplus of £843 10s 9d – around £106,000 in today’s money – no mean achievement. This was the last time the National Eisteddfod came to Merthyr (although the Urdd Eisteddfod came in 1987). Perhaps we are due another visit!

Memories of Old Merthyr

We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.

On the other side of the road where the Town Offices now stand, there was first a small place used as a butcher’s shop, then the opening into the Bunch of Grapes yard, a public house of that name being at the top, then a drapery shop kept by Mr Samuel Smith, who had a sister living with him. Their brother was Mr John Smith, the mineral agent of the Abernant works, and father of Mr W Smith, now manager of Rhymney Collieries, and then what was afterwards the Canton Tea Warehouse of a Mr Watkins.

An extract from the 1851 Ordnance Survey Map of Merthyr showing the Castle Hotel (top left) and the Bunch of Grapes Pub (middle right)

We are now facing the Castle Hotel, and as far as can be recalled it is the same as in 1834-5, or at least as regards its externals. The steps remain, and the entrance and bar are so, but there have bee some slight alterations in other parts. At the date just mentioned Mr Edward Purchase was the host. Mrs Purchase and two or three daughters of hers were there also.

From all I ever heard, at the time of its building, persons wondered at its being so, for the position was not thought appropriate, but Mr John Treharne was right. Mr Treharne was evidently a person of some decision of character. He was known among his convivial friends as Sir John, and upon his widow marrying Mr Purchase she was sometimes referred to as No 25.

The Castle Hotel (right) at roughly the time detailed in this article

Immediately above the Castle, in fact a portion of the premises, was a gin shop, used also as the booking office for the coaches. Whether adjoining, or a door or two above, there was a hairdresser’s place, kept by Mr Abbott, who had made himself very unpopular to some by swearing to the identity of Dick (sic.) Penderyn of the riots of a few years before, and who had been executed for being implicated therein.

Some doors above was the Vulcan. There was an alley with cottages on two or three of its sides, then a public house – the William IV, then another narrow opening leading to the Morlais Brook, with Zoar Chapel on one side, just where Messrs Thomas had a drapery shop, and then an opening, and on the corner beyond, the residence of Mr Job James, the doctor. He had been, I always understood, a naval doctor. Next door lived his mother-in-law, Mrs Williams.

A person named Brown kept a shop adjoining, and the English Wesleyan Chapel followed. The residence of the minister of the chapel adjoined, and some doors above a Mr Thomas Williams, followed afterwards by a Mr Anstey upon Mr Williams removal to Victoria Street. Mr Thomas Williams was the father of the late Mr Thomas Williams, some time coroner. Only a few doors further and the Morlais or Pontmorlais turnpike gate was come to.

To be continued at a later date……

Memories of Old Merthyr

We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.

Let us now return to the post office, at the corner of Glebeland Street, and keep on that side for a while. The post office was situated in the same place, but it was also a shop, and had four or five steps to lead up to its level, but there was a small window in Glebeland Street beyond the curved one of the shop that was also used for postal purposes.

The Post Office on the corner of Glebeland Street. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

Upon entering the shop there was apparently a desk for five feet or so on the counter. There were some pigeon holes, and a small recess to the window mentioned above. This constituted the Merthyr postal business place. There was one postman, I believe, but his delivery was circumscribed, and once a day only. If a letter was expected, it could be inquired about at the window; inquiries were no welcomed over the counter. Mr Rhys Davis was the postmaster, Mrs Davis was one of the Willamses.

Unfortunately, the rest of that page is undecipherable due to damage.

A door or two on was at one time a watch and clock maker named David Jones Junior, his father keeping an establishment near the Lamb in Castle Street, being David Jones Senior, and he had a good reputation as an horologist. It is very probable that there are eight day clocks yet working having “David Jones, maker, Merthyr Tydfil” upon their faces.

In the window of David Jones Jun., a clock, or rather a small timepiece, was exhibited, having a ball running zig-zag on and inclined plate. The plate was moved upon two pivots, and the ball upon arriving at one end of the zig-zag struck a rod which disengaged it from the plate, and immediately after that, part or side of the plate was tilted up so as to cause the ball to run back to the other end, when, by the same arrangement, that which was of course the lowest side, to induce the ball to run that way, became the upper, and that which was the upper became the lower. My reason for mentioning this is to show that there was mental mechanical skill there exemplified.

It was within a few doors of this watch and clock-maker’s shop I can recall the office of Mr Wm Perkins, who, with Mr Wm Meyrick, were then the only two solicitors practising in Merthyr. The eldest son of the Mr Kayes, of the boot and shoe establishment in Three Salmon’s Court, was also a solicitor, but as far as can be recalled he was not in very good health, and I think he soon went over to the majority.

Mr Perkins was the solicitor of the Dowlais Company, and considered to be on the Liberal side in politics, while Mr Meyrick was considered the Tory lawyer. Mr Charles H James in his recollections gives some things about Mr Perkins. I desire to bear grateful testimony to him. True, he might have been a good sportsman or not, but as long as memory lasts he must be thought of and known as a gentleman. He lived in Professional Row, the middle house of the three. The one on the lower side was occupied by Mr Russell (the doctor of the works), and as far as can be recalled that on the upper side of the road to Thomastown was occupied by Mrs Davies (a widow), of Pantscallog.

