Bridgend

Principal town of the County Borough, sitting equidistant between Wales’ capital city of Cardiff and its second city of Swansea.
A county town, rich in Heritage and History.

Dominated by its hilltop Castle, the original medieval settlement grew up around the pilgrims crossing point on the banks of the river Ogmore through Bridgend and down to the dramatic Heritage Coast.

Prior to 1836 the provisions market was held under the arches and on the steps of the Old Town Hall, a site now occupied by the central Post Office. The livestock market was also unhygenically held there and in the surrounding streets and even worse, the slaughtering often took place there on the spot!

The oldest and most historic part of the town is in the Newcastle Conservation Area grouped around the church and medieval fortress of Newcastle. Halfway up Newcastle Hill is the Church House known locally as St. John’s Hospice.

The main centre of Bridgend lies on the north bank of the river. Small local specialist businesses blend with large national chain stores, happily winding their way through narrow streets, co-existing side by side to make the town a perfect day out.

To the north of the town lies the M4 motorway with the hills and valleys of the former mining areas of Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore beyond. Here you will find the giant Bridgend Designer Outlet. There’s also the Odeon Entertainment Complex on the same site, as well as Bridgend’s Tourist Information Centre. To the South East lies the largely rural areas of the Vale of Glamorgan and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast with the seaside resort of Porthcawl to the south west.

A short distance south of the town is the huge warren of Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes, Candleston Castle and the lost village of Treganllaw. Nearby is the thatched cottage village of Merthyr Mawr, and the attractive little village of Ewenny. A short walk from Merthyr Mawr, over the Swing Bridge and Stepping Stones is Ogmore Castle.