Now and Then, the former Prince of Wales, Dowlais

The old Rhymney Brewery pub, the Prince of Wales, 105 High Street, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil was demolished along with most of the bottom part of this street in the 1970s. South Street runs up to the right of the photo, the lower portion of it today is the footpath seen on Streetview.

Now and Then, former Red Bull Inn, Caeharris

The former Red Bull Inn, High Street, Caeharris, Merthyr Tydfil, has been demolished and housing is on the site today

Now and Then, former Prince of Wales Inn, Merthyr Tydfil

The old Rhymney pub, the Prince of Wales Inn, Nantygwenith Street, Georgetown, Merthyr Tydfil has been demolished along with the rest of the street. The Cyfarthfa Brewery once stood to the rear of the pub. More photos of the street here

Now and Then, former Wheatsheaf Inn, Merthyr Tydfil

The former Rhymney Brewery pub, the Wheatsheaf Inn, stood on the corner of Glebeland Street and Wheatsheaf Lane. Demolished to build the 1970s monstrosity below which backs onto the bus station

Now and the, former Patriot Inn, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil

The former Rhymney Brewery pub, the Patriot Inn stood on High Street, Dowlais, the junction with Market Street can be seen in the right of the photo.

Now and then, former Dowlais Inn, Merthyr Tydfil

The former Rhymney Brewery pub, the Dowlais Inn, High Street/corner of Lower Union Road, Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil. Now demolished along with the surrounding streets.

Now and Then, former Court Arms, Merthyr Tydfil

The former Court Arms was on the corner of High Street and Swan Street in Merthyr Tydfil. Demolished to widen the road. The building to the right of the photographer with the projecting window was also a pub, the Eagle.

Now & Then, former Dynevor Arms, Merthyr Tydfil

The former Dynevor Arms, Swansea Road, Merthyr Tydfil, a former Rhymney Brewery pub, now demolished and the building in the Street View image, which was built on land behind the pub is now a Jehovah's Witness cult centre. Some photos of the last night in the pub can be found here. The pub was named after the local landowners. 

Now and Then, former Rising Sun PH, Cefn Coed-y-Cymmer

The former Rising Sun PH, High Street, Cefn Coed-y-Cymmer, Merthyr Tydfil. Another long lost Rhymney Brewery pub, this pub was demolished in 1962.
Thirsty ex-patrons of the pub did not have to go far for another drink though as opposite is the Lord Raglan pub which in the late 1990s briefly experimented with brewing their own beer (it wasn't very good!)

Now & Then, White Horse, Merthyr Tydfil

The White Horse, Windsor Terrace, Twynyrodyn, Merthyr Tydfil is still open as a pub

Old brewery monogram in Merthyr

Above: The Belle Vue, Merthyr Tydfil

Travelling through Merthyr Tydfil over the summer I came across this monogram on the pub wall of the Belle Vue pub on Glebeland Street, 

WWN did not ring any bells at first but I recently found this old photograph of the Belle Vue Hotel

and the name over the top is:

WW Nell & Co

Celebrated Ales Wines & Spirits

Okay so its clearly not the same building but the footprint is the same and the monogram on the rebuilt pub appears to refer to William Nell's brewery of Cardiff. It's rare enough to find any old surviving brewery insignia on pubs these days, let alone one that dates to before 1926, the year that Nell's were purchased by Crosswell's Brewery. Crosswell's ended up in the Rhymney Brewery and finally the Whitbread Brewery empires.

Nell's Brewery were based in Cardiff, next door to what is now the Owain Glyndwr pub but was previously known as The Buccaneer, The Tennis Courts Hotel, The Green Dragon, The Kemeys-Tynte Arms and the Mabley Arms in 1731. William Nell was originally from Ancoats, Manchester where he may have worked in a brewery. In 1846 he founded the Eagle Brewery, St Thomas' Square, Cardiff.

Above: the present-day Owain Glyndwr pub, the brewery was sited on the left hand side of the pub

In 1871 William Nell died and his son William Walter Nell took over, the WWN referred to in the photograph and monogram. In 1890 the business was registered as a limited company and was valued at £65,000.  

In 1898 the Abergarw Brewery at Aberamen, near Aberdare was taken over.

The 1920s were a difficult time for Nell's and in 1926 two of their directors died and they made a profit of only £1,361 from their 5 freehold and 7 leasehold pubs, hence the sale to Crosswells.

Merthyr Pub Transformed

The award-winning Rhymney Brewery have completed their transformation of their brewery tap, the Winchester, into the pub in the above photo. Etched glass windows, a fireplace, a mosiac floor on the entrance etc have all gone into what looks like a stunning pub.
This is what looked like before:

Not yet visited the new pub yet but looking forward to it.
Have previously written about the pub here. and below is what I wrote about the proposed refurbishment:

The Castle Street pub is situated between the Castle Hotel and the 1930s former Water Board Offices (Social Services now) and was converted to the Rhymney Brewery's first pub and Brewery Tap back in 2006, the premises before then had been a commercial unit, even used as a tanning saloon. Originally on this site, there stood a pub called the Beehive which dated from the 1840s but this was demolished when the next door Castle Hotel was built in 1967.

The planned refurbishment for the Winchester will see a Welsh slate roof installed, replacing the 1970s flat roof and the frontage will be opened out and improved with large etched glass windows allowing natural light to illuminate the interior of the pub. A Victorian style door will be installed to the side of the etched windows and the entrance floor will be tiled with a 'Rhymney Brewery' mosiac.

The pub sign will be hand-painted and a Rhymney Hobby Horse sign will be embedded into the outside wall. A chimney stack will also be built on the side to enable a real fire to be put into the pub! Smokers will be catered for with a smoking solution to the rear of the building.

The Winchester was a breath of fresh air when it opened in Merthyr, the first pub in a generation to regularly have a dark mild on cask in the town – the former Champion Beer of Wales, Rhymney Dark as well. Having been impressed with the Winchester since it first opened and seen the plans for this refurbishment, well hardly a refurbishment, more of a de-refubishment and recreation of a Victorian beerhouse.

Winchester, Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8BG
Open 12-12 Monday- Saturday, 12-10.30 Sunday
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