West Glamorgan(Welsh:Gorllewin Morgannwg) is a former administrative county in South Wales. It is now apreserved county.
| West Glamorgan Welsh:Gorllewin Morgannwg | |
|---|---|
 West Glamorgan shown within Wales as a preserved county | |
| Area | |
| • 2003 | 820 km2 |
| • 2022 | 819 km2(6th) |
| Population | |
| • 2022 | 383,440[1](6th) |
| History | |
| • Created | 1974 |
| • Abolished | 1996 |
| • Succeeded by | Swansea Neath Port Talbot Preserved county of West Glamorgan |
| Status |
|
| Government | West Glamorgan County Council(abolished 1996) |
| •HQ | County Hall,Swansea |
 Coat of arms of West Glamorgan County Council | |
| Subdivisions | |
| • Type | Non-metropolitan districts |
| • Units | |
West Glamorgan was one of the divisions of theancient countyofGlamorgan.It was created on 1 April 1974, by theLocal Government Act 1972from thecounty boroughofSwansea,the municipal boroughs ofNeathandPort Talbot,the urban districts ofGlyncorrwgandLlwchwr,GowerRural District,PontardaweRural District, and all of Neath Rural District except the parish ofRhigos.From 1982, the main offices ofWest Glamorgan County Councilwere located inCounty Hall, Swansea.
West Glamorgan had fourdistricts,as follows:
- Swansea– Swansea CB and Gower RD
- Lliw Valley– Llwchwr and Pontardawe RD
- Neath– Neath and Neath RD
- Port Talbot– Port Talbot and Glyncorrwg
Following theLocal Government (Wales) Act 1994,West Glamorgan and its component districts were abolished on 1 April 1996, the area being divided into the twounitary authoritiesofSwanseaandNeath and Port Talbot(later changed to "Neath Port Talbot"). Lliw Valley was partitioned between the two authorities. A West Glamorgan preserved county was created for the limited functions ofLieutenancyandHigh Shrievalty.
Coat of arms
editThe arms of West Glamorgan were:Argent three chevronels gules, between in chief two pine cones vert dimidiating as many gouttes sable, and in base a lozenge sable.The crest is aWelsh Dragonholding aTudor rosein its forepaws, rising above four gold cogwheels. The supporters are anospreyand aheron,both with a fish in their beaks, and wearing a chain round their necks. The osprey is standing on water, and the heron on a ploughed field. The motto isCadarn pob cyfiawn(Welsh:'The just are strong'). Thechevronelsderive from the arms of thede Clarefamily; the pine cones represent forestry; the black drops (gouttes) the oil industry; and the black lozenge, coal. The four cogwheels above the shield stand for the four districts and their industries; the chains around the supporters' necks, the steel and aluminium industries; the water and the fish, fishing; and the ploughed field, agriculture.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Mid-2022 population estimates by Lieutenancy areas (as at 1997) for England and Wales".Office for National Statistics.24 May 2024.Retrieved31 May2024.
- ^"West Glamorgan coat of arms".Heraldry of the World.Retrieved30 March2014.