Llangynwyd

Llangynwyd
Welsh: Llangynwyd
250px St Cynwyd's Church, Llangynwyd 250px Llangynwyd Village
Llangynwyd  Llangynwyd shown within Bridgend
Population	3,032 (ward.2011)
OS grid reference	SS866888
Community	Llangynwyd Middle
Principal area	Bridgend
Ceremonial county	Mid Glamorgan
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	MAESTEG
Postcode district	CF34 9xx
Dialling code	01656
Police	South Wales
Fire	South Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
EU Parliament	Wales
UK Parliament	Ogmore
Welsh Assembly	Ogmore
List of places UK Wales Bridgend

Llangynwyd is a village 2 miles to the south of Maesteg, in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales. It was part of the medieval commote (Welsh: cwmwd) of Tir Iarll.

History and amenities

The village is the site of Llangynwyd parish church, the ruins of Llangynwyd castle and one of the oldest pubs in Wales (the Old House, dating from 1147.)

The placename Llangynwyd refers to the hilltop village with a church dedicated to St Cynwyd, a sixth-century chief, the son of Cynfelyn. The church was founded by St Cynwyd in the 6th century. All that remains of the original structure is the stone socket of a wooden cross, which can be seen in the wall above the entrance. The church was rebuilt in the 13th century and has since been restored several times. The square tower dates from the 15th century and was completely restored in 1893. The church has the biggest private cemetery in Europe.

The old village of Llangynwyd, "Top Llan", was the home of the legendary Maid of Cefn Ydfa, featured in the song "Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn". It was also the home of the poet Wil Hopcyn, said to have written it. The antiquary T. C. Evans was born in the parish.

The village still celebrates the New Year, or Calennig, with the Mari Lwyd: a horse's skull draped in a white sheet with flowers.

Today the "old" village of Llangynwyd is commonly referred to as "Top Llan" and the more recent and much larger adjoining village is simply called "Llangynwyd"

Education

The village has a primary school "Llangynwyd Primary School" (built in 1911), and is home to Bridgend's first Welsh language medium school, Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Llangynwyd.

External links

• Llangynwyd Middle Community Council
• Llangynwyd Village Hall run by the Llangynwyd Community Association
• www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Llangynwyd and surrounding area
• BBC Wales feature on the Legend of the Maid of Cefn Ydfa
• Llangynwyd at GENUKI.org.uk
• History of Llangynwyd Parish (1887), Thomas Christopher Evans