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Llangynwyd
Llangynwyd is a village (and electoral ward) 2 miles to the south of Maesteg, in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales. It was part of the medieval commote (Welsh: ''cwmwd'') of Tir Iarll. History and amenities The village is the site of Llangynwyd parish church, the ruins of Llangynwyd Castle and one of the oldest pubs in Wales (the ''Old House'', dating from 1147.) The place name Llangynwyd refers to the hilltop village with a church dedicated to St Cynwyd, son of Cynfelyn. The church was founded by St Cynwyd in the 6th century. All that remains of the original structure is the stone socket of a wooden cross, which can be seen in the wall above the entrance. The church was rebuilt in the 13th century and has since been restored several times. The square tower dates from the 15th century and was completely restored in 1893. The church has the biggest private cemetery in Europe. The old village of Llangynwyd, "Top Llan", was the home of the legendary Maid of Cefn Ydfa, featu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 3,032 at the 2011 Census. The community is the northern part of the old parish of Llangynwyd, and was created by government reorganisation in 1974. The majority of Llangynwyd Middle is made up of hilly farmland and is sparsely populated. The River Llynfi flows through the community alongside the A4063, the main road linking Maesteg in the north and Bridgend town in the south. History The community of Llangynwyd Middle makes up most of the old parish of Llangynwyd once known as yr Hen Blwyf (the old parish). One of the first areas of upland Glamorgan to come under the rule of the Normans, it became known as Tir Iarll (the earl's land) and was believed to be annexed by Robert, Earl of Gloucester. A castle was built there in the 12th c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maesteg
Maesteg (; ) is a town and community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2011, Maesteg had a population of 20,612. The English translation of Maesteg is 'fair field'. Maesteg officially became a town in 1826 and is celebrating it's bicentenary in 2026 with organised events and celebrations being organised by a committee of residents and local groups and businesses. Historically a part of Glamorgan, the growth of the town started with the opening of ironworks in the 1820s and 1830s. Once a coal mining area, the last pit closed in 1985. With the decline of the coal industry and, more recently, the closure of one large factory producing cosmetics and another manufacturing vehicle components, the valley has become a residential/dormitory area for the Port Talbot, Bridgend and Cardiff journey to work areas. 11% (1,867 out of 20,702) of the town's population speak Welsh with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd
Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd is a Welsh-medium secondary school for pupils aged between 11 and 18. The school is based in the village of Llangynwyd in the borough of Bridgend, Wales. The school opened on 3 September 2008 on the site of the former Maesteg Comprehensive Upper School in Llangynwyd. It is the only secondary school in the borough of Bridgend to use the Welsh language as the primary medium of education. As of 2023, there were a total of 712 pupils on roll at the school, with 111 in the sixth form. In 2023, 30.7% of pupils come from Welsh-speaking households. The school is fed from the four Welsh medium primary schools in Bridgend County Borough: *Ysgol Cynwyd Sant, Maesteg *Ysgol Bro Ogwr, Brackla *Ysgol y Ferch o'r Sger, Cornelly *Ysgol Calon y Cymoedd, Bettws The school's motto is "Dysg ... Dawn ... Dyfodol" (''Learning ... Talent ... Future''). Pupils in Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 are currently grouped into three houses: '' Garw'', ''Ogwr The Borough st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mari Lwyd
The Mari Lwyd (, ) is a wassailing tradition, folk custom in South Wales. The tradition entails the use of an eponymous hobby horse which is made from a horse's skull mounted on a pole and carried by an individual hidden under a sheet. The custom was first recorded in 1800, with subsequent accounts of it being produced into the early twentieth century. According to these, the Mari Lwyd was a tradition performed at Christmas time by groups of men who would accompany the horse on its travels around the local area, and although the makeup of such groups varied, they typically included an individual to carry the horse, a leader, and individuals dressed as stock characters such as Punch and Judy. The men would carry the Mari Lwyd to local houses, where they would request entry through song. The householders would be expected to deny them entry, again through song, and the two sides would continue their responses to one another in this manner. If the householders eventually relented, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Llangynwyd Castle
Llangynwyd Castle is a ruined castle, probably of the 12th century, in Llangynwyd, in Bridgend County Borough, South Wales, just to the south of Maesteg. History In medieval times it was a prominent outpost in the Gorfynydd Cantref uplands of the lordship of Glamorgan, it is believed to have been annexed in around 1147, and it was mentioned in documents in 1246. The castle was plundered in 1258 and underwent a reconstruction but it was burned down in around 1293-4 and likely never rebuilt. Structure The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales describes the ruined castle as occupying the "tip of a steep sided spur between two streams" and consisting of a "heart shaped walled inner court some 35-39m across set at the south-east end of a larger outer court". The twin-towered gatehouse overlooking the outer court was said to resemble that of the great gatehouse at Caerphilly Castle Caerphilly Castle () is a medieval castle, fortification in Caerphilly ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Evan Bevan
