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Survey Details for CYNONHL173 - 2026-11-05

CYNONHL173

Historic Landscape

H17 Bridgend Historic Core

Bridgend-Caerphilly-Rhondda

2017-03-15

  • Level 1: Built environment
  • Level 2: Settlement
  • Level 3: Nucleated Settlement

Monitoring

Q1 - Date of monitoring?

  • 2017-03-15

Q1a - Monitoring undertaken by

  • Historic Landscape change detection work completed by the relevant Welsh Archaeological Trust for this area, the planning authority have been included. Quality Assurance of change detection work was completed by Trysor. SmartData analysis and update using Designated Historic Asset GIS Data for questions 17, 18, 19, 20 (2025-2026)

Q1b - Has this record been updated following monitoring work?

  • This record remains unchanged following monitoring work

Q1c - Change indicated by

  • No Answer

Q1d - What has changed?

  • No Answer

Q1e - Has the information ever been verified in the field?

  • Yes
    • 1:25,000

Q2 - Does this area have a special or functional link with an adjacent area?

  • Yes
    • H16 Bridgend SE Indurtial Area (CynonHL494) and H18 Bridgend Urban Sprawl (CynonHL675) represent growth of Bridgend beyond its historic core in the 20th century

Description

Q3 - If Classification is "Other", specify here

  • Empty value

Q4 - Summary Description / Key Patterns and Elements

  • Bridgend owes its origins to the castle at Newcastle on the west bank of the River Ogmore, established before 1106 by Roger Fitzhamon in the first wave of Norman conquest in Glamorgan, where it was constructed as an outpost to his power. The original castle was probably an earth and timber ringwork, but the greater part of the surviving building is a later 12th century stone replacement. The parish church, which lies immediately below the castle, contains two monuments of late 11th or early 12th century date (RCAHMW 1991, 326-36), but it is not clear whether they relate to the Norman settlement here, or whether there was an earlier church on the site. The original settlement was on Newcastle Hill below the castle, where some medieval masonry has been noted in the existing houses, but it never obtained borough status. Documentary evidence for a settlement known as Bridgend first appears in the 15th century, when it had developed on the other side of a bridge constructed across the River Ogmore at the foot of Newcastle Hill, near the hamlet of Nolton. By the 16th century it could be described as ''a good market town''; a survey of 1631 records eight houses at the bridge foot and another twelve at Nolton (Randall 1959, 25, 31-2), where there was already an ''old chapel of ease'' (Guy 1991, 29 n5). Its subsequent history in the Post-medieval period is essentially that of a market town, whose development was aided by its position on routes of communication. The bridge was rebuilt in 1775 after a flood, and a new bridge was built in 1821. A turnpike road was constructed, probably in the early 19th century to avoid Newcastle Hill (Randall 1959, 71-4). However, the greatest impetus to development, and the reason why Bridgend was able to overtake Cowbridge as the market centre for the middle of the Glamorgan lowlands was the arrival of the Great Western Railway in 1846, and the reconstruction of the Maesteg to Porthcawl railway. A branch line from Barry was constructed in the 1890s, linking into the Porthcawl line to the north of Bridgend (Randall 1959, 80-5; Barrie 1994, 177). Since Bridgend lies outside the Coalfield its development, unlike that of most Glamorgan towns, was not dependent upon industrialisation. However, a large woollen factory run by water power was established there in the 18th century; it was not profitable and in 1800 became a tannery and subsequently a brewery. Map evidence shows that throughout the 19th and the early 20th century, the town expanded by a process of ribbon development along the roads which led to its centre, followed some time later by infill. The boundaries to this aspect area have been drawn roughly to enclose the area which had been developed by the time that the 1921 OS map was surveyed, though the nature of the town''s expansion makes it difficult to follow a precise line. The part of the modern town outside this area has been characterised separately as aspect area H19 Bridgend Urban Sprawl. The area today is characterised mainly by Victorian and early 20th century public building and town houses, with some older houses on Newcastle Hill.