There were several shops between Mr Perkins’ office and Castle Street, one was kept by a Mr Marsden, called the Manchester House at that time; then on the corner a William Jones, who also kept a shop in Tredegar, some time after kept a watch, clock and jewellery business. Here the late Mr W Meredith commenced his business. Mr Thomas J Pearce, who had married one of the Misses Davies of the Bush, afterwards carried on a grocery business here, but Mr Meredith, who took on Jones’ business, was there for a while prior to moving lower down. This Mr W Jones went to Port Elizabeth in South Africa, and reading the obituary notice of Mr Meredith lately, it occurred to me that Mr Meredith was introduced to his African trade by Mr Jones.

To be continued at a later date……

Merthyr’s Lost Landmarks: The Castle Cinema

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

By the late 1920’s, with the burgeoning popularity of ‘moving pictures’, Merthyr already had a number of purposely built cinemas: the Electric and the Palace in town, the Cosy in Penydarren, the Victoria in Dowlais and the Picture Palace in Troedyrhiw. Everything changed in 1927, however, when ‘The Jazz Singer’ was released. This was the first ‘talking picture’, and cinema was revolutionised.

Unfortunately, none of the cinemas in Merthyr had the technical apparatus to show ‘talkies’, so it was decided that a new purpose built cinema was to be erected. Merthyr Cinemas Ltd, a company which had been set up in 1916 by Henry Seymour Berry to oversee the growing number of cinemas in the town, undertook the planning for the enterprise, and the new cinema was built on the site of the old Castle Hotel. It was designed by the architect O.P. Bevan with the building work carried out by a local contractor – Mr George Warlow using stone supplied by Vaynor Quarries. The overall cost of the building was £300,000.

The Castle Cinema was opened on 11 February 1929 by the mayor, Alderman David Parry at a grand ceremony. The following description of the building appeared in the Merthyr Express on 16 February 1929:

“The Castle Cinema is capable of seating 1,700 people, and ranks among the most commodious and luxuriously fitted film theatres in the Provinces. The main entrance is on Castle Street, so that patrons are spared the discomfort of congested traffic conditions in High Street. The foyer, approached through three pairs of double doors is of an irregular shape, spacious and is beautifully decorated. Leading from the marble foyer are staircases to the mezzanine floor and the gallery, and double doors opening to the ground floor, where there is an excellent fall towards the stage and screen. The walls are beautifully decorated by murals paintings of singular beauty and charm. Large landscape panels, designed by Mr. J. Jones, a local artist, for the decorators (Messrs. W.R. Lewis and son, Merthyr) show stately castles and medieval settings, and across the ceiling is colour washed a brilliant sky illuminated from two light ray domes. An electrically controlled passenger lift carries patrons to the balcony, and gallery floors. The hall is built of fire resisting materials, and the various inlets are supplemented by numerous emergency exits. The Cinema is adapted also for concerts, and a dance or tea-room is provided on the Mezzanine floor, from where runs a small circle, with seats for fifty persons.

One of the famous Christie unit organs has been installed. It combines the musical features of the finest Cathedral pipe-organ, with the manifold voices of a symphony orchestra. no fewer than one hundred miles of electric wire is used in the construction of the mechanism, while 20,000 contacts , all of sterling silver and soldered joints, are contained in the console and action machines, and there are a thousand pipes. The three manual console is provided with 150 stop keys and a remarkable simulation of the human voice is produced by means of the vox human. The organist is Mr Gwilym Jones L.R.A.M., will also direct the Castle Cinema orchestra, which will be under the leadership of Mr Ronald Jones, from the London Symphony Orchestra.”

The Christie Organ in the 1940’s with long-time organist Gene Lynn. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

In 1932, the cinema was bought by Associated British Cinemas and renamed the ABC Castle Super Cinema. In 1954, the organ, which had been falling into disrepair for many years was removed, and in 1972 the cinema was bought by the Star Group who decided to alter the cinema – converting the stalls into a bingo hall, and converting the balcony into two small ‘studios’.

From 1977 the cinema passed into the ownership of several independent operators, and in 1998, the bingo hall closed and a new 300 seat cinema was opened in its place the following year. The cinema closed in 2003 and soon fell into such a state of disrepair, that despite several failed ventures (a skating rink and a pub), the building was demolished in 2011.

Memories of Old Merthyr

We continue our serialisation of the memories of Merthyr in the 1830’s by an un-named correspondent to the Merthyr Express, courtesy of Michael Donovan.

To return to the coach journey, the Bridgewater Arms was then kept by Mr George Roach, who afterwards move to the Castle at Merthyr,and after the change of horses they came to Quakers’ Yard. Here a slight halt was made, it might have been put down to kindness towards the animals, but the hostelry also supplied refreshments for the inner man. Whatever may be the reason, a long and steep hill had then to be ascended. After passing Pantannas the ascent modified, and on arriving at Nantddu turnpike, the pace could be again increased.

