Is he waiting for a companion whilst they look for a bargain in Oxfam ?
Or is he a Cardi peeling an orange in his pocket ?
Click on the photo for a larger version
The following photographs were taken in October 2006 during the height of ‘Park and Stare in Aberdare Weather’.
Please contribute your own photos!
The Neath Bookshop in Neath town centre is currently holding a closing down sale.
50% off everything.
Amongst all the usual suspects, there were a couple of Rachel Tresize’s books for sale.
We opted for Cyril Treharne’s ‘Around God’s Acre (in South Western Wales)’ (Llanrwst, Gwasg Carreg Gwalch 2006 – ISBN 1-84527-087-8) : “This book takes us on a journey around some of the most interesting churches and churchyards in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Gower.”
Priceless.
Well worth three pounds fifty.
Nowadays the small independent bookseller faces being crushed between the mighty monopolistic supermarkets and their heavy discounting and fending off global giants like Amazon who announced earlier this year that they were investing in large distribution centre near Neath. It’s no surprise to see so many bookshops closing.
Find a nice spot, park up and just stare… it’s the Autumn colour show.
Here’s some photos of ‘redheads’ (or perhaps reddish-heads) from the car park at Rhondda Heritage Park, Trehafod this weekend.
Cefn Coed y Cymmer is a small village at the crossroads of the A465 (Heads of the Valley) and A470 roads, about two miles north of Merthyr Tydfil town centre.
The most famous – and unmissable – landmark in Cefn Coed y Cymmer is the curved viaduct built in 1866 to carry the Brecon and Merthyr Railway line.
Ebenezer was built in 1838 and rebuilt in 1861 but when did this chapel close ?
Who owns the building and what are the plans for the future of the site ?
The photos reveal a chapel slowly de-constructing : becoming derelict, revealing constituent parts and architectural detail.
It seems to be held together precariously by the addition of some breeze blocks as support.
Note : The photographs were taken in May 2006.
St Davids is the smallest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1600.
The City Council of St Davids website offers much useful information on the area.
Sculptor Robert Thomas has the privilege of having 4 of his works in Cardiff Queen Street, including The Miner.
Why are there so very few monuments to miners in places like the Valleys where mining shaped a whole community ?
Other places in Wales do it.
David Annand’s ‘The Arc – y Bwa’ sculpture in the middle of Wrexham is a worthy reminder of Wrexham’s industrial heritage.
What has Aberdare got ? Some old rusty pit winding gear at places like Cwmdare (Nant y Melyn) and Mountain Ash (Deep Duffryn).
Postscript
There are 4 Robert Thomas sculptures in Cardiff Queen Street : (1) Nye Bevan statue; (2) the Family; (3) a Miner; and (4) Mother and Son.
There is also The Girl by Robert Thomas at Gorsedd Gardens, in front of the National Museum.
Per Newtown Online : “English Congregational Church now United Reformed Church opened in 1878. It was built in the Decorated Gothic style with floral glass in the three west windows with gabled porch to right. On the north side is an entrance porch with stair turret. Decorative iron railings along street frontage. At the rear is a schoolroom of 1881.”
The use of white paint makes it stand out.
GENUKI notes : This chapel was started 1740s; chapel built 1780, rebuilt 1826, enlarged 1848, rebuilt again 1873
A simple design.
It looks like there is a ’skim’ of concrete covering the roof slates tiles.
Perhaps it was done when the chapel was last renovated and the front and sides were rendered.
It is located around five miles north of Cardigan town, on the A487 road.
