﻿GLAMORGANSHIRE. 



GLANFORD-BRIGG 



34 



^Teath is here made into bars. The scenery of tbis neighbourhood is 

 very fine. Cadoxtonjiurfa-Xealh, 36 miles N.W. by W. from Cardiff, 

 jiopulatioQ of the parish 7314, in properly a suburb of the borough 

 of Neath. Cadoxton pariah church, dedicated to St. C.itwg, has a 

 curious monument, containing engraved on sheets of copper, a long 

 pedigree of the family of Williams. Chtriion, population of the 

 parish 312, is situated on the peninsula of Gower, near the left bank 

 of the BuiTy sestuary, about 14 miles \V. from Swansea. Limestone is 

 quarried in the vicinity, and vessels bringing supplies of coal to the 

 harbour have limestone freights in return. An accumulation of sand 

 however makes the harbour very shallow. Dowlais, 23 miles N. by W. 

 from Cardiff, population of the ecclesiastical district, 13,636 in ISal. 

 Besides Dowlais church there are chapels for Welsh Independents, 

 Welsh Baptists, Welsh Calvinistic Metliodists, and Knglish Wesleyan 

 Methodist?. Connected with the Dowlais iron-works there are 18 

 blast furnaces, 77 puddling furnaces, and 66 balling furnaces, or 161 

 in all : the daily consumption of coal in the works is about 1000 

 tons. Sanitary arrangements were for a long period entirely neglected, 

 both in Dowlais and in Merthyr Tydvil, and the result was an 

 excessive mortality, arising from epidemic diseases. A Local Board 

 of Health for the pariah of Merthyr Tydvil, which includes Dowlais, 

 has recently been established. Kertvig is a straggling village on the 

 edge of the sand-hills which border the eastern side of Swansea Bay, 

 26 miles W. by N. from Cardiff. There are a small church and a 

 town hall of modem date, and near the town the remains of an 

 ancient caxtle. Kenvig was once of some importance : its dowufall 

 dates from a tremendous innndation in the 16th century. Kenvig 

 Pool, nearly 2 miles in circumference, is between the village and the 

 sea. The population of the borough, which is contributory to Swansea, 

 was 433 in 1851. Several British and Roman antiquities liave been 

 found in the neighbourhood; Llanlwlt Major is situated on the coast, 

 17 miles W.S.W. fi-om Cardiff, populatiou of the parish 1077 in 1851. 

 The church is dedicated to St, Illtyil, the head of a monastery and 

 famous seminary for training young men for the priesthood. The 

 church consists of a nave, aisles, and chancel ; it is of considerable 

 size, and of various styles and <lntes. Adjoining this edi&ce are the 

 remains of the ol I church, which has been of much smaller dimen- 

 sions ; between the two churches rises an embattled tower, which 

 contains six bells. The i>hnft of an ancient cross stands in the church- 

 yanl. Neiohridgf, or Pont-y-Pridd, 11 miles N.W. by N. from 

 Cardiff, population included in the parishes of Llantwitvairdi-e and 

 Llanwonno, in which it is situated. Newbridge derives its name 

 from the bridge erected here about a century ago by William 

 Eilwai-ds, the celebrated self-educated Welsh bridge-builder. The 

 ■pan of the bridge is 140 feet; it was Edwards's first successful 

 effort at bridge-building. Messrs. Crawshay's iron-works at Troforest, 

 And the chaiu-cablo works of Messrs. Brown and Lenox give extensive 

 employment. Besides two parochial chapels, there are chapels for 

 Welsh Baptists and Independents. Stations of the Taff Valley 

 railway are at Newbridge and Treforest. Newton, situated on the 

 coast 23 miles W. by S. from Cardiff, was formerly a well frequented 

 bathing village, but had fallen into decay, when the late Sir John 

 Quest purchased property here, and commenced erecting new bouses. 

 The church, which is close to the shore, is a plain strong building. 