The Nantddu Turnpike (or Tollbooth) in Edwardsville. Courtesy of the Alan George Archive

A run of about two miles after this brought us to a pleasant cottage on the right hand side, owned and occupied by a Mr Stephens, and the Mount Pleasant Public House, kept by John Griffiths, who afterwards moved to the Star opposite the Old Church in High Street, was close by on the other side of the road.

The drive through the woods up to Troedyrhiw was a pleasant one. The road just before entering Troedyrhiw has been altered a little for the making of the Taff Vale Railway, and after passing Troedyrhiw for about 1½ miles the road was subsequently diverted by Mr Anthony Hill. After crossing the line of the railroad forming the connection at present between the Taff Vale Railway and the South Duffryn Coal Pits, it kept to the east of the present road, passing close in front of Duffryn Cottage, the east end of Taibach and Pentrebach Rows, through what was part of the Forge Yard, then past Pentrebach House (where I believe Mr Probert now resides), and came out at a little above Plymouth Lodge.

A drawing of the Plymouth Lodge in the 1820’s. Photo courtesy of the Alan George Archive

From here there has not been any deviation of route, but until the Britannia Public House on the right-hand side, there was not a single cottage on either side. There was a bridge over the road for the conveying of mine rubbish between the Dowlais Branch Bridge and the Britannia similar to one passed under at Pencaebach. About a hundred yards on towards the High Street, and on the other side of the road stood the Bell, and adjoining the Bell was the Plymouth Tollgate. On the opposite side of the road, but just before coming to the Bell there was an open space to the town road that was used as place where coal was delivered; which with some others will be alluded to to exemplify the arrangements at the time.

After coming through the Plymouth gate there were cottages on both sides until the Plymouth watercourse came so close to the road as to prevent their being built on the left hand. Where the Taff Station was at the opening of the railway and for years afterwards, there was nothing but rubbish tips, but they were not high, and the road with a ford through the river went from Plymouth Street across by Rhydycar. Perhaps this was the very Rhyd (a ford), but the place called Rhydycar was on the side of the canal bank, a house and mine pit with a winding engine. It was doubtless a parish road for Mr Bruce, the grandfather of the present Lord Aberdare, when Stipendiary of Merthyr, passed that way home to his residence in Mountain Ash.

A section of the remarkable 1836 map of Merthyr by John Wood showing the Plymouth Street area as mentioned in this article.

To be continued at a later date….

Memories of Old Merthyr

Whilst looking through back issues of the Merthyr Express, local historian Michael Donovan came across a remarkable feature which ran across several editions of the newspaper in 1901. The article concerns reminiscences of Merthyr dating back to the 1830’s. Unfortunately, there is no indication who the person who wrote these memories is. Michael has passed copies of these articles on to me to feature on this blog. I will post extracts periodically, starting with the transcription below.

Merthyr Tydfil, erstwhile the metropolis of the iron manufacture, although that proud distinction no longer applies, is yet progressing and prosperous. Being able to recall it as was so many years ago, it is my intention to describe things that can be remembered, and to say in a gossiping garrulous manner what may instruct and amuse the present generation.

I think it was in 1834 I first saw Merthyr, coming by coach from Cardiff. The impression upon me was strange, for until then all ideas of existence had been gathered in a city, and the transition from such to a long, straggling village was very great. From Cardiff one set of horses ran to the Bridgewater Arms, and another on to Merthyr. The starting place in Cardiff was the Angel Hotel, which stood about the position of the Bute Estate Offices at the present, and the finish was at the Castle Hotel, or the booking office which was adjoining it on the Pontmorlais side. The coach stopped at the Bush Hotel to set down some passengers, and unless memory plays me false, the coachman’s name was Howells.

The Castle Hotel in Merthyr in the mid 1800’s

There was a great dearth of houses. Anything except workmen’s cottages were very few, and, as a rule, occupied by their owners. Just call to mind what Merthyr would be without Thomastown and Twynyrodyn, the site of the present Market-house and its surrounding streets a field, a field where the present station is (Cae Gwyn), a market garden where the lower part of the station yard is, no water except what could be had from a well here and there, no drainage, no police, and I almost think no gas works.

Further afield, Troedyrhiw had few houses, Pontyrhun was not, except a pumping engine and residence for the attendant. His name was Gibbons, and the engine supplied the Glamorganshire Canal from the river. Not above a dozen houses in Abercanaid; and as for Cefn, if you could find a cottage to spare, provided any means were used to come to Merthyr, no less than three turnpike gates would have to be passed through, to two of which a toll would be paid; and if, instead of turning round to enter the ‘village’, anyone went a short distance up the road to Penydarren, another toll would be demanded.

The old Penydarren Toll House (front) at the bottom of The Avenue. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

And yet with these conditions and surroundings –

“Content could spread a charm,
Redress the place, and all its faults disarm.”

To be continued at a later date…..