Gough's Buildings 3

	Gough Buildings 3 The Northern section
Detail from a 1st edition 25" O.S map dated 1877 Powys County Archives	This extract from a map dated 1877 shows the northern end of the "island of Old Ystradgynlais and has details which are typical of the Upper Swansea Valley's industrial development. The Swansea Canal runs through the extract with a basin wide enough to turn barges around and, at the top of the image, an aquaduct to carry the canal over the River Giedd. Close to this aquaduct is an old limekiln which could render the limestone brought in barges into lime for construction, agriculture or iron forging. The space marked 1355 is now the site of Cynlais School.
	*(1)* marks the location of an old coal pit already disused in 1877. The pit was called Pwll bach Cwmgiedd and its underground workings were to create problems locally. The first Sardis Chapel in Ystradgynlais, built near the canal in 1841, suffered damage due to subsidence during a service in 1859 to the shock of those gathered. The chapel elders refused another site near the old chapel for fear of a repetition and used an upstairs room in a local building until a new site was acquired at a safe distance. (see Gough Buildings 9)

	*(2)* marks the double cottage now known as 5 Crown Cottages. The Crown which gave its name to these cottages is thought to have been a canal-side alehouse. No 5 probably had another use around the early 19th century. It is thought to have been the site of the first day school in Ystradgynlais and the resident has uncovered some building remains in his garden which would seem to confirm this view.
	*(3)* marks the location of the Police Station and Magistrates Court built in 1857-8 to serve the expanding community. According to the Breconshire Constabulary records it had one sergeant and one constable as its first establishment. Photograph taken in the 1950's from the collection of the late John Morris.
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Gough Buildings 3 The Northern section

Gough Buildings 3
The Northern section