Pen-Bont Rhydybeddau is located approximately six miles north east of Aberystwyth. The first edition of the 6inch OS maps, published in 1891 depicts a thriving village with two public houses - the Cwm-Symlog Arms and the Three Horse Shoe; a post office (NPRN 35151); a school which opened in 1875 (NPRN 404401) and a Baptist Sunday School (NPRN 11600). Most villagers were probably employed either in agriculture or the Cwm-y-Darren and Twll-y-Mwyn copper mines (NPRN 33826). When the fourth edition of the 6inch maps was published in 1953, the shafts of the Cwm-y-Darren copper mines were labelled as 'old shafts,' and the village also experienced closures - the post office and the Three Horse Shoe Inn were not recorded on the map, but the Cwm-Symlog Arms, the school and the Sunday school were still there. The Sunday School was converted into residential use by 1996, and the primary school was closed in 2006 as pupil numbers had fallen to just twelve. It seems that the Cwm-Symlog Arms has also shut its doors.
Sources: modern and historic OS maps; Coflein database; BBC article entitled 'Pupil shortage closes primaries,' published on 21st July 2006.
M. Ryder, RCAHMW, 8th November 2018.