About

Sitting equidistant between Wales’ capital city of Cardiff and its second city of Swansea, Bridgend is a bustling shopper’s paradise. Bidgend is the seat of Bridgend County Borough, and the commercial hub of the area.

Bridgend has a vast range of activities and days out to suit every taste and budget. Thrill seekers should head to nearby Porthcawl where Adventures Outdoor Activity Centre and Simon Tucker’s Surfing Academy offer pulse racing pursuits and expert instruction, or take a trip to Bridgend’s indoor skatepark. For those who like their leisure a little more leisurely St Mary’s and Maesteg Golf Clubs are both close at hand, whilst there are a number of local trails that can be explored on cycle saddle or horseback.

Bryngarw Country Park is an award winning heritage site a short drive from the town centre and the Kenfig National Nature Reserve is a haven for wildlife watchers and walkers alike. Bridgend itself holds several annual events, the most unique of which is the Bridgend Mash Up, an unusual mix of extreme sports and traditional athletic events transposed onto the urban landscape of the town centre.

The town's reputation as a market town dates back to the early 16th century and through the ages, there have been tanneries, a woollen factory and local potteries in the area. A county town, rich in Heritage and History where zealous pilgrims, waded the fast flowing river en route to the shrine of St. David in Pembrokeshire.

Dominated by its hilltop Castle, the original medieval settlement grew up around the pilgrims crossing point on the banks of the river Ogmore which flows down the valley of the same name, on through Bridgend and down to the dramatic Heritage Coast at Merthyr Mawr.

Some believe that the town took its name from the 1425 Old Bridge built across the river at a spot where the pilgrim ford used to be. It was partly demolished by a flood in 1775 then rebuilt to its present style, linking the north and south banks of the river.

The oldest and most historic part of the town is in the Newcastle Conservation Area grouped around the church and medieval fortress of Newcastle. Gazing down over the bridge from the top of the hill is the remains of this Norman Castle with its cluster of tiny cottages and houses, and surrounded by terrific views. Halfway up the hill is the Church House known locally as St. John’s Hospice.

Although historians suppose that the Romans may have settled on the banks of the River Ogmore, it was the Norman Conquest that established the permanent community that has evolved into the Bridgend of today. Three castles, at Newcastle, Coity and Ogmore, provided a defensive triangle for the area and still serve today as a reminder of a less peaceful past. Coity is undoubtedly the best preserved of the three castles and is a great day out for anyone interested in local or Welsh history.

Bridgend railway station is on the South Wales mainline from Cardiff to Swansea.