Fforddygyfraith (also spelt Ffordd-y-gyfraith; ) is a village in the community of Cefn Cribwr, in the County Borough of Bridgend.[1] The name translates as Law Street, or The Road of the Law, a reference to the road around which the village was built.[2]
| Fforddygyfraith | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
 House in Fforddygyfraith | |
  Fforddygyfraith Location within Bridgend | |
| OS grid reference | SS8684 |
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Bridgend |
| Postcode district | CF32 0 |
| Dialling code | 01656 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
It has a historic chapel, Caersalem Independent Chapel, which has now been converted into housing.[3] Since 2008, one of the farms in Fforddygyfraith has been a family attraction with farm animals and play areas, known as Wiggleys Fun Farm.[4][5]
National Cycle Route 4 travels through Fforddygyfraith.[2]
History
editHistorically an area used for farming, the settlement of Fforddygyfraith was established by the 19th century, with a row of five houses at the southern end of the road.[2] The village had a Sunday school, connected with Siloam Chapel in Cefn Cribwr,[6] which later arranged for the construction of a schoolroom in Fforddygyfraith.[7] In 1907, the schoolroom became the site for a new congregational church, Caersalem Independent Chapel, which had 39 founding members, 14 of which were from Ebenezer Church in Aberkenfig.[8] The following year, Edward Davies, pastor of Ebenezer, was inducted as the first pastor, alongside his Aberkenfig ministry.[9]
In the 20th century, the village was extended, with further houses built on the northern section of the road. The village was popular with mining families, due to its proximity to several collieries.[2] The village in this period did not have its own school; children in the village attended school in Cefn Cribwr. It did, though have its own cricket team[2] and a football team, the Foes Bank Rovers.[10] The village also hosted horse races a few times each year, known as the Park Farm Races.[10]
Much of the village was demolished in the 1970s, when the National Coal Board planned to establish an open-cast mine on the site of the village, as part of an extension of their mining operations at Parc Slip.[2] In 1976, the residents of 21 houses received offers from the National Coal Board for the purchase of their properties.[11] One of the houses was owned by Ogwr Borough Council, which opposed the expansion, as did many residents, who formed an Action Committee to protest the proposals.[12] Approval was finally given to the NCB for the extension in April 1979.[13] The houses at the northern end of Fforddygyfraith, known as Upper Law Street, were not demolished.[2][11] Law Street itself was completely closed from May 1979, but was reopened in November 1990.[14]
References
edit- ^ "List of Standardised Welsh Place-names". Welsh Language Commissioner. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Powell, Amanda (31 March 2018). "The community that was swallowed whole by coal". Western Mail – via NewsBank.
- ^ "Caersalem Welsh Independent Chapel (Berea), Ffordd-y-Gyfraith, Trelales; Laleston". Coflein. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ Evans, Gareth (28 August 2008). "Fun down on the farm". Glamorgan Gazette – via NewsBank.
- ^ "Find us". Wiggleys Fun Farm.
- ^ "District News". The Central Glamorgan Gazette. 25 July 1879. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "District News". The Central Glamorgan Gazette. 21 April 1882. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Fforddygyfraith". Glamorgan Gazette. 19 April 1907. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Fforddygyfraith". Glamorgan Gazette. 15 May 1908. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b "Around the Districts". Glamorgan Gazette. 4 April 1947. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ a b "Opencast - The Creeping Scar Encroaches". Glamorgan Gazette. 23 January 1976 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Isaac, Jayne (2 September 1976). "Residents unite against NCB plan: Action committee presses for inquiry". Glamorgan Gazette – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Public Notices". Glamorgan Gazette. 3 May 1979 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Link road can now reopen". South Wales Echo. 30 October 1990 – via British Newspaper Archive.