| Cowbridge | |
| Welsh: Y Bont-faen | |
  Cowbridge shown within the United Kingdom |
|
| Population | 3,616 |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | |
| Principal area | Vale of Glamorgan |
| Ceremonial county | South Glamorgan |
| Constituent country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | COWBRIDGE |
| Postcode district | CF71 |
| Dialling code | 01446 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| European Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Vale of Glamorgan |
| List of places: UK • Wales • Vale of Glamorgan | |
Cowbridge (Welsh: Y Bont-faen) is a market town in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using Latitude and Longitude For Local government purposes Wales is divided into 22 Unitary authorities, which are responsible for the provision of all local government services including education Geography It has been a County borough (unitary authority since 1996, previously being part of South Glamorgan county The Preserved counties of Wales are the current areas used in Wales for ceremonial purposes such as Lieutenancy. South Glamorgan is a preserved county of Wales. It was originally formed in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, as a county council Constituent country is a phrase used often by official institutions in contexts in which a country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping This list of sovereign states, alphabetically arranged gives an overview of States around the world with information on the extent of their Sovereignty. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located A post town is a required part of all postal addresses in the United Kingdom, and a basic unit of the postal delivery system UK Postal codes are known as postcodes. UK postcodes are Alphanumeric. The, also known as the Cardiff postcode area, is a group of postal districts around Aberdare, Bargoed, Barry, Bridgend, Caerphilly The UK Telephone numbering plan, also known as the National Telephone Numbering Plan, is the system used for assigning Telephone numbers in the United There are a number of law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom. South Wales Police (Heddlu De Cymru is one of the four Territorial police forces in Wales. The fire service in the United Kingdom operates under separate legislative and administrative arrangements in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and The South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub De Cymru is the fire and rescue service covering the ten Welsh principal areas of The Welsh Ambulance Service (also called the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust or Ymddiriedolaeth GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru) was established on April 1 1998 Wales is a Constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 4 MEPs using the D'Hondt method of Party-list proportional representation This is a list of the 646 constituencies currently represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, as at the 2005 general election Vale of Glamorgan is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. A Gazetteer of place names in the United Kingdom showing each place's County, Unitary authority or council area and its geographical coordinates List of places --> List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in Wales Lists of This is a list of cities, Towns and Villages in the principal area of Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Market town or market right is a legal term originating in the Medieval period for a European settlement that has the right to hold Markets Geography It has been a County borough (unitary authority since 1996, previously being part of South Glamorgan county South Wales (De Cymru is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south and Mid Wales and West Wales It is twinned with Clisson, France. Clisson (Klison is a town in western France, in the département of Loire-Atlantique ( Pays de la Loire) situated at the confluence This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics.
Contents |
History
Roman times
The town's origins appear to be Roman and many remains of a settlement of that era have been found during archaeological excavations. Cowbridge Roman Town was a small Castra in Roman Wales within the Roman province of Britannia Superior. Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 It is identified by some scholars as the site of the Roman fort of 'Bovium', partly because of its name of the present town. The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military However other scholars believe this was Boverton (which is recorded as 'Bovium' in medieval Latin). Boverton (Trebefered is a Village located to the east of Llantwit Major in the Vale of Glamorgan in South Wales. Llantwit Major and Swansea Museum support this latter theory. The town's Welsh name, Y Bont-faen, means literally 'the stone bridge'. The river Thaw or Ddawan flows through the town.
Middle Ages
The town centre is still arranged on its medieval plan, with one long street divided into "burgage plots". It is one of very few medieval walled towns in Wales, and substantial portions of the walls, together with the south gate, are still standing. See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors On 13 March 1254, Cowbridge received its first borough charter from Richard de Clare[1], the Lord of Glamorgan. There have been several people named Richard de Clare, most of them descended from Richard Fitz Gilbert, Earl of Clare Lord of Bienfaite Orbec and Tonbridge ( 1035 Richard de Clare was one of the most powerful Barons of the day, having huge estates stretching across much of South Wales and also lands in southern and eastern England.
