The Rise and Fall of Brynhyfryd: The Castle of Blackstone Hill

Perched above Blackstone in Ipswich once stood Brynhyfryd — a grand Welsh mansion known locally as The Castle. Built by coal magnate Lewis Thomas in the 1880s, the enormous hilltop estate overlooked the district like something from another world. In this video, we explore the rise and fall of the Brynhyfryd - the Castle of Blackstone Hill. Its connection to Queensland’s coal industry and Welsh community, the remnants that still survive today, and my own childhood memories growing up below its ruins in the 1980s. 📜 1995 interview transcript with Jessie Edwards - https://shorturl.at/B7MVC 🎧 Listen to the interview here - https://shorturl.at/40kU6 ❤️ A big thanks to Carmel at Ipswich Historical Society for showing us around Cooneana, and to Eirys for taking the time to open United Welsh Church just for us to see relics from Brynhyfryd. Subscribe to see more places and learn about stories from this region and beyond. ☕️🍻 Your support is much appreciated, and I'd never turn it down if you bought me a coffee or shouted me a beer! https://buymeacoffee.com/the.bygones Thanks for dropping by! #explorensw #brynhyfryd #ipswichqld #blackstone #welshhistory