Place:Pentyrch, Glamorgan, Wales

source: Family History Library Catalog

the text in this section is based on an article in Wikipedia

Pentyrch is a community (or civil parish) located on the western outskirts of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales. The village gives its name to a Cardiff local authority electoral ward, Pentyrch, which covers the village and surrounding area. Welsh-speakers make up 20% of the town's population, making it the most Welsh-speaking district in the capital.

Pentyrch became part of the Cardiff (principal area) in 1996, having been previously (1974-1996) in Mid Glamorgan. Cardiff was situated in South Glamorgan during the same period.

A Vision of Britain through Time provides the following description of Pentyrch from John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales of 1870-72:

"PENTYRCH, a parish in Cardiff [registration] district, Glamorgan; near the river Taff, 1½ mile S W of Walnut-Tree-Junction [railway] station, and 6½ N W of Cardiff. It comprises the hamlets of Castle and Garth; and has a post-office under Cardiff. Acres: 3,975. Real property: £5,521; of which £1,816 are in mines, and £344 in railways. Population in 1851: 1,599; in 1861: 2,110. Houses: 439. The property is divided among a few. The rocks include lime-stone, iron ore, and coal; and there are ironworks and collieries. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Llandaff. Value: £113. Patron: alternately the Bishop of Llandaff and the Dean and Chapter. The church is good; and there are charities £12."

Research Tips

• GENUKI on Glamorgan Lots of leads to other sources and descriptions of former parishes.
• The FamilySearch Wiki on Glamorgan has recently been updated (early 2016) and looks remarkably like Wikipedia. Their map "Glamorgan Parish Map.jpg" enlarges to show all the original parishes. The sub-section "Parishes of Historic Glamorgan" lists all the parishes of Glamorgan and the newer preserved counties and principal areas in both English and Welsh. (Currently this website is still under construction.)
• [https://pentyrchlocalhistory.wordpress.com/ Pentyrch & District Local History Society}

Maps

The first three maps are provided by A Vision of Britain through Time

• A map of 1832 showing larger towns and some villages (not as good as the England county maps in this series).
• Ordnance Survey map of Glamorgan illustrating the parishes, rural districts, urban districts and boroughs as revised to 1899.
• A 1930s Ordnance Survey map of Glamorgan illustrating the parishes, rural districts, urban districts and boroughs as revised to 1944.

These maps were found on Wikimedia Commons

• Glamorgan Administrative Map 1947 separating the various types of administrations with colour coding. These division were most likely in place until 1974.
• A map of Wales outlining the prinicipal areas of Mid Glamorgan and South Glamorgan
• A map of Wales outlining the prinicipal areas of West Glamorgan
• A map of the Vale of Glamorgan principal area with the western part of Cardiff included

These maps of Glamorgan post-1974 were found on another site and are very useful for sorting out the up-to-date geography of the area

• A map of West Glamorgan showing the two principal areas and the towns located in them.
• A map of South Glamorgan showing the two principal areas and the towns located in them.
• A map of Bridgend, Merthyr and Rhondda showing the three principal areas and the towns located in them. The description states that this is "formerly part of Mid Glamorgan".
• A map of Caerphilly, Blaenau and Torfean showing the three principal areas and the towns located in them.