Hide

Whitchurch - Gazetteers

hide
Hide

Extract from A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (1833) by Samuel Lewis.

"WHITCHURCH, a parish, partly in the hundred of CAERPHILLY, and partly in that of KIBBOR, county of GLAMORGAN, SOUTH WALES, 3 miles (N.N.W.) from Cardiff, containing 1184 inhabitants.

This parish is situated on the turnpike road leading from Cardiff to Merthyr-Tydvil, and comprises the Upper and Lower divisions, the former of which, by a decision of the county magistrates at the quarter sessions, in April 1831, is now in the hundred of Kibbor. It includes an extensive tract of enclosed arable and pasture land, part of which is an allotment of Cardiff heath, on its enclosure many years ago. The soil is in general fertile, and favourable to the production of wheat and other grain : the surrounding scenery is pleasingly diversified, and agreeably enlivened by some handsome seats in the immediate vicinity.

Green Meadow, the residence of Wyndham Lewis, Esq., is a spacious and handsome modern mansion, in the later style of English architecture, delightfully situated above the river Taf, and under the declivity of a lofty mountain : the grounds are tastefully laid out, comprehending a rich variety of beautiful scenery, and commanding a fine view of the picturesque ruins of Castell Coch, to the north, built by Ivor ab Cadivor, called also Ivor Bach, to defend the pass up the valley of the Taf. Velindre, the pleasant seat of T.W. Brookes, Esq., situated on an eminence above Melin Grufydd, commands some delightful views of the river Taf, and the flourishing plantations that ornament its banks in the parish of Pentyrch.

The extensive tin plate works belonging to Messrs. R. Blakemore and Co., at Melin Grufydd, are in this parish : in these works about five hundred persons are constantly employed, and on the average about twenty-five thousand boxes of tin plates, and two thousand tons of sheet iron, are annually manufactured, the conveyance of which to their destination is facilitated by the Glamorganshire canal, which passes close to the works.

The living is annexed to that of Llandaf, and is in the archdeaconry and diocese of Llandaf. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a neat and substantial edifice, in good repair. There are places of worship for Baptists and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists.

Joan Williams, in 1707, bequeathed £20, and Thomas Lewis, in 1724, £ 5 for the benefit of the poor.

In this parish there are, an encampment supposed to be of Roman construction, and a lofty tumulus ; but nothing is known of their origin.

The average annual expenditure for the support of the poor is £245. 9."

Whitchurch - Lewis 1833 [Last Updated : 19 Oct 2002 - Gareth Hicks]