Pyle
| Pyle Welsh: Y Pîl | |
| Glamorgan | |
|---|---|
 The Church of St James in Pyle | |
| Location | |
| Location: | 51°31’45"N, 3°41’43"W |
| Data | |
| Population: | 7,405 (2011[1]) |
| Post town: | Bridgend |
| Postcode: | CF33 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Bridgend |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Bridgend |
Pyle is a village and parish in Glamorgan. This large village is served by the A48 road, and lies less than one mile from Junction 37 of the M4 motorway. It lies approximately equidistant between Cardiff and Swansea. The nearest town is the seaside resort of Porthcawl. Within the parish, to the north-east of Pyle, is the adjoining settlement of Kenfig Hill.
Early history
An indication of early settlement is the Croes Siencyn Incised Stone, a Scheduled Monument on Marlas Road, (51°31’39"N, 3°41’56"W, grid ref: SS822823). This is a weathered stone with an incised cross, dated to 11th or 12th century, moved to its present garden location in 1945 from 'between Kenfig and Pyle'.[2] The early expansion of Pyle was brought about when the ancient borough of Kenfig was abandoned after being buried in the drifting sand dunes of Kenfig Sands. The walls of Pyle St James' parish church are reputed to have been moved stone by stone from the old town, relocated further inland as the sand encroached.
Recent History
The street of Longlands Close in Pyle was the site of a coaching inn which was used by passing travellers using the west Wales to London turnpike. Lord Nelson stayed at Pyle Inn on his way to visit to naval installations in Pembrokeshire, as did Isambard Kingdom Brunel during the construction of the Great Western Railway line through South Wales. Pyle railway station is on the Cardiff - Swansea section of the London - South Wales Main Line.
It is the home town of Welsh poet Bethan Williams.
Village facilities
The village has its own leisure centre, swimming pool, supermarket, library and petrol station. The leisure centre is a frequent school trip destination, attracting schools from the Cardiff area. There is also a large industrial estate which hosts some notable names and a garden centre. An area of woodland known as The Collwyn is close to the west side of the village. In 2010 Pyle Community Council were able to buy the strip of woodland, with its stream and old watermill, to ensure its survival and use for the village.[3]
There are four schools in the community.:[4] Cynffig Comprehensive;[5] Mynnydd Cynffig junior and Mynnydd Cynffig Infants[6] (Kenfig Hill), and Pil Primary [7] (infants and junior combined).
Religion
Within Pyle itself there is St James' (Church in Wales) built in or around 1471, (grade I listed),[8] and Mount Zion Chapel (Baptist).
Kenfig Hill, though a smaller settlement, has four places of worship. St Theodore's (Church in Wales), was built in 1889, and became a parish in 1923.[9] Also in Kenfig Hill are Pisgah Chapel, (Welsh Baptist), Bethal Community Church and St Joseph's Church (Roman Catholic).[10]
References
- ↑ "Ward population 2011". http://www.ukcensusdata.com/pyle-w05000628#sthash.9ctditM8.dpbs. Retrieved 11 April 2015.
- ↑ coflein NPRN: 301402. Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust (search for PRN: 00141m). Cadw SAM: GM036: Pyle Incised Stone
- ↑ Pyle community council: The Collwyn Accessed 13 May 2013
- ↑ Pyle community council: Schools Accessed 13 May 2013
- ↑ Cynffig Comprehensive School
- ↑ Mynnydd Cynffig Infants School, Kenfig Hill
- ↑ Pil Primary School
- ↑ St James History
- ↑ History of St Theodore, Kenfig Hill
- ↑ Pyle community council: Places of worship Accessed 13 May 2013