Kenfig - The Complete History (e-Resource)
The Official Kenfig Community History Project
Kenfig.org Local Community Group
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History SectionThe Town Hall - Prince of Wales Inn, Kenfig |
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YouTube Video
Prince of Wales app promo - By MJR Solutions
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Latest News
19 January 2013 - Pub heritage project launched by Welsh Actor, Owen Teale
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YouTube Video
Prince of Wales Kenfig - My Friends
Owen Teale (born in North Cornelly) |
‘Game of Thrones’ & ‘Midsomer Murders’ actor, Owen Teale, launched the first pub heritage project of its kind at the Prince of Wales, Kenfig.
The present landlord, Gareth Maund contacted Pub is the Hub (A not for profit organisation dedicated to offering advice & support to licensees, rural pubs
& community services - Pub is the Hub) for funding diversification schemes in Wales.
With support of the Rural Development Programme (REACH - REACH Rural Development - Bridgend)
& its Lets's Innovation Fund - the £10K project has been funded by the Welsh Government, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development & the Pub is the Hub Co-operation
Project led by Cadwyn Clwyd- Rural Development Agency.
The Project
Visitors are able to watch the films via a web-based APP available at a special perspex kiosk which surrounds a digital touch screen. The APP also
provides details about the history of the pub, the surrounding area, other useful websites & can also be accessed via digital mobile phones through QR codes
sited around the pub. Learn more... Prince of Wales APP Promo - YouTube Video
Read more on this story... Pub is the Hub - Pub heritage project launched by Welsh Actor, Owen Teale
Pub is the Hub launch - Prince of Wales, Kenfig (Image courtesy: REACH, Bridgend)
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Landlord Gareth Maund explores pub heritage APP via the special perspex kiosk at the Prince of Wales Inn (Image courtesy: Pub is the Hub)
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Kenfig - The Complete History (e-Resource) website & heritage project is a member of the Bridgend Heritage Network - REACH (Bridgend's Heritage - www.bridgendsheritage.co.uk)
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The Town Hall - Prince of Wales Inn, Kenfig
Background
The original town hall of Kenfig was located nearer the mediaeval town itself; however, a will of a former
Portreeve of Kenfig dated 1605 indicates that the burgesses of Kenfig were raising money towards the building of
a new town hall.
The new town hall's erection marked the removal of the town of Kenfig from Maudlam (This is where
it had been re-established following the abandonment of the old town) to the site of the new village.
It's presently debatable whether the original building once stood on pillars with intervening arches
with the ground floor serving as a meeting place and market.
The Town Hall was the venue for both the Borough and
Manorial Courts - inquests were also held here as the Portreeve was also the Borough Coroner.
Brief History of the Inn
The Inn itself dates from around the 15th century, its location within the ancient Borough of Kenfig
being both of historical and commercial value to the locality throughout the ages. Previously called
Ty Newydd (New House) Tavern, yet renamed in its present form during the late 18th century in honour of George,
Prince of Wales, who, in 1820 was crowned George IV.
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 faced eastward and overlooked the old highway - Y Lane Fach (The Little Lane) around the year 1602.
Sometimes also called 'The Corporation', the Inn was rebuilt in 1808 with its first floor room remaining of
significant historical importance within the Borough.
This was the guild hall, now known as the town hall and is accessed via an external stairway to the main building.
Its long 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.
It was here that they held their own courts, controlled trade, established commercial and public behaviour
standards and enforced sanitation regulations. The festival of Gwyl Mabsant (Dancing Festival) was held in this
upper room and on many occations it has also serverd as a mortuary for shipwrecked mariners.
A Griffith Jones circulating school was held here between 1739 and 1740 and up until recently has been
the home of a Sunday school for over 130 years. The Trustees of the Kenfig Corporation Property who own the building continue to
hold their meetings here in the town hall.
IS THE PRINCE OF WALES INN HAUNTED?Music of the Night
Around the time of 1982, the then landlord of the Prince of Wales Inn described a problem concerning what could only be described as a supernatural occurence.
Kenfig Corporation TrustThe old borough of Kenfig was dissolved in 1886 as a result of the Municipal Corporations Act 1883.
The Charity Commisioners set up the Kenfig Corporation Trust which consisted of a committee of 12 people.
