Glamorgan


 * For other uses, see 

Glamorgan or Glamorganshire (Morgannwg) is one of the thirteen and a former  of. It was originally an early medieval of varying names and boundaries until taken over by the  as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three of  (containing Swansea),  and  (containing Cardiff). The name also survives in that of the of the.

Geography
The county of Glamorgan falls into several distinct regions: the industrial valleys, the agricultural, and the scenic.

The county is bounded to the north by, east by , south by the , and west by and. Its total area is 2,100 km², and the total of the three preserved counties of Glamorgan in  was 1,288,309. Its highest point is at (600 ).

Glamorgan is the most populous and industrialised county in Wales. The northern part of the county is a ous area, dissected by deep narrow s, with urbanisation typified by. At one time the coal industry was dominant, but now there are only two deep mines remaining, at Hirwaun and the much smaller  at Glynneath. A third pit,, formerly Pentreclwydau Colliery, is currently being reopened.

The, a area mainly comprising farmland and small villages stretches across most of the south of the county from Porthcawl to Cardiff. Further west, beyond Swansea, lies the, an.

The major rivers of Glamorgan include the, the , the , the , , the , the (which forms the border with Monmouthshire), and the  (which forms the border with Carmarthenshire). The main towns include, , , , , , , , , , , , , , and.

Despite the decline in the coal industry, the area remains heavily populated with a wide and diverse economic base including public, , light industry, , service sector, and. .

Places of interest
Places of special interest include:
 * pleasure beach
 * , Tongwynlais
 * Dunraven Park,
 * , St. Fagans
 * , Cardiff
 * , Swansea
 * , Cilfrew
 * burial chamber
 * Windmill Farm,
 * , St. Fagans
 * , Cardiff
 * , Swansea
 * , Cilfrew
 * burial chamber
 * Windmill Farm,
 * , Cilfrew
 * burial chamber
 * Windmill Farm,
 * , Cilfrew
 * burial chamber
 * Windmill Farm,
 * Windmill Farm,
 * Windmill Farm,
 * Windmill Farm,

History
Initially it was founded as an independent petty kingdom named . In the, it became known as  after its greatest monarch,. It was at times united with the neighbouring kingdoms of and. By virtue of its location and geography, Morgannwg was the second part of Wales, after Gwent, to be overrun by the and was frequently the scene of fighting between the  and Welsh princes.

Administration
After the fall of the Welsh Kingdom of Morgannwg to in, the region became the  Lordship of Glamorgan, sometimes called the Lordship of Glamorgan and Morgan because it was divided into the Norman settled Plain or Vale of Glamorgan and the Welsh upland area called Morgannwg, anglicized  to Morgan. Both areas were under the control of the Norman Lords of Glamorgan (often the ).

In, the first attached the  to Glamorgan and created the  of Glamorgan. . An administrative county of Glamorgan was created under the, excluding Swansea and Cardiff, which were independent s. They were soon joined by. The county's coat of arms, granted in 1950, is 'Or, three chevronels gules between three Tudor roses gules and argent', and is adapted from those of the. The county motto is: A Ddioddefws A Orfu (He who suffered has conquered).

Under the, the administrative county of Glamorgan was abolished on , , with three new counties being established, each containing a former county borough - , ,. It has now been further subdivided into several. The force covers an area that is similar to Glamorgan.