Blaengarw is the uppermost village in the river valley (Cwm Garw) of the River Garw, in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales.
| Blaengarw | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Blaengarw Location within Bridgend | |
| Population | 1,789 (2011) |
| OS grid reference | SS902928 |
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRIDGEND |
| Postcode district | CF32 |
| Dialling code | 01656 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
In the English language Blaengarw means the rugged 'front' or 'head' of the valley. The population of Blaengarw ward according to the 2001 census was 1,895, falling to 1,789 at the 2011 census.[1]
History
editDuring the 19th and 20th centuries the village served as a mining town for the coal miners of the Garw Valley section of the South Wales coalfield. Built in 1893, the Blaengarw Workmen's Hall is a testament to this history and is still used today as a community and entertainment centre. The Welsh poet Daniel James (Gwyrosydd) composed the popular Welsh hymn Calon Lân while working as a coal miner at the Blaengarw pit.[2] The town was a flashpoint of public disorder during the UK miners' strike (1984–1985). [3]
Governance
editFormerly a separate ward electing one councillor, since 2022 Blaengarw has formed part of the three-member Garw Valley ward.[4]
Time banking
editBlaengarw is home to the largest Time Bank in Europe the Blaengarw Time Centre, hosted by Creation Group.[5]
The Blaengarw Time Centre is based in Blaengarw Workmen's Hall which was bought by the community in 2000. For every hour spent on community work citizens receive one "Time Credit" which can be used to attend one hour of a social, educational or cultural event. Community assets in the village include a food shop, a community café, a heritage café, a digital inclusion centre, a community library and a sculpture studio. Activities organised by the centre include coffee mornings, arts classes, information technology classes, a youth club, dance and drama workshops, sugar craft and after-school clubs.[6]
Film
editThe 2001 comedy Very Annie Mary, starring Rachel Griffiths, Jonathan Pryce and Ioan Gruffudd was filmed in the village,[7] as was the 2019 Channel 4 miniseries The Accident.[8]
Notable people
edit- Kenneth "Ken" Davies
- Daniel James (Gwyrosydd)
- Dewi James (David James), co-founder of Vivid Entertainment[9]
- Ike Owens
- Brian Plummer,[citation needed] author, dog breeder, originator of the Plummer Terrier
- Jeff Young (rugby player)
References
edit- ^ "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 10 April 2015.
- ^ "Garw". thevalleys.co.uk. thevalleys.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
- ^ "End of the Miners Strike in 1985". BBC Two. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "The County Borough of Bridgend (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021". legislation.gov.uk. The National Archives. 22 September 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2023.
- ^ Margrit Kennedy; Bernard Lietaer; John Rogers (2012). People Money: The Promise of Regional Currencies. Triarchy Press Limited. ISBN 1908009764.
- ^ "Blaengarw Time Centre". Summer Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "Very Annie Mary (2001)". Filming locations. IMDb. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ Kathryn Williams (24 October 2019). "The locations in Wales where Channel 4's The Accident was filmed". Wales Online. Retrieved 7 September 2021.
- ^ "Porn in the USA". WalesOnline. 31 December 2004. Retrieved 8 January 2017.