Baglan
Encyclopedia
Baglan is a village
in Wales
. The village is named after Saint Baglan (earliest reference is to 'Bagelan' and dates from 1199). Baglan is also the name of a community
which is coterminous with the village and an electoral ward, in the administrative region of Neath Port Talbot
county borough. In 2001, the population of the Baglan electoral ward
was 6,654.
Baglan is located on the side of a steep hill
and is surrounded by two main hills, Mynydd-y-Gaer (to the north) and Mynydd Dinas (to the east). The moors and Baglan Bay are to the SW. The village contains a number of historical buildings such as Baglan House, St. Catharine's Church, and St. Baglan's Church. The first St. Baglan's Church is now a shell after a fire in 1954. St. Catherine's Church was designed by Welsh architect
John Prichard
, an exponent of the neo-Gothic
style and dedicated in 1882. Baglan House was one of the seats of the Villiers
family, earl
s of Jersey
.
To the south east of the village lie industrial areas called Baglan Moors and Baglan Bay
.
The village has a railway station, Baglan railway station
on the South Wales Main Line
with trains to Cardiff Central railway station
& Swansea railway station
, served by Arriva Trains Wales
, with through services (i.e. non stop) served by First Great Western
.
with there being a tumulus called Twyn Disgwylfa on Mynydd Dinas and a round barrow within the hillfort of Buarth-y-Gaer. There are also Iron Age
hillforts on the surrounding hill called Mynydd-y-Gaer . The Roman
road (Via Julia) very possibly passed through the village, although the statement that there was once a Roman milestone
at the junction of Old Road and Albion Road Approach is erroneous (the milestone in question is actually from Pyle
). Later, a Dark Age (Early Christian period) church was founded here, as can be seen from a few local Early Christian stones, especially the Cross of Brancu (dated 9th - 10th century) which is in the vestry of St Catherine's church. The inscription on the Cross of Brancu(f) could be a dedication to Brancuf, or reads as Brancu f(ecit). i.e. was made by Brancu or may be Brancu followed by a chi-rho monogram. (the name Brancu is preceded by a simple Latin cross in any case). According to tradition the church was founded by the aforementioned St Baglan.
In the medieval period, the church (dedicated to St Baglan) was rebuilt seemingly on the same site. The church burnt down in 1954 although ruins still exist at the top of the churchyard of St Catharine's church. There were two medieval castles within the parish
boundary. The first is a motte
castle on Mynydd Dinas called 'Castell Bolan'. The motte is now covered in trees (and not readily accessible) and is much closer to the village of Cwmafan
than to the village of Baglan. The other is closer to Baglan and is known by the name 'Plas Baglan'. This is sited above the Baglan Brook and is heavily overgrown (and not readily accessible). Although more usually thought of as a manor house
than a castle, it is a "strongly fortified site, a castle rather than a moated site ... a masonry castle that existed by the 13th century". It did, however, become a manor house and had literary associations in the 15th & 16th centuries. Several house platforms from the medieval period also exist on the hills behind the village.
, Baglan Football Club, Baglan Cricket Club and Baglan Bulldogs boxing club.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. The village is named after Saint Baglan (earliest reference is to 'Bagelan' and dates from 1199). Baglan is also the name of a community
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
which is coterminous with the village and an electoral ward, in the administrative region of Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot
Neath Port Talbot is a county borough and one of the unitary authority areas of Wales. Neath Port Talbot is the 8th most populous county in Wales and the third most populous county borough....
county borough. In 2001, the population of the Baglan electoral ward
Baglan (electoral ward)
The Baglan electoral ward includes the communities of Baglan and Baglan Bay, in Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. Baglan falls within the parliamentary constituency of Aberavon....
was 6,654.
Baglan is located on the side of a steep hill
Hill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
and is surrounded by two main hills, Mynydd-y-Gaer (to the north) and Mynydd Dinas (to the east). The moors and Baglan Bay are to the SW. The village contains a number of historical buildings such as Baglan House, St. Catharine's Church, and St. Baglan's Church. The first St. Baglan's Church is now a shell after a fire in 1954. St. Catherine's Church was designed by Welsh architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
John Prichard
John Prichard
John Prichard was a Welsh architect of the neo-Gothic style. John Prichard was the son of Richard Prichard a rector from Llangan, Glamorgan and was born on 6 May 1817. He established a practice in Llandaff, Cardiff where he became the diocesan architect. Between 1852 and 1863 he set up a...
, an exponent of the neo-Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
style and dedicated in 1882. Baglan House was one of the seats of the Villiers
Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey
Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey son of Sir Edward Villiers of Richmond and Frances Howard, the youngest daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk and Elizabeth Hume, was created Baron Villiers and Viscount Villiers in 1691 and Earl of Jersey in 1697.His grandfather, Sir Edward...
family, earl
Earl
An earl is a member of the nobility. The title is Anglo-Saxon, akin to the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant "chieftain", particularly a chieftain set to rule a territory in a king's stead. In Scandinavia, it became obsolete in the Middle Ages and was replaced with duke...
s of Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
.
