Welcome to the website of the Parish of Pendoylan.
The Village of Pendoylan
With a population of 370 people living in 165 houses Pendoylan is a village with a great history including a track record of no less than 17 times winner of the Best Kept Village at County Level and 3 times the Best in Wales. Although the Parish has changed very little in size, in many respects great changes have taken place in recent years. There is a changing population and some amazing successes for such a very small village. The Parish is making the transition into the 21st century whilst retaining its rural character and a strong sense of community with active villager involvement.
Villagers are fortunate to have the Church, the Chapel, and the Memorial Hall inter-linked in their contribution to village life and providing communal meeting places. Each, on their own, barely surviving without the extraordinary support of ordinary people working together to create a happy, vibrant community. The close knit community created by the villagers of the Parish together with another jewel, Church Row, ensures that those with more limited means will always be a cared for within this community.
Alongside changes to our agricultural heritage, this small Parish boasts amazing successful new business stories. A multi-million pound hotel and golf resort with the new Wales National Golf Course; a vineyard that regularly wins international accolades and a farmer who established a Golf Academy. The village has changed as a result of these successes and is better for them. Additionally, without considerable effort, change and awesome achievement the village Church in Wales Primary School may have closed 10 years ago. Its current standing within the County, within Wales and the UK is at the highest level and something to be proud of. The School's growth and excellent academic standards has contributed greatly to regeneration of the Parish. Without the School young families and their children would not be attracted to the village and would not be served as well as they are now.
Environmental improvements encourage breading plovers on the marches, fencing prevents access by farm animals to promote natural woodland and allow otters to live and breed safely. Within the village is the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) of the Ely Valley, one of the largest heronries in Wales and treasures that include a range of archaeological, historic, scenic sites, of sociological or traditional interest. The environmental challenge currently being addressed by the community is an ever-increasing volume and speed of traffic through the village.
Our Community
Situated in the beautiful countryside of the Vale of Glamorgan, the rural parish of Pendoylan (around 3600 acres) includes the village of Pendoylan, and the hamlets of Tre-Dodridge, Clawdd Coch and Hensol, with a sizable proportion of the population living in farms and cottages outside the hamlets. Until the 1950's Tre-Dodridge had the largest population, but with housing built by the local authority and two later private developments, Pendoylan became the larger. Access to the village is served by the M4 motorway and the A48, both being some two miles to the north and south of Pendoylan.
Community life in Pendoylan centres round the Church and Chapel, the Red Lion pub, the School and the Village Hall.
The oldest parts of the Parish Church of St. Cadoc date back to the 12th century, but the present church is thought to stand on the site of a previous church built around 550 AD during the saint's lifetime. The Church provides a wide range of religious and social contact for parishioners with the Parochial Church Council (PCC) organizing social activities. These include coffee mornings and 'themed events' such as a Welsh Night, Medieval Banquet, Ascot Race Night, a Valentines night, Garden parties and a very successful Art and Craft Exhibition displayed local talent, offered cakes, produce and plants for sale. In addition to memorable evenings these events raise much needed cash to enable the continued success of the church.
The parish church has had a ring of bells for three hundred years and there has been a band of ringers for most of the time since. The six bells are rung for weddings and other special occasions and for a church service once a month. The band meets to practice every Monday. Age has taken a toll of the bells running gear and fund raising events to maintain the bells involve villagers engaging in social activities usually in the Village Hall.
Built in 1870, the Bethania Presbyterian Church and Chapel House succeeded an earlier building adjacent to the lawn cemetery at Clawdd Coch. At the end of the weekly services the congregation takes time to catch up with friends when refreshments are served in the chapel schoolroom. A weekly news-sheet provides members with information about church activities in addition to a prayer list of those parishioners who are sick or otherwise in need of support. Fellowship and enjoyment are reinforced during Chapel social activities held throughout the year and at the annual weekend retreat organized at a Christian Fellowship Centre, where both young and old take the opportunity to meditate, reflect and gain spiritual refreshment. Joint services with St. Cadoc's and other local churches are very well supported, as is the traditional annual Christmas Carol Service, with readings by a number of villagers. A very popular annual service is the Blessing of Pets. The chapel is involved with a Romanian charity assisting Children in Distress providing financial donations, clothing and other items. Proceeds from the Chapel's Harvest Festival are also donated.
A plot of land, conveniently situated to serve Pendoylan, Tre-Dodridge and Clawdd Coch, was given to the community and in 1932 the War Memorial Hall was opened to honour the four parishioners who served in World War 1. The hall is used by villagers with a wide range of uses, including children's birthday parties, wedding receptions and other large family events.
A monthly Parish Magazine produced for the parishes of Pendoylan and nearby Welsh St. Donats is circulated widely to villagers reaching a total of 180 homes with almost 80% of homes in Pendoylan kept up-to-date not only with church events but also news, comment, opinion and all local events. The Bethania Chapel makes a regular contribution and parishioners are encouraged to submit items. The Clerk to the Community Council reports on the key points from monthly Council meetings. Contained within each copy is a directory of useful numbers and contacts with advertisements of local services. The Parish Magazine is given to everyone when they first move into the village.
A notice board is located in the Churchyard and another at Clawdd Coch provide an opportunity to promote social events and local information such as the dates of Member of Parliament and Assembly Member Surgeries and village events such as the regular dates of Community Council meetings. Some adverts are also displayed for example a local crèche is currently offering places.
In 2001 the Community Council produced a celebration booklet of the millennium year, which describes much village history and a diary of the year 2000. All homes received an initial copy and families moving to the area are given a complimentary copy.
Pendoylan Women's Institute (70 years old and still going strong) cherishes the guiding aims of the institute. Meeting in the Village Hall at least once a month, as they have since 1932, with ages from 35 - 85 years, members participate in a busy programme of activities comprising of talks by local experts, walks, social events, educational visits, trips to the theatre and other places of interest. Everyone involved, individually and collectively, plays a prominent role in the life of the village and its community, contributing their varied skills to numerous other organisations within Pendoylan and neighbouring communities.
An enjoyable monthly quiz brings many to the Red Lion, organised by a villager the proceeds are given to charities including the Church, Velindre Hospital, and local Children's therapy centres.
The village has a number of management groups representing the Church, Chapel, School and the Village Hall. Whilst the representatives of these are independent there is some overlap of membership that enables an extremely effective network. Community Councillors serve on the Church Row Trustees committee and Board of School Governors.