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The Old Kenfig Borough / Old Bro CynffigKenfig and surrounding area
Kenfig and its surrounding area is steeped in history from prehistoric times through to
having strong Roman and Viking influences on a more modern historical timescale. The surrounding
neighbourhoods of Kenfig grew up from the incursion of sand that eventually engulfed the city of Kenfig.
The ancient city of Kenfig's real history probably begins around the time of the Normans with
the building of Kenfig Castle in the 12th century. Learn about Kenfig and its surrounding areas. From
The Buried
City of Kenfig,
Kenfig Castle, and Kenfig Pool, through to the
Geological Make-up of Kenfig and its surrounding areas
in general.
Where is the ancient Borough of Kenfig?
Locate Kenfig and its buried city together with a host of other important
local travel and tourist Information here on kenfig.org [ Location Guide ]
A unique glimpse into the past of the old Kenfig Borough / old Bro Cynffig through local photographs.
The photos have been categorised into the areas of the local community where they were taken.
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Web page updates
GENUKI - GeneaologyGENUKI - UK & Ireland GenealogyGENUKI - UK & Ireland Genealogy
[ Kenfig.org website listed under Glamorgan / Towns & Parishes / Pyle & Kenfig /
History ]
Local Agriculture
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Kenfig through the Ages || A Timeline of Kenfig's History from 1147 - 1886
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Background || over 860 years of HistoryThe earliest reliable reference to the town of Kenfig comes in a document dated c.1141-7 in
which a reference to a burgage indicates
that Kenfig was already then a
Chartered
Borough.
The Kenfig History Timeline is categorised into the various centuries it was associated with. The information
has been cross-referenced with integrated associated website links making this section a unique
repository of local historical facts that can be used as a research platform.
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Local History || General
Local History || KenfigLocal History || Margam |
The Town Hall of KenfigThe Prince of Wales Inn, Kenfig
The original town hall of Kenfig was located nearer the mediaeval town itself; the new town hall became
The Prince of Wales Inn. The Inn itself is the present Townhall which replaced the old guild hall of the ancient Borough of Kenfig
which once stood in the old medieval town and is the focal point of the Borough both within its present and former transitions.
The building is owned by The Kenfig Corporation Trust. Its upstairs room has been in continuous usage for centuries and it was within this very room that the Burgesses
exercised their rights granted by the Kenfig charters.
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Kenfig Castle c.1140The remnants of a Norman Castle
Built c.1140 AD by Robert Fitzhamon, Lord of Gloucester this Norman castle was at the heart of
Kenfig's infrastructure as an important maritime trading town.
Controlled by the Normans Kenfig was seen by the Welsh as an economic and political threat and was attacked
at least nine times or more.
St James' Church KenfigA Norman church built c.1147-1154
Built between c.1147-1154 - William, Earl of Gloucester petitioned the Abbot of Tewkesbury to permit
Henry Thusard (Clerk and first Incumbent) to build a church in the town of Kenfig.
With the encroachment of sand at the town of Kenfig, St James' church was moved and erected in Pyle.
Medieval KenfigWhat life was like in Medieval Times
The Kenfig Borough included old Kenfig, modern kenfig, Maudlam, much of North Cornelly, Marlas, Pyle
and some of kenfig Hill - it was controlled from Kenfig Castle which housed
the town's courts and jail.
As inhabitants of the borough, the townsfolk of Kenfig were known as burgesses and were entitled to various rights
and privileges, which were written in a charter - The earliest surviving Kenfig charter is that of
Thomas Le Despenser, granted in 1397.
17th Century KenfigWhat life was like in the 17th Century
In the early 1600's, the population of Kenfig was around 200 - a church and village at Maudlam, a few scattered houses
at Ton Kenfig and Sker Farm. In 1607 there was a great storm and many people lost their lives in the county when lowland
areas became flooded. (1607 tsunami)
Saint Philip Evans (1645-1679) - Roman Catholic priest arrested at Sker House in 1678 - executed at Cardiff, 22 July 1679
in the hysteria of the Titus Oates plot to kill King Charles II.
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News Story || Kenfig - The Complete History (e-Resource)
Ancient Footprints at Kenfig
Recently discovered below the high tide mark, between Gwely'r Misgl and Sker Point, the dating of footprints at kenfig
are estimated between the beginning of the 1st century BC to the beginning of the 2nd century AD.
Recent FeedbackThe footprints were first reported to the Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust and investigated
by their Dr Edith Evans and Elizabeth Walker from the National Museum of Wales - they estimated them
to be 2000 years old. These findings were based on peat beds exposed at Blackpill near Swansea,
but there are at least three levels of peat on Kenfig Sands and that containing the footprints is
the lowest uncovered by the outgoing tide. The upper peat bed at Kenfig has yielded hoofprints
of cattle which could show evidence of farming in the region.
An expert in the field of hominid tracks, Dr Silvia Gonzalez of John Moores University Liverpool,
carried out a full survey of the site, identifying prints from at least two adults and a child, giving
rise to the possibility of a settlement nearby. The footprints are the latest of just 56 sites of hominid
footprints in the world and the only ones yet discovered in peat, making them unique. Dr Gonzalez
estimated they were at least 4,500 years old and said that something quite cataclysmic must have
occurred soon after they were made to have preserved them so well.
As the footprints were made in peat, they can yield far more than others discovered in rock or mud -
a detailed report is due out by Dr Gonzalez in the near future. This recent feedback has been kindly
provided by Steve Maitland Thomas, who, in addition to John Blundell discovered the footprints on
Kenfig Sands in January 2007.
Source: Steve Maitland Thomas, Porthcawl
Photo: Glamorgan Gwent Archaelogical Trust
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Kenfig - The Complete History (e-Resource) || An important part of Wales' documentary heritage, identified by the National Library of Wales || www.kenfig.org.uk |
Associated Website Links || |
Acknowledgements ||Bibliography(1) Bridgend County Borough Council Library & Information Services
(2) Steve Maitland Thomas (Ancient footprints at Kenfig)
(3) Steve Parker (Prince of Wales Inn photos)
(4) Kenfig History Society
(5) Rob Bowen - Kenfig.org Local Community Group
(6)
Webpage Author(1) Mr Rob Bowen - Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2009.
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Members Area || Restricted Access
Restricted Access to certain sections of this website have been implemented to help
protect the interests of other investors in this online project and also due to previous abuse of this website.
The members area is FREE - [ you will have to fill out an
[ online registration form ] and agree to
[ our viewing policies ]
to [ Login ] to the members area - failure to register
will prevent access to certain sections of this website ]
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copyright © 2003-2010 www.kenfig.org.uk / www.cynffig.org.uk - All rights reserved
The Kenfig.org website is operated as a not for profit making organisation known as
Kenfig.org Local Community Group.
This website project is funded by the
Welsh Assembly Government and
Bridgend County Borough Council
- it is owned and operated by
Kenfig.org Local Community Group.
The Kenfig.org website has been granted Heritage Status and is being
archived for posterity through both the
National Library of Wales
& the UK Web Archiving Consortium.
