Pendoylan
Encyclopedia
Pendoylan is a rural
village in the Vale of Glamorgan
, Wales
, which has won many awards in Best Kept Village competitions and contains 27 entries in the Council's County Treasures database, 13 of which are listed buildings.
and the M4 motorway
in the Border Vale. It slopes down from an escarpment
in the west, the site of Hensol Forest, and is bounded in the East by the River Ely
. Tredodridge
lies to the northwest.
in the east and there is a motte
with possible signs of a bailey
in the north. The parish church
, which is dedicated to St Cadoc
(born circa 497), may well have been founded in his lifetime and there is a well named after him and one after St Teilo. The fertile land at Caerwigau was acquired by the Norman
de Bonvils and in the twelfth century, 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) were granted to the Knights Hospitallers who rented it out to the monks of Margham. They later acquired further land and erected a chapel
in the 12th century. There is a well preserved moat
from a 13th or 14th century homestead at Caerwigau. In the 14th century a family known as “Llewelyn of Caerwigga” were established. The old manor house
was founded in Tudor times
and stands today as Caerwigau Isaf, a Grade II listed building. The first record of a priest of Pendoylan is early in the 13th century. He is one “Urban” “Sacredos de Pondewelin” but there is a fairly complete list of incumbents from Elizabethan times
.
The estate at Hensol dates at least from the early 15th century and Hensol House (now Grade I listed Hensol Castle)]] was built in the 16th century. It has been home to a succession of eminent people including Judge David Jenkins
(1582–1663) the staunch royalist
who nearly lost his head in the civil war
, Charles Talbot (1685–1737) who served in Walpole's government becoming Lord Chancellor
in 1733 and taking the title Baron Talbot of Hensol, Benjamin Hall
(1778–1817), whose son became Baron Lanover
and may have given his name to the Palace of Westminster's
“Big Ben”
, the “Iron King” of Merthyr Tydfil
William Crawshay II
(1788–1867) who later built Cyfarthfa Castle
, another ironmaster
, Rowland Fothergill (1794–1871) of Abernant who in 1853 commissioned David Brandon to rebuild Pendoylan Parish Church and his sister Mary (1797–1887) who built and endowed a new school building for Pendoylan in his memory in 1873.
Following Pendoylan having won the Environment Category in the 2004 Calor Village of the Year for Wales competition, Prince Charles
and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visited the village and met residents on 14 July 2005 . He presented a plaque and said in his speech "It is a real joy to see such a wonderful functioning village with such a sense of community".
is dedicated to Saint Cadoc
. It contains some interesting features which can definitely be assigned to pre-reformation times, the chancel arch being in the early perpendicular style of the 14th century. Other features are of 14th, 15th and 16th century perpendicular with 19th century alterations. There is a row of six cottages just to the north of the church that were built in 1817 as almshouses from a bequest of £50 from Earl Talbot of Hensol and £50 from one Philip John. They were of very basic one up one down plus kitchen construction with a fireplace stair. No. 1 was subsequently rebuilt as a school.
The village school is a Church in Wales
Primary School It was under threat of closure in the 1980s, the roll having fallen from 103 in 1981 to 74 in 1986. Since the arrival of a new head teacher in 1994, it has become much more popular, with up to 220 pupils, many of whom travel from outside the parish. Old temporary buildings are being replaced with permanent structures in 2011/12. Inspectors in 2008 said the following.
The village pub is called 'The Red Lion'. Records of this inn date back to the early 19th century, when the publican was also a farmer, but it is probably older than that. It closed in July 2010 and re-opened in October 2011, following a complete refubishment. As well as a bar, there is a 150-seat restaurant with a downstairs and an upstairs dining area, which has a terrace providing views over the Ely valley and beyond.
There is also a Chapel
which houses the Bethania Presbyterian
Church (originally Calvanistic Methodism
) and a Village Hall
built in the 1930s as a memorial to those who died in the first world war
.
The Vale Resort is located at Hensol in the North of Pendoylan, close to Junction 34 of the M4. It consists of a four star hotel, two championship golf courses and a leisure centre, featuring a swimming pool and spacious gym.
