Hengoed memories
Here are memories of Hengoed and the local area. You can start now: Add your own Memory of Hengoed or a Hengoed photo.
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 .
My Great Grandmother
It's not a memory of mine but, she was my great grandmother and I am not sure of her first name although I know her surname was Powell. She was a mother to grandad, who's life so tragically ended, she died in a fire, a caravan fire, in Hengoed. I would like to know about her, and would like even to know her name and where she is buried.
I believe that everyone should be remembered and I think that I am the only one who wants to remember.
Memories of Mid Glamorgan
Evacuee in Cefn Hengoed
During the Second World War my family were evacuated to Cefn Hengoed. Two of my brothers were with the Hughes family, two with the Palmers and two of my sisters with the Jones Famly. We arrived in 1941. Being one of the youngest, I was with my youngest sister, my mother and my father and we stayed on Haywards Farm. Dad was working in an ammunition factory at Glasscoed. When I was old enough I started school at the Derwendaeg Primary school. Before the end of the war the whole family was living at number 5 Chaple Terrace. After the war we stayed until 1947 returning to London on the 31 August. It is now almost 60 years since we left. I passed through the village in 1984, the farm had gone and houses had been built on the site. I hope to return again this year, I have many happy memories of those days.
My Past Memories Are of Gilfach Visits to my Gran And Grancha
i was 5 years old at that time , my mum would take myself and my sisters on the bus from hengoed . every week to visit gran and granch. my grandparents lived in gilfach street oposite the old fire station where we would sit in the window waiting for the engine to appear. good times.
i later in 1969 married a boy from gilfach and then went to live in the very same house my grandparents lived in. i now have left gilfach and living in hengoed.
my husband still as family there and we visit regular.
Living in Cefn Hengoed
The Kemp family lived in Cefn Hengoed from about 1920 to 1938, I was born there in my grand parents James and Rose Kemp’s house, No.64 Gelligaer Road in 1934.
My memories of the village start from about 1937
I remember seeing a bus go flashing by down Gelligaer Road with its interior lights on, when I questioned my Dad, Thomas John Kemp (also known as Jack) he said it was the St John’s Ambulance Brigade’s bus going to a disaster, some workmen had been erecting an Electricity Pylon nearby which had collapsed and they were going to help. He and my Uncle Jim were very involved with St John’s Ambulance Brigade in the village and I suppose he was on the bus.
Another memory of life in the village was playing in the field at the top of the village near the Cross-Keys Pub, whilst waiting for Dad to come out of the pub, my elder brother Harry and I were playing on the wall and Harry fell... Read more
Family
My nana Winnie Williams has lived in Cefn Hengoed for a very long time and is now nearly 103 years old. Her late husband was Cled Williams who was a councillor in the surrounding area who died before I was born. They had 5 children: Cled, Gwyneth, Howell (known as Robin - my dad), Sheila and Gwyneth. As I am from Scotland I don't know a lot of my family history and would like to know more, especially about my Nana. I visit her as often as I can and have many happy childhood memories of Nana and extended family and she still live in Hengoed Avenue. I am hoping to take my children there in October although the place has changed with less farming area and more new houses and I hope to give them happy memories too!
Terry Carney
Look up the Hengoed pages of this website, I left a memory there you may be interested in.
Memorybank total
We're very pleased and excited by your response so far to our "Share your Memories" community.
You've shared 26,169 memories of 5,731 towns & villages across the UK - keep them coming!
Find Memories
Simply search for your favourite places to read others' memories and share your own.
Tips & Ideas
Not sure what to write?
It's easy - just think of an important place in your life and ask yourself:
How does it feature in your personal history?
What are your best memories of this place?
How has it changed over the years?
How does it feel, seeing these old photos of your favourite place?
Do you remember stories about the local community, its history and people?
Start now!
It's easy to add your own memories and reconnect with your shared local history. Search for your favourite places and look for the orange "Add your Memory" icon to begin.
Places this week
Here are some of the places you've shared memories of this week:
- Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire
- Streatham, Greater London
- Barking, Essex
- Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire
- Virginia Water, Surrey
- Margam, West Glamorgan
- Twechar, Lanarkshire
- Orpington, Kent
- Wickford, Essex
- Grasmere, Cumbria
- Kirkham Abbey, North Yorkshire
- Ealing, Greater London
- Hindhead, Surrey
- Monk Bretton, South Yorkshire
- Cefn Fforest, Gwent
- Crowborough, East Sussex
- Willerby, North Humberside
- Huyton, Merseyside
- Potters Bar, Hertfordshire
- Aldershot, Hampshire
- ... and lots more - Browse this week's memories now.
Your memories
To jump straight to the memories you have added already to the Community, click here
I Remember When...
This stunning compilation highlights some of the best stories selected from the thousands contributed here on the
Frith website. The result is an absorbing chronicle of British life from the Second World War to the mid 1960s.
A colourful treasure trove of memories, "I Remember When" is an
irresistible mix of personal stories and recollections that affectionately reveal the detail of everyday life in Britain.