Read more... Kenfig Corporation Trust
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THE KENFIG CORPORATION TRUSTRegistered Charity: Number 214084
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Pub heritage project
You Tube Videos by Welsh Actor, Owen Teale
Prince Kenfig - School |
Prince Kenfig - Courtroom |
Prince Kenfig - Shipwreck |
Prince Kenfig - Talking Walls |
Prince Kenfig - Propellor |
Prince Kenfig - My Friends |
EXPLORE KENFIG - THE COMPLETE HISTORY (E-RESOURCE)History of Kenfig & surrounding areas - Prehistory to the Present Day |
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HISTORY - GENERALHISTORY - GENERAL - IN-DEPTHHISTORY - GENERAL - THE LAND |
KENFIG - THROUGH THE AGESKENFIG TIMELINE C.1147-1886PICTORIAL HISTORY |
MARGAM HISTORYKENFIG COMMUNITYKenfig Community Home
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Kenfig Corporation Trust
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The 700 year old borough of Kenfig was dissolved in 1886 as a result of the Municipal Corporations Act 1883.
The Charity Commisioners set up the Kenfig Corporation Trust which consisted of a committee of 12 people.
These were 4 burgesses, 4 others from the Rural Sanitary Authority, Bridgend and 4 from the Margam Local Board.
They were responsible for the administration of the corporation and the adoption of the scheme of adjustment of powers.
The Charity Commissioners empowered to deal with its affairs set up the Kenfig Corporation Property which was
formed of a committee of 12 people whcih included representatives from local authorities. This new committee was
charged with the administration of the Borough Property. Under a new scheme of management issued by the Charity Commissioners in 1998, the Kenfig Corporation
Property was renamed The kenfig Corporation Trust.
Learn more about this registered Charity ...Kenfig Corporation Trust
Related Website Links
Charity Commission Registers and Regulates Charities in England & Wales
Kenfig Corporation Trust Charity Number 214084 (Charity Commission)
Kenfig Corporation Trust Contact Details Clerk to Trust & Trustees Names (Charity Commission)
Music of the Night
Ghost Stories & Folklore around Kenfig
Around the time of 1982, the then landlord of the Prince of Wales Inn described a problem concerning what
could only be described as a supernatural occurence.
The story unfolds that after stop-tap and after finishing clearing the bar, both he and his wife began
supper when they both heard the Sunday school organ playing in the upstairs room, (the old Guildhall).
Thinking someone had sneaked into the room and was playing tomfoolery, he ran up the outside stairs,
threw open the door and dashed into the room.
The instance the door was opened the music stopped - yet the whole room was empty!
The stairway is the only access to this upper room and a complete search was conducted to make sure
that it was indeed empty before returning downstairs. In all, the same thing happened on three seperate
occations - each time the ghostly music stopped the moment the door latch was touched.
Unruffled and unconvinced that this was anything other than some physical phenomena that could be
easily explained, not only were local specialists called upon, but also some of the World's leading
experts in these fields and a great deal of media attention was raised in the process.
Results from weeks of monitoring using very sensitive and sophisticated recording eqipment revealed
a theory that sound energy had been captured by the silica and larric salts contained in the ancient
walls of the building - the sounds being uncanilly like that of the Sunday school organ!
Since the above episode, the Prince of Wales Inn has been refurbished a couple of times and
he ghostly organ has gone to ground. The tapes did however, produce some other sounds - the echoing
footsteps of someone pacing across the bare boards of the hall, together with murmered, but heated conversations
quite distinct from those going on in the bars below.
As far as it is known, no murder or other foul deed has occurred at the Guildhall in the past to
provide any basis for these hauntings.For those who have heard the ghostly sounds however, tales of these
and others from around the locality, can surely capture the imagination, especially if heard around the glowing
fireplaces in the Prince of Wales Inn on a cold, dark winter's night.
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YouTube VideoGhosts - Kenfig Pub, South WalesBy Suitehaunts
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Ghost Stories & Folklore around KenfigFolklore Section ...Learn more
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Is the Prince of Wales Inn Haunted - Online Resources |
Online ResourcesFurther Info
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AcknowledgementsBibliography
Webpage Author
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PHOTO GALLERY
This section is currently being developed.
The Margam Estate
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