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Postcards from Tongwynlais – Part 21

I have a few postcards that feature a view of Castell Coch by photographer Martin John Ridley (1861-1936). This example was written in 1917 but not posted. The original photo is thought to be from 1905. I have another postcard using this image that was sent in 1908. The postcard is titled, “Castle Coch, Taffs … more…

The Glamorganshire Canal at Tongwynlais

The Glamorganshire Canal was devised by the ironmasters of Merthyr Tydfil to transport their goods from the valleys to Cardiff. Construction of the canal began in 1790 and the final section that linked the Cardiff docks was opened in 1798. The decline of the canal started in 1876 when competition from the railways affected its … more…

Evans Quarries Ltd

I picked up this photo of two vintage lorries belonging to “Evans Quarries Ltd” a few years ago. Underneath the company name it says, “Tongwynlais” and “Taffs Well 40”. The load beds also have the text, “Use Cefn Garw Stone” on the side so I had a few topics to research. The vehicles are tippers … more…

Thirteen Years On: Looking Forward

Tongwynlais.com is thirteen years old today! I’ve written a few posts over the years looking back at the previous twelve months. After reaching another new milestone, I thought I’d look forward at where I want the site to go. It’s six years since I stopped posting about news. It was a tough decision but I … more…

Wales Nature Week 2025

Wales Nature Week is a celebration of nature organised by the Wales Biodiversity Partnership. Sean McHugh, Wales Biodiversity Partnership Support Team, Natural Resources Wales said, “Wales Nature Week is a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to get involved and make a difference for nature. As we’re in a nature and climate emergency, caring … more…

Pixel Art Tongwynlais – Part 5

Collage of pixel art illustrations featuring buildings in Tongwynlais.

Pixel art describes a technique for creating digital illustrations at the individual pixel level. This type of art was the result of low resolution displays in early videogame systems. Today, our phone and computer displays have millions of pixels. Despite this, the art form is very popular and the “retro” videogame look is used in … more…

Categories Art