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Post by Penddu on Apr 29, 2020 12:03:12 GMT
The Bridgend (Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr) constituency was formed in 1983 and comprises that part of the County Borough of Bridgend which is to the south of the M4 motorway. This was originally part of the former Ogmore (Ogwr) constituency but was split due to the rapid growth of Bridgend town in the 1970s.
The area has a long history, with the Roman Road from Cardiff to Neath passing just south of the town at ‘Golden Mile’. During the Norman invasion of Glamorgan in the 13th century the town was established at the initial western frontier between Norman Glamorgan and Welsh Morgannwg, which is why the area contains not one but 5 castles (Coity, Oldcastle, Newcastle, Ogmore and Merthyr Mawr). This also explains why most place names to the south of the town are in English, while most to the north are in Welsh.
The town of Bridgend lies just outside the former coalfield and was never heavily reliant on coal compared to its neighbours to the north, and has been a centre for various manufacturing industries. It used to house the largest ‘factory’ ever in the UK – the Royal Ordnance Factory (known locally as ‘The Arsenal’) which made munitions during World War 2 and which employed 40,000 people at its peak. After closure the various ‘Arsenal’ sites were developed into a series of Industrial estates which employed many people (but not 40,000) and included a large Sony TV factory (now closed) and the Ford engine plant (which also made engines for Volvo and Jaguar Land Rover) but which is due to close in 2020. Despite these losses, Bridgend still has many smaller employers and is well connected by the M4 motorway and the South Wales mainline railway making it a popular commuter location.
As well as Bridgend town, the constituency also includes the town of Porthcawl which was briefly a small coal port but today relies on tourism with many retirees. The nearby communities of Pyle (Pil), Kenfig Hill (Mynydd Cynffig) and Cornelly (Corneli) were originally built around the local Aberbaiden mine but the main local employer today is the nearby Port Talbot steelworks.
Politically the constituency is mixed – a strong Conservative presence in Porthcawl and in parts of Bridgend town, but with widespread Labour support elsewhere. The Assembly seat has always been Labour held, while at Westminster it is currently held by Conservatives for only the second time in its history.
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Foggy
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Post by Foggy on Apr 30, 2020 4:24:31 GMT
The Welsh name for this constituency is Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr.
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Bridgend
Apr 30, 2020 6:04:57 GMT
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Post by Penddu on Apr 30, 2020 6:04:57 GMT
The Welsh name for this constituency is Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr. Yes- you are correct - I will correct it. Although most people usually just say Penybont. |
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Post by LDCaerdydd on Apr 30, 2020 8:36:14 GMT
ar Ogwr specifically to differentiate it from other Pen-y-bonts
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Post by Pete Whitehead on Apr 30, 2020 9:25:12 GMT
Who cares really what the imaginary Welsh name for the place is?
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Post by LDCaerdydd on Apr 30, 2020 9:55:50 GMT
Who cares really what the imaginary Welsh name for the place is? I mean the English name hardly sets the creative brain cells flowing. |
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Post by 🏴☠️ Neath West 🏴☠️ on May 3, 2020 21:22:28 GMT
ar Ogwr specifically to differentiate it from other Pen-y-bonts Yes. If you try buying a train ticket to Penybont, you end up in Radnorshire. |
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Post by 🏴☠️ Neath West 🏴☠️ on May 3, 2020 21:27:05 GMT
Brackla has been swinging towards us in recent years as well. It's not just about Porthcawl and parts of the town.
And if we're pointing out how the Via Julia crossed the Ogmore downstream of the town, we might as well mention how there's a surprisingly fortified monastic site right slap-bang on the alignment there – Ewenny Priory – which is still a Church in Wales parish church.
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neilm
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Post by neilm on May 8, 2020 11:59:43 GMT
If you were born in Bridgend between 1974 and 1996, you may have unfortunate dealings with the Student Loans Company who insist that you were born in a town called Ogwr meaning that you fail security if they choose to ask that question when you call up. I'm not the only person who has had this problem.
