Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for GELLIGAER

GELLIGAER, a village, a parish, and a sub-district, in Merthyr-Tydvil district, Glamorgan. The village stands on an eminence, on the E border of the county, between the rivers Rumney and Clydach, 2 miles NW of Hengoed r. station, and 14 N by W of Cardiff; and has a post office under Newport, Monmouth. A Roman camp was here, and gave occasion for the suffix "gaer;" and a Roman road went hence, and has left some traces. Several monumental stones also are in the neighbourhood. The parish includes the hamlets of Hengoed, Cefn, Garthgynyd, Ysgwyddgwyn, and Brithdir. Acres, 16, 573. Real property, £54, 267; of which£26, 144 are in mines, £8, 844 in iron-works, and £400 in railways. Pop. in 1851, 3, 807; in 1861, 5, 778. Houses, 1, 037. The increase of pop. occurred chiefly in Brithdir and Ysgwyddgwyn hamlets, and arose from the opening of new collieries. Several old houses are in the parish; and one of these, now a farm-house, near Llancaiach, is said to have given a night's lodging to Charles II. A battle was fought here between the Welsh and the Normans in 1094. The living is a rectory, with Brithdir and St. Tyfaelog chapelries, in the diocese of Llandaff. Value, £567.* Patron, the Marquis of Bute. The parish church, dedicated to St. Cadocus, stands on high ground; has a white tower; and is visible at a great distance, over hill and vale. A new church, dedicated to St. Tyfaelog, was built in 1864, at a cost of £2, 252; is in the early English style; and contains 349 sittings. The church of Brithdir was built in 1715. The sub-district includes also two other parishes. Acres, 34, 955. Pop., 16, 840. Houses, 3, 065.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a village, a parish, and a sub-district"   (ADL Feature Type: "populated places")
Administrative units: Gelli Gaer CP/AP       Gelligaer SubD       Glamorgan AncC
Place: Gelli Gaer

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