History

Erected l920; unveiled on 10th July. Sculpture by Sir W Goscombe John, cast by A B Burton, Founder of Thames Ditton. Born Griffith Rhys Jones in l834 he became known as Caradog after the enormous success of the 'Cor Caradog' at Aberfan in l854. He was trained as a blacksmith (his father was an engineer at the Llwydcoed Ironworks) and it is said that people came for music lessons in his smithy during the meal breaks at the collieries. In l858 he became conductor of the Aberdare United choir, in l870 founded a male voice choir at Treorchy where he had moved to become a publican and in l872 and l873 he conducted the South Wales Choral Union (Cor Mawr) to victory in the Crystal Palace competition. These latter achievements have earned 'Caradog' the place as one of Wales' greatest choral conductors. He died in l897.

Exterior

Pre-cast stone square pedestal with chamfered corners and raised inscribed panels. Bronze standing statue of 'Caradog' as if conducting. At his back a coat is draped over a three-legged stool with tassels to the seat. A violin leans against it to the right, in a reference to the fact that he also played the violin; the absence of a bow is said to allude to the story that he used a silk handkerchief instead of a bow.

Reasons for Listing

Group value

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29489462

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)