# Pyle

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For people named Pyle, see [Pyle (surname)](/source/Pyle_(surname)). For a dialect word for a baker's peel, see [Pyle (tool)](/source/Pyle_(tool)).

Human settlement in Wales

Pyle Welsh: Y Pîl The Church of St James in Pyle Pyle Location within Bridgend Population 7,405 (2011 census)[1] OS grid reference SS825825 Community Pyle Principal area Bridgend Preserved county Mid Glamorgan Country Wales Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town BRIDGEND Postcode district CF33 Dialling code 01656 Police South Wales Fire South Wales Ambulance Welsh UK Parliament Aberafan Maesteg Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament Bridgend List of places UK Wales Bridgend 51°31′44″N 03°41′36″W / 51.52889°N 3.69333°W / 51.52889; -3.69333 Map of the community

A [Wales & West](/source/Wales_%26_West) [Class 158](/source/British_Rail_Class_158) train at Pyle station in 2001

1km
0.6miles

M    A    R    G    A    M
(N e a t h   P o r t    T a l b o t)

C    O    R    N    E    L    L    Y

P    Y    L    E

Pyle Community, on the south-western boundary of [Bridgend County Borough](/source/Bridgend_County_Borough) (shaded brown), South Wales.

Places adjacent to Pyle Community Margam (Neath Port Talbot) Margam (Neath Port Talbot) Pyle Cefn Cribwr Cornelly

**Pyle** ([Welsh](/source/Welsh_language): *Y Pîl*) is a village and [community](/source/Community_(Wales)) (and [electoral ward](/source/Electoral_ward)) in [Bridgend county borough](/source/Bridgend_(county_borough)), Wales. This large village is served by the [A48 road](/source/A48_road), and lies less than one mile from Junction 37 of the [M4 motorway](/source/M4_motorway), and is therefore only a half-hour journey from the [capital city](/source/Capital_city) of [Wales](/source/Wales), [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff). The nearest town is the [seaside resort](/source/Seaside_resort) of [Porthcawl](/source/Porthcawl). Within the Community, to the northeast of Pyle, is the adjoining settlement of [Kenfig Hill](/source/Kenfig_Hill), [North Cornelly](/source/North_Cornelly) also adjoins Pyle and the built-up area had a population of 13,701 in 2011.[2]

## Etymology

The English name "Pyle" is derived from the [Welsh](/source/Welsh_language) *[Pîl](/source/Pil_(Placename))*, meaning a tidal inlet of the sea, this localised toponym is found along the coast of South Wales, from [Pembrokeshire](/source/Pembrokeshire) and into [Somerset](/source/Somerset).[3] In this instance it may refer to the mouth of the [River Kenfig](/source/River_Kenfig), which is tidal for its first mile from the sea.

A commonly stated, but erroneous derivation from the English word "pile" (a stake) is highly unlikely, with the only settlement in the United Kingdom known to have this derivation being a hamlet on the [Isle of Wight](/source/Isle_of_Wight).[4]

## Location

Pyle is located approximately 26 miles west of Cardiff, 16 miles east of Swansea, 4 miles west of Bridgend and 6 miles southeast of [Port Talbot](/source/Port_Talbot). It is on the main [A48 road](/source/A48_road) from Cardiff to Swansea and is just north of the [M4 motorway](/source/M4_motorway) which has superseded the trunk road for through traffic. Junction 37 on the motorway is one mile south of Pyle. Other communities in the vicinity are [South Cornelly](/source/South_Cornelly), [North Cornelly](/source/North_Cornelly), [Kenfig](/source/Kenfig) and [Porthcawl](/source/Porthcawl). [Pyle railway station](/source/Pyle_railway_station) is on the [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff) to [Swansea](/source/Swansea) section of the [London](/source/London) to [South Wales Main Line](/source/South_Wales_Main_Line).[5]

