Whitchurch Contents

WHITCHURCH is a parish and pleasant village in the hundred of Caerphilly, county of Glamorgan, situated in the beautiful vale of the Taff, and intersected by the high road from Cardiff to Merthyr. It is about 3 miles from Cardiff, its post town, and 5 from Caerphilly, in the Cardiff union and county court district. The iron and tinplate works of the Messrs. Thomas William Booker & Co. Limited, are at Melin Griffith, in this parish, also at Pentyrch, and employ a great number of hands. The Taff Vale Railway passes through the parish, and has a station (Llandaff) about half a mile from the village. The parish church is a plain low edifice, without tower. The living is a vicarage, in the gift of the Bishop of the diocese. There are also places of worship for Baptists, Independents, Wesleyan and Calvinistic Methodists, and a National school. Population in 1861, 2,274, and in 1871, 2, 722

TONGWYNLAIS is a considerable village, mostly in the above parish, and partly in that of Eglwysilan, about 5 miles from Cardiff, and half-a-mile from the railway station at Walnut Tree Bridge. Castell Coch, or the Red Castle, is seated on a considerable eminence, near the village, embosomed in trees, and commanding a fine view of the Taff vale and the Bristol channel. It is now being entirely restored by the Marquis of Bute to as near as possible its former proportions. The castle, which is not very extensive, was built by the Britons to repel the Norman invaders, and was long held by Ivor Bach, who gallantly headed the natives of Glamorgan against Fizhamon and the Norman settlers. The Normans afterwards became masters of it, and considerably enlarged, if not entirely rebuilt it. There is a chapel of ease, and chapels for the Calvinists, Baptists, and Independents in the village, also a National school, Population returned with the parish.

The following parishes, &c. are all in Cardiff postal district, poor law union, and county court district :-

LLANISHEN is a parish and village in the hundred of Kibbor. It is about 4 miles from Cardiff, and the same from Caerphilly. The Rhymney railway passes through this parish, and has a station here. The Marquis of Bute, Colonel Tynte, Lord Tredegar, Mrs. Vaughan and others, own the soil. The parish church is a neat edifice. The living is a vicarage, in the patronage of Lord Windsor and Charles K. K. Tynte, Esq. J.P. alternately. There is also a chapel for Wesleyans and a National School. Population in 1861, 449, in 1871, 515.

PENTYRCH is a parish and village in the hundred of Kiskin, about 6 miles from Cardiff, and 4 from Caerphilly. In this parish, on the river Taff, are situated the extensive ironworks of the Messrs. T. W. Booker & Co. Limited. The scenery is very beautiful on both sides the river, which is crossed by a neat stone bridge, a great accomodation to the neighbourhood. The parish chruch is situated in the village; the living is a vicarage, in the gift of the Bishop of the diocese and the Dean and Chapter alternately. The Baptists, Independents, and Calvinistic Methodists have also places of worship here. There are also National schools. Population in 1861, 1,590, in 1871, 2,105.

TAFF'S WELL is a considerable village in the parish of Eglwysilan, about 6 miles from Cardiff, and 3 from Whitchurch, and about the same distance from Caerphilly. It takes its name from an ancient well, which is said to possess medicinal properties of a very high order. The well is close by the river, into which it is continually flowing. An iron shed encloses the well, and a charge is made for bathing in its waters. WALNUT TREE BRIDGE is a railway station and junction on the Taffvale and Rhymney lines, and is in close vicinity to the village, which contains a chapel of ease, and chapels for Calvinists, Independents, and Wesleyans, also Board schools. Population returned with the parish.

POST OFFICE - Whitchurch, Charles Reynolds, Post Master. - Letters arrive from all parts arrive (from Cardiff) at ten minutes past seven morning, and are despatched thereto at half past six evening

POST OFFICE - Pentyrch, William Thomas, Post Master. - Letters from all parts arrive (from Cardiff) at forty minutes past eight morning, and are despatched thereto at fifty minutes past four afternoon.