Q5 - If working at level 3, the classification describes the dominant historic pattern, but which other patterns are important to the historical pattern of this area? (Tick all that apply)

  • Communications
  • Military

Q6 - If working at level 4 ,which other 'details' are also significant to the historic character of this area? (Please tick all that apply)

  • No Answer

Q7 - If working at level 4 only, which building types prevail in the area? (tick all that apply)

  • No Answer

Q8 - If working at level 4 only, which periods prevail in the area? (tick all that apply)

  • No Answer

Q9 - If working at level 4 only, which architectural types prevail in the area? (tick all that apply)

  • No Answer

Q10 - If working at level 4 only, which traditional walling materials prevail in the area? (tick all that apply)

  • No Answer

Q11 - If working at level 4 only, which traditional roofing materials prevail in the area? (select up to three)

  • No Answer

Q12 - Which traditional boundary types prevail in the area?

  • Mortared Wall
  • Hedgerow
  • Post & Wire Fence
  • Iron Railings

Q13 - What is the nature of any archaeological interest in the area?

  • Relict-Stone Monuments
  • Buildings & Structures

Q14 - Which chronological period is visually dominant in the area?

  • Post Medieval (1536+)

Q15 - Is this a Historic Landscape Character Area (HLCA)? If yes, provide detail

  • No

Q16 - HLCA description url

  • Empty value

Q17 - Are there Scheduled Monuments here?

  • Yes

Q18 - Are there Listed Buildings here?

  • Yes
    • Number of Listed Buildings in this area: 60

Q19 - Are there Registered Historic Parks and Gardens here?

  • No
    • Checked January 2025, no change.

Q20 - Are there Conservation Areas here?

  • Yes
    • Checked January 2025, no change.3 overlap(s)

Q20a - Are there Historic Battlefields here?

  • No Answer

Q21 - Are there World Heritage Sites here?

  • No

Q22 - Is this within a Registered Historic Landscape (RHL)?

  • No

Q22a - Registered Historic Landscape description

  • No Answer

Condition

Q23 - Unused

  • No Answer

Q24 - Condition:

  • Unassessed

Q25 - Trend:

  • Constant

Recommendations

Q26 - Existing management

  • Unassessed

Q27 - Management recommendations

  • Empty value

Q28 - Sector Adaptation Plan

  • Historic Environment and Climate Change in Wales Sector Adaptation Plan. https://cadw.gov.wales/sites/default/files/2020-02/Adaptation%20Plan%20-%20FINAL%20WEB%20-%20English%20%281%29.pdf Assessment of likely impacts of climate change on historic assets and significance p8-11. Buildings and Settlements p23 Marginal and upland p26 Marine and coastal p28 Rivers, canals and freshwater p30 Farmland p33 Woodland p36 Industrial landscapes p38 Designed landscapes, parks and gardens p40 Historic landscapes p42

Q29 - Unused

  • No Answer

Aspect Area Boundary

Q30 - To what level was this information site-surveyed?

  • Level 3

Q31 - At 1:10,000, how much of the Aspect Area boundary is precise?

  • Most

Q32 - What baseline information source was used for Aspect Area boundary mapping?

  • OS Landline

Q33 - If OS Data was used, what was the scale?

  • 1:10,000

Q34 - What is the justification for the Aspect Area boundaries?

  • An attempt has been made to define this as comprising the built-up area of Bridgend as it appeared on the 1921 edition of the OS 6'map. However, since the town spread by ribbon development along the roads leading to the centre, there is not always a good match between map information and present boundaries, and the area has been tidied up to produce a more compact outline.

Evaluation

Q35 - Evaluation Criteria: Integrity

  • Moderate
    • This area, which represents the extent of the 19th-early 20th century urban settlement of Bridgend (resulting from rapid growth of industrial activity and the arrival of the railway in 1850) as shown on the OS 3rd edition map, has lost some of its integrity and coherence as a result of significant urban expansion on its periphery during the second half of the 20th century.

