Bridgend (Welsh: Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr) is a county borough in south Wales, between Cardiff and Swansea. It covers 97 square miles (251 km2), had a population of 145,488 at the 2021 census, and is run from the town of Bridgend.
The borough pairs three former mining valleys with a stretch of the Glamorgan coast. Bridgend is the largest town; Maesteg, Porthcawl, Pencoed and Pyle are the others.
| Country | Wales, United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Welsh name | Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr |
| Area | 97 sq mi (251 km2) |
| Population (2021) | 145,488 |
| Density | 580 people per km2 (1,500 per sq mi) |
| Welsh speakers | 9.2% (2021 census) |
| Largest town | Bridgend |
| Valleys | Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore |
| Historic county | Glamorgan |
| Council | Bridgend County Borough Council |
Towns and Villages in Bridgend
The borough has 84 named towns, villages and communities, listed alphabetically below. The valley settlements — Maesteg, Nantymoel, Blaengarw, Pontycymer, Ogmore Vale — run in strings along the valley floors, while the coastal belt around Porthcawl, Newton and the Cornellys is more scattered.
- Abergarw
- Aberkenfig
- Betws
- Blackmill
- Blaengarw
- Brackla
- Bragdy
- Bridgend
- Bryncethin
- Bryncoch
- Brynheulog
- Brynhyfryd
- Brynmenyn
- Bryntirion
- Byeastwood
- Caerau
- Cefn Cribwr
- Cefn Glas
- Coity
- Court Colman
- Coychurch
- Coytrahên
- Cwmfelin
- Derwen
- Dinas
- Dyffryn
- Evanstown
- Ffordd-y-Gyfraith
- Fountain
- Garth
- Glynllan
- Glynogwr
- Hendre
- Heol-y-Cyw
- Hernston
- Hoel-laethog
- Kenfig
- Kenfig Hill
- Laleston
- Lewistown
- Litchard
- Llangeinor
- Llangewydd
- Llangynwyd
- Lletty Brongu
- Maesteg
- Mawdlam
- Merthyr Mawr
- Nant-y-moel
- Nantyffyllon
- Newcastle
- Newton
- North Cornelly
- Nottage
- Ogmore Vale
- Pant-yr-Awel
- Pen-y-cae
- Pen-y-fai
- Pen-yr-heol
- Pencoed
- Pendre
- Penprysg
- Pont Rhyd-y-cyff
- Pont-y-rhyl
- Pontycymer
- Porthcawl
- Price Town
- Pyle
- Sarn
- Shelf
- Shwt
- South Cornelly
- Spelter
- Tondu
- Tremains
- Twmpath-Mawr
- Tythegston
- Waterton
- Whiterock
- Wig-Fach
- Wild Mill
- Wyndham
- Y Parc
- Ystrad Fawr
Geography
Three valleys drain south off the uplands: the Llynfi through Maesteg, the Garw through Pontycymer and Blaengarw, and the Ogmore through Nantymoel and Ogmore Vale. They meet near Tondu and the combined River Ogmore reaches the sea at Ogmore-by-Sea.
South of the M4 the ground flattens into farmland and dunes. Merthyr Mawr Warren and Kenfig Burrows are among the largest dune systems in Britain, and Kenfig Pool is a national nature reserve.
Rhondda Cynon Taf lies north and east, Neath Port Talbot west, and the Vale of Glamorgan — which has no page in this directory — to the south-east.
Demographics
The 2021 census counted 145,488 residents, a modest increase on 2011. About half live in and around Bridgend town and the M4 corridor; the valley wards have been losing people since the collieries closed.
Welsh is spoken by 9.2% of residents aged three and over. The share is higher in the Llynfi and Garw valleys than on the coast, and Welsh-medium schooling in Maesteg and Bridgend has grown steadily.
Bridgend town, with roughly 50,000 people in its wider built-up area, is much the largest settlement. Maesteg and Porthcawl follow, then Pencoed, Pyle and Kenfig Hill.
Economy and Local Life
Manufacturing along the M4 replaced coal. The Ford engine plant at Waterton, which employed around 1,700 people, closed in 2020; the Waterton, Brackla and Village Farm estates still carry engineering, food and logistics firms.
Porthcawl lives on tourism. Trecco Bay is one of the largest caravan parks in Europe, Rest Bay is a recognised surfing beach, and the town’s Elvis Festival each autumn draws tens of thousands of visitors.
Bridgend town holds the retail and civic functions, with the Rhiw shopping centre and the Princess of Wales Hospital. Bridgend College has campuses in the town and at Pencoed.
History
The town takes its name from the old bridge over the River Ogmore, and grew as a market centre for the Vale of Glamorgan. Newcastle, the Norman fortification above the river, and Ogmore and Coity castles nearby all date from the twelfth century.
Coal transformed the valleys from the 1860s. The Llynfi, Garw and Ogmore pits worked steam coal until the last, St John’s at Maesteg, closed in 1985. The Royal Ordnance Factory at Bridgend, opened in 1936, employed around 40,000 people at its wartime peak, mostly women.
The county borough was created in 1996 from the Ogwr district of Mid Glamorgan.
Getting There
The M4 crosses the borough with junctions 35 (Pencoed), 36 (Sarn) and 37 (Pyle). The A48 runs parallel through Bridgend, the A473 links Bridgend to Pontypridd, and the A4061 climbs the Ogmore valley to Treorchy over the Bwlch.
Bridgend and Pencoed stations are on the South Wales Main Line, with direct trains to Cardiff, Swansea and London Paddington. The Maesteg line branches north through Tondu, Sarn and Garth. Cardiff Airport is about 20 miles east.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Bridgend county borough?
145,488 at the 2021 census, across 97 square miles.
What is the largest town in Bridgend county borough?
Bridgend itself, followed by Maesteg and Porthcawl.
How many villages are there in Bridgend county borough?
This directory lists 84 named towns, villages and communities.
Which valleys are in Bridgend county borough?
The Llynfi valley to Maesteg, the Garw valley to Blaengarw and the Ogmore valley to Nantymoel.
Which historic county is Bridgend in?
Glamorgan. The modern county borough was created in 1996 from the Ogwr district of Mid Glamorgan.