This is the main swimming pool built as a part of the Troedyrhiw Lido. The concrete-lined pool measures about 21 metres in length, northeast to southwest, by 13 metres wide. The concrete dam at its southwestern end has been broken through to allow it to drain, but about 0.40 metres of water still stand in the pool, which must have originally been between 1 metre and 1.5 metres deep. The northeastern end of the pool is rounded giving it an elongated D-shaped plan. The pool is still fed by water which flows from a natural spring or stream brought down the hill from perhaps 700 metres away to the north, via a leat (NPRN 532031) constructed for the purpose.

J.J. Hall, Trysor, 11 January 2013

Troedyrhiw Lido was opened on 25th August 1934. The lido was proposed as a scheme to help the Troedyrhiw community during a time of high unemployment, with funds for materials provided by Mr & Mrs Threipland, Llanishen, of the Wyndham Estate, and labour provided by the unemployed miners of Troedyrhiw.

The Threiplands had visited Troedyrhiw in April 1934, initially with an offer to the unemployed of the town of building a club and reading room. Turned down for political reasons, the locals instead suggested that funds could be used to build a bathing pool that would supplement a paddling pool built above the town the previous summer. A committee of townsmen organised the planning and building, supervised by Mr Evan Morgan.

Fed by a spring on the mountainside above, the pool measured 10 yards wide, and sloped to over 5ft at the deepest part. The land around was terraced to provide banks for spectating and sunbathing. Bathing was provided free of charge.

At the end of 1934 Mr Threipland presented the deeds to the land to the Lido committee, together with the offer of further funds for a second pool, or any other undertaking which would benefit the people of the town. As a result, in 1935 the construction of a pavilion containing separate male and female changing rooms took place, opened on 2nd July 1935 by Lady Howard Stepney.

The following year, the tenancy of the lido was formally handed over to the committee, while in September 1937 the Threiplands financed the purchase and renovation of the Old Heath Arms for the conversion into the Troedyrhiw Bathing Pool Institute. This was opened on 18th November 1937.

In 1941 a Mr J Bellamy was appointed to attend to the care of the lido, which had started to suffer from acts of vandalism. After this the damage appears to have increased and by 1964 the site was out of use and in a state of major disrepair.

S Fielding (RCAHMW) September 2022

Sources:

Merthyr Express 28th April 1934

Merthyr Express 1st September 1934

Merthyr Express 15th December 1934

Western Mail 2nd July 1934

Merthyr Express 18th September 1937

Merthyr Express 3rd October 1964