Heritage

Opened in 1889 by the then Barry & Urban District Council, Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery was created to address a severe shortage of burial space in the rapidly expanding town.  Following the building of the docks in 1884 the population of Barry and Cadoxton District burgeoned by over 3000% from a few small villages to the beginnings of the town we know today.

The first burial came on the 24th October 1889 when William Marra, an 18 year old sailor was laid to rest. He had arrived aboard the S.S Doris, berthed at Barry Dock. Many people thought it unlucky to be buried in a new cemetery so it may have been a conscious decision or just timing that resulted in the first burial being a sailor from a visiting ship.

Originally constructed in the 1890s, the cemetery chapel and the drinking fountain which stands in front of it are listed as Vale of Glamorgan County Treasures.  The cemetery chapel underwent extensive renovation and repair to return it to it’s former glory in 2005/06.  The chapel is available for hire for funeral services and other events, please contact us if you are interested in using the space.

The older sections of the cemetery contain many ornate memorials from the Victorian and Edwardian eras.  These memorials, whilst beautiful in their own right, may also tell you a story about the life, age, beliefs and occupation of the person buried there.  During this time people were well versed in symbolism and used plants, flowers and other motifs as a form of coded communication.

There are a number of Commonwealth War Graves at Merthyr Dyfan Cemetery to commemorate those who fought in the First and Second World Wars.  More recently we have installed a number of boards around the cemetery to give visitors more information about some of the notable people buried there.  This project is ongoing and we welcome suggestions from the public for future boards.