Ewenny River

Merthyr Mawr is a village and community in Bridgend, Wales. The village is about 2+1⁄2 miles from the centre of Bridgend town. The population of the community at the 2011 census was 267. The community occupies the area west of the Ewenny River, between Bridgend and Porthcawl. It takes in the settlement of Tythegston and a stretch of coastal sand dunes known as Merthyr Mawr Warren. It is in the historic county of Glamorgan.

Southerndown Golf Club is a downland/links golf club in the Vale of Glamorgan, in south-east Wales, near the coast and Ogmore-by-Sea and Southerndown, in proximity to Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes. The course lies in an open, elevated position above the Ogmore River valley and in 2001 was 6,417 yards. The course was established in 1905 and designed by Willie Fernie. Players such as Peter McEvoy, Gary Wolstenholme, Stephen Dodd, Bradley Dredge, and Gene Sarazen have all played at Southerndown. The club has held the Piccadilly Medal in 1970–71 and the Martini International and has also hosted the Welsh Amateur Golf event.

Ogmore (Welsh: Ogwr) is a village in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales on the River Ogmore. It grew around the now ruined Ogmore Castle, built by the Normans. The village does not lie in the parliamentary constituency also called Ogmore, which lies further up the Ogmore River in Bridgend and Rhondda Cynon Taff districts. Southerndown Golf Club lies opposite the village.

Ogmore Castle (Welsh: Castell Ogwr) is a Grade I listed castle ruin located near the village of Ogmore-by-Sea, south of the town of Bridgend in Glamorgan, South Wales. It is situated on the south bank of the River Ewenny and the east bank of the River Ogmore.Its construction might have begun in 1106. Ogmore was one of three castles built in the area in the early 12th century, the others being Coity Castle and Newcastle Castle. It was in use until the 19th century for a range of purposes, including a court of justice and a prison, but is now a substantial set of remains and a local landmark. It is managed by local authorities.

The Afon Alun is a river in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales. It is a tributary of the Ewenny River, which it joins to the south of Bridgend.

Portobello House (also known formerly as Portobello Hotel) is a building on the bank of the River Ogmore, about half a mile up from the sea, near the estuary at Ogmore-by-Sea, western Vale of Glamorgan, southeast Wales, on the country border with Bridgend County Borough. It is accessed off the B4524 road. Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes lie across the river from the house and Southerndown Golf Club lies to the southeast. It was used to describe the location of several geological features in 1933.It was formerly the Portobello Hotel and served also as a social club. During some period was run by the Prosser family. A community history reports that "At one time, it was only possible to buy drinks on a Sunday throughout Wales if you could prove to the innkeeper that you had travelled three miles or more". The Portobello Hotel served well as a post-practice social gathering place for shooters at the Glamorgan Artillery, as it was conveniently "the required distance".Also walkers in the countryside seeking to cross the River Ogmore would not be able to cross if the tide was in, and a Mr. Prosser from the Portobello could be relied upon to ferry across the river in "his little flat-bottomed home-made boat for a small fee."The Portobello House has been owned for decades by Dawn Clarenda Mary Llewellyn, a former medical professional.

Candleston Castle (historically sometimes Candlestone Castle) is a 14th-century fortified manor house, in ruins since the 19th century. It is 0.75 miles (1.2 km) southwest of Merthyr Mawr, Glamorgan, Wales, now Bridgend County Borough and just 0.75 miles (1.2 km) northwest of Ogmore Castle, separated by the River Ogmore. Candleston's original long and narrow rectangular structure lay across the western end of a low narrow promontory, suggesting a defensive position. The castle is believed to be named after the Norman family of Cantilupe, thought to be its first feudal tenants.

St. Brides Major (Welsh: Sant-y-brid) is a village within the community also called St Brides Major in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales. The village is located approximately 1.5 mi from the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. It is connected by bus to the nearby towns Llantwit Major and Bridgend 3 miles (5 km)).

Union School of Theology is a Reformed educational institution in Bryntirion in Bridgend, South Wales. The School is part of the wider Christian ministry of Union which also involves church planting and the production of theological resources.

Island Farm, also called Camp 198, was a prisoner of war camp on the outskirts of the town of Bridgend, South Wales. It hosted a number of Axis prisoners, mainly German, and was the scene of the largest escape attempt by German POWs in Britain during World War II. Near the end of the war it was renamed Special Camp XI and used to detain many senior SS military leaders who were awaiting extradition to the Nuremberg trials.

St Brides Major (Welsh: Sant-y-Brid) is a community on the western edge of the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales. Its largest settlement is the village of St Brides Major, and also includes the villages of Ogmore-by-Sea and Southerndown, and the hamlets of Ogmore Village, Castle-upon-Alun, Heol-y-Mynydd, Norton and Pont-yr-Brown It is notable for coastal geology and scenery, limestone downlands and fossilised primitive mammals, sea cliffs and beaches, two Iron Age hillforts, three medieval castle sites, (one, Ogmore Castle, still extant), two stepping stone river crossings and a clapper bridge. Three long distance paths cross the community. It is the western limit of the Vale of Glamorgan Heritage Coast, and has a visitor centre and tourist facilities.

Ewenny and Pant Quarries is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales, notable for its geological interest. First designated in 1996, both quarries are active, commercial quarries, with no public access. Ewenny Quarry is operated by Lafarge Aggregates and Pant Quarry, just over the community border in St Brides Major community, is operated by Tarmac Group. A third quarry, Lithalun Quarry (operated by Hanson plc) is not part of the SSSI, but has also produced important fossilised remains.Jurassic clay infill, around 200 million years ago accumulated in deep fissures in the already weathered landscape of the Carboniferous limestone. Along with the clay, individuals of several species of very primitive mammals ended up with their remains amongst this clay, which then fossilised. Now, as the limestone is quarried at these two sites the clay infill is stored and subsequently examined by geologists. These infills have provided the most complete fossilised remains of species of primitive mammals anywhere on earth. Morganucodon watsoni is the earliest and most primitive prototherian mammal known. Reconstruction of teeth and jaw fragments suggests they could have fed on 'hard' insects such as beetles. Kuehneotherium praecursoris, classed as the most primitive therian mammal known, by contrast, could only manage 'soft' insects such as moths.