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Gough Buildings 9
The Southern section

Detail from
First Edition
25 inch
Ordnance Survey
map dated 1877

Powys
County Archives

 1877 map
This 1877 map shows the layout of the streets on the southern end of the "island" of old Ystradgynlais, little changed from layout indicated on the Ynyscedwyn estate map. (see Gough buildings 2) 

The old photographs
on this page
are from the
collection of
the late
John Morris

 old photograph
  This photograph, taken in the early years of the century, shows (1) Gough's Buildings (now Rhestr Fawr) running along the canal at the back of the picture, the looming shape of Sardis Chapel on the left, and running towards us on the left, the rows of Water Street. 
  (1) Despite the evidence of the above map long row of houses running the western side of the "island" is the row most associated locally with the name Gough's Buildings, although the row is now known as Rhestr Fawr. From the lowly beginnings of this row several men went on to excel in their chosen field. Perhaps the most renowned of these was musician and composer Dr Daniel Prothero whose birthplace in Gough Buildings was honoured with a memorial plaque during the National Eisteddfod of 1954.
  flood(2) The riverside position gave its name to this row of houses on the edge of the Tawe. The weirs built along the river to put its waters to industrial use contributed to regular flooding of the street at times of high water and the row was demolished. This photograph shows a typical flood at the southern end of what was once known as Water Street.
  Sardis Chapel(3) Sardis Chapel was first sited further north on the island of old Ystradgynlais but was forced to relocate by subsidence from the old workings of Pwll bach Cwmgiedd. (see Gough Buildings 3). The congregation managed to get by on a temporary basis in premises in Penybont Row and Gough Buildings (Rhestr Fawr). Residents in this latter street offered parts of their garden plots for a site for a new chapel and so a fine new chapel was built on the premises in 1861 using materials where possible from the old Chapel.
  Shop yr Oen(4) The Square, Ystradgynlais, fronted by the Ynyscedwyn Arms, was the heart of the community during the victorian period and shops developed around it. The Square was also a natural gathering place for open air meetings and protests. This photograph from the 1950's shows the old Shop yr Oen fronting onto the Suare from the end of Gough Buildings (Rhestr Fawr).
  There are 9 pages on the Gough Buildings. Use the buttons below to view the other pages.