RELIGION
St Andrew's was the location of the first school in the district and opened in 1856.
In 1863 the Lordship of Senghenydd granted a quarter of an acre of land for a church to be built at Pentwyn.
The first recognised place of worship was an extension, called the Chancel, to the schoolroom at Pentwyn, and the following was reported in the 11 November 1864 issue of the Merthyr Express.
Opening of the Vochriw Schoolroom as a Place of Public Worship The Chancel attached to the schoolroom at Vochriw in the parish of Gelligaer, was opened for public worship on All Saints Day at 3 o’clock when litany was sung in Welsh by the Rev. J. Rosser, curate of Rhymney, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. Rees Price, rector of Llanvirinach. The chancel, which was occupied by the choir, is separated from the schoolroom and will be closed during weekdays by low doors and a curtain. It is very suitably fitted up with an altar table etc. raised on steps, and the floor is tastefully inlaid with tessellated pavement. The seats are temporary, it being proposed to place stalls as soon as a sufficiency of funds can be collected. A very large congregation was gathered together, and a great many of the clergy from the immediate neighbourhood was present, amongst whom we noticed the Rev. J. Griffiths, rector of Merthyr; Davies & Rowlands, Dowlais; Green, Pentrebach; Thomas, Lewis and Dr. Jones, Pontlottyn; Rogers, Rhymney; and Rev. G.C.F. Harries, Rector of Gellygaer, to whose writing exertions the erection of the building is due.
St Andrew’s Church in 1920. The annexe on the left was the school which, along with the annexe on the right has since been demolished.
