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Hengoed
Hengoed maps
Historic maps of Hengoed and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Hengoed maps
Hengoed area books
Displaying 1 of 2 books about Hengoed and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Hengoed
Displaying a selection of personal
memories of Hengoed.
There are 9 shared memories to read.
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My Favourite Place (God's Country)! Ystrad Mynach & Hengoed.
My most vivid memory of Hengoed Viaduct was when I travelled by train over the viaduct (Hengoed High Level) to Stoke on Trent in the summer of 1961. The whole family went and we stayed at my father's step-brother's home in Burton on Trent. That viaduct crossing on the train was absolutely breath taking when you looked down the valley and beyond. I have since ridden across there on my mountain bike and do so every so often travelling up to Hengoed from my home in Barry Island with the bike crammed into the back of my car. It is a pleasant ride, I normally ride through Parc Penallta along the cycle track (Pontypool to Aberdare former railway) to Trelewis and back, stopping on the viaduct to admire the breath taking views and drink some much needed water. I have lived on Barry Island for 24 years and formerly Barry since 1977/78 which was when I left Ystrad Mynach. Living away from Ystrad Mynach however has some plus points but my... Read more
LIVING IN 5 Hawthorn Ave HENGOED
I lived in number 5 Hawthorn Ave from 1957 with my brother and 2 sisters, my name then was ENID PUGH. We moved to Myrtle Grove after many years. I went to Hengoed primary school then Bargod Grammar School. I remember going dancing to the boys' club in Ystrad Mynach. I left Hengoed to go nursing. I now live in Australia with my family. I am returning to Hengoed in June this year to visit after 40 years!!
My First Look
The first time my father took me under the Hengoed viaduct I remember looking up and said to my dad that one day I would like to walk across it and wondered how long it would take us. When I got a bit older and a bit more interested in the viaduct, me and a mate got over the fence on the Hengoed station side and made the trip to the other side. Once half way across we stopped to take in the incredible views. I'll never forget that day - it felt like we were on top of the world looking down at the valleys. I spent my childhood growing up in Cefn Hengoed and in the shadow of this wonderful monument. I hope that it remains well preserved so that future generations can enjoy it the way that I did.
Evacuee
I remember a Terry Carney living in Chapel Terrace, a curly headed boy with always a pleasant smile. I had a photo of him taken at Derwendeg school (a group photo) which I gave to a lady who was collecting memorabilia on Cefn Hengoed. My gran kept a small shop at 56 Gelligaer Road, and my uncle Bill 'Ginger' Williams worked in Penallta pit.
Growing up in Hengoed
I rememnber living at 21 Hengoed Road, with my grandparents, and my brother Glyn. How much fun we used to have, playing down on the Graig, sailing anything that would float on the river. Sometimes chasing the trains. In winter sledging down the hill. Walking to school where Mr Owen was the Headmaster, who bless his heart, helped me to find my goal to enter nursing school. I left Hengoed in 1966 and have been back twice, it still to me seems that time has not changed it too much.
Hengoed School Burning Down
Unless the school burned down twice, it definitely happened in half term of 1980. I was on the school pitch behind my house at the time. I was well-chuffed because I had reached the top class with Mr Thomas and was allowed to use a fountain pen. Then one day - so we heard - workmen in the school dropped a gas cannister. I can still remember standing there watching smoke pour out of the roof of the main building, while all the neighbours were shouting "ring the fire brigade!". Our class and year 5 (was standard 3) underneath us had to go to Tiryberth primary for 2 weeks while they sorted out portakabins for us, which they placed on the top yard and on the school pitch.
I spent the rest of the school year in that Portakabin. The rest of the school were housed in the corrugated canteen building and the original separate school room building.
We have photos of the school, photos of... Read more
The Good Old Days
I moved to Hengoed when I was 6 years old. I lived in Hawthorn Avenue when the houses were first built. The first winter there was very bad, I have not seen a winter like it since, not in Hengoed anyway. It was a close-knit community there, 24 steel houses and policeman always lived in No 24. Everybody knew everybody and for a small community we had a lot of tragedies, always involving small children. Two children were killed by vehicles and when you consider that there were not a lot of vehicles on the road then two was a lot. Another child disappeared in the evening, I remember a knock on our door asking my father would he join the search, and I believe it was in the early hours of the following morning that they found the child dead in a quarry which contained a lot of water.
I can never remember being bored, there was always something to do. We wree surrounded by fields and were... Read more
HENGOED SCHOOL INFANTS AND JUNIOR
I HAVE GREAT MEMORIES OF A GREAT SCHOOL WHICH SADLY WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE 1960 S I REMEMBER THE DAY WITH SADNESS; AS I WATCHED WITH MY PARENTS AS IT WAS COMPLETLY DESTROYED. HOWEVER SHORTLY AFTER A NEW SCHOOL WAS BUILT AND MY CHILDREN WHO ONLY ATTENDED THE OLD SCHOOL FOR 3 YEARS ' STARTED AT THE NEW SCHOOL.AS THERE IS NOW AHOUSING ESTATE BUILT ON ITS GROUND,OLD SCHOOL GRANGE, IT WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERD BY ALL THAT ATTENDED IN MEMORY OF MR OWEN HEADMASTER AND ALL OUR TEACHERS .
