Pillgwenlly
Encyclopedia
Pillgwenlly is an electoral district (ward) and coterminous community parish
in the city of Newport
, South Wales
. The area is governed by the Newport City Council
.
word for a water inlet or harbour and 'Gwenlly' a corruption of the name of Saint
Gwynllyw
, the name meaning Gwynllyw's harbour. Supposedly it derives from the period when Gwynllyw was a pirate and he based his ships in this area.
to the east and southeast, the Ebbw River
to the southwest, the Great Western Main Line
to the west and Cardiff Road to the north.
district to the south of the city centre
and the built-up area is commonly shortened to "Pill". It contains the Newport Docks
and the western ends of the Newport Transporter Bridge
, City Bridge
and George Street Bridge.
Pill is known for its close-knit community spirit and a large number of immigrants which contribute to its ethnic diversity. Pill has a large majority of foreign descent within the city due to being host to The Old Town Docks where a large influx of English and Irish immigrants among others came to work. The streets of Pill also play host to the Pill Carnival on the last weekend of every August. The Old Town Dock area is currently undergoing a huge mixed-use regeneration to bring the derelict dock lands back into use. A lively market takes place on a Saturday morning at the Newport Auctions site.
Portland Street in Pill was the birthplace for the famous "Tramp Poet" W. H. Davies
and the nearby Church House Inn, where he was brought up by his grandparents, has a commemorative blue plaque.
is a successful rugby union
team affiliated to the Welsh Rugby Union
, whose membership was historically made up from the local dock workers. In its past it supplied many players to both Newport and Wales
.
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...
in the city of Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, South Wales
South Wales
South Wales is an area of Wales bordered by England and the Bristol Channel to the east and south, and Mid Wales and West Wales to the north and west. The most densely populated region in the south-west of the United Kingdom, it is home to around 2.1 million people and includes the capital city of...
. The area is governed by the Newport City Council
Newport City Council
Newport City Council is the governing body for the city of Newport, one of the subdivisions of Wales within the United Kingdom. It consists of 50 councillors, representing the city's 20 wards. Since the 2008 election, the council has been controlled jointly by the Conservatives and Liberal...
.
Origin of the name
Its name comes from 'Pill' the Welsh languageWelsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
word for a water inlet or harbour and 'Gwenlly' a corruption of the name of Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
Gwynllyw
Gwynllyw
Saint Gwynllyw Milwr or Gwynllyw Farfog, known in English in a corrupted form as Woolos the Warrior or Woolos the Bearded was a Welsh king and religious figure....
, the name meaning Gwynllyw's harbour. Supposedly it derives from the period when Gwynllyw was a pirate and he based his ships in this area.
Boundaries
The ward is bounded by the River UskRiver Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
to the east and southeast, the Ebbw River
Ebbw River
The Ebbw River is a river in South Wales.The main Ebbw River is formed by the confluence of the two minor Ebbw rivers, Ebbw Fach, and Ebbw Fawr ....
to the southwest, the Great Western Main Line
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
to the west and Cardiff Road to the north.
Heart of Newport
It is an inner-cityInner city
The inner city is the central area of a major city or metropolis. In the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Ireland, the term is often applied to the lower-income residential districts in the city centre and nearby areas...
district to the south of the city centre
Newport city centre
Newport city centre is traditionally regarded as the area of Newport bounded by the west bank of the River Usk, the George Street Bridge, the eastern flank of Stow Hill and the Great Western Main Line. Most of the city centre is contained within two conservation areas: the central area and the area...
and the built-up area is commonly shortened to "Pill". It contains the Newport Docks
Newport Docks
Newport Docks is the collective name for a series of docks in the city of Newport, South Wales.-Background:Newport was a small fishing port and market town until the coming of the industrial age at the beginning of the 19th century...
and the western ends of the Newport Transporter Bridge
Newport Transporter Bridge
The Newport Transporter Bridge is a transporter bridge that crosses the River Usk in Newport, South Wales. It is a Grade I listed structure. Designed by French engineer Ferdinand Arnodin, it was built in 1906 and opened by Godfrey Charles Morgan, 1st Viscount Tredegar on 12 September 1906...
, City Bridge
City Bridge
City Bridge is a crossing of the River Usk in the city of Newport, South Wales. It was opened in 2004 as part of the construction/re-generation of the Southern Distributor Road/A48 in Newport....
and George Street Bridge.
Pill is known for its close-knit community spirit and a large number of immigrants which contribute to its ethnic diversity. Pill has a large majority of foreign descent within the city due to being host to The Old Town Docks where a large influx of English and Irish immigrants among others came to work. The streets of Pill also play host to the Pill Carnival on the last weekend of every August. The Old Town Dock area is currently undergoing a huge mixed-use regeneration to bring the derelict dock lands back into use. A lively market takes place on a Saturday morning at the Newport Auctions site.
Portland Street in Pill was the birthplace for the famous "Tramp Poet" W. H. Davies
W. H. Davies
William Henry Davies or W. H. Davies was a Welsh poet and writer. Davies spent a significant part of his life as a tramp or vagabond in the United States and United Kingdom, but became known as one of the most popular poets of his time...
and the nearby Church House Inn, where he was brought up by his grandparents, has a commemorative blue plaque.
Sporting traditions
Pill Harriers RFCPill Harriers RFC
Pill Harriers RFC are a Welsh rugby union club based in Newport in South Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Newport Gwent Dragons..-Club origins:...
is a successful rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team affiliated to the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
, whose membership was historically made up from the local dock workers. In its past it supplied many players to both Newport and Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
.