Fairfield
(Credit to Roger Cheeseman for the colourised photo - now see below) When I'm writing the Chard novels, I'm very conscious that sometimes I'm describing buildings or locations that no longer exist. I doubt for example that many young people living in Treforest are aware that it used to boast, amongst other things, a steelworks, an ironworks and a commercial canal. In Pagan Rite, the Fairfield (aka Fair Field / The Captain's Field) is featured prominently. It disappeared decades ago. For people familiar with the modern town, it used to run behind Taff Street from roughly level with the front of the new library, as far as the car park entrance opposite Crossbrook Street and down to the river. The amount of land it covered became clearer when they knocked down the precinct prior to the redevelopment. It was used in the 1890s when Ynysangharad Park across the river was privately owned. The photograph is, I understand, of the entrance to the Fairfield during the visit ...
