Hengoed (/ˈhɛnɡɔɪd/)[citation needed] is a village on the west side of the Rhymney Valley - between Ystrad Mynach to the south and Cefn Hengoed to the north. Across the valley it looks towards Maesycwmmer. The village is in the county borough of Caerphilly, in the traditional county of Glamorgan, Wales.

Hengoed
Hengoed is located in Caerphilly
Hengoed
Hengoed
Location within Caerphilly
Population5,548 
OS grid referenceST154950
Community
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townHENGOED
Postcode districtCF82
Dialling code01443
PoliceGwent
FireSouth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Caerphilly
51°39′N 3°14′W / 51.65°N 3.23°W / 51.65; -3.23

The electoral ward of Hengoed includes the villages of Hengoed and Cefn Hengoed and a part of Tir-y-Berth in the north west. The ward population was recorded at 5,548 in the 2011 census, an increase of 10% over the previous 10 years (2001 = 5,046), due in part to several new-build housing developments in the ward between 2001 and 2011.

The name means 'old wood' in Welsh.[1]

Governance

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Westminster

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The ward of Hengoed falls within the parliamentary constituency of Caerphilly. The current Member of Parliament for Caerphilly is Wayne David who represents the Labour Party.

Welsh Assembly

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The Welsh Assembly member for Caerphilly is Hefin David MS of the Wales Labour Party.

Caerphilly Council

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The Hengoed ward has two seats on Caerphilly Council. Both are currently held by Plaid Cymru. The Councillors are Donna Cushing and Teresa Parry.

Geography

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Geological Structure

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Hengoed and Cefn Hengoed occupy a low plateau of Pennant Sandstone typical of much of the South Wales coalfield, between the Nant Cylla (eng. Cylla Brook) to the east and the River Rhymney to the west rising to a high point of 213 metres[2] between the two villages.

Demography

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The latest census data relates to the 2011 census. These figures are for the Hengoed ward including Cefn Hengoed[3]

Population

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Total population: 5,548

Males: 2,707 Females: 2,841

Aged 0–24 1,923 (35%) Aged 60+ 975 (17.5%)

Ethnicity

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White: 98.6%

Other: 1.4%

Welsh language

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10.8% are Welsh speakers.

Amenities

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Hengoed has a primary school, community centre, a post office and a public house - The Junction. There is also a linear park, along the old railway line which connected Penallta Colliery with Hengoed Viaduct and beyond. The viaduct and park are part of the Celtic Trail cycle route, with easy access from the station car park.

Public Services and Facilities

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Hengoed railway station is part of the Valley Lines network. Around 85 trains call at the station every weekday. From the station, trains run southbound to Cardiff Central. Services operate northbound to Rhymney. Passenger services are operated by Transport for Wales.

The village is served by bus route 3 operated by Crossgates Coaches with buses travelling south to Ystrad Mynach and north to Bargoed, Rhymney, and Merthyr Tydfil. This route travels along Hengoed Road to the west of the village.

The A469 to the east of the village carries the Stagecoach South Wales service number 50, north to Bargoed and south to Caerphilly and Newport with a half-hourly service in each direction during weekdays. The service stops just below the railway station on the main road.

Notable people

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  • Dai Fangle(1824-1857). Inventor of the Sandwich Mangle (Welsh Mangle Brechdan).

Dai was born in a coal scuttle in Hengoed to Sian Barn and Maldwyn Fangle. Working in the mines from a young age, Fangle soon realised that space constraints prevented him from bringing sandwiches in to the mines. Necessity being the mother of all invention, Dai soon came up with the sandwich Mangle. He patented his invention and went into business. Dai sold over 37,000 mangles in the first year and became the richest man in Hengoed, apparently owning more than 3 saucepans. And a tortoise. Success went to his head and he started mangling all sorts of bread products. While he did have some success with Belgian buns, his attempts to Mangle a pain au chocolat led to the loss of both legs, and the subsequent infection led to his death at the age of 33. One of Dai's mangles is still in use on the Orient Express for mangling sandwiches.

Neighbours

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References

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  1. ^ "Hengoed". caerphilly.observer. 2009–2022. Retrieved 11 July 2023.
  2. ^ Ordnance Survey Explorer Map No. 166
  3. ^ "Census Hengoed". Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
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