Garw Valley (

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...

: ''Cwm Garw'') is a

community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, t ...

and coterminous

electoral ward A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to ...

in the north of

Bridgend County Borough Bridgend County Borough ( cy, Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr) is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. The county borough has a total population of 139,200 people, and contains the town of Bridgend, after which it is named. I ...

South Wales South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...

. As the name suggests, it follows and encompasses the valley of the

River Garw The River Garw (''Afon Garw'' in Welsh, meaning "rugged river") runs for about 12 miles from its source in the hills north of Blaengarw to the confluence with the River Ogmore and the River Llynfi at Aberkenfig. It is one of three main tributar ...

. The community includes the village of

Blaengarw Blaengarw is the uppermost village in the river valley (Cwm Garw) of the River Garw, in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales. In the English language Blaengarw means the rugged 'front' or 'head' of the valley. The population of Blaengarw war ...

at the head of the valley, followed by

Pontycymer Pontycymer, also spelt Pontycymmer, is a former mining village in Wales. It is situated in the Garw Valley, in Bridgend County Borough, about 7 miles or 11 km north of the town of Bridgend. It‘s attractions include a small Heritage rai ...

and

Llangeinor Llangeinor (Welsh: ''Llangeinwyr'') is a small village (and electoral ward) located in the Garw Valley around north of Bridgend in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. The ward population taken at the 2011 census was 1,243. The entire village is now ...

on the river, with Bettws between the Garw and the Llynfi in the south. Garw Valley is bordered to the west by Maesteg,

Llangynwyd Middle Llangynwyd Middle is a community in Bridgend County Borough, south Wales. It is located to the south of Maesteg and contains the villages of Llangynwyd and Cwmfelin. At the 2001 census, the population of the community was 2,843, increasing to 3 ...

and

Llangynwyd Lower Llangynwyd Lower is a community in Bridgend County Borough, south Wales. It is located to the north west of Bridgend and contains the village of Coytrahen. At the 2001 census, the population of the community was 467, reducing to 440 at the 2011 ...

; to the east by

Ogmore Valley Ogmore Valley ( cy, Cwm Ogwr) is a community in the Bridgend County Borough, Mid Glamorgan, Wales. Made up of the villages of Nantymoel, Ogmore Vale, Price Town and Wyndham, its population at the time of the 2001 census was 7,800, increasing to ...

and to the south by Ynysawdre and

St Bride's Minor St Bride's Minor is a community in Bridgend County Borough, south Wales. Located north of Bridgend town it is made up of Sarn, a large housing estate, and the villages of Bryncethin and Abergarw. The southern border of the community is defined b ...

. Attractions include the Garw Valley Railway, a four and half mile narrow gauge steam railway, which volunteers began re-laying in 2016. Passenger rail services had previously ceased in the valley in 1991.

Governance

At the local level, Garw Valley elects 13 community councillors to Garw Valley Community Council, from the four wards of Bettws, Llangeinor, Pontycymmer and Blaengarw. At the county level, until 2022 the community was covered by four

s, of Blaengarw, Pontycymmer, Llangeinor and Bettws, each electing one county councillor to

Bridgend County Borough Council Bridgend County Borough Council ( cy, Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr) is the governing body for Bridgend County Borough, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. History Bridgend County Borough and Bridgend County Borough Council cam ...

. Following a boundary review, the four wards were combined to form a new Garw Valley ward, electing three county borough councillors.

References

External links

Garw Valley Community Council website

TheGarwValley.org

GarwValley.co.uk
{{coord, 51.60, -3.58, display=title Communities in Bridgend County Borough Valleys of Bridgend County Borough Wards of Bridgend County Borough