FURNACES.
Clydac, or Llanelly (in the parish of latter) | |
Freer | 2 furnaces |
Blenavon, Hill | 4 |
The Varteg | 2 |
Nant-eglo, Bayley | 4 |
3 | |
Ebro Vale, Harford | 2 |
Sirhowy, Harford | 2 |
Tredegar, S. Homfray and Co. | 5 |
Romney, Mrs. Hall | 2 |
Dowlass, Guest and Co. | 8 |
Penydarran, Forman and Thompson | 5 |
Cyfartha, Crawshays | 8 |
Plymouth, R. I. and A. Hill | 5 |
Aberdare, formerly Thompson and Scales, now Scales andCo. | 3 |
Abernant, ditto, Tappendens | 1 |
Hirwaen | 2 |
Myers and company, four miles short of Neath,charcoal furnace, &c. | |
The immense collections of cinder, or refuse from the ore, astonish the beholder: it appears almost incredible, that the labour of man could transport such quantities of materials; but when, added to this, you reflect that nearly the whole has passed through the furnaces, and been moved two or three times, how much is the wonder increased! In short, to witness what immense capitals, indefatigable industry, and human ingenuity can accomplish, in dragging forth the bowels of the earth, the vales of the Taff from Brecon to Cardiff, and the very numerous vales running parallel with the Taff, betwixt Abergavenny and Neath, should be explored, both above ground, and in the mines; the value of the inclined planes and rail-roads only would be immense.
About three miles to the north-east of Merthyr, are the remains of Castle Morlais, an extensive and singular ruin: it was originally a British post, afterwards rebuilt by Gilbert, Earl of Glocester, in the reign of Edward I., and the source of a quarrel betwixt that nobleman and Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, which brought down the anger of the monarch on both their heads to such extent, as to subject them to fine and imprisonment: it was so completely destroyed by the Parliamentary army in the seventeenth century, that its form and extent are difficult to trace; a small keep, or look out, on the most elevated part of its scite, still however remains: its upper story is much dilapidated; and the walls as well as roof, nearly destroyed, except the door-way and window, which are of freestone: from the top of one of these, the view of the Black Mountains, &c. is most extensive: the lower apartment (part of the vaulted roof of which has at length yielded to time, and the injuries of the animals who have resorted to the upper apartment for shelter) has once been curious; the arches, twelve in number, which supported its roof sprang from a pillar in the centre; the rib of the arch is freestone, and shows good masonry; the wall is likewise rubbed stone, part of which has been defaced, apparently to see if it communicated with any other part of the castle, or contained any thing worthy the searching for. The pleasantest way for an active person to ascend to this ruin, is at the bridge above the Cyfartha works, to take the right bank, ascending the little Taff: for some distance you pass along the quarries, and at length reach a path cut through the woods, along the banks of this romantic stream: the termination of the path obliges you to incline to the right, and passing two fields, you begin to ascend the hill between a stone wall and extensive lime-stone quarries, belonging to the Pendarren works. The ascent is steep; but if fine, you are amply repaid, on reaching the summit, by the extensive views you command. Dowlass works, which, as well as Cyfartha, have eight furnaces, are seen from here to great advantage. The descent to Merthyr, along the rail-road from the lime-stone quarries you passed in ascending, is easy and pleasant, running alongside the beautiful grounds of Mr. Forman, formerly belonging to Mr. S. Homfray, and which a former tourist describes as containing all of elegance or comfort that Merthyr can boast of. From hence we travelled the road to Pont Neath Vechan, the first part of which is hilly, rough, and through a barren country; but the latter half is rich in scenery, sublime and awful, from pendent rocks and gushing cataracts, and worthy the time and observation of the admirer of nature’s beauties.