Glamorgan
This article refers to the traditional county of Glamorgan in Wales, United Kingdom. See also Glamorgan (disambiguation) Glamorgan or
Glamorganshire () is a maritime
traditional county of
Wales, and was previously a mediæval
kingdom or
principality.
The county is bounded to the north by
Brecknockshire, east by
Monmouthshire, south by the
Bristol Channel, and west by
Carmarthenshire and
Carmarthen Bay. Its total area is 2,100 km², and total population around 1,220,000. Its highest point is at
Craig-y-llyn (600
m).
Glamorgan is the most populous and industrialised county in Wales. The northern part of the county is a
mountainous area, dissected by deep narrow
valleys, with urbanisation typified by
ribbon development. Although the
coal industry, which shaped these valleys and their communities, has now all but disappeared, this area remains heavily populated with light industry and the service sector now providing the economic base.
The
Vale of Glamorgan, a
lowland area mainly comprising farmland and small villages stretches across most of the south of the county from Porthcawl to Cardiff. Further west, beyond Swansea, lies the
Gower Peninsula, an
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
The major rivers of Glamorgan include the
River Taff, the
Ely, the
Ogmore, the
Neath,
Dulais, the
Tawe, the
Rhymney (which forms the border with Monmouthshire) and the
Loughor (which forms the border with Carmarthenshire). The main towns include
Aberdare,
Barry,
Bridgend,
Cardiff,
Caerphilly,
Cowbridge,
Maesteg,
Merthyr Tydfil,
Mountain Ash,
Neath,
Penarth,
Pontypridd,
Porthcawl,
Port Talbot and
Swansea.
The county has a wide and diverse economic base including public
administration,
agriculture, light industry,
manufacturing, service sector and
tourism.
Places of special interest include:
*
Aberdulais Falls*
Barry Island pleasure beach
*
Caerphilly Castle*
Cardiff Castle*
Castell Coch, Tongwynlais
*
Dare Valley Country Park,
*Dunraven Park,
Southerndown*
Ewenny Priory*
Gower Peninsula*
Llandaff Cathedral*
Museum of Welsh Life, St. Fagans
*
National Museum of Wales, Cardiff
*
National Waterfront Museum, Swansea
*
Neath Abbey*
Old Beaupre Castle*
Ogmore Castle*
Oxwich Castle*
Margam Country Park,
*
Penscynor Wildlife Park, Cilfrew
*
Tinkinswood burial chamber*
Vale of Glamorgan Railway*Weobley Castle,
Gower PeninsulaInitially it was founded as an independent petty kingdom named
Morgannwg after a founding king called Morgan. It was at times united with the neighbouring kingdoms of
Gwent and
Ergyng. By virtue of its location and geography, Morgannwg was the second part of Wales, after
Gwent, to be overrun by the
Normans and was frequently the scene of fighting between the
Marcher Lords and Welsh princes.
The county of Glamorgan falls into several distinct regions: the industrial valleys, the agricultural
Vale of Glamorgan, and the scenic
Gower Peninsula. Being by far the most populous of the counties, the
administrative county of Glamorgan was divided into three at the time of the local government reorganisation of the 1970s, and has now been further subdivided into several
unitary authorities.
*
Glamorgan County Cricket Club*
Glamorgan County Cricket Club in 2005
