Garw Farms

Prior to the main development of the valley, around the late 1860s, the majority of the population were involved in farming. To date there does not appear to be an overall, and detailed, record of the farms and their inhabitants. An attempt to illustrate the farming fraternity over the years since mining came to the Garw has shown what a wide group of agricultural sites there were. Further research into the social threads of people shows how families moved around; how sons and daughters went to work in other farms, and how farming families offered lodging to miners. Some of the numbers inhabiting specific places must have stetched the facilities and the overall quality of living standards may have left much to be desired when viewed from a 21st century perspective.

Some names have altered over time, some have longer histories than others. People details are sourced from examination of individual Census pages as well as the georeferencing maps. Not all farms have been specifically georeferenced to date, and the positions of some will rely upon local knowledge or other sources.

This is a list derived from Census records and Parish listings. How the farm names are derived is not always clear. Some names have altered over time, some farms have disappeared. The qualities of the writing offered by Census Enumerators leaves much to be desired, so spelling errors abound. Occasionally, a person who wrote their occupation as 'Farmer' did not always live on a farm, further complicating the process.

All the farms shown lie within the designated Parish boundaries of Llangeinor and Bettws as depicted upon the OS maps at the times of the census involved. Transcribers of Parish records show an incredible lack of appreciation of Welsh names.

After the 1881 Census, it is apparent that sizes of land holdings were no longer recorded, though some do appear in the Parish records.

Farm Name Active From Active To
Abergarw Farm 1881 1901
Blaenchidwyn 1861 1911
Blaen Cymdu 1881
Blaengarw Farm 1871 1891
Braichycymmer Farm 1871 1911
Brithdir 1871 1881
Bryn Mawr Farm 1881 1939
Cae Abbot Farm 1871 1891
Caedu 1891 1911
Cae Garw 1881 1901
Capel Bach 1871 1921
Cefn Gelli 1871 1911
Cefn Machen Isaf 1871 1901
Cefn Machen Isaf 1871 1911
Cefn Machen Uchaf 1871 1911
Celfydd Ifan 1871 1901
City Ganol 1871 1939
City Ganol 1871 1939
City (Uchaf) 1871 1911
Coedanyn 1881 1881
Craighudol 1871 1901
Cwmdu Fawr / Isha 1871 1901
Cwmfelinewydd 1881 1901
Cymcedfyw 1871 1901
Drehir 1871 1901