Porthcawl

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Porthcawl
Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl
Porthcawl Location within Bridgend
Population	16,005 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference	SS825775
Principal area	Bridgend
Preserved county	Mid Glamorgan
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	PORTHCAWL
Postcode district	CF36
Dialling code	01656
Police	South Wales
Fire	South Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
UK Parliament	Bridgend
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament	Bridgend
Website	porthcawltowncouncil.gov.uk
List of places UK Wales Bridgend 51°29′N 3°41′W / 51.48°N 3.69°W / 51.48; -3.69 Map of the community

Porthcawl ([pɔrθˈkaul] ^ⓘ) is a town and community in the Bridgend County Borough of Wales. It is on the south coast of Wales, 25 miles (40 km) west of Cardiff and 19 miles (31 km) southeast of Swansea.

Historically part of Glamorgan and situated on a low limestone headland on the South Wales coast, overlooking the Bristol Channel, Porthcawl developed as a coal port during the 19th century, but its trade was soon taken over by more rapidly developing ports such as Barry. Northwest of the town, in the dunes known as Kenfig Burrows, are hidden the last remnants of the town and Kenfig Castle, which were overwhelmed by sand about 1400.