Q36 - Evaluation Criteria: Survival

  • High
    • The topography and architectural character of the medieval settlement at Newcastle Hill, focused on the Norman castle and church of St Illtyd and extending SE down to the 15th century bridge crossing the Ogwr has largely remained intact. The settlement of Nolton (Oldcastle) situated on the E bank of the Ogwr (the present Town Centre), although medieval in origin, largely consists of buildings of late 19th-early 20th century date. Apart from the Bronze Age monolith and cremation burial site at Angel Street (adjacent to the modern Leisure Centre), the archaeological record in this area is largely restricted to the medieval and post-medieval periods; the substantial masonry castle at Newcastle (GGAT PRN 00376m), the adjacent parish church of St Illtyd (GGAT PRN 00377m) and the late medieval bridge crossing the Ogwr (GGAT PRN 01912m) represent the main surviving monuments to medieval occupation, all in a good state of preservation. Newcastle Hill retains some important houses of 16th-17th century date and a well-preserved row of early 19th century cottages at The Square, immediately outside the castle. A number of notable buildings survive in Nolton, including a medieval tithe barn opposite St Mary's Church (GGAT PRN 02123m).

Q37 - Evaluation Criteria: Condition

  • Moderate

Q38 - Evaluation Criteria: Rarity

  • High
    • Although Bridgend represents one of three main foci of urban settlement within the UA, the other two being Maesteg and Porthcawl, its rarity value is increased by the fact that it represents the only example of a medieval planned urban settlement within the Bridgend UA historic landscape.

Q39 - Evaluation Criteria: Potential

  • High
    • This area has not been covered by a detailed historic landscape characterisation; consequently, there is significant potential for further analysis of the origins and historical/topographical development of the medieval and later urban settlement with its dual foci at Newcastle and Oldcastle. The Norman fortress at Newcastle has been surveyed by the RCAHMW but there is certainly potential for further investigation, both in terms of documentary study and field investigation (e.g. geophysical survey, targeted excavation). Visitor facilities and information relating to the castle could certainly be improved significantly.

Q40 - Evaluation Criteria: Overall Evaluation

  • High
    • This area, which represents the extent of the 19th-early 20th century urban settlement of Bridgend following its rapid industrialisation and the arrival of the railway, has lost some of its integrity as a result of a significant expansion of urban settlement in the surrounding area. However, the settlement at Newcastle Hill, focused on the Norman castle and church, has still retained its integrity and architectural character (there is a good case for its designation as a separate aspect area, represented by the boundaries of the present Newcastle Hill Conservation Area designated by Bridgend CBC) while the settlement of Oldcastle (Nolton) on the E bank of the Ogwr has been largely engulfed by late 19th-20th century development and has lost its distinct identity. It has been difficult to arrive at an overall score for this area, based on the varying integrity and condition of its several components, although the fact that the medieval urban core of Newcastle has survived largely intact has contributed significantly to its overall value, assessed as high.

Q41 - Justification of overall evaluation

  • This area, which represents the extent of the 19th-early 20th century urban settlement of Bridgend following its rapid industrialisation and the arrival of the railway, has lost some of its integrity as a result of a significant expansion of urban settlement in the surrounding area. However, the settlement at Newcastle Hill, focused on the Norman castle and church, has still retained its integrity and architectural character (there is a good case for its designation as a separate aspect area, represented by the boundaries of the present Newcastle Hill Conservation Area designated by Bridgend CBC) while the settlement of Oldcastle (Nolton) on the E bank of the Ogwr has been largely engulfed by late 19th-20th century development and has lost its distinct identity. It has been difficult to arrive at an overall score for this area, based on the varying integrity and condition of its several components, although the fact that the medieval urban core of Newcastle has survived largely intact has contributed significantly to its overall value, assessed as high.

Information Sources

Q42 - Sources and additional assessments

  • Randall, H J, 1959, Bridgend: The story of a market town. Questions 17, 18, 19, 21, 22 Designated Historic Asset GIS Data, The Welsh Historic Environment Service (Cadw), 14/02/25, licensed under the Open Government Licence http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Living Heritage

Q43 - Are there any art/artistic expressions associated with the landscape/area?

  • No Answer

Q44 - Are there any folklore/ legends associated with the landscape/area?

  • No Answer

Q45 - Are there any events/traditions associated with the landscape/area?

  • No Answer

Q46 - Are any famous people associated with the landscape/area?

  • No Answer

Q47 - Are there any technical / scientific discoveries associated with the landscape/area?

  • No Answer

Q48 - List of Historic Placenames

  • https://rcahmw.gov.uk/discover/list-of-historic-place-names/