From 1243 de Clare was actively extending his authority in Glamorgan; in 1245 he seized the manors of Llanblethian and Talyfan from Richard Siward, and the lordships of Miskin and Glynrhondda from Hywel ap Maredudd. Miskin is a village approximately 2 miles south of Llantrisant in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales. In Llanblethian he founded the town of Cowbridge and in Miskin he founded the castle and town of Llantrisant. Miskin is a village approximately 2 miles south of Llantrisant in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, Wales. A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. Llantrisant is a Town in the County borough of Rhondda Cynon Taff, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales The largely medieval church of the Holy Cross was initially a chapel of ease to the parish church at Llanblethian. In 1307 Earl Gilbert de Clare, grandson of Richard de Clare, began work on the stone fortifications of St Quintins Castle in Llanblethian. Gilbert de Clare 8th Earl of Hertford and 4th Earl of Gloucester (1291 – 24 June 1314) was a powerful Norman noble and St Quintins Castle (also known as St Quentins Castle and Llanblethian Castle) is a Castle located in the village of Llanblethian, Cowbridge
Owain Glyndwr
The Battle of Stalling Down was fought nearby when the large English army of King Henry IV of England met with a combined force of French and Welsh soldiers of Glyndwr in 1403. Owain Glyndŵr (pronounced 'owain glin'dwr or Owain Glyn Dŵr, Anglicised by Shakespeare into Owen Glendower (c The Battle of Stalling Down is a battle reputed to have taken place in the late autumn or early winter of 1403, between the supporters of the Welsh leader Henry IV (3 April 1367 &ndash 20 March 1413 was King of England and Lord of Ireland (1399&ndash1413
Georgian times
The 18th century antiquary, Iolo Morganwg, inventor of the present-day rituals of the National Eisteddfod of Wales kept a bookshop in the High Street, the location of which is now marked with a plaque inscribed with the words 'Y Gwir yn erbyn y Byd' in Welsh and ogham script. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system An antiquarian or antiquary is one concerned with Antiquities or things of the past Iolo Morganwg (or Morgannwg in modern spelling ˈjolo morˈganːug was the Bardic name of Edward Williams ( March 10 1747 &ndash The National Eisteddfod of Wales ( Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru) is the most important of several Eisteddfodau that are held annually mostly in Wales. Ogham (ogam ˈɔɣam Modern Irish or, English) is an Early Medieval Alphabet used primarily to represent the Old Irish language (and It was just outside the town that he held the first meeting of the Gorsedd, an assembly of bards, in 1795. gorsedd (ˈgɔrsɛð plural gorseddau, is a community of Bards The word means "throne" in Welsh. Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Cowbridge Grammar School was founded in 1608 and had close links with Jesus College, Oxford through its later benefactor, Dr Leoline Jenkins. Cowbridge Grammar School was one of the best-known schools in Wales until its closure in 1974 Jesus College (in full Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Sir Leoline Jenkins (1625 &ndash 1 September 1685) was a clerical lawyer serving in the Admiralty courts and diplomat involved in the negotiation of international Its famous pupils included the poet, Alun Lewis, and the actor, Sir Anthony Hopkins. Alun Lewis ( July 1, 1915 - March 5, 1944) was a Poet of the Anglo-Welsh school Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE (born 31 December 1937 is a Welsh Film, stage and Television Actor. The old grammar school eventually became a comprehensive school, and the original buildings, having for some time lain derelict, are about to undergo refurbishment for an alternative use. A grammar school is one of several different types of School in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries A comprehensive school is a Secondary school and State school for children from the age of 11 to at least 16 that does not select children on the basis of academic
Notable buildings
Cowbridge Museum is located in the town hall, a building dating back perhaps as far as the Elizabethan era, which served as a prison until 1830, when it was converted to replace the former Guild Hall, demolished at that date. A city hall or town hall is the chief administrative building of a City or Town 's administration and usually houses the city or Romance and reality The Victorian era and the early twentieth century idealised the Elizabethan era For the game see 1830 (board game. Year 1830 ( MDCCCXXX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display The main street contains a number of Georgian houses, including the former town houses of important local families such as the Edmondes and Carnes. The arts Especially during the mid-18th century the period was marked by cultural vibrancy with the establishment of the British Museum in 1753 and the contributions The Carnes town house is known as Great House, a Grade 2* listed property of Medieval origin.
Modern Times
Cowbridge contains the following inns: the Bear Hotel, the Horse and Groom, the Edmondes Arms, the Duke of Wellington and the Vale of Glamorgan. Inns are establishments where travellers can procure Food, Drink, and Lodging. The last-named is located at the premises of the former Vale of Glamorgan Brewery.
Closely attached to the town of Cowbridge is the village of Aberthin. Aberthin contains the following inns; The Hare and Hounds and The Farmers Arms
Schools
Cowbridge Comprehensive School with approximately 1300 pupils, is one of the best performing secondary schools in Wales. A comprehensive school is a Secondary school and State school for children from the age of 11 to at least 16 that does not select children on the basis of academic Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational Institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling known as Secondary education, takes There are three sites of the school with Lower School being in the south-west of the town and Middle School and Sixth Form in the north-east. The sixth form, in the English, Welsh and Northern Irish education systems Commonwealth West Indian countries such as Barbados, Belize
Famous locals
- Famous people who attended school in Cowbridge include Sir Anthony Hopkins, Alun Lewis and The Automatic. Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, CBE (born 31 December 1937 is a Welsh Film, stage and Television Actor. Alun Lewis ( July 1, 1915 - March 5, 1944) was a Poet of the Anglo-Welsh school The Automatic, (also known as The Automatic Automatic in the U
References
- ^ The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. John Davies, Nigel Jenkins, Menna Baines and Peredur Lynch (2008) pg174. Nigel Jenkins (born 1949 is one of Wales's foremost poets Jenkins is also an editor journalist broadcaster and writer of creative non-fiction ISBN 9780708319536
External links
- Cowbridge Town Website
- Cowbridge.co.uk Website & Web Camera
- www.geograph.co.uk ; photos of Cowbridge and surrounding area
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