Coity
| Coity | |
| Welsh: Coety | |
|
|
  Coity Coity shown within Bridgend | |
| OS grid reference | SS923814 |
|---|---|
| Community | Coity Higher |
| Principal area | Bridgend |
| Ceremonial county | Mid Glamorgan |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BRIDGEND |
| Postcode district | CF35 |
| Dialling code | 01656 |
| Police | South Wales |
| Fire | South Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Bridgend |
| Welsh Assembly | Bridgend |
| |
Coity is a village in Bridgend County Borough, south Wales. Coity is part of the community of Coity Higher and is notable for being home to Coity Castle, one of the best preserved castles in Glamorgan. Other buildings of note in the village include St Mary, a 14th-century church, and Ty Mawr, a fine 16th-century house.[1]
History
The oldest monument in Coity is a burial chamber near Coed Parc Garw woodland. It consists of a large megalith, tilted upwards and supported by other smaller stones.[2]
The oldest remaining building in Coity is Coity Castle. Now ruinous, but according to John Newman, "(after Caerphilly) ... the most impressive ruined medieval castle in Glamorgan", Coity Castle was built c. 1100 by Payn Turberville.[3] Turberville was one of the Twelve Knights of Glamorgan, and the construction of Coity Castle was part of Robert Fitzhamon's strategy to subjugate the region.[4] The castle remained in the hands of the Tuberville family before passing to Sir Lawrence Berkerolles by 1380. In 1404 Sir Lawrence found himself under siege at Coity by the forces of Owain Glyndwr, and again in 1405.[4] A few years later ownership of the castle was successfully challenged by William Gamage through a court action. The castle remained in the Gamage family who lived at Coity, and in 1584 Barbara Gamage married Robert Sidney, who took ownership. Sidney did not live at the castle, but family members continued to live there until the 18th century. By the time the castle passed to the Earl of Dunraven in 1833, it was ruinous and was placed into state guardianship in 1929.[4]
In the 14th century, a church was founded at Coity and dedicated to Saint Mary. The church stands to this day and has several key important features, including an Easter Sepulchre (c. 1500).[3] Other places of worship included Gilead Welsh Independent Chapel, which saw rebuilding in 1890.
As of 2001, the community of Coity Higher had a population of just 835, which includes the larger village of Litchard. A large housing development, first proposed in the 1990s is seen by some residents of Coity as threatening the smaller village.[5]
Notes
- ↑ Davies, John; Jenkins, Nigel; Menna, Baines et al., eds. (2008). The Welsh Academy Encyclopaedia of Wales. Cardiff: University of Wales Press. p. 160. ISBN 978-0-7083-1953-6.
- ↑ Daniel, Glynn (1950). The prehistoric chamber tombs of England and Wales. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 210.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Newman, John (1995). Glamorgan. London: Penguin Group. pp. 325–329. ISBN 0140710566.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Slater, Mike (1991). Castles of Gwent, Glamorgan and Gower. Malvern: Folly Publications. pp. 70–73. ISBN 1-871731-61-5.
- ↑ "£225m Bridgend 'village' planned". BBC News. 26 February 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
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