A map from 1771 shows Troedyrhiw as being comprised of a large farm, a corn mill and a few other scattered buildings.

In 1804, when Trevithick made his journey through this area we can be certain that he would have seen no industrial development of the countryside after passing the Plymouth Furnaces. It wasn't until after the 1820's that the lower parts of the Merthyr valley were fully industrialised.

The course of the Penydarren tramroad is regained on entering Troedyrhiw, running to the rear of Chapel Street and along Mount Pleasant. These cottages, most modernized, originally would have provided accommodation for colliers and ironworkers.

Troedyrhiw House

Troedyrhiw House dated back to the eighteenth century. It was built to on the site of Troedyrhiw farm and replaced the older farmhouse. The 1905 Merthyr Illustrated tells the history of the dwelling:

"The Chief residence in the district is Troedyrhiw House, which, though now only the habitation of a farmer, was in the colliery and ironworking days one of the substantial Yeomen's dwellings which dot the parish, and capable' as will be seen from its great strength and oaken doors to have stood even an assault on Feudal Days"(Merthyr Illustrated, c.1905)

The site of Troeyrhiw farm also hosted The Troedyrhiw Fair, an annual event which took place in May. It was extremely popular and attracted visitors from all around. The memoirs of Claude Stanfield describe the fair:

…"the amusements covered the whole showground and included roundabouts, charoplanes, stalls of all descriptions, side shows, bioscopes and the renowned boxing booths"

Afon Taf School now stands on the site the house and farm occupied.

The Lido

The lido swimming pool was an outdoor, freshwater pool perched on the hills above Troedyrhiw. It was opened in July 1935 during 'the depression'. It was built purely as a place of recreation for locals in the summer months.

Its position on the mountainside was ideal, as it captured the fantastic views of the Taff Valley. It was used as a site for bathing well before the pool was built. Damns were created out of rock and turf from the mountainside, which formed a natural spring pool.

The instigators of the project were Mr Harry Lucas, the then manager of the Troedyrhiw Picture Palace, and Murray Threipland, the owner of the land who donated the area, and much of the building materials for its construction. The lido was built in part, by the unemployed men and boys who lived in the area at the time