WHITE HORSE TWNYRODIN

[welshrootsnproud]

My ancestors owned the white horse for 3 generations,i know my g/g/g/g grandmother Mary Lewis was an innkeeper in the early to mid 1800s,then her son William and his wife Ann ran it,then their son John owned it,John owned a house over the Rd from the Inn called Coed Cae House.John william lewis was one of the founder members of Merthyr council,and a worshipful master freemason.I was very fortunate 8 years ago to come to Merthyr on the trail of my ancesters.The people of merthyr were very welcoming and friendly.ive tried and tried but cant find anything more out than ive mentiond here.If anyone has any info that would be great.

[ceri]

Is this the White Horse which was commonly called "The Spite" due to some dispute in the past? Does anyone have any information on this?

[davidj]

The White Horse was down the bottom of Twyn Hill? The Spite at the top of Twyn was called the Farmers Arms

[ceri]

Thank you for putting me right on this pub. My memory was playing tricks. it was indeed the Farmers Arms! I remember it now. My cousin, who used to live some time ago in Mansfield Terrace, popped in for a drink occasionally.

[davidj]

Twyn Hill had its fair share of pubs. Down the bottom the Glove and Shears, then the Bailey Glas, then White Horse, up to the Mountain Ash Inn (The Mount) and then the Spite (Farmers Arms)
Not forgetting the Labour Club! It was easier walking down Twyn Hill to start at the bottom then getting back up. By the time you got to the Mount, you were either very skint, very drunk, but always very happy! Only those with complete stamina could make it to the summit and the Spite!

[greygirl]

According to various trade directories, in 1849 the White Horse was run by a John Lewis, who was also a colliery proprietor apparently, and he was still there in 1850, 1852, 1859, 1865 and 1866. In 1868 Mary Lewis was in charge and in 1873 William Lewis and he was still there in 1876.
Greygirl

[twynjasper]

I live two doors from the White Horse Inn,I saw an old painting (or drawing)years ago and it showed the White Horse plus the 3 houses connected too it, there was only fields around reputed to be one of the oldest pubs in the area). It had an ally way until recently for horse and various livery leading to a stable behind. The allyway has been bricked up and the room (old hay loft)above the stable is now a flat. the Twynyrodyn Hill was a dirt track at the time and a main route with drovers and other travellers, travelling over the mountain from the direction of Aberdare down Heolgerrig and then up the dirt track towards fochrhiw etc and vice verca. Shame to lose such important heritage.

[riccardo]

Mary Lewis (in the original post) was born Mary Jones. Her father Thomas Jones owned the White horse inn and some adjacent houses. He was originally from Bunkers Hill (near Gurnos farm) and died in 1828, aged 74. In his will (on the National Library of Wales website), he left the White Horse inn to 2 of his children - Richard and Mary. Richard Jones (my ancestor) was the licensee until 1835, when he married Margaret Richards eldest daughter of the landlord of the Crown inn. They then ran the Rising sun inn for a few years and from about 1847 owned the Crown inn. The licence of the White horse was transferred to Mary Jones in 1835. She married John Lewis. Richard Jones and John Lewis were brothers in law, business partners in a mine in Deri, and neighbours in Twynyrodyn.

[swcxl06]

There is an article in the Merthyr Telegraph 1875 stating the White Horse Inn previous name was Bucker's Hill Tavern, probably deriving its name from the celebrated battle saying the


Carl

[swcxl06]

THe town directories of 1822 do not list the White Horse so I asume the Tavern was built between 1822-1828

Carl

[swcxl06]

I've looked in the Public Houses & Brewhouses as per the Rate Books in Merthyr Tydfil between 1818-1825 it doesn't list Bunkers Hill Tavern or the White Horse Inn, therefore the White Horse would have been build between 1826-1828, I believe the White Horse Inn was its original name because Thoimas Jones came from Bunkers Hill the local called it Bunkers Hill Tavern

Carl

[twynjasper]

I remember many years ago seeing a sketch or watercolour looking southwest from the front of the white horse, there was no William street, Dyke Street or Zion Chapel on it just sloping fields, however in the bottom left hand corner you could see the top of the Parish Church. I was wondering if any of you might have seen the picture?

[riccardo]

This is very interesting.
As I mentioned on July 20, Mary Lewis was born Mary Jones. Her father Thomas Jones owned the White horse inn and some adjacent houses. He died in 1828, and in his will, he left the White Horse Inn to 2 of his children - Richard Jones and Mary Jones. He also left "part of his leasehold - 2 adjacent dwelling houses" to his daughter Martha Edwards, wife of Samuel Edwards. The will describes Samuel and Martha as living in one of these houses and Thomas John Lewis living in the other.
The 3 children of Thomas Jones were baptised at Ynysgau, Martha in 1792, Richard in 1795 and Mary in 1804. In the Ynysgau register, they are each time described as living at Bunkers Hill and with parents "Thomas John and his wife Mary".
I now think my reference to Bunkers Hill near Gurnos is incorrect.
My current hypothesis is that they were married in Merthyr Parish church in 1788 (Thomas John and Mary Richard) and that once married they then leased some land in Twyn, & called it Bunkers Hill after the relatively recent battle near Boston in the American War of Independence. They built houses on the land and that one of these houses was duly converted to an inn and somewhere in this time period they changed heir surname from John to Jones. I don't know where Thomas John and Mary Richard originated.
I

[vancouverdoug]

Who owned and operated this pub in the early 1900’s?

[vancouverdoug]

May have been my relative John Rees.