Monuments to James Thomas and family at New Bethel

Cadw's description

Location

In New Bethel graveyard, on the S side of the chapel, the figure monument on the boundary wall between the old cemetery and the extension with the tomb chest below.

History

Main figurative monument commemorates James Thomas of Ty Newydd Porth (1817-1901); the tomb chest commemorates his children who died in infancy - James son of James and Elizabeth (d 1850), Ruth daughter (d 1858), Ruth daughter (d 1860); also Elizabeth wife (d 1860), and James Thomas is also further commemorated here. James Thomas was described as 'pioneer of the Rhondda coalfield' and his monument is sited so that he overlooks the Waterloo Colliery of which he was the owner. There may be a maker's name on the monument under obscuring vegetation - see nearby Thomas Thomas monument.

Exterior

Two monuments of marble and stone. The tall imposing near life size marble figure of James Thomas in contemporary dress stands towering over the graveyard and looking down to the valley; the figure holds a scroll in the right hand, the left resting on a draped pillar. He stands on a plinth supported by a tall rectangular monument heavily moulded with clustered shafts at each angle supporting on each face a very steep pitched gable with urns at each corner and inscription panel facing same direction as figure . Below is a further moulded tiered plinth set in an enclosure with stone surround decorated with pierced trefoils and blind gothic arches to the piers; the monument stands on a wider platform of heavily rusticated stone facing downhill, with freestanding piers with caps at each corner and railings completing the outer enclosure on the 3 uphill sides. By the wall stands a tomb chest of stone, with deep stepped plinth, the slab with raised central section surmounted at each end by finials and on the side of the tomb chest the leaded inscription panels in a triple trefoil-headed arcade with carved spandrels.

Reason for designation

Listed as an unusually elaborate figurative monument with associated tomb chest; group value with Chapel, Wall, School and other monuments.