A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
A vision of Britain through time
A vision of Britain from 1801 to now.
Including maps, statistical trends and historical descriptions.
BRIDGEND, a small town, a subdistrict, and a district in Glamorgan. The town is in the parishes of Coyty and Newcastle; and stands on the river Ogmore, and on the South Wales railway, 20 miles W of Cardiff. It is a straggling place; and consists of three parts,-Bridgendproper, Oldcastle, and Newcastle. The latter two are on opposite sides of the river; and took their name from ancient fortalices. The Oldcastle fortalice has disappeared; but remains of the Newcastle one, consisting of outer walls and a Norman doorway, still exist. The town hall is a recent handsome structure. A parish church, on a conspicuous site, is in the Newcastle section; and a chapel of ease is in Oldcastle. There are also four dissenting chapels, a dispensary, and a workhouse,-the last erected at a cost of £4,400. A railway goes northward up the river; and a branch goes to Porthcawl harbour. The town has a head post office,‡ a railway station with telegraph, a banking office, and three chief inns; is a seat of petty sessions and a polling-place; and publishes a weekly newspaper. A weekly market is held on Saturday; and fairs on 25 Feb., 1 April, Holy Thursday, 6 June, and 17 Nov. Woollen manufacture and a corn trade are carried on; and iron-works, coal mines, and stone quarries are in the neighbourhood. Dr. Price and his nephew Mr. Morgan, men of science, were natives. The population of the town is not returned; but that of the two parishes in which it lies is.
The subdistrict contains the parishes of Coyty, Newcastle, Laleston, Merthyr-Mawr, Tythegston, NewtonNottage, Pyle, Kenfigg, Ewenny, Wick, St. BridesMajor, and St. Andrew-Minor. Acres, 33,408. Pop., 11,417. Houses, 2,279. The district comprehends also the subdistrict of Maesteg., containing the parishes of Bettws, Llangeinor, Llandyfodog, Llanharan, Llanilid, Coychurch, St. Brides-Minor, and part of Llangynwyd; and the subdistrict of Cowbridge, containing the parishes of Cowbridge, Llangan, St. Mary-Hill, Llanhary, Ystradowen, Llansannor, Penllin, St. Hilary, St. Mary-Church, Flemingston, Eglwys-Brewis, St. Athan, Gileston, Llanmaes, Lantwit-Major, Llandow, St. Donats, Marcross, Monknash, Llanmihangel, Llandongh, Llanblethian, Llysworney, and Colwinstone, and the extra-parochial tracts of Nash and Stembridge. Acres, 109,511. Poorrates in 1866, £17,402. Pop. in 1861, 26,465. Houses, 5,362. Marriages in 1866, 227, births, 1,034,-of which 61 were illegitimate; deaths. 694,-of which 249 were at ages under 5 years, and 31 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 2,153; births, 8,001; deaths, 4,906. The places of worship in 1851 were 40 of the Church of England, with 4,865 sittings; 17 of Independents, with 4,656 s.; 14 of Baptists, with 2,478 s.; 15 of Calvinistic Methodists, with 4,619 s.; 11 of Wesleyan Methodists, with 1,820 s.; and 1 of Unitarians, with 40 s. The schools were 20 public day schools, with 1,519 scholars; 25 private day schools, with 779 s.; 70 Sunday schools, with 4,940 s.; and 2 evening schools for adults, with 41 s.
(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))
| Linked entities: | |
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| Feature Description: | "a small town, a subdistrict, and a district" (ADL Feature Type: "cities") |
| Administrative units: | Bridgend CP Bridgend and Cowbridge RegD/PLU Glamorgan AncC |
| Place: | Bridgend |
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