River Kenfig

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River Kenfig
Reeds near the mouth of the Afon Cynffig - geograph.org.uk - 795956.jpg
These extensive reed beds lie close to the mouth of the river
Native nameAfon Cynffig  (Welsh)
Location
Country United Kingdom, Wales
Region South Wales
County Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend
Cities Pyle, Marlas, North Cornelly
Physical characteristics
Source 
  locationMynydd Margam, Neath Port Talbot, Wales
Mouth Swansea Bay
  coordinates
51°32′15″N3°45′41″W / 51.53750°N 3.76139°W / 51.53750; -3.76139 Coordinates: 51°32′15″N3°45′41″W / 51.53750°N 3.76139°W / 51.53750; -3.76139
Length18.0 km (11.2 mi)
Discharge 
  location Kenfig Sands, Bridgend

The River Kenfig (Welsh : Afon Cynffig) is a river in Wales, straddling the county boroughs of Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend. It is approximately 18 kilometres long.

Contents

Course

The river rises in the forest of Mynydd Margam, southwest of Maesteg. From here it flows south, and turns west near the town of Pyle, through the area known as the M4 Corridor. The river is at the northern edge of the Kenfig National Nature Reserve, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. It also forms the boundary of the Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend districts for much of its course, before running into the sea at Margam Sands, close to Margam Moors. It flows through an area steeped in folklore and local legend, much of it tied in with the lost towns beneath the shifting sands of Kenfig Burrows.

Although the river has few significant tributaries, it picks up a few small streams on its course. Major tributaries include the Nant Iorwaeth-goch, which joins the river as it turns westward north of Kenfig Hill, the Afon Fach, a stream which flows through North Cornelly and Pyle, and the Coal Brook, which rises in Margam Park.

Kenfig National Nature Reserve

The final stretch of the River Kenfig at Kenfig Sands is at the northern boundary of the Kenfig National Nature Reserve. This reserve contains Kenfig Pool and Kenfig Burrows, its largest sand dune system. The river does not actually flow through the village of Kenfig. It runs about a mile to the north; however, it flows past the remains of Kenfig Castle, which is at the original site of the village. This site was abandoned in the 13th century when the sand dunes, shifted by wild storms, began to bury parts of the village. Only the tower of Kenfig Castle is now visible.

Industry

The river is south of the vast industrial complex of Port Talbot and Margam, which includes the Port Talbot Steelworks. In 1968 BorgWarner opened a plant for the manufacture of automatic transmissions on the Kenfig Industrial Estate alongside the lower reaches of the river. In January 1976 the plant celebrated the completion of its two millionth gearbox, which was 'presented' to A B Volvo. 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. In 2001, the factory faced the threat of closure but was saved by a new contract from Korean car company 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 economic downturn for the decision. [1]

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Kenfig Pool is a national nature reserve situated near Porthcawl, Bridgend. Wild storms and huge tides between the 13th and 15th centuries are mainly responsible for creating the Kenfig dunes near Porthcawl, as they threw vast quantities of sand up over the Glamorgan coast. This buried the nearby borough of Kenfig, and its castle, of which only the ruined keep survives. At 70 acres the second largest freshwater lake in south Wales. Kenfig Pool lies at the heart of the national nature reserve and is a valuable stopping point for migrating birds. The lake's maximum depth is about 12 feet. An island, built by the aristocrats living in nearby Margam to encourage wildfowl to nest there, has long since sunk beneath the waters.

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Cynffig/Kenfig SSSI

Cynffig/Kenfig is a Site of Special Scientific Interest which includes Kenfig Sands and its sand dunes near Kenfig in Bridgend County Borough, South Wales. The Kenfig National Nature Reserve is also situated at the site and contains the largest lake in Glamorgan, Kenfig Pool.

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Kenfig is a village and former borough in Bridgend, Wales.

References

  1. Turner, Robin (10 December 2008). "Margam car plant BorgWarner Automotive is set to close". Wales Online .