Rural
Rural areas or the country or countryside are areas that are not urbanized, though when large areas are described, country towns and smaller cities will be included. They have a low population density, and typically much of the land is devoted to agriculture...
village in the Vale of Glamorgan
Vale of Glamorgan
The Vale of Glamorgan is a county borough in Wales; an exceptionally rich agricultural area, it lies in the southern part of Glamorgan, South Wales...
, 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...
, which has won many awards in Best Kept Village competitions and contains 27 entries in the Council's County Treasures database, 13 of which are listed buildings.
Location
The area of the parish of Pendoylan, some 1500 hectares, is situated between the A48 roadA48 road
The A48 is a major trunk road in Great Britain. It runs from the A40 at Highnam west of Gloucester to the A40 at Carmarthen. Before the construction of the M4 motorway and the first Severn Bridge in the mid 1960s it was the principal route into South Wales. For most of its journey through Wales,...
and 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...
in the Border Vale. It slopes down from an escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
in the west, the site of Hensol Forest, and is bounded in the East by the River Ely
River Ely
The River Ely is a river in South Wales flowing generally south east, from Tonyrefail to the capital city of Cardiff.-Course of the river:...
. Tredodridge
Tredodridge
Tredodridge is a hamlet in the Vale of Glamorgan. It lies along a country lane, to the northwest of Pendoylan and southwest of Clawddcoch. It contains Brynteg House, once occupied by James Somerset.To the northwest of the hamlet is the Vale of Glamorgan Golf Club and Hensol Castle....
lies to the northwest.
History
The area of the community of Pendoylan is rich in history. There is evidence of prehistoric activity in two cooking moundsBurnt mound
A burnt mound is an archaeological feature consisting of a mound of shattered stones and charcoal, normally with an adjacent hearth and trough. The trough could be rock-cut, wood-lined or clay-lined to ensure it was watertight...
in the east and there 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...
with possible signs of a bailey
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...
in the north. The parish church
Parish 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....
, which is dedicated to St Cadoc
Cadoc
Saint Cadoc , Abbot of Llancarfan, was one of the 6th century British Christian saints. His vita twice mentions King Arthur. The Abbey of Llancarfan, near Cowbridge in Glamorganshire, which he founded circa 518, became famous as a centre of learning...
(born circa 497), may well have been founded in his lifetime and there is a well named after him and one after St Teilo. The fertile land at Caerwigau was acquired by the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
de Bonvils and in the twelfth century, 40 acres (161,874.4 m²) were granted to the Knights Hospitallers who rented it out to the monks of Margham. They later acquired further land and erected a chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
in the 12th century. There is a well preserved moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
from a 13th or 14th century homestead at Caerwigau. In the 14th century a family known as “Llewelyn of Caerwigga” were established. The old 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...
was founded in Tudor times
Tudor period
The Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
and stands today as Caerwigau Isaf, a Grade II listed building. The first record of a priest of Pendoylan is early in the 13th century. He is one “Urban” “Sacredos de Pondewelin” but there is a fairly complete list of incumbents from Elizabethan times
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
.
The estate at Hensol dates at least from the early 15th century and Hensol House (now Grade I listed Hensol Castle)]] was built in the 16th century. It has been home to a succession of eminent people including Judge David Jenkins
David Jenkins (Royalist)
David Jenkins was a Welsh judge and Royalist during the English Civil War.Jenkins was born at Pendeulwyn , Glamorgan, son of a well-established gentry family. He was educated at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, admitted to Gray's Inn on 5 November 1602 and called to the bar in 1609...
(1582–1663) the staunch royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
who nearly lost his head in the civil war
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Charles Talbot (1685–1737) who served in Walpole's government becoming Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
in 1733 and taking the title Baron Talbot of Hensol, Benjamin Hall
Benjamin Hall (ironmaster)
Benjamin Hall, FRS was an industrialist and a prominent figure in South Wales.- Background, Education & Connections :...
