Bedwas
Encyclopedia
Bedwas is a town
two miles north-east of Caerphilly
, south Wales
, situated in the Caerphilly county borough
, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire
.
Bedwas neighbours Trethomas
and Machen
, and forms a council ward in conjunction with those communities.
, a small village not far from Bedwas, was called Upper Bedwas. The two villages became known as what we know them today in the 19th century. Bedwas owes much of its own development to the development of the South Wales coalfield
and the Welsh coal mining
industry http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/372503. This is depicted in the early Census
records. According to the 1811 census, Lower Bedwas consisted of 47 occupied houses and 65 families. 59 of these families were engaged in agriculture and 6 in trade, manufacture and handicraft. There were 254 residents in Lower Bedwas in 1811, 130 males and 124 females. By 1911, the population had risen to 3231 according to the census. In the late 19th century it was home to four coal pits and the construction of a large-scale colliery, Bedwas Navigation Colliery
, had been completed by 1913. The colliery had an explosion in 1912.
and formerly a warehouse for General Electric
.
who are currently in the Welsh Premier league and also has an active comprehensive school
side. There is also a longstanding Junior Football team BTM FC that has served the area for the past 30 years http://www.btmunited.co.uk, the club runs girls & boys Mini teams and boys Junior teams and currently plays in the Newport & District Youth League but will next year be back in the Taff Ely & Rymney Valley League. Past players for BTM include former Cardiff City captain and Wales International Jason Perry
, Nottingham Forest's Christian Edwards
and Coventry City's David Pipe
. The club was also an important part of the Bedwas and Trethomas Community Association which after over 10 years of fighting last year succeeded in getting a community hall built on the clubs site at Bryn Field, Bedwas which allows the club access to the excellent facilities the hall offers.
is dedicated to St. Barrwg who was a disciple of St David and had a hermitage on what is now Barry (Barrwg) Island. The church is affiliated to the Church in Wales
. It has a saddle-back tower and dates back at least to the 12th Century, first appearing in historical records in 1102.
The current (2009) rector is the Rev Peter Crocker.
passed through Bedwas in November 1854. He recorded it in his later book of his travels 'Wild Wales
' as Pentref Bettws which he said meant village of the bead-house.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
two miles north-east of Caerphilly
Caerphilly
Caerphilly is a town in the county borough of Caerphilly, south Wales, located at the southern end of the Rhymney Valley, with a population of approximately 31,000. It is a commuter town of Cardiff and Newport, which are located some 7.5 miles and 12 miles away, respectively...
, south 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...
, situated in the Caerphilly county borough
Caerphilly (county borough)
Caerphilly is a county borough in southern Wales, straddling the ancient county boundary between Glamorgan and Monmouthshire.Its main town is Caerphilly, and also the largest...
, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
.
Bedwas neighbours Trethomas
Trethomas
Trethomas is a small village 2½ miles north-east of Caerphilly, south-east Wales, situated in the Caerphilly county borough, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire....
and Machen
Machen
Machen is a large village 3 miles east of Caerphilly, south Wales, situated in the Caerphilly borough within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It neighbours Bedwas and Trethomas, and forms a council ward in conjunction with those communities. It lies on the Rhymney River.-Mynydd...
, and forms a council ward in conjunction with those communities.
Early history
Traditionally a farming community, http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/22441 Bedwas was originally called Lower Bedwas. MaesycwmmerMaesycwmmer
Maesycwmmer is a village and community in the centre of Caerphilly County Borough in Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.- Origin of the name :...
