Kenfig, Glamorgan

Description
Kenfig, a decayed town and a parish in Glamorgan. The town stands near the coast and near the Julian Way, 1 1/4mile SSW of Pyle station on the G.W.R., and 7 1/2 miles W by N of Bridgend; it sprang from a castle which belonged to Jestyn-ap-Gwrgan, was restored and enlarged by his conqueror Fitzhamon, and passed to the Despencers; it became a borough and a place of considerable importance; it was desolated along with the castle by an inundation of the sea about the middle of the 16th century; and it is now a mere village. Its municipal privileges were abolished in 1886. Post town, Port Talbot; money order and telegraph office, Pyle. The parish comprises 2509 acres of land, 85 of water,-and 472 of foreshore; population, 221. The name Kenfig signifies "a ridge of land above a bog," but what was a bog when the name originated has long been a lake of nearly 2 miles in circuit, encompassed with sandy and situated close to the shore, yet imbibing no saline water. Much of the land is mere sand bank and rabbit warren, forming part of a desolate tract whjch extends from Skerr rocks to Briton Ferry. An arch of the ancient castle and part of the ancient church and churchyard are among the sand banks. An inscribed stone, bearing Ogham letters like those in Ireland, is near the Julian Way, about 1 1/2 mile N of the town. The living is a vicarage, annexed to the vicarage of Pyle, in the diocese of Llandaff. The church stands on an eminence, and contains an ancient curious font. Th& chancel was restored in 1894.