A WALK THROUGH BARRY DOCK (Click here for a map) The (non circular) walk starts at Belle Vue Terrace, on the end of which is a cast iron pipe which was one of the first gas lights installed in the town. It was not run off town gas, but off sewer gas, and is aptly known as The Sewer Gas Destructor. It was made by The Sanitary Supply Company of London & Birmingham. Across the road from the terrace there were steps leading down to the original Wenvoe Arms Inn, which was situated behind the Post Office in Vere Street. Further down the road on the left is Cadoxton House, built for Dr. Treharne by a Mr. Williams. Mr. Williams also built the Royal Hotel and Jewel Street. On the left is Old Mill Farm, which was shown on some 17th century maps. In the late 19th and early 20th century it was farmed by the Jenkins family, and probably gave a good view of the ground farmed on the Moors, and the old mill which was at the end of Spring Street. The Admiral Public House was formerly the Wenvoe Arms. This was built for Mr. Thompson, a director of Barry Dock & Railway Company, who transferred the existing licence from the old Wenvoe Arms to evade the strict licensing laws of the period. Turn right past the Admiral and down Vere Street. At the top of the Northcote Terrace is Shaftesbury House, which was built as accommodation for the staff of the Shaftesbury Temperance Hotel, and in the front of which is a cycle shop. This stood at the junction of Main Street and Vere Street and was used for many years by Radio Relay, who piped radio by cable to most houses in Barry (a forerunner of Cable Television). Further down Vere Street at the junction of Harvey Street, was the Palace Cinema. It was one of the first cinemas to show talkies in South Wales. Also in Harvey Street was the Navvy Tent Mission which opened in 1901. Across the road where the Dockers Club is established was the Dunraven Rooms, which comprised of a snooker /billiard hall, café /restaurant, and was the former club premises of the Conservative Club. Behind the club is EOS House, which was the Cadoxton Hotel, one of the many premises built that failed to get a licence to serve alcohol. The builders mistakenly thought that the road (and not the railway) was to be built in the front of the premises. It had one of the most impressive entrance porches of any building in Barry, but unfortunately it has since been partially bricked up. Down the street are two more hotels that failed to obtain licences, the Osborne Hotel (now the Conservative Club), and the Queens Hotel, which became the South Wales Bible College, and is now flats. Turn right up Gladstone Road, and on the back of the Cadoxton Conservative Club wall is the outline of an old building. This was the Weston Farmhouse. Continue up past Weston Street and Forster Street. Both these streets were at one time much longer than they are now, but on the building of Gladstone Road a number of houses in these streets were demolished. Turn down Quarrella Street, which is the next turning, and was named after the large number of quarries situated in the area. On the right is a small terrace of houses named after battles in the South African War. Walk up Kenilworth Road, and on the right at the junction of Pontypridd Street is a pair of houses built on the foundations of the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Chapel, the congregation of which moved from the small Chapel on Hatch hill in 1891. Turn left along Pontypridd Street to Mount Pleasant, and past the English Baptist Church that was built in 1889. It was given the name Mount Pleasant by a Pastor of the church, after a public house that he was born in. The large schoolroom built alongside was erected by voluntary labour under the supervision of Rev. Fred Adams, who was not averse to taking off his coat, rolling up his sleeves, and joining in the labour. Alongside the Church is a large wall belonging to the Old Court that was rebuilt in 1873. Prior to this date the Court, which is said to have been built in the 15th century by the Andrews family, was in a ruinous state. In its grounds is a 15th century columbarium (dovecote), and this is the largest of five remaining dovecotes left in Glamorgan. Continue into Court Road, and the small building opposite the roundabout is the Bryn Zion centre for handicapped children. It was originally Bryn Sion Welsh Congregational Church. Turning left down Court Road, the large building at the top of Dovedale Street is "Broomcroft", once a doctor's surgery (Dr. Budge). Mr. Tipple, a well-known dentist in the town, later used it, and it is now flats. The opposite corner is named after the proprietor of a cycle shop (Mr. Brown), who took over the business from Mr. Venn just before the outbreak of the 2nd World War. Opposite is Calfaria Welsh Baptist Chapel, which opened its doors for worship in 1898. Further along the road is the Court Hotel, another of the hotels which failed to get a licence. It was used as a laundry for a great many years, and is now flats. A large building, which stood next door, was the stabling accommodation for the hotel. This was turned into a corn and animal feed stores by Messrs. Lever Bros. Mr. Levers also had the large house next door built. Both have since been demolished. Bethel Presbyterian Church that amalgamated with Trinity Presbyterian Church is now located here. The roundabout at the junction of Court and Gladstone Roads was once the site of an ornate three-branch lamp standard and horse trough donated to the town by Dr. George Neale. It, like its counterpart at Gladstone Road and Broad Street, has since disappeared. The next buildings of any interest were at the Council's Yard (the former Civic Amenity (skip) site). They were the slaughter house and lairs, and both were closed when they failed to come up to the demands of the Health and Safety Executive. Backtrack a short distance to Hannah Street, and to the school at the far end, now named Jenner Park School. The school was built in 1900 after a great deal of soul searching by the local authority, who said that "the school would be too far from the centre of the population, and too near the slaughter house, the proposed refuse destructor, and a public toilet". By being near the destructor the school benefited by being the first school in the principality to be lit by electricity generated by the burning of. Walk up Barry Road past the council yard, which once housed the destructor. Its chimney was a landmark that could be seen from many miles around. Jenner Park Stadium is adjacent to the yard, which has been used for many years for football, athletics, and rugby league. The most popular sport of all in the 30's and 40's was greyhound racing, for which the ground was filled to capacity, with owners, trainers and racegoers coming from far and wide to the racetrack. Continue up Barry Road, this part being known locally as Crogan Hill. Some say that it was named after the Gwrgan family that built Dinas Powys castle, others that it takes its name after the small building called the "Crogben" in which convicted felons were held before being taken away for execution either at Stalling Down or at Felonsway in Barry. Further up the hill, set into the row of houses, is a small church named after William Wilberforce, who fought for the abolition of slavery. He was a friend of Rev. Thomas Sims who owned Buttrills Farm and the Bowers Farm in Coldbrook. The Rev. Sims is buried in St. Cadoc's Churchyard (Old Village Church, Cadoxton). Along Barry Road to Tynewydd Road on the top of which is a monumental sculptors yard once owned by Mr. Ball. Opposite is the Tynewydd Inn, built as Tynewydd House by Mr. Thomas who is shown on the census of 1841 as farming on Barry Island. This ends your walk. © T. CLEMETT 2001
	Click Here to go back to Tom Clemett's History