, a small village not far from Bedwas, was called Upper Bedwas. The two villages became known as what we know them today in the 19th century. Bedwas owes much of its own development to the development of the South Wales coalfield
South Wales Coalfield
The South Wales Coalfield is a large region of south Wales that is rich with coal deposits, especially the South Wales Valleys.-The coalfield area:...
and the Welsh coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
industry http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/372503. This is depicted in the early Census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
records. According to the 1811 census, Lower Bedwas consisted of 47 occupied houses and 65 families. 59 of these families were engaged in agriculture and 6 in trade, manufacture and handicraft. There were 254 residents in Lower Bedwas in 1811, 130 males and 124 females. By 1911, the population had risen to 3231 according to the census. In the late 19th century it was home to four coal pits and the construction of a large-scale colliery, Bedwas Navigation Colliery
Bedwas Navigation Colliery
Bedwas Navigation Colliery was a coal mine that was located in the small Welsh village of Bedwas. Situated 2 miles north of Caerphilly, the colliery opened in 1913 and in 1939 produced 675,000 tonnes of coal in single year....
, had been completed by 1913. The colliery had an explosion in 1912.
After coal mining
Bedwas Navigation Colliery, along with other collieries, closed in the Miners' Strike of 1984-85, and did not reopen. Light industry replaced mining as the main local employer. Bedwas House Industrial Estate houses the home of the nationwide brand Peters Pies, local depot for Stagecoach BusesStagecoach
A stagecoach is a type of covered wagon for passengers and goods, strongly sprung and drawn by four horses, usually four-in-hand. Widely used before the introduction of railway transport, it made regular trips between stages or stations, which were places of rest provided for stagecoach travelers...
and formerly a warehouse for General Electric
General Electric
General Electric Company , or GE, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation incorporated in Schenectady, New York and headquartered in Fairfield, Connecticut, United States...
.
Sport
The Bridge Field is home to Bedwas RFCBedwas RFC
Bedwas RFC is a rugby union club located in the Welsh village of Bedwas. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons.-Club history:...
who are currently in the Welsh Premier league and also has an active comprehensive school
Bedwas High School
Bedwas High School, formerly known as Bedwas Comprehensive School, is a comprehensive school located east of the Welsh village of Bedwas, Caerphilly county borough, south Wales...
side. There is also a longstanding Junior Football team BTM FC that has served the area for the past 30 years http://www.btmunited.co.uk, the club runs girls & boys Mini teams and boys Junior teams and currently plays in the Newport & District Youth League but will next year be back in the Taff Ely & Rymney Valley League. Past players for BTM include former Cardiff City captain and Wales International Jason Perry
Jason Perry (footballer)
Jason Perry is a Welsh former professional footballer and Wales international. A centre-half, he was highly regarded by supporters for his strong tackling and uncompromising style...
, Nottingham Forest's Christian Edwards
Christian Edwards
Christian Edwards is a Welsh professional footballer. He plays in the centre of defence and has also played on the right...
and Coventry City's David Pipe
David Pipe
David Ronald Pipe is a Welsh international footballer who plays professionally for Newport County, as a midfielder.-Career:...
. The club was also an important part of the Bedwas and Trethomas Community Association which after over 10 years of fighting last year succeeded in getting a community hall built on the clubs site at Bryn Field, Bedwas which allows the club access to the excellent facilities the hall offers.
Parish church
The parish churchParish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
is dedicated to St. Barrwg who was a disciple of St David and had a hermitage on what is now Barry (Barrwg) Island. The church is affiliated to the Church in Wales
Church in Wales
The Church in Wales is the Anglican church in Wales, composed of six dioceses.As with the primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales serves concurrently as one of the six diocesan bishops. The current archbishop is Barry Morgan, the Bishop of Llandaff.In contrast to the...
. It has a saddle-back tower and dates back at least to the 12th Century, first appearing in historical records in 1102.
The current (2009) rector is the Rev Peter Crocker.
Literary association
George BorrowGeorge Borrow
George Henry Borrow was an English author who wrote novels and travelogues based on his own experiences around Europe. Over the course of his wanderings, he developed a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe. They figure prominently in his work...
passed through Bedwas in November 1854. He recorded it in his later book of his travels 'Wild Wales
Wild Wales
Wild Wales: Its People, Language and Scenery is a travel book by the English Victorian gentleman writer George Borrow, , first published in 1862....
' as Pentref Bettws which he said meant village of the bead-house.