 St. S'uholtu, 6 miles W. by S. from Cardiff, population of the parish 

 414, is noticeable for several cromlechs and other druidical anti- 

 quities, which are found in the neighbourhood. Oi/ttermoulh, 48 miles 

 W.N.W. from Cardiff, population 1938, was formerly called Coer 

 Tawy. The old castle, which is here in ruins, and is now the 

 property of the Duke of Beaufort, has been recently clrared of the 

 rubbish which had accumulated. Oystermouth is a fishing village ; 

 at the most active period of the season the oyster fishery employs 

 about 400 men and 70 boats. Factors or middlemen at Swansea 

 purchase the oysten, and supply the dealers in Bristol, Liverpool, 

 London, and other great markets. Limestone is abundant. Oyster- 

 mouth is much frequented by visitors during summer. Poiihcawl, 

 24 miles W. by S. from Cardiff, is a small bathing village, possessing 

 a harbour for the shipment of coal and iron which are brought down 

 from the interior by the Llynvi Valley railway. Soulkn-ndown, 20 

 miles W.S.W. from Cardiff, population of the hamlet 271, is a small 

 bathing vill.ige, a mile E. from which is Dunraven Castle, and about 

 a mile and a half W. »ra three remarkable caves of considerable 

 extend which can only be visited with safety at the first ebb of 

 spring ti<les. 



JHviiioJit for Ecclaiatlical and Legal Purpoiei. — The parishes are 

 for the most part in the diocese and archdeaconry of Llnndoff; some 

 in the western and north-western [mrtsof the county are in the diocese 

 of St. David's. By the Poor-Law Commissioners Glamorganshire ia 

 divided into five Unions, Bridgend and Cowbridge, Cardiff, Merthyr 

 Tydvil, Neath, and Swansea, comprising 162 parishes and town- 

 ships, with a population in 1851 of 239,571. The county is included 

 in the South Wales circuit. The Lent assizes are held at Swansea, 

 the summer assizes at Cardiff. The cotmty jail is at Cardiff, and 

 there are houses of correction at Cardiff and Swansea. County courts 

 are held at Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydvil, Neath, and Swanseiu 

 Five member* of parliament are returned from Glamorganshire, namely, 

 two for the county, and one for each of the three districts of boroughs. 



IJiftijry, Aniiijuiliet, ttr.— Qlamoi^gnnrhiro was criginally included 

 '■roo. Dir. Tou ni. 



in the territory of the Silures. [Britannia.] Under the Roman 

 dominion it was included in Britannia Secunda. A Roman road, the 

 Julia Strata, traversed the county, in uearly its greatest; extent, east 

 and west ; aud several Roman stations are supposed to have beeu 

 established within its boundaries. At Caerau, about 3 miles W. from 

 Cardiff are ti*aces of a Romau camp, in good preservation. The sites 

 of Bovium, or Bomium, Nidum, aud Leucarum, mentioiicd by Auto- 

 ninus, have not beeu deliuitely fixed. Some vestiges of the Julia Strata 

 still remain between Eweuny aud Neath ; aud there are traces of two 

 cross-roads, one from Cardiff and one from Neath, both leadiug to 

 Banniuin, now Caer Banna, near Brecon. About the close of the 11th 

 century Glamorganshire fell into the hands of the Anglo-Norman 

 barons, for whose warlike activity their sovereigns gladly found 

 exercise by encouraging their efforts for the conquest of Wales. The 

 county became subject to Robert Fitzhamon, a Norman knight, who 

 proceeded to parcel it out iu lordshipa among his followers, and, with 

 wise though unusual policy, among the native chieftains who had 

 assisted him, and even among the children of Jestyn, who had been 

 his rival. About this period arose the Norman castles, of which 

 there are several remains. Fitzhamon himself was raised to the dignity 

 of Earl of Gloucester, aud was iu favour at the court of William 

 Rufus. The Anglo-Normans retained possession of the conquered 

 districts, though they conceded to the natives some immunities from 

 the requirements of the feudal system. The district of Glamorgan 

 pa.s8ed by his marriage with Mabel, heiress of Fitzhamon, into the bauds 

 of Robert Earl of Gloucester, natural son of Henry I. Glamorgan- 

 shire remained united with the other possessions of the earldom of 

 Gloucester. In the troubled reign of Edward II. considerable liinds in 

 Olamorganshir^were gi-anted to his favourite the younger Despoucer ; 

