Dyffryn Clydach
Encyclopedia
Dyffryn Clydach is a community
of Neath Port Talbot
county borough
, Wales
. It is coterminous with the Dyffryn electoral ward.
and Swansea
, Dyffryn Clydach has its own community council
, made up of thirteen councillors. Dyffryn Clydach includes the residential communities of Cwrt Herbert, Dyffryn, Highlands, Longford, Neath Abbey, and Penshannel.
Although covering only 7 km² (2.7 sq mi), the area is packed with history, including the ruins of Neath Abbey
. The current Tesco store is believed to occupy the site of an 11th-century castle.
The more central and northerly parts of the ward are mostly rural, consisting of picturesque farmland and woodland encircling the western base of Mount Drummau. The Clydach Brook flows through Dyffryn Clydach in a north to south direction, passing Neath Abbey
. The woodland surrounding the river forms a public park.
to the south of the community area with a junction onto the A465
trunk road
which, heading east, joins the M4 Motorway
at Junction 43, less than five minutes away. There are three local schools: Neath Abbey infant
and Early Years School, Mynachlog Nedd Juniors, and Dwr Y Felin Lower School.
Near the business park are located the ruins of the Cistercian monastery
of Mynachlog Nedd
, the Tennant Canal
, and Neath Abbey Ironworks
. There is much woodland
in the area with footpaths maintained by the community council.
Longford Memorial Hall is a recently refurbished community centre and village hall
and has two committee rooms. There is also a community centre at Cwrt Herbert.
, Cwrt Herbert, Longford, Neath Abbey
, Darran Wood, Rhydhir, and Stanley Wood in the parliamentary constituency of Neath
.
Dyffryn is bounded to the north by Allt-Wen ward; to the east by Bryncoch North
and Bryncoch South
; to the south by Neath East
; to the southwest by Coedffranc North
and Coedffranc Central
; and to the west by the wards of Llansamlet and Clydach
(both in Swansea
).
Voter turnout
in the local council elections of 2008
was 49.1%. The results were:
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....
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
County borough
County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty 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...
. It is coterminous with the Dyffryn electoral ward.
Description
Located in an area of South Wales between NeathNeath
Neath is a town and community situated in the principal area of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, UK with a population of approximately 45,898 in 2001...
and Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Dyffryn Clydach has its own community council
Community council
A community council is a public representative body in Great Britain.In England they may be statutory parish councils by another name, under the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007, or they may be non-statutory bodies...
, made up of thirteen councillors. Dyffryn Clydach includes the residential communities of Cwrt Herbert, Dyffryn, Highlands, Longford, Neath Abbey, and Penshannel.
Although covering only 7 km² (2.7 sq mi), the area is packed with history, including the ruins of Neath Abbey
Neath Abbey
Neath Abbey was a Cistercian monastery, located near the present-day town of Neath in southern Wales, UK.It was once the largest abbey in Wales. Substantial ruins can still be seen, and are in the care of Cadw...
. The current Tesco store is believed to occupy the site of an 11th-century castle.
The more central and northerly parts of the ward are mostly rural, consisting of picturesque farmland and woodland encircling the western base of Mount Drummau. The Clydach Brook flows through Dyffryn Clydach in a north to south direction, passing Neath Abbey
Neath Abbey
Neath Abbey was a Cistercian monastery, located near the present-day town of Neath in southern Wales, UK.It was once the largest abbey in Wales. Substantial ruins can still be seen, and are in the care of Cadw...
. The woodland surrounding the river forms a public park.
Amenities
There is a business parkBusiness park
A business park or office park is an area of land in which many office buildings are grouped together. All of the work that goes on is commercial, not industrial or residential....
to the south of the community area with a junction onto the A465
A465 road
The A465 is a major road in south Wales. It is more commonly known as the Heads of the Valleys Road because it joins together the north ends of the South Wales Valleys...
trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
which, heading east, joins the M4 Motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
at Junction 43, less than five minutes away. There are three local schools: Neath Abbey infant
Infant school
An Infant school is a term used primarily in the United Kingdom for school for children between the ages of four and seven years. It is usually a small school serving a particular locality....
and Early Years School, Mynachlog Nedd Juniors, and Dwr Y Felin Lower School.
Near the business park are located the ruins of the Cistercian monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
of Mynachlog Nedd
Neath Abbey
Neath Abbey was a Cistercian monastery, located near the present-day town of Neath in southern Wales, UK.It was once the largest abbey in Wales. Substantial ruins can still be seen, and are in the care of Cadw...
, the Tennant Canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
, and Neath Abbey Ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
. There is much woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
in the area with footpaths maintained by the community council.
Longford Memorial Hall is a recently refurbished community centre and village hall
Village hall
In the United States, a village hall is the seat of government for villages. It functions much as a city hall does within cities.In the United Kingdom, a village hall is usually a building within a village which contains at least one large room, usually owned by and run for the benefit of the local...
and has two committee rooms. There is also a community centre at Cwrt Herbert.
Dyffryn electoral ward
The Dyffryn electoral ward comprises some or all of the following areas: BryncochBryncoch
Bryncoch is a suburb of the town of Neath in Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The name derives from the Welsh 'red hill' , originally the name of a nearby farm.Bryncoch is divided into two wards: Bryncoch North and Bryncoch South...
, Cwrt Herbert, Longford, Neath Abbey
Neath Abbey
Neath Abbey was a Cistercian monastery, located near the present-day town of Neath in southern Wales, UK.It was once the largest abbey in Wales. Substantial ruins can still be seen, and are in the care of Cadw...
, Darran Wood, Rhydhir, and Stanley Wood in the parliamentary constituency of Neath
Neath (UK Parliament constituency)
Neath is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election and one Assembly Member by the first past the post system of election.- The Constituency of Neath :The constituency...
.
Dyffryn is bounded to the north by Allt-Wen ward; to the east by Bryncoch North
Bryncoch North
Bryncoch North is an electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales forming part of the parish of Blaenhonddan.Bryncoch North covers some or all of the following Areas: Bryncoch and Gilfach in the parliamentary constituency of Neath...
and Bryncoch South
Bryncoch South
Bryncoch South is an electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales forming part of the parish of Blaenhonddan.Bryncoch South covers some or all of the following areas: Bryncoch, Caewern and Rhydding in the parliamentary constituency of Neath. Bryncoch South is an almost completely...
; to the south by Neath East
Neath East
Neath East is an electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. Neath East falls within the community of Neath.Neath East includes some or all of the neighbourhoods of Melincryddan, Pencaerau, Penrhiwtyn in the parliamentary constituency of Neath...
; to the southwest by Coedffranc North
Coedffranc North
Coedffranc North is an electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. is a part of the Coedffranc community and falls within the parliamentary constituency of Aberavon....
and Coedffranc Central
Coedffranc Central
Coedffranc Central is an electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough, Wales. Coedffranc Central is a part of the Coedffranc community and falls within the parliamentary constituency of Aberavon....
; and to the west by the wards of Llansamlet and Clydach
Clydach (electoral ward)
Clydach is the name of an electoral ward, a community and a town in the City and County of Swansea, Wales, UK. The town has its own elected community council serving the community....
(both in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
).
Voter turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
in the local council elections of 2008
United Kingdom local elections, 2008
The 2008 United Kingdom local elections were held on 1 May 2008. These elections took place in 137 English Local Authorities and all Welsh Councils....
was 49.1%. The results were:
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Martyn Peters | Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966... |
958 | Plaid Cymru hold |
| Stephen Absalom | Independent | 302 |