Maesgeirchen
Encyclopedia
Maesgeirchen is a large housing estate
on the edge of the city of Bangor
in Gwynedd
, north-west Wales
, with roughly 4,000 inhabitants.
It was originally constructed in the late 1930s, with more homes being added after World War II
and in recent years. In 2003, the local council-owned pre-war homes on the estate underwent an expansive home-improvement scheme funded by the council, which saw them all fitted with double glazing and central heating, as well as maintenance and modernisation work to both the interior and exterior of the buildings. It is the third largest single housing estate in Wales behind Gurnos
, Merthyr Tydfil
, the second largest and Caia Park
in Wrexham
, which is the largest with nearly 12,000 inhabitants.
The estate is located away from the main spread of the city of Bangor, being separated by Bangor Mountain
. The name of the estate is often shortened to a simpler "Maes-G" in casual use, by residents of both the estate and the city. Maesgeirchen was named after the farm Maes-y-geirchen which was situated near Queens Avenue.
The estate has only one road entrance and exit, via "Maes-G Hill" (official road name: Penrhyn Avenue), which gives the residents of Maesgeirchen a strong sense of community. There are also numerous un-made footpaths leading to/from the estate taking one north over Bangor Mountain towards the city and also south towards and through the nearby Llandegai
industrial estate. Recently there have been major environmental works throughout the river area including walkways, paths, and picnic areas designed for use by pedestrians and wheelchair users.
The estate also boasts its own residents organisation and communities first division which is being run by locals. The estate was fitted, in 2002, with CCTV
which covers the majority of streets. It has a social club, a community centre
(Ty Cegin - built with National Lottery
funding as Healthy Living Centre & later taken over by the local Communities First Partnership following cessation of five years of Lottery funding), a newsagent, a post office, a hairdresser, a chip shop, a Chinese take-away, a laundrette, a church and a primary school named Ysgol Glan Cegin. Bus services into the estate were until 2006 provided exclusively by Arriva Buses Wales
, but now have competition from Padarn Bus
following a request by residents unhappy with Arriva's service.
The footpath leading north over Bangor mountain and south to Llandegai is called Lôn Felin Esgob (meaning "Bishop's mill lane"), an old highway with some of the paving still in place.
Maesgeirchen is designated a 'Communities First' area by the Welsh Assembly Government
.
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
on the edge of the city of Bangor
Bangor, Wales
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, north-west 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...
, with roughly 4,000 inhabitants.
It was originally constructed in the late 1930s, with more homes being added after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and in recent years. In 2003, the local council-owned pre-war homes on the estate underwent an expansive home-improvement scheme funded by the council, which saw them all fitted with double glazing and central heating, as well as maintenance and modernisation work to both the interior and exterior of the buildings. It is the third largest single housing estate in Wales behind Gurnos
Gurnos
Gurnos is a community of Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, United Kingdom. It consists principally of the Gurnos Estate, a large housing estate established by Merthyr Tydfil Council in the early 1950s and expanded over many years...
, Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil is a town in Wales, with a population of about 30,000. Although once the largest town in Wales, it is now ranked as the 15th largest urban area in Wales. It also gives its name to a county borough, which has a population of around 55,000. It is located in the historic county of...
, the second largest and Caia Park
Caia Park
Caia Park is a local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It was created in 1985 after a boundary commission review along with four other community areas within the town...
in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, which is the largest with nearly 12,000 inhabitants.
The estate is located away from the main spread of the city of Bangor, being separated by Bangor Mountain
Bangor Mountain
Bangor Mountain is a scarp face of a hill below which the city of Bangor in Gwynedd, Wales, sits.Though not a mountain in the true sense of the word it is so called because of the way it rears up behind Bangor and appears mountainous, especially from the Glan Adda, High Street and Hirael areas of...
. The name of the estate is often shortened to a simpler "Maes-G" in casual use, by residents of both the estate and the city. Maesgeirchen was named after the farm Maes-y-geirchen which was situated near Queens Avenue.
The estate has only one road entrance and exit, via "Maes-G Hill" (official road name: Penrhyn Avenue), which gives the residents of Maesgeirchen a strong sense of community. There are also numerous un-made footpaths leading to/from the estate taking one north over Bangor Mountain towards the city and also south towards and through the nearby Llandegai
Llandegai
Llandygai is a small village on the A5 road between Bangor and Tal-y-Bont in Gwynedd, Wales. It affords a view of the nearby Carneddau mountain range.-Prehistory:There is evidence of human occupation of this site from Neolithic times....
industrial estate. Recently there have been major environmental works throughout the river area including walkways, paths, and picnic areas designed for use by pedestrians and wheelchair users.
The estate also boasts its own residents organisation and communities first division which is being run by locals. The estate was fitted, in 2002, with CCTV
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
which covers the majority of streets. It has a social club, a community centre
Community centre
Community centres or community centers or jumping recreation centers are public locations where members of a community tend to gather for group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. They may sometimes be open for the whole community or for a specialised group within...
(Ty Cegin - built with National Lottery
National Lottery (United Kingdom)
The National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
funding as Healthy Living Centre & later taken over by the local Communities First Partnership following cessation of five years of Lottery funding), a newsagent, a post office, a hairdresser, a chip shop, a Chinese take-away, a laundrette, a church and a primary school named Ysgol Glan Cegin. Bus services into the estate were until 2006 provided exclusively by Arriva Buses Wales
Arriva Buses Wales
Arriva Buses Wales is a division of Arriva that operates bus services in north Wales. It has its origins in the former Crosville Motor Services. Arriva Buses Wales has approximately 700 employees. The company's official name is Arriva Cymru Ltd.-History:...
, but now have competition from Padarn Bus
Padarn Bus
Padarn Bus is a bus company based in Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales. It operates a fleet of around 40 buses on 18 routes in North Wales. Many of its vehicles and routes were acquired when it merged with larger company KMP.-History:...
following a request by residents unhappy with Arriva's service.
The footpath leading north over Bangor mountain and south to Llandegai is called Lôn Felin Esgob (meaning "Bishop's mill lane"), an old highway with some of the paving still in place.
Maesgeirchen is designated a 'Communities First' area by the Welsh Assembly Government
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
.