| 0The
Romans built a small fort here in the 1st century which developed into a
township by the 4th 0century. Recent archaeological digs have turned up many
Roman relics as well as the foundations 0of various Roman structures including a
bath house. It is thought that Cowbridge might have a claim 0to being the missing
Roman fort of Bovium. |
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| 0In 1254
one Sir Richard de Clare, Lord of Glamorgan granted the town it's first charter.
He had built 0the township more or less as a business venture, renting out the
plots of land and leasing them on 0fixed rents to 'responsible' citizens for
business or residential premises. The east and west sides of 0the town proved
quite popular and by 1266 Cowbridge had walls around it with four gates,
although 0the North gate appears to have been used mainly for cattle. |
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| 0Had the
intrepid photographer been around in mediaeval times, the picture below would
have been 0obscured by the Guild Hall which stood in the middle of the high
street. |
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| 0Cowbridge
was the last recipient of a Royal Charter by Queen Victoria in 1886, thus was
then able 0to appoint its own Councillors and Mayor. This tradition has continued
in spite of the local 0Government re organisation of 1974. |
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| 0When
the railways came to Victorian Britain, Cowbridge did not welcome the thought of
the iron 0way. The main line took a big loop around the Vale to the North,
roughly parallel with the M4 0motorway of today. Had it been built through the
town, either very deep cuttings or a huge viaduct 0would have been necessary,
because of the hills that rise 100 metres on either side of the town. 0That makes
me think that commuters would have had a fair way to go even to get to a
station. 0There were two minor spur lines that linked the town from north and
south but went the way of Dr. 0Beeching long ago! |
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| 0Several
well known personalities have connections with the town, David Lloyd George was
a 0Freeman of the town. Iolo Morganwg, historian and poet had a shop here. Sir
Leoline Jenkins 0endowed the towns grammar school and was the cause of the
schools long association with Jesus 0College Oxford. One Edward Stirling (The
Thunderer of the Times) lived in Llanblethian and his son, 0John, went to school
in Cowbridge at the Eagle Academy. |
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| 0Cowbridge
became known for it's fairs, but by the mid 1960's it also had the doubtful
reputation of 0having long traffic queues, being as it was on the main route to
west Wales from Cardiff and the 0east. The bypass to the north of the town put
paid to all that, but for a time to the unhappiness of 0local traders who feared
that the town was finished. The M4 motorway has long since bypassed the 0area in
a large loop to the North, but I think it is fair to say that the town has
maintained stability of 0its business community, partly through it being popular
as a dormitory for Cardiff. |
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| 0In 1991
Cowbridge was twinned with CLISSON in the department of Loire-Atlantique, near
Nantes in 0France. Each year exchange visits occur between various sporting,
cultural and youth groups. 0Clisson is also a very picturesque town, situated on
the banks of the Sevre in the heart of the 0Muscadet wine producing region. The
tourist office at Clisson (tel:+33 40 54 02 95) will be happy to 0assist in
enquiries about the many opportunities for holiday activities in the area. |
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| 0Thanks to Mike Baker for this
Article. www.bakerlite.co.uk |
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| Please
Click here for Historic Photos of Cowbridge |
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