(1778–1817), whose son became Baron Lanover
Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover
Benjamin Hall, 1st Baron Llanover PC , known as Sir Benjamin Hall, Bt, between 1838 and 1859, was a British civil engineer and politician.-Political career:...
and may have given his name to the Palace of Westminster's
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
“Big Ben”
Clock Tower, Palace of Westminster
Big Ben is the nickname for the great bell of the clock at the north end of the Palace of Westminster in London, and is generally extended to refer to the clock or the clock tower as well. It is the largest four-faced chiming clock and the third-tallest free-standing clock tower in the world...
, the “Iron King” of 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...
William Crawshay II
William Crawshay II
William Crawshay II was the son of William Crawshay I, the owner of Cyfarthfa Ironworks in Merthyr Tydfil, south Wales....
(1788–1867) who later built Cyfarthfa Castle
Cyfarthfa Castle
Cyfarthfa Castle is the former home of the Crawshay family, historical ironmasters of Cyfarthfa Ironworks in Park, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. Despite appearing superficially to be a fortified building it is a house built in the style of a large mansion...
, another ironmaster
Ironmaster
An ironmaster is the manager – and usually owner – of a forge or blast furnace for the processing of iron. It is a term mainly associated with the period of the Industrial Revolution, especially in Great Britain....
, Rowland Fothergill (1794–1871) of Abernant who in 1853 commissioned David Brandon to rebuild Pendoylan Parish Church and his sister Mary (1797–1887) who built and endowed a new school building for Pendoylan in his memory in 1873.
Following Pendoylan having won the Environment Category in the 2004 Calor Village of the Year for Wales competition, Prince Charles
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, visited the village and met residents on 14 July 2005 . He presented a plaque and said in his speech "It is a real joy to see such a wonderful functioning village with such a sense of community".
Amenities
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 Saint Cadoc
Cadoc
Saint Cadoc , Abbot of Llancarfan, was one of the 6th century British Christian saints. His vita twice mentions King Arthur. The Abbey of Llancarfan, near Cowbridge in Glamorganshire, which he founded circa 518, became famous as a centre of learning...
. It contains some interesting features which can definitely be assigned to pre-reformation times, the chancel arch being in the early perpendicular style of the 14th century. Other features are of 14th, 15th and 16th century perpendicular with 19th century alterations. There is a row of six cottages just to the north of the church that were built in 1817 as almshouses from a bequest of £50 from Earl Talbot of Hensol and £50 from one Philip John. They were of very basic one up one down plus kitchen construction with a fireplace stair. No. 1 was subsequently rebuilt as a school.
The village school is a 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...
Primary School It was under threat of closure in the 1980s, the roll having fallen from 103 in 1981 to 74 in 1986. Since the arrival of a new head teacher in 1994, it has become much more popular, with up to 220 pupils, many of whom travel from outside the parish. Old temporary buildings are being replaced with permanent structures in 2011/12. Inspectors in 2008 said the following.
"This is a good school with many outstanding features. Pupils make very good progress and achieve high standards because of the very good teaching they receive. The provision is of high quality and the school leadership successfully promotes a caring Christian ethos, which is appreciated by parents and pupils alike. Throughout the school, pupils make outstanding progress in their learning and achieve high standards. Pupils succeed regardless of their social, ethnic or linguistic backgrounds and make very good progress towards fulfilling their potential. They are very well prepared for the next phase of their education."
The village pub is called 'The Red Lion'. Records of this inn date back to the early 19th century, when the publican was also a farmer, but it is probably older than that. It closed in July 2010 and re-opened in October 2011, following a complete refubishment. As well as a bar, there is a 150-seat restaurant with a downstairs and an upstairs dining area, which has a terrace providing views over the Ely valley and beyond.
There is also a Chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
which houses the Bethania Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
Church (originally Calvanistic Methodism
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
) and a 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...
built in the 1930s as a memorial to those who died in the first world war
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
The Vale Resort is located at Hensol in the North of Pendoylan, close to Junction 34 of the M4. It consists of a four star hotel, two championship golf courses and a leisure centre, featuring a swimming pool and spacious gym.