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Wales (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Wales => Glamorganshire => Topic started by: Ninian on Wednesday 10 October 12 11:43 BST (UK)
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I've promised a friend in Australia to try to track down a grave in Treharris. I live about 30 miles away so I thought I'd check it out on the web before I drive there. The grave is in St Cynon's churchyard, Treharris but I'm not getting very far looking for it.
I can find references to parish records for St Cynon's and it seems to have been replaced as the main church by St Matthias'? ....... but I can't find any reference to where St Cynon's is and if there is still a graveyard. Does anyone know please if the church been demolished and/or if the graveyard still there?
Ninian
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You can find a little more on the Church you mentioned on here;
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/GLA/MerthyrTydfil/
Regards
William Russell Jones.
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Thanks William. It's not an easy church to find out about. It seems that the church has definitely been demolished but I think the graveyard must still be there ..... if only I could find out where the church was! Its address is sometimes Treharris and sometimes Quakers Yard.
Regards Ninian
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hi, try looking for
st cynons church in the diocese of llandaff
on google
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Thanks for replying Doran. I haven't found much at all on google. There are several St Cynons in Llandaff Diocese, but not the one in Treharris/Quakers Yard. The church has definitely been demolished but I did find an old photo of the church with St Cynon's school next door and also a fairly recent photo of the graveyard - but it's impossible to work out it's location from the photos. Looks like I might have to just drive up there and look around for it.
Thanks, Ninian
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Hi
St Cynon's is in Quakers Yard, albeit it is right on the edge of Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taff and Merthyr Tydfil Councils. Don't know which direction you would travel from but is just off the A470 at the Quakers Yard Nelson roundabout, just set up on a hill.
My Grandparents are buried there and Father Gibbon of St Mathias Church, Treharris, holds the burial records for this cemetery. His number is 01443 410280 should you wish to contact him.
Regards
Gayden
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I've promised a friend in Australia to try to track down a grave in Treharris. I live about 30 miles away so I thought I'd check it out on the web before I drive there. The grave is in St Cynon's churchyard, Treharris but I'm not getting very far looking for it.
I can find references to parish records for St Cynon's and it seems to have been replaced as the main church by St Matthias'? ....... but I can't find any reference to where St Cynon's is and if there is still a graveyard. Does anyone know please if the church been demolished and/or if the graveyard still there?
Ninian
Hi Ninian
Go to Old-Maps co uk and enter the coordinates 309300 & 195500 into the two boxes. You will be offered a series of old maps to choose from, three of which you might find of interest.
Select: 1919 1:2500 let the map re-build (this can sometimes be quite slow) then move the magnifying glass to the centre of the image and click. St Cynon's School and Church should be near the centre of the image, use the two scroll bars to 'Look Around' the area, the grave yard looks enormous!
You can also look at an earlier map 1900 1:2500 and a later map 1961 1:2500 to see how the area has changed over the years.
To see where it is today, close the black & white image and and wait for the A-Z type image to re-build.
I trust this helps. JohnG, Swansea.
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Hi Ninian,
I live in Abercynon and St Cynon's church comes between Treharris and Abercynon more towards Abercynon hence the name St Cynon's, I don't know how well you can use a computer but if you can use google earth or google maps and zoom in to the large roundabout on the A470 at Abercynon, you will see a smaller roundabout just to the west, that leads to Nelson. St Cynon's church and cemetery is by the side of this roundabout if you use streetview on this roundabout look to the south aspect of this roundabout and you will see the cemetery, hope this is of some use to you.
Retpara.
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Many thanks Gayden, JohnG & Retpara
Sorry I haven't responded til now, I've been away. This is all very helpful and I've now located the churchyard. I've never had any difficulty finding churches til this one - it was causing me real problems. It's not surprising as, from your info, it isn't really in Treharris, Abercynon or even in Quakers yard but tucked away all on its own. I'll contact Father Gibbon.
Many thanks,
Ninian
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Hi Ninian
You're welcome. If you decide to go there, wear sturdy shoes as the ground is uneven and hilly.
Gayden
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Hi,
I went to Treharris looking for a grave and I was told most people were buried in the main graveyard there.
Have you thought about telephoning Merthyr cemeteries and asking if they have records of a grave for your ancestor.