 in consequence of which the county became the scene of violence and 

 confusion. At length the king and his favourite were captured near 

 Llantrissent. The heirs of Despenoer obtained the restoratiou of his 

 Glamorganshire estates, aud had the title of lords of Glamorgan. These 

 estates came by marriage to the Earl of Warwick, the ' king-maker,' in 

 the reign of Henry VI. and Edwanl IV., and afterwards, also by mairiage, 

 to the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III. In the reign of 

 Henry VIII., when the territory of Glamorgan was made a county, 

 the mauors of the former lords of Glamorgan passed into other bauds. 



Of the middle ages Glamorganshiro contains many memorials iu its 

 ruined castles and monastic remains. Besides the castles of Cardiff, 

 Caerphilly, Neath, and Swansea, there are several others. Coity 

 Castle is about 2 miles north-east of Bridgend ; the ruins once among 

 the most extensive in South Wales, are now iu a very dilapidated con- 

 dition. Of the castles of Llanblethian and Talavan, near Cowbridge ; 

 of Morlais, near Merthyr Tydvil ; of Penarth and Penrice, in the 

 peninsula of Gower ; and of Ugmore Castle, near the junction of the 

 Ewenny and the Ogmore, there are remains. Oystermouth Castle, a 

 bold and majestic ruin, stands on the shore of Swansea Bay, south-west 

 of Swansea ; the grand gateway is still nearly perfect, and other parts 

 of the building are in good preservation. The remains of St. Donatt's 

 Castle, near Nash Point, on the coast, are considerable. Part of it ia 

 inhabited : it is principally in the perpendicular English style. Of 

 Mareross Castle, near St. Uonatt's, the remains are uuimportaut. Of 

 Oxwich Castle and Bewper Castle, castellated mansions of the 16th 

 century, there are some remaius. Penmaik and Fonmon castles are 

 near the Daw; the first is iu ruins : the second has beeu modernised. 



Of the ecclesListical remaius the most conspicuous is Margam Abbey, 

 between the Ogmore and the Avon, south-east of Neath. Of the 

 chapter-house, a beautiful polygon of about 50 feet in diameter, the 

 walls remain. Part of the abbey church, which is of Noiman archi- 

 tecture, is used as the parish church. In the neighbourhood is a farm- 

 house called Egleys Nynydd, or the nun's church, probably a nunnery 

 dependent on Margam Abbey. Of the Benedictine priory of Eweuny, 

 at the village of that name near Bridgend, the church, an edifice iu 

 the Norman style, has been kept in repair aud is used as a parish 

 church. There are some remains of the college-house of Llantwit. 

 Neath Abbey is noticed elsewhere. 



In 1647, in the great civil war between Charles I. and the Parli.i- 

 meut a severe battle was fought at St. Fagan's, near Llandaff, and 

 was obstinately contested for two hours, wheu the Royalists were 

 defeated with great slaughter, and their Itadei-s, with what forces 

 remained to them, were compelled to retreat westward into Caermar- 

 thenshire and Pembrokeshire. 



Statistics. — In 1852 the county possessed four savings banks, at 

 Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, aud Swansea. The amount due to 

 depositors on 20th November 1852 was 179,732^. Os. 2d. According to 

 the Census of Education taken in 1851 it appeai-s that of 348 schools 

 iu the county for which returns are given, 144 were public schools 

 with 14,529 scholars, and 204 were private schools with 5728 scholars. 

 The number of evening schools for adults was 13, with 416 pupils. 

 Of Sunday schools there were 431, of which 121 were supported by 

 Independents, 96 by Calvinistic Methodists, 78 by Baptists, 74 by the 

 Church of England, 39 by Wesleyan Methodists, and 23 by minor 

 bodies. The total nuuibeE of scholars was 46,563. Of literary and 

 scientific iustitutions there were 16, with 1405 members, and 21,733 

 volumes in the libraries under their superintendence. 



GLANFORD-BUIGG, or GLANFORU-BRIDGES, or by familiar 

 abbreviation, BRIOG, Lmcolnehire, a market-town and the 



