Pencoedtre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pencoedtre
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District of Barry
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Pencoedtre in the distance viewed from Cosmeston.
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 Pencoedtre
Location in Barry, Wales
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Region | Wales |
| County | Vale of Glamorgan |
| Town | Barry |
| Time zone | UTC+0 (GMT) |
Pencoedtre, also called Pencoedtre Village, is a neighborhood in the northeast of Barry, Wales. It is next to Gibbonsdown and Cadoxton. Pencoedtre used to be a small farming village. In recent years, it has grown into a large area with many homes. Pencoedtre Wood is a big forest here. It is a special place for nature, called a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Pencoedtre Park is found between Pencoedtre and Gibbonsdown.
A Look at Pencoedtre's Past
Long ago, Pencoedtre was sometimes called "Penchoterich." In 1965, a study found old banks and ditches. These suggested that a hill fort might have been here once. A hill fort is an old, fortified settlement on a hill. However, no clear signs of it have been found. An area near Pencoedtre Wood was known as "Cross Greenallt." This name is a mix of Welsh and English.
Pencoedtre started as a small farming village. It had only two farms. It was part of the Parish of St. Andrews Major. In 1965 and 1966, people dug up the area. They found the remains of a large medieval house. This house was about 23.5 meters long. It was likely the home of an important person, Adam de Pencoteri. They also found old items from the 13th and 14th centuries. These included tools, a bronze pendant, and iron nails.
By the mid-1800s, Pencoedtre had only four families living there. There were 28 people in total. A man named Robert Jenner owned Pencoedtre in the early 1800s. He rented out Pencoedtre Farm. At that time, Pencoedtre was about 150 acres (60 hectares).
Around 1890, a large water storage tank was built in Pencoedtre. It could hold about 4.5 million liters of water. In 1903, the local council bought land here for small gardens. Today, the Jenkins family owns Pencoedtre Farm. The Curtis family owns Woodfield Farm.
Since the 1990s, Pencoedtre has seen a lot of new homes built. This is one of the biggest housing projects in the area. The new homes started near Gibbonsdown. They also grew from the Lidl supermarket roundabout. In 2002, a company planned to build 31 homes. This area became known as Larksfield.
More recently, new homes were built close to the A4050 road. This area used to be farmland. Planning for these homes was approved in 2009. There was a lot of discussion about it. This was because Pencoedtre Wood is a protected nature site. A business park was first planned here. But it was rejected to protect the woodland. In 2011, a new group for residents was formed. They met to discuss local issues.
Pencoedtre Wood: A Special Place
Pencoedtre Wood is an old, thick forest. It is located northeast of the housing area. This woodland is a Site of Special Scientific Interest. This means it is a very important place for nature. Scientists have studied the wood. They found it has many different plants, insects, and animals. Pencoedtre Wood is special because it is a small piece of the large forests. These forests once covered much of Wales.
The Forestry Commission helps manage this woodland. They work for the Welsh Assembly. In 2006, there was a plan to cut down some of the wood for new homes. This caused a big problem. About 23 acres (9 hectares) of woodland could have been destroyed. Local politicians worked hard to save the forest. They created a 25-meter buffer zone around the wood. This zone helps keep noise and light from the houses away from the wildlife.