## Early history

An indication of early settlement is the Croes Siencyn Incised Stone, a [Scheduled monument](/source/Scheduled_monument) on Marlas Road, ([51°31′39″N 3°41′56″W / 51.5275°N 3.6989°W / 51.5275; -3.6989 (Pyle Incised Stone)](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Pyle&params=51.5275_N_3.6989_W_region:GB_type:landmark&title=Pyle+Incised+Stone), grid ref: SS822823). This is a weathered stone with an incised cross, dated to 11th or 12th century, moved to its present garden location in 1945 from 'between Kenfig and Pyle'.[6] The early expansion of Pyle was brought about when the ancient borough of [Kenfig](/source/Kenfig) was abandoned after being overwhelmed by sand during a catastrophic encroachment by the sea in the mid fifteenth-century. The road through Kenfig was diverted one and a half miles inland and brought Pyle to prominence while Kenfig dwindled into a straggle of a few houses. The walls of Pyle St James' parish church are reputed to have been moved stone by stone from the old town, relocated further inland as the sand encroached.[7] This gave rise to the church sometimes being referred to as the upside-down church, because the first stones moved would have been the higher ones in the original church.[8]

Writing in 1870, in the [Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales](/source/Imperial_Gazetteer_of_England_and_Wales), [John Marius Wilson](/source/John_Marius_Wilson) described the parish of Pyle, including Kenfig and Skerr, to comprise 4,526 acres (1,832 ha) of land and 725 acres (293 ha) of water. In 1861, the population of the village was 1,192 distributed among 251 households. Real property in the village of Pyle was valued at £3,949, of which £1,619 was in mines. Besides the thriving collieries there were also coking plants and ironworks as well as a quarry where good quality building stone was extracted.[9]

## Recent history

The street of Longlands Close in Pyle was the site of a coaching inn which was used by passing travelers using the west Wales to London turnpike. [Lord Nelson](/source/Lord_Nelson) stayed at Pyle Inn on his way to visit to naval installations in Pembrokeshire, as did [Isambard Kingdom Brunel](/source/Isambard_Kingdom_Brunel) during the construction of the [Great Western Railway](/source/Great_Western_Railway) line through South Wales.[8]

Pyle was made a community in 2002, when the [Cynffig](/source/Cynffig) community was split into two parts (the other being [Cornelly](/source/Cornelly)), following a recommendation of the [Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales](/source/Local_Government_Boundary_Commission_for_Wales).[10][11]

## Governance

Pyle is the name of the [electoral ward](/source/Electoral_ward) which is coterminous with the community. The ward elects three county councillors to [Bridgend County Borough Council](/source/Bridgend_County_Borough_Council).[12]

## Village facilities

The village has its own leisure centre, swimming pool, supermarket, library and petrol station. The leisure centre is a frequent school trip destination, attracting schools from the Cardiff area. There is also a large [industrial estate](/source/Industrial_estate) which hosts some notable names and a [garden centre](/source/Garden_centre). An area of woodland known as The Collwyn is close to the west side of the village. In 2010 Pyle Community Council were able to buy the strip of woodland, with its stream and old watermill, to ensure its survival and use for the village.[8]

There are three schools in the community: Cynffig Comprehensive School, Mynydd Cynffig Primary School and Pil Primary School.[13] Pyle Rugby Football Club plays in the WRU Swalec League Division 3.[14]

## Religion

Kenfig Hill, though a smaller settlement, has four places of worship. St Theodore's (Church in Wales), was built in 1889, and became a parish in 1923.[15] Also in Kenfig Hill are Pisgah Chapel, (Welsh Baptist), Bethal Community Church and St Joseph's Church (Roman Catholic).[16]

Within Pyle itself there is Mount Zion Chapel (English Baptist) and the parish church of St James ([Church in Wales](/source/Church_in_Wales)) is a [Grade I listed building](/source/Listed_building). It was built in around 1471 as is indicated by a carving of the figures on a small wooden shield on a wallplate. It is unclear to what extent the present building adheres to the original structure because there are variations in construction methods and in the stone used. The church is considered to be a fine example of a mainly Perpendicular, two-cell church with a nave and chancel. The tower at the west end bears a clock.[17]

## See also

- [List of Scheduled Monuments in Bridgend](/source/List_of_Scheduled_Monuments_in_Bridgend)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Ward population 2011"](http://www.ukcensusdata.com/pyle-w05000628#sthash.9ctditM8.dpbs). Retrieved 11 April 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Custom report - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics"](https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=W37000111).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Owen, William (1803). [*A Dictionary of the Welsh Language*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Y3leAAAAcAAJ&q=pil&pg=PP411) (Vol II ed.). London.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Owen, Hywel Wyn; Morgan, Richard (2007). *Dictionary of the Place-Names of Wales*. Gomer. p. 403. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-84323-901-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-84323-901-7).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** *Concise Road Atlas: Britain*. AA Publishing. 2015. pp. 26–27. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7495-7743-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7495-7743-8). according to certain sources cowbridge now also borders Pyle

