Briton Ferry

Briton Ferry
Briton Ferry is located in Neath Port Talbot
Briton Ferry
Briton Ferry
Location within Neath Port Talbot
Population5,911 (2909 East ward and 3002 West ward) (2 Wards 2011)[1][2]
OS grid referenceSS735945
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townNEATH
Postcode districtSA11
Dialling code01639
PoliceSouth Wales
FireMid and West Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Neath Port Talbot
51°38′13″N 3°49′16″W / 51.637°N 3.821°W / 51.637; -3.821
The western viaduct of the first road crossing of the River Neath at Briton Ferry in 1986
The first St Mary's Church (pictured here in 2013) was founded in the 6th century

Briton Ferry (Welsh: Llansawel) is a town and community in the county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Wales. The Welsh name may indicate that the church, llan, is protected from the wind, awel. Alternatively, Sawel may be a derivative of Saul, St Paul's earlier name,[3] who, supposedly, once landed at Briton Ferry. An alternative Welsh name unused today is Rhyd y Brython,[4] a direct translation of Briton Ferry. The Normans referred to the River crossing as La Brittonne[5] and Leland in 1540 as Britanne Fery.[5]

  1. ^ "Briton Ferry East Ward 2011". Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  2. ^ "Briton Ferry West Ward 2011". Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  3. ^ Humphreys, E (1898). Reminiscences of Briton Ferry and Baglan. Briton Ferry Resource Centre: Cambria Daily Leader, Swansea. pp. 7, 23.
  4. ^ Davies, Councillor David (1888). Rhyd-y-Brython:History of Briton Ferry. Briton Ferry Resource Centre: Self-published. p. 3.
  5. ^ a b Morgan, Cliff (1977). Briton Ferry (Llansawel). Briton Ferry Resource Centre: Cliff Morgan. pp. 31, 83.