Taibach
Encyclopedia
Taibach or Tai-Bach is a suburban district of Port Talbot
, Wales
. It is a settlement centered around the main A48 road
, sandwiched between The river Ffrwdwyllt and Margam
.
of Margam
as homes for colliery and other incoming industrial workers, some way away from the historic village centre of Margam. The most important early row of houses there was called Constantinople Row, later abbreviated to Constant Row, and a road of this name can still be found in Taibach.
With the expansion of industrial activity in the parish, and, in particular, the foundation of the new port at Port Talbot
, the whole area became a single conurbation
, as it remains, and Taibach was subsumed within it. The name Taibach is now something of a misnomer since most of the houses there are not smaller than average for Port Talbot.
through the area is the main shopping street and is named Commercial Road in the area. Popular drinking venues in the area are the Surgery pub (which was actually a busy GP's medical surgery at one time) and The Somerset Arms (locally known as The Sker), which is one of the oldest pubs in the area with the greatest history. The pub also has a football team "The Sker United" which was founded by a group of regulars.
The area benefits from a popular Carnegie library
and is home to the Talbot Memorial Park, a popular urban park
. In the grounds of the park lies St. Theodore's Church. The parish church
was built in 1901 by Miss Emily Talbot in honour of Saint
Theodore, and in remembrance of her late brother of the same name. The eastern border of the park is formed by the Ffrwdwyllt river
. Ffrwdwyllt literally translates to 'wild torrent' in English. The river is popular among local anglers, especially in late Autumn.
To the east of the area is the Eastern Primary School, this is the school that actor Richard Burton
attended as a child under his real name - Richard Jenkins. The old Eastern Primary School is now the Taibach Community Education Centre, and was built the same year as Margam Castle in 1831. Taibach has its own popular Taibach Rugby Club.
The Labour politician and life peer Lord Heycock of Taibach took his title from this area, which had been the home of the Heycock family since about 1800.
related the district of Taibach. The electoral ward of Taibach includes the district of Taibach and parts of Margam
to the southwest and the village of Goytre
to the north. However, most of the ward is open countryside and woodland
spread over a steep hill. Taibach falls within the parliamentary constituency of Aberavon
. It is bounded by the wards of Port Talbot
and Bryn and Cwmavon
to the north; and by Margam
to the south.
In the 2008 local council elections
, the electorate turnout was 46.5%. The results were:
Port Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
, 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 a settlement centered around the main A48 road
A48 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,...
, sandwiched between The river Ffrwdwyllt and Margam
Margam
Margam is a suburb of Port Talbot in the Welsh county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, close to junction 39 of the M4 motorway.- History :...
.
History
The "little houses" of Taibach sprang up at the beginning of the 19th century in the parishParish
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...
of Margam
Margam
Margam is a suburb of Port Talbot in the Welsh county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, close to junction 39 of the M4 motorway.- History :...
as homes for colliery and other incoming industrial workers, some way away from the historic village centre of Margam. The most important early row of houses there was called Constantinople Row, later abbreviated to Constant Row, and a road of this name can still be found in Taibach.
With the expansion of industrial activity in the parish, and, in particular, the foundation of the new port at Port Talbot
Port Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
, the whole area became a single conurbation
Conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of cities, large towns, and other urban areas that, through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban and industrially developed area...
, as it remains, and Taibach was subsumed within it. The name Taibach is now something of a misnomer since most of the houses there are not smaller than average for Port Talbot.
Amenities
The stretch of 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,...
through the area is the main shopping street and is named Commercial Road in the area. Popular drinking venues in the area are the Surgery pub (which was actually a busy GP's medical surgery at one time) and The Somerset Arms (locally known as The Sker), which is one of the oldest pubs in the area with the greatest history. The pub also has a football team "The Sker United" which was founded by a group of regulars.
The area benefits from a popular Carnegie library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
and is home to the Talbot Memorial Park, a popular urban park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
. In the grounds of the park lies St. Theodore's Church. 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....
was built in 1901 by Miss Emily Talbot in honour 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...
Theodore, and in remembrance of her late brother of the same name. The eastern border of the park is formed by the Ffrwdwyllt river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
. Ffrwdwyllt literally translates to 'wild torrent' in English. The river is popular among local anglers, especially in late Autumn.
To the east of the area is the Eastern Primary School, this is the school that actor Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
attended as a child under his real name - Richard Jenkins. The old Eastern Primary School is now the Taibach Community Education Centre, and was built the same year as Margam Castle in 1831. Taibach has its own popular Taibach Rugby Club.
The Labour politician and life peer Lord Heycock of Taibach took his title from this area, which had been the home of the Heycock family since about 1800.
Government and politics
Taibach is also the name of an electoral ward coterminous to a communityCommunity (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....
related the district of Taibach. The electoral ward of Taibach includes the district of Taibach and parts of Margam
Margam
Margam is a suburb of Port Talbot in the Welsh county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, close to junction 39 of the M4 motorway.- History :...
to the southwest and the village of Goytre
Goytre
Goytre is a village near the town of Port Talbot, south Wales.The local football team is Goytre United F.C. who are based at Glenhafod Park Stadium.-References:...
to the north. However, most of the ward is open countryside and 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...
spread over a steep hill. Taibach falls within the parliamentary constituency of Aberavon
Aberavon (UK Parliament constituency)
Aberavon is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It returns one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system.-History:...
. It is bounded by the wards of Port Talbot
Port Talbot
Port Talbot is a town in Neath Port Talbot, Wales. It had a population of 35,633 in 2001.-History:Port Talbot grew out of the original small port and market town of Aberafan , which belonged to the medieval Lords of Afan. The area of the parish of Margam lying on the west bank of the lower Afan...
and Bryn and Cwmavon
Bryn and Cwmavon
Bryn and Cwmavon is an electoral ward of Neath Port Talbot county borough, south Wales. The electoral ward comprises the parishes of Bryn and Cwmafan....
to the north; and by Margam
Margam
Margam is a suburb of Port Talbot in the Welsh county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales, close to junction 39 of the M4 motorway.- History :...
to the south.
In the 2008 local council elections
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....
, the electorate turnout was 46.5%. The results were:
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Rogers | Labour | 1040 | Labour Hold |
| Anthony James Taylor | Labour | 699 | Labour Gain |
| Aneurin Lewis | Ratepayers | 594 | |
| John Hughes | Independent | 483 | |
| Erica Tutton | Ratepayers | 332 |