Editing Kenfig

{{other uses}}
{{Short description|Village in Bridgend, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2014}}
[[File:The Prince of Wales, Kenfig - geograph.org.uk - 2314180.jpg|thumb|The [[Prince of Wales Inn]]]]
'''Kenfig''' ({{langx|cy|Cynffig}}) is a village and former [[borough]] in [[Bridgend]], Wales. It is situated {{convert|1|mi|km|1}} inland on the north bank of the [[Bristol Channel]], and just south-west of the [[M4 motorway]]. To the east is the town of Bridgend, at approximately {{convert|6|mi|km|0}}, and the capital city of [[Cardiff]], at {{convert|24|mi|km|sigfig=1}}. To the west lies [[Port Talbot]], at approximately 7 miles, and [[Swansea]] at approximately 18 miles.

==Geography==
[[File:Kenfig Burrows - geograph.org.uk - 161888.jpg|thumb|right|Kenfig Burrows]]
[[File:Kenfig Pool, Bridgend.jpg|thumb|right|Kenfig Pool]]
The area of sand dunes and the pool at Kenfig are managed by Bridgend County Borough Council as [[Kenfig Pool]] [[National Nature Reserve]], the area designated a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]]. The reserve has a visitor and interpretation centre, and a car park. The dunes are home to a variety of rare and endangered species of plants and animals, including a high concentration of [[fen orchid]] (or ''Liparis loeselii''). The current village, built further inland, is a continuation of the mediaeval one. Landmarks include ruins of [[Kenfig Castle]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.castlewales.com/kenfig.html |title=Kenfig Castle |author=Thomas, Jeffrey L. |year=2009 |work=Castles of Wales |accessdate=5 April 2016}}</ref>

The Kenfig Burrows beach is used by [[naturist]]s.<ref name="walesonline2016">{{Cite web|title=The nudist beaches where people are really cooling off this summer |last=Mears |first=Tyler |work=walesonline |date=20 July 2016 |access-date=2016-07-21 |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/nudist-beaches-wales-people-really-11638060 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160721123308/http://www.walesonline.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/nudist-beaches-wales-people-really-11638060 |archive-date=21 July 2016 }}</ref>

==History==
The village was established in the 12th century<ref name=Green>{{cite book |last1=Green |first1=Matthew |title=Shadowlands : a journey through lost Britain |date=2022 |publisher=Faber & Faber Limited |location=London |isbn=978-0-571-33802-3 |page=34}}</ref> and was situated around [[Kenfig Castle]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Breverton |first1=Terry |title=Wales A Historical Companion |date=15 October 2009 |publisher=Amberley Publishing Limited |isbn=978-1-4456-0990-4 |page=256 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=I2qoAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT256 |language=en}}</ref> The encroaching sand caused by intensive cattle grazing and increasing temperatures due to the [[Medieval Warm Period]] made habitation of the area difficult and by the 14th century most of the fields and buildings were unusable. The village was abandoned by 1650.<ref name=Green /> The church was moved from the original village stone by stone and currently stands in the village of [[Pyle]], where the relocation is evident by smaller stones at the bottom of the church, with larger ones above. The earlier settlement was the subject of an episode of the archaeological television programme ''[[Time Team]]'', screened on 11 March 2012.<ref>{{cite web |title=Digging with the Time Team |url=https://archaeology.co.uk/articles/news/digging-with-the-time-team.htm |website=Current Archaeology |access-date=6 September 2022 |date=17 February 2012}}</ref>

