The once mighty Glamorganshire Canal now exists mostly in history books. Steve Strange writing for Living Magazines charts the rise and fall of the canal’s prominence, and explains where locals can go to catch up with our past .
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| GFDL Former tunnel of the Glamorganshire Canal at Pontypridd, behind the Bunch of Grapes pub. Photo taken by User:Varitek July 2005) |
The four great ironworks – Dowlais, Penydarren, Plymouth and Cyfartha were able to transport their finished iron on a single barge nine feet wide and 60 feet long. 24 tons of iron could be towed by one horse, needing only one man and a boy to run it efficiently. Three round trips to Cardiff could be completed in a fortnight. Previously this tonnage required 48 horses, 12 men and 12 boys and would take significantly longer.
Despite the railway boom of the 1840s and the opening of the Bute docks in Cardiff, the canal continued to flourish. The Industrial Revolution, especially the coal boom in South Wales, saw unprecedented growth of trade on the canal. In 1858 at its economic peak the canal transported 466,983 tons of coal. Within a decade this had slowed considerably. The canal was a victim of its own success. The trade boom and subsequent congestion was the primary cause of its decline.
Richard Crawshay, owner of the Cyfartha Ironworks, had the canal built to his ironworks in Merthyr. He then vigorously opposed all efforts by the Hills, Guests and Homfreys – owners of the other Merthyr ironworks on the eastern side of the valley – to extend the canal, or allow feeders to be built. This eventually led to the setting up of the Taff Vale Railway Company by the dissident ironmasters to transport their wares to Cardiff. By 1888 the canal was owned by Lord Bute. Lord Bute planned to use much of the canal on which to build a railway. Its economic life was effectively over, although sand dredgers and timber floats carried on using parts of the canal until 1942.
Remnants of the canal can be traced throughout Cardiff today, although only this mile long section at Coryton remains intact. The popular Taff Trail cycle path, running alongside the River Taff as the canal once did, is now an energetic cycle route from Cardiff Bay to Brecon. The Taff Trail follows the old canal route in many places along its 27 mile length. The Taff, which once flowed black with coal, is now clean and rich in wildlife, including salmon and trout. The return of the fish attracts herons and cormorants to feed along the river banks.
The Glamorganshire Canal is widely credited as being the catalyst that sparked the huge growth of the City of Cardiff. This growth continues at pace today. Cardiff is officially Europe’s fastest growing capital city. Its population now dwarfs that of both Merthyr and Swansea.
The restored section of the Glamorganshire Canal provides a wonderful example of what can be salvaged from industrial decay. The canal lock and unique bridge are a fascinating reminder of our recent past and rich industrial heritage. The canal contains an abundance of wildlife and is a superb advert for the current interest in restoring sections of long derelict canals. How the Cardiff Bay Development Company must regret the filling in of sections of the Glamorganshire Canal in the 1960s. The restored waterway would have been the ideal linking artery from the city centre to the now thriving Cardiff Bay.