After walking around the graveyard we could find no headstone so I phoned the cemeteries department and was given the whereabouts of my great grandfather.
I also learned that his first born child was buried with him - something my mother knew nothing about.
My gt grandfather had died when my grandmother was only 2 years old.
Her mother moved back to her 'home' village and my grandmother never knew where or visited her father's grave.
We are lucky there is so much information out there now and kind people on sites willing to help us.
Good luck with your search
Pam
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Hi Pam
That's very interesting. I went to the churchyard at St Cynon's a while ago. As the grave I was looking for was for a Baptist minister and his family I thought he would be tucked away in a corner of a Anglican church graveyard, so I started searching from the far end of the cemetery, amongst brambles etc. I eventually found the grave, quite an imposing one, right next to where the church used to stand in a very prominent position!
I've now moved on and am looking for other graves in the Merthyr and Cynon Valley areas so I will definitely get in touch with Merthyr Cemeteries to see if they can help. I assume Merthyr Council's website will be able to direct me to a contact phone number.
Very helpful, thank you
Ninian
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Hi Ninian,
Hope you were lucky with Merthyr Cemeteries.
Unfortunately churches do not always keep burial records so it is harder to track graves.
We have found most cemeteries departments are most helpful when you provide as much information asa possible. My husband is on first name terms with Neath!!
Are you aware that the Glamorgan Family History Society transcribed all the parish bmds and memorials.
The small books can be found in the FH sections of libraries in Glamorgan.
We find them very hepful when trying to see if there are stones on graves.
Good luck
best wishes
Pam
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Hi Pam
I haven't tried Merthyr Cemies yet - I thought I'd get all my info tidied up first so I can give them as much info as I can. it sounds as if I should do this for all my ancestors who ended up in Glamorgan and then go around all the cmemetery depts - I have some in Neath as well as Merthyr and Aberdare but it sounds from your experiences that it will be worth it. Many thanks.
Regards Ninian
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Hi Ninian,
Just thought I'd get my two penneth worth in, if your looking for graves in the Cynon Valley. I live in Abercynon and I found the Council Offices in Rock Grounds, Aberdare very helpful as long as you have the relevant info they will give the cemetery and plot number which relatives are buried in. I found my Gt Grandparents grave through their help, which I knew nothing about as it was only grassed over and the sextant showed me right to it.
Retpara.
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Hi Retpara
That's very helpful. I'm getting quite a long list of graves compiled and there are several for Mt Ash, Aberaman and Aberdare, so I will get in touch with the Council Offices when I've got all the info together.
Many thanks
Ninian
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St Cynons has been demolished but the graveyard is still there...it's actually just before you enter Quakers Yard on Fiddlers Elbow..My parents were married there and my daughter and I go for walks there in the summer..some of the graves are difficult to get to as the entire site is on quite an incline..You can see it clearly from the main road..If you want to give me the name you're looking for I can go and take a photo for you. I have pictures of both St Cynons when it was there and from 2 years ago if you would like those.
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Hi Cheryl
I found the graves I was looking for after quite a bit of searching. One of the graves was very near the flat patch where I imagine the church must have been. You don't happen to know roughly when it was demolished (and why - was it structurally unsafe?) I would love a pic or pics of St Cynon's when it was there. I'm not quite sure how best to do it. I suppose it might be easiest if I give you my email address here (I imagine that's ok? - I'll soon find out if Rootschat allows it when I post my reply). Here's my address: (*)
Regards, Ninian
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Hi Ninian, have a look here also
http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/quakersyard_page2.htm
It is the 18th and 19th picture on the page (Quakers Yard -page 2)
Margaret
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Hi Margaret
Many thanks for the old photos. On photo 18 I can actually see the grave. It stands out against the darker background of the church. It's amazing how different the area looks - without the new road, with the church and with the graveyard looking tidy, not overgrown like it is now.
Many thanks Ninian
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MESSAGE FOR CHERYL
I can't send you a Personal Message as you haven't posted 3 messages. I really would like to see your (fairly) recent photos of the church. So if you could reply to my message you'd then only have to post one more message and then I could send you a Personal Message! Hope to hear from you.
Ninian