The borough contributed with other [[Glamorgan]] towns to sending a member of parliament to [[Parliament of Great Britain|Westminster]] until the [[Reform Act 1832]]. The municipal [[ceremonial mace]] is in the [[National Museum of Wales]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://museum.wales/collections/online/object/a2547d77-a510-3464-8fe0-5bea97a7bc56/Mace/?field0=string&value0=kenfig&field1=with_images&value1=on&index=1  |title=Mace|publisher=National Museum of Wales|access-date=24 May 2024}}</ref> but a [[pewter]] copy is held in the [[Prince of Wales Inn]], a pub and Grade II-listed inn, which was built in the 17th century and over the years has served as town hall, courthouse, and a mortuary for sailors whose bodies washed ashore on nearby beaches.<ref>{{cite news |title=Halloween: Haunted house 'reduced a rugby player to tears' |work=BBC News |date=31 October 2018 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-45977244 |access-date=31 October 2018}}</ref>

In 1940, work commenced on a [[calcium carbide]] plant at Kenfig, built for the [[Ministry of Supply]] and operated by British Industrial Solvents, a subsidiary of the [[Distillers Company]]. Calcium carbide was a vital raw material for [[acetylene]] production. The Kenfig plant closed in 1966, overtaken by cheaper methods of producing acetylene from the [[catalytic cracking]] of oil and foreign competitors lower electricity costs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thekenfigsociety.weebly.com/kenfigcarbidefactory1940-66.html|title=KenfigCarbideFactory1940-66}}</ref>

In 1968, [[BorgWarner]] opened a plant at Kenfig for the manufacture of automatic transmissions.<ref name=Autocar197601>{{cite magazine|title = News: Two million Borg-Warner boxes| series = 144|magazine=[[Autocar (magazine)|Autocar]] | volume =  (nbr 4133)|page=43|date = 24 January 1976 }}</ref>   In January 1976 the plant completed its two millionth gearbox, which was 'presented' to [[Volvo|A B Volvo]].<ref name=Autocar197601/>   At that time a press release stated that Borg-Warner's UK plants at [[Letchworth]] and at Kenfig were producing transmissions for use in more than fifty different car models, and that more than half the gearboxes produced were exported outside the UK.<ref name=Autocar197601/> In 2001 the factory faced the threat of closure but was saved by a new contract from Korean car company [[Kia Motors|Kia]].  In December 2008 Borg-Warner announced that the plant would finally close by mid-2010 with the loss of all 110 jobs at the site; a statement from the company blamed the [[Late-2000s recession|economic downturn]] for the decision.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/7773706.stm "110 jobs to go as car plant shuts"], [[BBC News]]</ref>

In 2009, two [[Grob G 115|Grob Tutor]] T1 aircraft collided in mid-air and crashed in the nature reserve, killing both pilots and two teenage air cadets.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-15970471 |title=RAF completes safety upgrade after Kenfig crash tragedy |first=Gavin |last=Thomas |date=1 December 2011 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=12 May 2019}}</ref>

==In literature==

Kenfig local [[legend]], [[folklore]], and [[Sker House]] inspired the novel ''[[The Maid of Sker]]'' by [[R. D. Blackmore]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Halloween: Haunted house 'reduced a rugby player to tears' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-45977244 |website=BBC Wales News |publisher=BBC Wales |accessdate=31 October 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Cynffig]], a former local government community
* [[Kenfig Pool]]
* [[River Kenfig]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.kenfig.org.uk/history/ "History of Kenfig and surrounding areas"], Kenfig.org.uk
*[https://archive.today/20140923181354/http://thekenfigsociety.weebly.com/kenfig-through-the-ages.html "Kenfig Through the Ages"], Weebly.com
*[http://www.abandonedcommunities.co.uk/page7.html "Abandoned Communities ..... Kenfig"], Abandonedcommunities.co.uk
*[https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=3081760 "Kenfig, Bridgend"], Geograph.co.uk
*[http://www.channel4.com/programmes/time-team/articles/all/kenfig-national-nature-reserve "Time Team Episode"], Channel4.com

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{{Bridgend}}

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[[Category:Villages in Bridgend County Borough]]
[[Category:Former populated places in Wales]]
[[Category:Nude beaches]]
[[Category:12th-century establishments in Wales]]