Bedwellty, Monmouthshire

[Up to 1834] [After 1834] [Staff] [Inmates] [Records] [Bibliography] [Links]

Up to 1834

No information.

After 1834

The Bedwellty Poor Law Union formally came into existence on 26th March 1849. It initially comprised the parishes of Bedwellty and Aberystruth, previously forming the western part of the Abergavenny Poor Law Union. Each parish was represented by 10 Guardians. The union was subsequently enlarged by the addition of Abertillery, Ebbw Vale, Rhymney and Tredegar.

Bedwellty Workhouse

The new Bedwellty Union workhouse was a stone building erected in 1852 on an elevated site at George Town near Tredegar. It accommodated over 300 inmates. Its location and layout are shown on the 1886 map below.

Bedwellty workhouse site, 1878

The original building appears to have a foreshortened version of the popular cruciform design. Instead of the usual range of buildings along the southern perimeter however, there was just a wall. Presumably an entrance gate gave access to the workhouse via the yard between the two southern exercise yards.

By 1901, a new block — presumably an infirmary — had been erected at the north of the workhouse, together with a variety of small outbuildings.

Bedwellty workhouse site, 1901.

The workhouse was substantially enlarged in 1908 and could then accommodate 440 inmates. The original entrance range at the south was either enlarged or rebuilt, and a new block erected in the original entrance yard. Two small pavilion-plan buildings were added at the south-east, and an entrance lodge at the south-west. The updated layout is shown on the 1920 map below.

Bedwellty workhouse site, 1920

During the First Work War, part of the workhouse was turned over for use as a military hospital.

Bedwellty former workhouse,
© Rowland Topping.

After 1930, the former workhouse became Ty Bryn Institution then later formed part of a local hospital. The buildings were demolished in around 1976 and a housing development now occupies the site.

Bedwellty Cottage Homes, Tredegar

In 1905, cottage homes for 75 children were erected adjacent to the cottage hospital on land adjoining Bedwellty Park in Tredegar.

Bedwellty cottage homes site, 1922

Bedwellty cottage homes from the south-east, c.1910.
Courtesy of Pete Topping.

A boys' house lay at one side and a girls' at the other with the superintendent quarters and offices etc. in a smaller block at the centre.

Bedwellty cottage homes from the east, 2005.
© Peter Higginbotham.

The former cottage homes are now used as sheltered housing.

Staff

1914 — Workhouse Master: Walter Henry Garnett Tallin; Matron: Mrs Tallin; Medical Officer: Horace George Brown.
1881 Census

Inmates

1881 Census

Records

Gwent County Record Office, County Hall, Cwmbran, Torfaen NP44 2XH. Holdings include: Guardians' minute books (1849-1930); Admissions and discharges (1907-09, 1911-12, 1914-15, 1925-27); Admissions and discharges (1918-19, military hospital only); Creed Registers (c.1900, 1912-1914); Register of Deaths (1924-32, plus later ones for Ty Bryn Institution); etc.

Bibliography

None.

Acknowledgment

Thanks to Pete Topping for providing information and picture of the workhouse.