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [coflein NPRN: 301402](http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/301402/details/). [Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust](http://www.archwilio.org.uk/) (search for PRN: 00141m). Cadw SAM: GM036: Pyle Incised Stone

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Lewis_7-0)** Samuel Lewis (1833). [*A Topographical Dictionary of Wales*](https://books.google.com/books?id=IsU_AAAAcAAJ&pg=PT380). Lewis and Company. p. 380.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-History_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-History_8-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-History_8-2) ["Pyle community council: History"](http://www.pylecommunitycouncil.co.uk/index.asp). Pyle Community Council. Retrieved 2 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["History of Pyle, in Bridgend and Glamorgan"](http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/8606). *A vision of Britain through time*. University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 2 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** See: [Boundary commission for Wales](http://www.lgbc-wales.gov.uk/Community/Cynffig/LGBCW%20Cynffig.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20051219162307/http://www.lgbc-wales.gov.uk/Community/Cynffig/LGBCW%20Cynffig.pdf) 2005-12-19 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** See: [Welsh Statutory Instrument 2002 No. 1129 (W.117): The Bridgend (Cynffig, Cornelly and Pyle Communities) (Electoral Changes) Order 2002](http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/wales/wsi2002/20021129e.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-electioncentre_12-0)** ["Bridgend County Borough Council Election Results 1995-2012"](http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Bridgend-1995-2012.pdf) (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 18 November 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Pyle Community council: Schools"](http://www.pylecommunitycouncil.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=367215). Pyle Community Council. Retrieved 2 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Pyle Rugby Football Club"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160316213856/http://www.pylerfc.com/). Archived from [the original](http://www.pylerfc.com/) on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** [History of St Theodore, Kenfig Hill](http://www.theparishofkenfighill.org/history_of_st_theodore_kenfig_hill.html) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110728100140/http://www.theparishofkenfighill.org/history_of_st_theodore_kenfig_hill.html) 2011-07-28 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [Pyle community council: Places of worship](http://www.community-council.org.uk/pyle/index.asp?pageid=365225) Accessed 13 May 2013

1. **[^](#cite_ref-17)** ["St James: History"](http://www.parishofpyleandkenfig.org.uk/#!history-of-st-james/cogm). Parish of Pyle and Kenfig. Retrieved 2 May 2016.

## External links

- [community-council.org.uk/pyle](http://www.community-council.org.uk/pyle/index.asp)

- [www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Pyle and surrounding area](https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2767436)

v t e Bridgend County Borough Bridgend County Borough Council Communities Brackla Bridgend Cefn Cribwr Coity Higher Cornelly Coychurch Higher Coychurch Lower Garw Valley Laleston Llangynwyd Lower Llangynwyd Middle Maesteg Merthyr Mawr Newcastle Higher Ogmore Valley Pencoed Porthcawl Pyle St Bride's Minor Ynysawdre Towns and villages Aberkenfig Bettws Blackmill Blaengarw Bridgend Bryncethin Brynmenyn Bryntirion Caerau Cefn Cross Coity Coychurch Coytrahen Cwmfelin Danygraig Garth Heol-y-Cyw Kenfig Kenfig Hill Laleston Litchard Llangan Llangeinor Llangynwyd Maudlam Maesteg Merthyr Mawr Nant-y-moel Newton North Cornelly Nottage Ogmore Vale Pantygog Pantyrawel Pen-y-fai Pencoed Pontycymer Porthcawl Price Town Pyle Sarn South Cornelly Tondu Tythegston Wild Mill Wyndham Castles Candleston Castle Coity Castle Ewenny Priory Kenfig Castle Llangynwyd Castle Newcastle Castle Rivers Ewenny River River Garw River Llynfi River Ogmore Topics Communities Parliamentary constituencies Places Electoral wards Schools Listed buildings Grade I Grade II* Registered parks and gardens SSSIs Scheduled Monuments Lord Lieutenants High Sheriffs Public art

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pyle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.