POST OFFICE - Taff's Well, Morgan Thomas, Post Master. - Letters from all parts arrive (from Cardiff) at forty minutes past eight morning, and are despatched thereto at forty minutes past five evening

POST OFFICE - Tongwynlais, William Russell, Post Master. - Letters from all parts arrive (from Cardiff) at forty minutes past seven morning, and are despatched thereto at five minutes past six evening

POST OFFICE - Llanishen, Charles Maisey, Post Master. - Letters from all parts arrive (from Cardiff) at half-past eight morning, and are despatched thereto at forty minutes past five evening

National Schools :-

Llanishen - Richard H. Thomas, master
Tongwynlais - Alfred Roberts, master; Emily Roberts, mistress
Pentyrch - Morgan Thomas, master
Pentyrch Works - Thomas Madge, master
Whitchurch - John C. Meredith, master; Emma A. Meredith, mistress

Clode William, Tyn-y-park
Evans Mary, Ash Grove
George Thomas, Derry Farm
James Sina, Fynnon-Wen
Jones Alexander, Pant Mawr
Lougher Richard, Forest Farm
Phillips John, Wauntreode
Preston Alice, Tyn-y-pwll
Preston William, Rhubina
Thomas Edward, Llwynmallt
Thomas John, Great House
Thomas John & William H., Cefn-garw
Thomas William, Ty-pwdwr
Williams Edward, Pentwyn
Williams Thomas, Ty-clyd
Wride Barry, Village Farm
Wride William, Graig

Edwards Edward, Tyn-y-berllan
Edward Sarah, Maes-y-felyn
Griffiths Isaac, Church Farm
Husband Philip, Mardy
Llewellyn Titus, Tai-Mawr
Matthews Blanche, Fair Oak
Rees Lewis, Ty Llwyd
Richards Thomas, Penteg
Thomas Edward, Graig
Watkins Thomas, Ty-Mawr
Williams Thomas, Spring Meadow

Ainsley Elizabeth, Rhyd-y-pennan
Bryant Isaac, Fair Oak
Butt John, Fydlaes
Cornwell George H., Heath Farm
Davies John, Ty-celyn
John Thomas, Ty-hwnt
Lewis Thomas, Llwyn-crwn
Rees Daniel, Heol-hir
Reynolds William N., Tonyrewan
Richards Humberston, Cefn-fedw
Tinker Charles, Mill Farm
Williams Edward, Graig
Wride Barry, Ty-coch
Wride Francis, Llanishen House
Wride Thomas, Blue House

Evans David, Cefn-Colsten
Howells Mary, Bwlch-gwint
John Evan, Castell-y-Mynash
Llewellyn Evan, Maesteg
Llewellyn William, Caerwen
Llewellyn William, Penygarn
Morgan Morgan, Ty Mawr
Phillips Hannah, Caer-erfa
Phillips James, Crigan
Richards David, Llwyn-y-brain
Roberts Robert, Garth
Thomas Richard, Pant-y-corred
Williams Anthony, Penllwyn
Williams Daniel, Llwynddu
Williams David, Maes Mawr
Williams Thomas, Craig-gwilym

Churches of the Establishment

Lisvane - Rev. Thomas Rees, vicar
Llanishen - Rev. Thos. Rees, vicar
Pentyrch - Rev. Horatio J. Thomas, vicar; Rev. John Jenkins, curate
Whitchurch - Rev. John Thomas Clarke, M.A., vicar

Dissenting Chapels

Baptist :-

Lisvane -
Pentyrch - Rev. Thomas Jenkins
Tongwynlais (English) - Rev. Joshua Thomas
Tongwynlais (Welsh) - Rev. Joshua Thomas
Whitchurch (English) - Ministers various
Whitchurch (Welsh) - Ministers various

Independent (Welsh) :-

Taff's Well - Rev. William Rees
Tongwynlais - Rev. J. W. Morris
Whitchurch - Rev. David G. Rees
Pentyrch -

Methodist (Calvinistic) :-

Whitchurch, Tongwynlais, Pentyrch, and Taff's Well

Methodist (Wesleyan) :-

Taff's Well, Llanishen, and Melin Griffith

Reading Rooms, Tongwynlais - Solomon Phillips, secretary

Slaters Commercial Directory, Whitchurch, Glamorgan, 1880

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