This district was named after George Crawshay, the son of William I, who married a French ironmaster’s daughter after visiting the ironworks of France. This area grew up mainly from the 1820s onwards ( alongside Cyfarthfa Castle built in 1825 ) and is located on the 1841 census returns; identified as ‘North’ or ‘South’ Georgetown. The area reflects the typical industrial housing of the time, with cat-slide roofs etc. and properties built back to back, with numerous courts and alleys. In the Georgetown area was once Coffins Court, where the Court of Requests was attacked and destroyed in the Merthyr Rising of 1831. The Three Horse Shoes public house is here also, which, according to legend is where Dic Penderyn used to attend meetings. Later Chartists were reputed to have held their political meetings here. The River Taff runs through this district. The Glamorgan Canal from Merthyr to Cardiff began at the Cyfarthfa Works and ran through the Georgetown area, passing along Chapel Row, where the musician Doctor Joseph Parry was born in 1841.  His birthplace, number 4 Chapel Row, is now an interesting small museum, reflecting the 1850s when the Parry family lived here. A short distance from Chapel Row was Bethesda Chapel, where his mother taught Sunday School.  At the end of Chapel Row are the ruins of a large octagonal building with white limestone archways. This was the Chapel of Ease for the Cyfarthfa workers which was built in 1800 by the Crawshays, but by 1851 was used as a storehouse. Legend has it that the famous Cyfarthfa Band held their practice sessions here.  The first Roman Catholic Church of St Mary’s was in Georgetown. This building then became a lodging house for the Spanish workers after 1900 and then a store house. This was an area of dense housing with a large population. The old Georgetown has been demolished (together with Georgetown schools and Bethel Chapel); although the old houses had disappeared by the early 1970s, there is now a new Georgetown with luxury modern houses.

Carolyn Jacob

Click on the Map to visit the area you wish to see

Georgetown Streets were renamed in the mid 1800s prior to the 1851 Public Health O.S. Map. This

extract from john Woods 1836 map of Merthyr shows the original street names. (Click on the map to enlarge)

Click Here for the Area known as 'China'

A lovely Postcard 

Sent in by  Micheal Neal ex of John Street, Georgetown, but now living in Norway. On the left hand side of the picture is the top of Bethel Street and part of Bethel Chapel. In the middle of the photo the tall white building is the original Taff Vale Brewery which moved up to Danyparc in 1904.At the very top of the picture is Cae Mari Dwn farm.

A view of Georgetown and  Merthyr from the Cyfarthfa Tips. The Original Catholic Church, Bethel Chapel and the Kirkhouse in the middle of the picture. Miners Hall (Shiloh Chapel) with tower, on left hand side of picture. Twynyrodyn is  in the distance, showing  Primrose Hill and you can make out Christopher Terrace and Melbourne Terrace below it.

From Georgetown Tip,

showing George Street running down to the roundabout, circa 1969

Georgetown in the Early 1970's, from Abermorlais School playground.

At the front from left to right we have the Kirkhouse (Coolers), Weekes Sweets, Court of Requests, Golden Lion, Gayday pop factory previously  Horrocks pop factory. The light coloured building on the far right is the Dynevor pub.  In the middle L to R is Tramroadside, John Street , Bethel Chapel and the original Catholic Church. At the top of Georgetown is Pullmans Yard, White Row, George Street and the Vicarage with Cyfarthfa Church behind it. 

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