Full Report for Listed Buildings
The list description is not intended to be a complete inventory of what is listed: it is principally intended to aid identification. By law, the definition of a listed building includes the entire building (i) and any structure or object that is fixed to the said building and ancillary to it and (ii) any other structure or object that forms part of the land and has done so since before 1 July 1948, and was within the curtilage of the building, and ancillary to it, on the date on which said building was first included in the list, or on 1 January 1969, whichever was later.
Summary Description
Reference Number
24890
Building Number
Grade
II
Status
Designated
Date of Designation
26/02/2001
Date of Amendment
26/02/2001
Name of Property
Memorial to John Thomas (Ieuan Ddu) in churchyard of Church of St Mary
Address
Location
Unitary Authority
Rhondda Cynon Taff
Community
Pontypridd
Town
Pontypridd
Locality
Glyntaff
Easting
308501
Northing
189431
Street Side
Location
In the churchyard on the S side of the church.
Description
Broad Class
Commemorative
Period
History
John Thomas (1795-1871), born in Carmarthen, was a musician and schoolmaster who taught in Machen and Merthyr before moving to the Pontypridd district in 1850. From his time in Merthyr he pioneered choral music in Wales, leading his own choirs to success in eisteddfodau in the 1830s. He was also an essayist on Welsh music and culture, winning awards at eisteddfodau in 1838 and 1840, and in 1845 published Y Caniedydd Cymreig, a collection of airs with English and Welsh words.
The memorial was erected at the expense of friends and former pupils on the site of his grave in Glyntaff churchyard. The mason's name on the base is now illegible.
Exterior
A tapering freestone memorial on a stepped base, crowned by a low-relief cross within a shaped head. The face of the memorial has an inscription paying tribute to his life, describing him as 'the first person in Wales to lay the foundation of the prevailing taste for music, which obtained its triumph in the Crystal Palace contest in 1872'. Below it is a Welsh inscription by Watkyn Wyn. The sides have panels with vine trails in low relief.
Interior
Reason for designation
Listed for historical interest as commemorating an important pioneer of the Welsh choral tradition, and for group value with Church of St Mary and other associated listed items in the churchyard.
Cadw : Full Report for Listed Buildings [ Records 1 of 1 ]
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