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Post by greenhert on May 8, 2020 12:04:44 GMT
Who cares really what the imaginary Welsh name for the place is? It is the proper Welsh name; it is not an imaginary name. Speaking of this constituency, there is an interesting tale regarding the first Conservative MP: Peter Hubbard-Miles was initially rejected for selection in this seat despite his local credentials, and had to take court action to ensure his selection and eventual election in 1983. This indirectly helped Sir Anthony Meyer remain in Parliament (for another 9 years, anyway) because he was inspired by Mr Hubbard-Miles' successful case in his right to enter a fair selection contest (against Beata Brookes; Geraint Morgan was shut out). |
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Bridgend
May 8, 2020 14:15:11 GMT
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Post by LDCaerdydd on May 8, 2020 14:15:11 GMT
If you were born in Bridgend between 1974 and 1996, you may have unfortunate dealings with the Student Loans Company who insist that you were born in a town called Ogwr meaning that you fail security if they choose to ask that question when you call up. I'm not the only person who has had this problem. I don’t recall that being an issue for me. But I do distinctly remember Bridgend County Borough Council sending me letters in 2003/4 using “Glamorgan” as the county in my address. 🙃 |
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Post by Penddu on May 8, 2020 18:59:38 GMT
I do remember when Miss World competitions were a big thing and Miss Wales was selected from competitions among the various districts - Miss Ogwr didnt stand a chance
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neilm
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Bridgend
May 8, 2020 23:48:57 GMT
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Post by neilm on May 8, 2020 23:48:57 GMT
If you were born in Bridgend between 1974 and 1996, you may have unfortunate dealings with the Student Loans Company who insist that you were born in a town called Ogwr meaning that you fail security if they choose to ask that question when you call up. I'm not the only person who has had this problem. I don’t recall that being an issue for me. But I do distinctly remember Bridgend County Borough Council sending me letters in 2003/4 using “Glamorgan” as the county in my address. 🙃 It annoyed the hell out of me because I didn't send them a birth certificate or anything with Ogwr on it, and apparently I can't change it. |
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neilm
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Bridgend
May 8, 2020 23:58:49 GMT
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Post by neilm on May 8, 2020 23:58:49 GMT
Who cares really what the imaginary Welsh name for the place is? It is the proper Welsh name; it is not an imaginary name. Actually, this is an interesting discussion point. No one ever used the 'ar Ogwr' bit when I was a kid and it didn't start appearing on, eg, road signs until the 2000s and you don't hear it called that if you're unfortunate enough to have to listen to Radio Cymru or watch Newyddion. Certainly there are literally no Welsh speakers in the area who refer to it with 'ar Ogwr' added and I don't think I've heard anyone from farther afield refer to it that way either. I once heard some actual Welsh speakers moan about 'professors in Aberystwyth making up names and words' a sentiment echoed by my father. |
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Bridgend
May 9, 2020 6:45:34 GMT
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Post by Penddu on May 9, 2020 6:45:34 GMT
It is the proper Welsh name; it is not an imaginary name. Actually, this is an interesting discussion point. No one ever used the 'ar Ogwr' bit when I was a kid and it didn't start appearing on, eg, road signs until the 2000s and you don't hear it called that if you're unfortunate enough to have to listen to Radio Cymru or watch Newyddion. Certainly there are literally no Welsh speakers in the area who refer to it with 'ar Ogwr' added and I don't think I've heard anyone from farther afield refer to it that way either. I once heard some actual Welsh speakers moan about 'professors in Aberystwyth making up names and words' a sentiment echoed by my father. I agree - it was always simply Penybont. Definitley not Pen-y-bont. |
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Post by 🏴☠️ Neath West 🏴☠️ on May 9, 2020 10:41:29 GMT
It is the proper Welsh name; it is not an imaginary name. Actually, this is an interesting discussion point. No one ever used the 'ar Ogwr' bit when I was a kid and it didn't start appearing on, eg, road signs until the 2000s and you don't hear it called that if you're unfortunate enough to have to listen to Radio Cymru or watch Newyddion. Certainly there are literally no Welsh speakers in the area who refer to it with 'ar Ogwr' added and I don't think I've heard anyone from farther afield refer to it that way either. I once heard some actual Welsh speakers moan about 'professors in Aberystwyth making up names and words' a sentiment echoed by my father. Just like no-one from the non-Bridgend version of Newcastle says the "upon Tyne" bit. |
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on May 9, 2020 10:56:00 GMT
Except when needed to distinguish them from the Staffs version, perhaps. Same with the two Kingstons.
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Post by froome on May 9, 2020 12:48:48 GMT
There are many hundreds, possibly thousands, of places across the UK that have appendages to their name to distinguish them from other places of the same name. They will all have originally have just been known by the first part of their name, with the appendage arriving later, and as can be seen here, that process continues to this day.
In Newcastle's case, although the official name is Newcastle upon Tyne, and it is named as such on all maps, its station is just called Newcastle, and attempts to buy a ticket to Newcastle upon Tyne are as fruitless as trying to buy one to Penybont or Penybont-ar-Ogwr.
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Post by yellowperil on May 9, 2020 12:57:52 GMT
Except when needed to distinguish them from the Staffs version, perhaps. Same with the two Kingstons. except the other Kingston is always just Hull. |
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Post by 🏴☠️ Neath West 🏴☠️ on May 9, 2020 13:18:20 GMT
And speaking of ambiguity, the Penybont with the railway station in Radnorshire is in the community of Llanbadarn Fawr. Not to be confused with the other, better-known Llanbadarn Fawr in Ceredigion. Is this the only case where the bit added to disambiguate the placename (in this case from Llanbadarn Fynydd and Llanbadarn y Garreg in Radnorshire and from the wonderfully tautological Llanbadarn Trefeglwys in Ceredigion) is itself ambiguous?
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