Newton () is a village located near the
seaside resort
A seaside resort is a city, resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of an official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requi ...
town of
Porthcawl
Porthcawl () is a town and community in the Bridgend County Borough of Wales. It is located on the south coast, west of Cardiff and south-east of Swansea.
Historically part of Glamorgan and situated on a low limestone headland on the South ...
, in
Bridgend County Borough
Bridgend County Borough () is a county borough in the south-east of Wales. The county borough has a total population of 139,200 people, and contains the town of Bridgend, after which it is named. Its members of the Senedd are Sarah Murphy ...
, Wales.
History and amenities
Newton village dates from the 12th century. The
St John the Baptist Church was founded by the Knights of the
Order of St. John of Jerusalem 800 years ago. Originally built as a fortress, it still overlooks the
village green
A village green is a commons, common open area within a village or other settlement. Historically, a village green was common pasture, grassland with a pond for watering cattle and other stock, often at the edge of a rural settlement, used for ...
.
The Jolly Sailor
pub
A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private ho ...
, the oldest in Porthcawl, and the Ancient Briton pub also overlook the green. 140 yards (130 metres) to the south of the church lies St. John's
water well
A well is an excavation or structure created on the earth by digging, driving, or drilling to access liquid resources, usually water. The oldest and most common kind of well is a water well, to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The ...
, the water from which is reputed to have healing properties.
Newton Beach is a long sandy
beach
A beach is a landform alongside a body of water which consists of loose particles. The particles composing a beach are typically made from Rock (geology), rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle beach, shingle, pebbles, etc., or biological s ...
, approximately 3 miles long, stretching from Newton Point in the west to the mouth of the
River Ogmore
The River Ogmore () is a river in South Wales that is popular with Angling, anglers. It runs generally from north to south from the Ogmore Vale and Gilfach Goch, past Bridgend and Ogmore-by-Sea, Ogmore. The River Ogmore rises at Craig Ogwr (527 m ...
in the east.
The Newton Burrows and
Merthyr Mawr
Merthyr Mawr is a village and Community (Wales), community in Bridgend (county borough), Bridgend, Wales. The village is about miles from the centre of Bridgend town. The population of the community at the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 censu ...
sand dune
A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, flat ...
s back Newton beach, and are a designated
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle ...
. The present warren is what is left of what was once the largest sand dune system in Europe, stretching along the coast to
Mumbles
Mumbles () is a headland sited on the western edge of Swansea Bay on the southern coast of Wales.
Toponym
Mumbles has been noted for its place names considered unusual, unusual place name. The headland is thought by some to have been named by ...
. The dunes form an important habitat for wildlife and plants, and also claim fame to the second highest sand dune in Europe, locally known as the ‘big dipper’. Some of the filming of
Lawrence of Arabia took place on the dunes.
The sand dunes were featured in the BBC series ''Coast'' and ''Weatherman Walking''.
Newton is home to one independent school:
St Clare's
Governance
Newton is a ward to Porthcawl Town Council and
Bridgend County Borough Council
Bridgend County Borough Council () is the governing body for Bridgend County Borough, one of the principal areas of Wales.
History
Bridgend County Borough and its council came into effect from 1 April 1996, following the '' Local Government (W ...
. It is represented by four town councillors on Porthcawl Town Council.
Since the 1999 county elections Newton has been a county ward, electing one county councillor to Bridgend County Borough Council.
References
External links
www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Newton and surrounding area
{{authority control
Villages in Bridgend County Borough
Porthcawl
Wards of Bridgend County Borough