Treforest Tin Works
The development of Treforest into the modern village of today is due almost entirely to the industrial ambitions and capital of the Crawshay family of Merthyr Tydfil. Their association with Treforest began in 1794 when William Crawshay purchased a plot of land at Ynyspenllwch on which stood a small mill for the rolling of tinplate. This enterprise with the aid of the Glamorganshire Canal, which opened in 1794 to transport its products, became an immediate success.
The following years saw the expansion and modernisation of the tin works until by 1836 they had become the largest in Britain. During this period the Crawshays had also acquired a small iron works by purchasing adjoining land to their existing land at Treforest. They had expanded to form the Taff Vale ironworks, which in conjunction with the tin works formed the Fforest Works. By 1835 these works were under the direct control of Francis Crawshay who had moved to the Treforest from Hirwaun (where the family owned an ironworks) and now lived at Forest House that was later to become the site for the University of Glamorgan.
webapps.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk/heritagetrail/taff/tref...
Treforest Tin Works
The development of Treforest into the modern village of today is due almost entirely to the industrial ambitions and capital of the Crawshay family of Merthyr Tydfil. Their association with Treforest began in 1794 when William Crawshay purchased a plot of land at Ynyspenllwch on which stood a small mill for the rolling of tinplate. This enterprise with the aid of the Glamorganshire Canal, which opened in 1794 to transport its products, became an immediate success.
The following years saw the expansion and modernisation of the tin works until by 1836 they had become the largest in Britain. During this period the Crawshays had also acquired a small iron works by purchasing adjoining land to their existing land at Treforest. They had expanded to form the Taff Vale ironworks, which in conjunction with the tin works formed the Fforest Works. By 1835 these works were under the direct control of Francis Crawshay who had moved to the Treforest from Hirwaun (where the family owned an ironworks) and now lived at Forest House that was later to become the site for the University of Glamorgan.
webapps.rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk/heritagetrail/taff/tref...