so justly styled the Garden of South Wales: the rapid Taff forms an
almost continued uproar for many miles; on the opposite side the
mountains rose almost perpendicularly in a massy wall, and sometimes to
the water’s edge, finely clothed with wood. Every circumstance conspired
to heighten the solitary grandeur of the scene, and to prolong the
luxurious melancholy which the views inspired. In this celebrated vale
is found the famous Pont-y-prid, or New Bridge, about three quarters of a
mile from the Duke of Bridgewater’s Arms. This wonderful bridge of one
arch is the segment of a circle; the chord of it is one hundred and forty
feet, and the height of the key-stone from the spring of the arch,
thirty-two feet and a half. It was erected in the year 1750, by William
Edwards, a country mason, who failed in his attempt three times, till, on
lightening the abutments, it has resisted for many years the torrents of
the Taff.
This bridge, which in its present state is nearly useless, might, at a
very trifling expense, be made as useful as it is wonderful; but the
river, which is at most times fordable, renders this perhaps unnecessary.
Till this bridge was erected, the Rialto at Venice was esteemed the
largest arch in Europe; its span or chord being ninety-eight feet: but
this bridge is forty-two feet wider; being, it is supposed, the largest
arch in the world.
Wales is generally remarkable for its white-washed cottages, the origin
of which custom is attributed to Glamorganshire: the cleanliness, as far
as this county is concerned, is chiefly on the outside; but so great is
their attachment to lime white, that even the stone garden-wall, the
pig-sty, or any stone within moderate distance of the cottage receives
its due share of attention; in some parts even the blue slate roof, which
to the eyes of an Englishman forms a happy contrast to the whitened wall,
is offensive to the eyes of the Welsh, and the roof undergoes the same
process as the walls.
The intrusion of art in this romantic valley, where nature has been so
lavish of her beauties, is much to be lamented. A canal, for the purpose
of conveying the iron from the Merthyr works to Cardiff, renders that a
place of frequent business and confusion, which was originally so well
adapted to retirement and reflection.
Not only the road from hence to Merthyr, but all the way from Cardiff to
that place, the road is esteemed amongst the best in Wales; the views
along it are likewise such as to keep the attention alive, nature and art
combining to give effect: in one place the rapid Taff is seen breaking
its way through the woody cliffs, to the lowest level of the vale, and in
the next instant the boats are seen navigating the canal, which winds its
course most strangely round the mountain’s brow, three hundred feet above
the current of the Taff.
Long before you reach Merthyr, the blackened atmosphere points out the
site; but when immediately upon it, you are obliged to inquire where it
is, and the way to it: from Cardiff you approach it by the Plymouth
works, belonging to Mr. Hill: these lie wide and scattered, and are still
extending, the road passing through them for a considerable distance;
they are altogether worked by water, forming various fine falls from the
same source, viz. the Taff.
After passing these, you appear entering on an extended suburb to a large
town; but the town itself is nowhere visible: it is without form or
order; in short, to get to your inn you can scarcely find your way along
the main road; for to dignify it with the name of street, is more than it
merits; yet here is collected together a larger and more bustling
population than any other town in the principality can boast; its markets
are large, well attended, and more than reasonable; its shopkeepers are
numerous and thriving; and all that seems to be required to make this
town one of the most respectable in the principality, is, a little
attention to order and cleanliness: the lower classes, it is true, are
miserably poor; still, even about the iron-works, there are so many
better provided for, and so much money is monthly put into circulation,
that but little trouble would be wanted to make it assume the appearance,
as well as enjoy the reality, of being a populous busy town of trade.
The largest works at Merthyr are the Cyfartha, belonging to Mr. Crawshay:
these now consist of six blast furnaces, and two near the town, with
fineries, air and puddling furnaces, mill forges, &c. in proportion. The
blast is furnished by a steam engine of eighty horse power and an immense
overshot water-wheel, fifty feet in diameter, by seven feet in width:
this wheel rests on gudgeons which weigh one hundred tons: it consumes
about twenty-five tons of water per minute; part of the water is brought
a considerable distance along a trough supported by stone pillars; the
rest is furnished from the Taff.
The gudgeons of all the wheels, and of such parts of the machine where
there is any friction, have water continually running over them, to
prevent their taking fire. It is the particular office of one man to
grease every part of the machine whilst in motion; to accomplish which,
he is frequently obliged to ride on an iron bar, similar to the lever of
a pump when in motion, a considerable way from the ground. The whole of
this machinery is worked by water, not more than a foot deep, which is
conveyed by a long spout to the top of the wheel, where it discharges
itself. The ore, lime-stone, and coals, which they use to promote the
fusion of the ore, are all found on the spot. The ore, previous to its
being thrown into the furnace, is burnt in a common lime-pit, the
goodness of it is afterwards proved, by its adhesion to the tongue: the
coal is all charked, and continually put into the furnace with certain
proportions of ore. From the pigs, the iron is rolled into flat plates
by a cylinder; this is performed with the greatest despatch. The gaunt
figures of the workmen excite both pity and terror, and the sallow
countenances and miserable air of the people prove it is a labour very
prejudicial to their health.
Mr. Crawshay employs upwards of five thousand men in his works only; but
to form an estimate of the numbers employed, and the produce of iron
afforded, I subjoin the following list of the principal works in the
vales from Abergavenny to Neath, each furnace producing, on an average,
from forty-five to seventy tons of iron per week. The two large furnaces
belonging to Messrs. Crawshays, near to Merthyr, are said to have
furnished, for a short period, upwards of one hundred tons each per week.