Merthyr Mawr is a village

Village

A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...

 about 2½ miles from the centre of Bridgend

Bridgend

Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...

 in the county borough

County borough

County borough is a term introduced in 1889 in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland , to refer to a borough or a city independent of county council control. They were abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in England and Wales, but continue in use for lieutenancy and shrievalty in...

 of Bridgend

Bridgend (county borough)

Bridgend is a county borough in the historic county of Glamorgan, south Wales. The county borough has a total population of 130,000 people, and contains the settlements of Bridgend, after which it is named, Maesteg, and the seaside town of Porthcawl...

, Wales

Wales

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...

.

Buildings and landmarks of note

Merthyr Mawr contains several cottages and a parish church

Parish church

A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....

, the cottages retaining an authentic, traditional feel with thatched roofs and well maintained gardens. Central to the area is Merthyr Mawr House, an early 19th century mansion built by John Nicholl

John Nicholl

Sir John Nicholl was a Welsh Member of Parliament and judge. As a judge he was noted 'for inflexible impartiality and great strength and soundness of judgement'.-Early history:...

, and set in an extensive park.

Nearby are the Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes

Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes

Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes are sand dunes and a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. The village of Merthyr Mawr is nearby. The sand dunes are prominent and was a shooting location for Lawrence of Arabia....

, where scenes from Lawrence of Arabia

Lawrence of Arabia (film)

Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 British film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence. It was directed by David Lean and produced by Sam Spiegel through his British company, Horizon Pictures, with the screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson. The film stars Peter O'Toole in the title role. It is widely...

were filmed. The River Ogmore flows through the village.

Also two castle

Castle

A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...

s, Ogmore Castle

Ogmore Castle

Ogmore Castle is located near the village of Ogmore-by-Sea, south of the town of Bridgend in Glamorgan, South Wales. It is situated on the south bank of the River Ewenny and the east bank of the River Ogmore. Cowbridge is nearby. Its construction might have begun in 1106...

 and Candleston Castle

Candleston Castle

Candleston Castle is a 14th.c. fortified manor house, in ruins since the nineteenth century southwest of Merthyr Mawr, former Glamorgan, Wales, and just northwest of Ogmore Castle, separated by the River Ogmore. Candleston's original long and narrow rectangular structure lay across the western...

 are within good walking distance. A famous sheep dip

Sheep dip

Sheep dip is a liquid formulation of insecticide and fungicide which shepherds and farmers may use to protect their sheep from infestation against external parasites such as itch mite , blow-fly, ticks and lice...

ping bridge is on the outskirts of the village. The former POW Camp Island Farm

Island Farm

Island Farm was a Prisoner of War Camp on the outskirts of the town of Bridgend, South Wales. It hosted a number of Axis prisoners, mainly German, and was the scene of the largest escape attempt by German POWs in Britain during World War II. Near the end of the war it became known as Special Camp XI...

 is less than a mile away and another village, Ewenny

Ewenny

Ewenny is a village on the River Ewenny in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.Over the years the village has grown into the neighbouring village of Corntown to such an extent that there is no longer a clear boundary between the two. The nearest town of significant size is Bridgend, away.-Ewenny...

 is within 3–4 miles. Mike Young Productions

Mike Young Productions

Mike Young Productions LLC is an animation studio that produces children's TV series. It is named after co-founder and partner Mike Young, and is part of the Moonscoop Group...

children's cartoon studio is located in Merthyr Mawr.

External links