Evan Bevan (1803–1866) was a Welsh writer of satirical verse in the Welsh language. Life and work Bevan was born into a poor family: his parents were William and Gwenllian Bevan of Llangynwyd, Glamorgan. As a young adult he moved to Ystradfellte, Brecknockshire and married there Ann Ifan, a butcher's daughter. He later moved to the Pontneddfechan, Pontneathvaughan area. Bevan gained a mainly local reputation as a writer of satirical verse under the pseudonym Ianto'r Castell, some of which is archived at the National Library of Wales. He died at Pontneathvaughan in October 1866. References 19th-century Welsh poets Welsh satirists 1803 births 1866 deaths Place of birth missing Date of birth missing Date of death missing {{Wales-poet-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bridgend County Borough Council
Bridgend County Borough Council () is the governing body for Bridgend County Borough, one of the principal areas of Wales. History Bridgend County Borough and its council came into effect from 1 April 1996, following the '' Local Government (Wales) Act 1994''. Bridgend County Borough Council largely replaced Ogwr Borough Council, though St Brides Major, Ewenny and Wick were transferred from Ogwr to the Vale of Glamorgan. In November 2014 the council voted to propose a merger with the neighbouring Vale of Glamorgan Council, though this was rejected by the Welsh Government's Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews, as not meeting the criteria to be able to proceed. Political control The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2022 election. The first election to the council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been held by the follow ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ann Maddocks
Ann Maddocks (born Thomas, 1704–1727) was a Welsh maid who according to tradition was forced to marry against her wishes and died pining for her true love. She is also known by the poetic name, The Maid of Cefn Ydfa. Ann Thomas was born in 1704 to William Thomas of Cefn Ydfa, Llangynwyd, Maesteg and his wife Catherine Price of Tynton, Llangeinor, who was sister to Rees Price, the father of philosopher Richard Price. Thomas and Price married in 1703, but her father died in 1706, and tradition tells that he had placed Ann in the wardship of Anthony Maddocks, a lawyer from Cwmrisga. Maddocks decided that Ann would marry his son, also called Anthony, and records show that the two were married on 4 May 1725. The folklore The legend states that Ann had fallen in love not with the wealthy Maddocks, but with the poet and thatcher, Wil Hopcyn (William Hopkin) and when discovered were forbidden to see each other. Ann was kept prisoner, locked in her bedroom in the Manor house. The famil ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bridgend (county Borough)
Bridgend County Borough () 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. Its members of the Senedd are Sarah Murphy MS, representing the Bridgend Constituency, and Huw Irranca-Davies MS representing the Ogmore Constituency, and its members of the UK parliament are Chris Bryant, Chris Elmore, and Stephen Kinnock. The county borough lies at the geographical heart of south Wales. Its land area of 110 mi2 (285 km2) stretches 12 miles (20 km) from east to west and occupies the Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore valleys. The largest town is Bridgend (pop: 39,773), followed by Maesteg (pop: 20,700) and Porthcawl (pop: 19,238). It is situated on the Ogmore River and its tributaries, although the Ewenny and Ogwr Fach rivers form the border with the Vale of Glamorgan for much of their length. It was formed on 1 April 1996 under the Local Government (W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aberafan Maesteg (UK Parliament Constituency)
Aberafan Maesteg is a constituency of the House of Commons in the UK Parliament, first contested at the 2024 general election following the 2023 review of Westminster constituencies. It is currently represented by Stephen Kinnock of the Labour Party, who represented the predecessor constituency of Aberavon from 2015 to 2024. Boundaries Under the 2023 review, the constituency was defined as being composed of the following, as they existed on 1 December 2020: * The County Borough of Bridgend wards of: Caerau, Cornelly, Llangynwyd, Maesteg East, Maesteg West, and Pyle. * The County Borough of Neath Port Talbot wards of: Aberavon, Baglan, Briton Ferry East, Briton Ferry West, Bryn and Cwmavon, Cymmer, Glyncorrwg, Gwynfi, Margam, Pelenna, Port Talbot, Sandfields East, Sandfields West, and Tai-bach. Following local government boundary reviews which came into effect in May 2022, the constituency now comprises the following from the 2024 general election: *The County Boroug ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tir Iarll
; ), is the traditional name of an area of Glamorgan, Wales, which has long had a particular resonance in Welsh culture. In medieval times Tir Iarll was a cwmwd covering the present-day parishes of Llangynwyd, Betws, Cynffig and Margam. It long preserved traditional customs, notably the Mari Lwyd or Grey Mare. The late medieval Welsh poets Rhys Brydydd, his son Rhisiart ap Rhys and brother (or son) Gwilym Tew Gwilym Tew (floruit, fl. 1460 – 1480) was a Welsh language, Welsh-language poet and manuscript copyist from Tir Iarll, Glamorgan. It is probable that his father was the poet Rhys Brydydd and that another poet of the same family, Rhisiart ap Rhy ... all came from Tir Iarll. References Commotes History of Glamorgan Culture of Wales {{NeathPortTalbot-geo-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn
"Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn" () is an 18th-century traditional Welsh love song. The song was collected from the oral tradition in the 1830s and was first published in 1844 by the Welsh musician and folklorist Folklore studies (also known as folkloristics, tradition studies or folk life studies in the UK) is the academic discipline devoted to the study of folklore. This term, along with its synonyms, gained currency in the 1950s to distinguish the ac ... Maria Jane Williams in her collection ''Ancient National Airs of Gwent and Morganwg''. The song has been linked, rather vaguely, to the popular story about a rich heiress, Ann Thomas (1704-27) — the so-called ‘Maid of Cefn Ydfa’, from the parish of Llangynwyd in central Glamorgan, and the somewhat nebulous poet, Wil Hopcyn (1700-41), to whom the song is attributed. However, the song itself makes no explicit reference to the tale, and the version presented here actually refers to "Gwen" rather than to "Ann". According to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
