The 'Ironmaster' William Crawshay commissioned Cyfarthfa Castle in 1824. This grand castellated mansion overlooked his immensely successful ironworks and has been called, "the most impressive monument of the Industrial Iron Age in South Wales".
At the Castle you can admire the extensive fine and decorative art collections, including Swansea, Nantgarw and Wedgwood porcelain. Stroll through the atmospheric social and industrial history galleries, which chart the rise of this once great ironmaking town; learn about Richard Trevithick's Penydarren Locomotive of 1804, the first locomotive to pull a load along rails; discover the roots of the Labour movement, from the Merthyr Rising of 1831, and the martyrdom of Dic Penderyn, to the first Labour MP - Keir Hardie; see our 'museum of a museum' including curiosities from around the world - ancient Egyptian grave goods, Greek and Roman artefacts, and Far Eastern decorative arts.
Enjoy the elegant surroundings of this interesting museum and once family home, set in beautiful parkland, on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Directions to Cyfarthfa Castle Museum
From Cardiff / M4
M4, J 32
Follow signs for Merthyr Tydfil (A470) approx 18 miles north
At Merthyr, go straight across 1st roundabout (Pentrebach).
At 2nd roundabout go straight on
At roundabout (with Cyfarthfa Retail Park on your right hand side) take the 3rd exit.
Go straight over next roundabout.
At traffic lights take a left and follow road to the end.
At the mini roundabout take a left and then immediately right in through the main park gates.
(For coaches you will need to use a different entrance, instead of taking the immediate right as instructed above follow the perimeter of the park and take your first right, and then a right into the coach entrance)
Cyfarthfa Castle is at the top of the drive.
From Abergavenny / A465
Stay on A465, following signs for Merthyr Tydfil & then brecon
Next take the A470 towards Cardiff
At the roundabout take a left
Go straight over next roundabout.
At traffic lights take a left and follow road to the end.
At the mini roundabout take a left and then immediately right in through the main park gates.
(For coaches you will need to use a different entrance, instead of taking the immediate right as instructed above follow the perimeter of the park and take your first right, and then a right into the coach entrance)
Cyfarthfa Castle is at the top of the drive.
From Swansea / A465
Leave A483 and head straightforward onto Fabian Way (A483).
Enter the roundabout and leave at the 1. Exit onto B4290.
Enter the roundabout and leave at the 2. Exit onto A465.
Stay on A465
You are entering Merthyr Tydfil.
Leave A465 and head straightforward onto Heads of the Valleys Road (A465).
Enter the roundabout and leave at the 3. exit onto A470
At the roundabout take a left
Go straight over next roundabout.
At traffic lights take a left and follow road to the end.
At the mini roundabout take a left and then immediately right in through the main park gates.
(For coaches you will need to use a different entrance, instead of taking the immediate right as instructed above follow the perimeter of the park and take your first right, and then a right into the coach entrance)
Cyfarthfa Castle is at the top of the drive.
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