Penydarren B.G.C.

Bethania, Dowlais was a Welsh Independent, or Congregationalist, chapel in South Street, Dowlais, near Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. The cause was established in 1824 and the chapel rebuilt on several occasions in the nineteenth century. The present chapel dates from 1895 but was vastly enlarged and re-modelled in 1910. The building is Grade II listed.Bethania's origins were as an offshoot of the original Congregationalist chapel at Merthyr, Ynysgau. There was a Congrgationalist tradition at Dowlais before the growth of an industrial community there and the family of Gwernllwynisaf (one of the farms) were prominent in the cause at Ynysgau. One of the early leaders was Methusalem Jones (1769–1839), but following disagreements he withdrew and concentrated on leading the cause at Bethesda, which together with Ynysgau had been instrumental in establishing Bethania.A revival took place in South Wales in 1829. At the time, Bethania shared its minister with Zoar, Merthyr Tydfil. Samuel Evans, mister at Zoar since 1810, took care of Bethesda from 1828. Evans died in 1833, aged 56 John Hughes became the minister in 1833. Aged 33 at the time, he remained at Bethania for thirty years, the longest pastorate in the chapel's history. Hughes was a native of Capel Iwan in Carmarthenshire and had trained at the Neuaddlwyd Academy in Cardiganshire. A new chapel which could accommodate 1250 people was opened in 1838. By 1848 Bethania had a Sunday School attended by 600 adults and children. During Hughes's pastorate a new branch of Bethania was opened at Gwernllwyn, Dowlais.On 13 and 14 July 1868, John Evans, a student from Brecon College, was ordained minister at Bethania.Peter Price was ordained minister at Bethania in 1904 and proved to be an vocal critic of the 1904–05 Religious Revival. Price departed from Bethania in 1910 in acrimonious circumstances.The chapel closed in 1998 and the building is now used by an evangelical congregation.

Dowlais Central railway station served the village of Dowlais, Glamorgan, Wales, from 1869 to 1960 on the Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway.

St John's Church is a defunct Grade II listed church in the village of Dowlais, near Merthyr Tydfil in Wales. The church was built in 1827 for local ironworks manager Sir John Josiah Guest, at a cost of £3000. It was gradually completely rebuilt later in the century, in a Gothic style, finishing with the main nave and aisle in 1893/4. Sir John (d. 1852) was buried in an iron coffin in the chancel under a red granite slab.The church finally closed in 1997 and, in early 2015, was put up for sale with an asking price of £50,000. It was subsequently earmarked for £400,000 of Welsh Government grants to support its repair and redevelopment.

For Trevithick's Pen-y-darren locomotive, see Richard Trevithick.Penydarren is a community and electoral ward in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough in Wales.

Dowlais (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈdɔu̯lai̯s]) is a village and community of the county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. At the 2011 census the electoral ward had a population of 6,926, The population of the Community being 4,270 at the 2011 census having excluded Pant. Dowlais is notable within Wales and Britain for its historic association with ironworking; once employing, through the Dowlais Iron Company, over 7,000 people, the works being the largest in the world at one stage.

Bishop Hedley High School is a Roman Catholic secondary school, established in 1967, and located in Penydarren, Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. The vast majority of the pupils of the school stem from the Heads of the Valleys, serving parishes from Aberdare, Hirwaun, Merthyr Tydfil, Merthyr Vale, Gurnos, Dowlais, Ebbw Vale, Tredegar and Rhymney. The school serves a catchment area of economic disadvantage which is a result of the decline of heavy industry, especially mining and steelmaking in the South Wales Valleys and the surrounding areas. Bishop Hedley is a member of the Eco-Schools. As a school, it has gained a bronze, silver and a first green flag.

Penydarren Ironworks was the fourth of the great ironworks established at Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales. Built in 1784 by the brothers Samuel Homfray, Jeremiah Homfray, and Thomas Homfray, all sons of Francis Homfray of Stourbridge. Their father, Francis, for a time managed a nail warehouse there for Ambrose Crowley. Most of the family were involved in trade as ironmasters or ironmongers (in this context meaning a manufacturer of iron goods). Samuel built Penydarren House on the opposite bank of the River Taf, as a home for the family locally. Because the owners of the Cyfarthfa Ironworks dominated the management of Glamorganshire Canal, the other Merthyr Tydfil ironworks built a tramroad to Abercynon, bypassing the upper sections of the canal. This "Penydarren Tramroad" (more correctly, the Merthyr Tramroad) was used for a trial of the first railway steam locomotive, built by Richard Trevithick. This successfully hauled wagons but was so heavy that it broke many rails. The engine was then used for other purposes as a stationary engine. The business was financed by William Forman of the Tower of London, who provided all the capital, partly on mortgage but taking a share in it himself. Samuel Homfray left the business in 1813. In 1819, the partners were William Forman and William Thompson of London. William Forman offered the works for sale in 1859, and the Dowlais Iron Company bought the mineral ground. The works were used intermittently by various others until 1883. Some remains of the works can still be seen.

The A4060, also known as the East of Abercynon to East of Dowlais Trunk Road, is a trunk road in Wales.

The Dowlais Ironworks was a major ironworks and steelworks located at Dowlais near Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. Founded in the 18th century, it operated until the end of the 20th, at one time in the 19th century being the largest steel producer in the UK. Dowlais Ironworks were the first business to license the Bessemer process, using it to produce steel in 1865. Dowlais Ironworks was one of the four principal ironworks in Merthyr. The other three were Cyfarthfa, Plymouth, and Penydarren Ironworks. In 1936 Dowlais played a part in the events leading to the abdication crisis of Edward VIII, when the King visited the steelworks and was reported as saying that "these works brought these men here. Something must be done to get them back to work", a statement which was seen as political interference. The steelworks finally closed in 1987.

Cyfarthfa High School is a comprehensive school, based in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, that was established in 1970. Cyfarthfa means "Place of the barking (dog)" in Welsh and the school crest reflects this.

Pantysgallog Low Level Halt railway station was a station that served the village of Pant, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales on the Merthyr, Tredegar and Abergavenny Railway. The station closed in 1958 and the site is now a housing estate.

Pantysgallog High Level Halt railway station was a station that served the village of Pant, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales on the Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway. A short branch line from Pant to Dowlais Central. The station closed in 1960 with the line and the site is now a housing estate.