To the south east of the village lie industrial areas called Baglan Moors and Baglan Bay
Baglan Bay
Baglan Bay is a part of the Swansea Bay coastline and a district of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. The area currently has no inhabitants and is entirely occupied by industrial and commercial developments. Baglan Bay is also the name of a local government community coterminous with the...
.
The village has a railway station, Baglan railway station
Baglan railway station
Baglan railway station is a minor railway station in the village of Baglan, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. It is a stop on the South Wales Main Line, served by Arriva Trains Wales Swanline regional trains between Swansea and Cardiff....
on the South Wales Main Line
South Wales Main Line
The South Wales Main Line , originally known as the London, Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway or simply as the Bristol and South Wales Direct Railway, is a branch of the Great Western Main Line in Great Britain...
with trains to Cardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station
Cardiff Central railway station is a major railway station on the South Wales Main Line in Cardiff, Wales.It is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network, the tenth busiest station in the United Kingdom outside of London , based on 2007/08...
& Swansea railway station
Swansea railway station
Swansea railway station is a railway station that serves Swansea, Wales. The station is one of four in the City and County of Swansea and is the fourth busiest in Wales after Cardiff Central, Cardiff Queen Street and Newport.-History:...
, served by Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales
Arriva Trains Wales is a train operating company, owned by Arriva, that operates urban and inter urban passenger services in Wales and the Welsh Marches...
, with through services (i.e. non stop) served by First Great Western
First Great Western
First Great Western is the operating name of First Greater Western Ltd, a British train operating company owned by FirstGroup that serves Greater London, the South East, South West and West Midlands regions of England, and South Wales....
.
Early history
The earliest evidence of settlement here dates back to the Bronze AgeBronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
with there being a tumulus called Twyn Disgwylfa on Mynydd Dinas and a round barrow within the hillfort of Buarth-y-Gaer. There are also Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
hillforts on the surrounding hill called Mynydd-y-Gaer . The Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
road (Via Julia) very possibly passed through the village, although the statement that there was once a Roman milestone
Milestone
A milestone is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road or boundary at intervals of one mile or occasionally, parts of a mile. They are typically located at the side of the road or in a median. They are alternatively known as mile markers, mileposts or mile posts...
at the junction of Old Road and Albion Road Approach is erroneous (the milestone in question is actually from Pyle
Pyle
Pyle is a village and community in Bridgend county borough, Wales. Pyle railway station is on the Cardiff - Swansea section of the London - South Wales main line....
). Later, a Dark Age (Early Christian period) church was founded here, as can be seen from a few local Early Christian stones, especially the Cross of Brancu (dated 9th - 10th century) which is in the vestry of St Catherine's church. The inscription on the Cross of Brancu(f) could be a dedication to Brancuf, or reads as Brancu f(ecit). i.e. was made by Brancu or may be Brancu followed by a chi-rho monogram. (the name Brancu is preceded by a simple Latin cross in any case). According to tradition the church was founded by the aforementioned St Baglan.
In the medieval period, the church (dedicated to St Baglan) was rebuilt seemingly on the same site. The church burnt down in 1954 although ruins still exist at the top of the churchyard of St Catharine's church. There were two medieval castles within the parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
boundary. The first is a motte
Motte-and-bailey
A motte-and-bailey is a form of castle, with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised earthwork called a motte, accompanied by an enclosed courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade...
castle on Mynydd Dinas called 'Castell Bolan'. The motte is now covered in trees (and not readily accessible) and is much closer to the village of Cwmafan
Cwmafan
Cwmafan is a large village and community in the Afan valley in Wales, lying within Neath Port Talbot County Borough. It has a population of 5,603. In many ways it is a suburb of the nearby town of Port Talbot which is less than to the south, but it is separated from the town by the local...
than to the village of Baglan. The other is closer to Baglan and is known by the name 'Plas Baglan'. This is sited above the Baglan Brook and is heavily overgrown (and not readily accessible). Although more usually thought of as a manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
than a castle, it is a "strongly fortified site, a castle rather than a moated site ... a masonry castle that existed by the 13th century". It did, however, become a manor house and had literary associations in the 15th & 16th centuries. Several house platforms from the medieval period also exist on the hills behind the village.
Sport
Baglan is home to four sporting associations; Baglan Rugby Football ClubBaglan RFC
Baglan Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team based in Baglan, Port Talbot, Wales, UK. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Ospreys....
, Baglan Football Club, Baglan Cricket Club and Baglan Bulldogs boxing club.
Community Groups
Baglan is home to the Harmonelles Jazz Band (formerly known as the Baglan Blue Peters) winners of the 2007 world jazz band championships (division 2).External links
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Baglan and surrounding area
- http://www.sandfieldsbaglanboxing.co.uk/about.html