Aberdare Points of Interest - Monk Street

Aberdare Points of Interest - Monk Street. . , The statue of Griffith Rhys Jones overlooks the square. A blacksmith at the nearby Llwydcoed Ironworks he is more commonly known by his bardic name of 'Caradog (1) He started conducting choirs aged only 19 and famously led the 'Cor Mawr a 460 voice South Wales choir to victory in a national choral competition at Crystal Palace in London in both 1872 and 1873 For these feats he became a local hero and his statue by Sir William Goscombe John was unveiled in 1920 , The Black Lion is one of the oldest buildings in the town. First licensed in 1811 it has been a coaching inn, the town's first post office and even the local Inland Revenue Office. The Black Lion Brewery later opened behind the hotel, but this closed by 1911.(2) , At the bottom of the Square stands the Cenotaph (3) unveiled in 1923. It was designed by the famous architect Sir Edwin Lutyens, designer of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London, much of Delhi in India and many of the finest late Victorian and Edwardian country houses. , Just off the square stands St Elvan's Church built on a small hill at the centre of the town. This large church built in the Victorian Gothic style was completed in 1852 to meet the increasing demand for places of Worship lor all denominations. Its 180 feet high steeple is the dominant feature of this part of the Cynon Valley. , Just past the entrance to St Elvan's (4) is a memorial to James James (5) (1833-1902) composer of the Welsh National Anthem. James, a harpist, wrote the music whilst his father Evan provided the words. Whilst the anthem was written in 1856 when they were living in Pontypridd. James spent his later life in the Cynon Valley as a publican in Mountain Ash. He died at Hawthorn Terrace, Aberdare and is buried with his wife and daughter in Aberdare Cemetery. , There are several trails around the town including the scenic Aberdare Circular and a heritage trail which tells the vivid story of Aberdare in audio format (www.heritagetrailsrct.co.uk). Monk Street in front of you leads to the Dare Valley Country Park Set in 500 acres of beautiful open countryside it offers way marked trails, a range of activities for all the family, a large café and a choice of accommodation., Welsh Text , Saif cerflun Caradog yn gadarn yng ngnânol y Sgwâr Griffith Rhys Jones oedd ar ei dystysgrifeni Dechreuodd weithio yn ifanc iawn fel gof, yng ngwaith haearn cyfagos Llwydcoed Dim ond 19 oed oedd Carodog (1) ác yntau yn dechrau arwain corau. Ei gamp fwyal, mae'n debyg oedd arwain y Côr Mawr i fuddugoliaeth yn y Palas Crisial ym 1872 a 1873 Trechodd y côr enwog hwn, gyda 460 o leisiau'r De, gorau o bob rhan o Brydain. Yn sgil y campau hyn fe ddaeth yn arwr i'r ardalwyr. Dadorchuddiwyd er gerflun. o waith Syr William Goscombe John, ym 1920 , Mae Gwestyr Llew Du gyda'r adeiladau hynaf yn y dref Gwesty coels lawr oedd y Llew Du adeg oi drwyddedu gyntaf ym 1811. Yma y cynhaliwyd Swyddfa Bost gyntaf y dre - a Swyddfa Bost Cyllid y Wlad hyd yn oed! Agorwyd Bragdyr Llew Du tu ol i'r gwesty, ond fe' caewyd erbyn 1911 (2) , Ym mhen uchaf y Sgwâr le welwch y senotalt , a ddadorchuddiwyd ym 1932 Y pensaer enwog Syr Edward Lutyens (1869-1944) oedd yn gyfrifol am ei ddylunio. El hefyd a ddyluniodd y Senotaff yn Whitehall, Llundain. llawer o adeiladau Delhi Newydd, yr India, a nifer o blastai gwledig ddiwedd Oes Fictoria ar cyfnod Edwardaidd , Nepell o'r Sgwâr saif Eglwys Sant Elfan, wedi hadeiladu ar fryncyn yng nghanol y dref. Eglwys eithal mawr yw hon, wedi'i hadeiladu mewn arddull Gothig Fictoraidd. Fe'i cwblhawyd ym 1852, i fodloni a chwrdd a'r galw cynyddol am leoedd i bobl o'r gwahanol enwadau gael addoli. Mae'r meindwr 180 troedfedd o uchder yn denu'r llygad o bob cwr o'r rhan hon o Gwm Cynon. , Yn agos i fynedfa Eglwys Sant Elfano fe welwch gofeb i lago ap leuan (1833-1902). cyfansoddwr alaw 'Hen Wlad fy Nhadau! Telynor oedd lago, a chafwyd y geiriau gan ei dad, lago ap leuan. Crewyd yr Anthem ym 1856, ar ddau yn byw ym Mhontypridd, ond treuliodd lago ap leuan y rhan fwyaf o'i fywyd yng Nghwm Cynon, fel tafarnwr yn Aberpennar. Bu farw yn Hawthorn Terrace, Aberdâr, ac fe'i claddwyd gyda'i wraig a'i ferch ym Mynwent Aberdâr , Mae sawl llwybr cerdded ar hyd a lled y dref, gan gynnwys cylchdalth à golygfeydd o Aberdâr a llwybr llafar sy'n adrodd hanes y dref ar ffurf lafar (www.heritagetrailsrct.co.uk). Mae Monk Street o'ch blaen yn arwain i Barc Gwledig Cwm Dár. Mae yno 500 erw o gefn gwlad agored bral sy'n cynnwys llwybrau cerdded, gweithgareddau di-ri i'r teulu cyfan, caffi eang a dewis o lety.