Porthkerry Park, Romilly Park and Old Village

Porthkerry Park

CwmKiddy was once a parish on its own, but in the fourteenth century as the population had declined, it was combined with Porthkerry. The whole village was joined with Porthkerry Park by the Romilly family in the 1840s. The park was landscaped and most of the buildings were demolished.

The Barry Mill remained in the woodland and in 1812 the estates of Barry and Porthkerry were purchased by Sir Samuel Romilly.

Old Village

In 1841 the old village had twelve houses. Forty years later, there were twenty houses and still less than a hundred people living there.

As the docks were developed and people moved to Barry, the demand for housing dramatically changed how Barry looked as other areas in Barry were developed.

Romilly Park

Romilly Park was bought by Barry Urban District Council in 1898. It was sold very cheaply by the Romilly family on the condition that none of the trees were cut down. The park was landscaped and a band stand added. Romilly Park is still a beautiful park to this day.

The Gorsedd Stones – Romilly Park

Gorsedd Stones are groups of standing stones constructed for the National Eisteddfod of Wales. The Gorsedd Circle in Barry was constructed for the 1920 National Eisteddfod. The stones that were used came from the quarry at Palmerston in Cadoxton.

On June 18th 1919, after a Bardic procession around the town, the proclamation ceremony was held at the stone circle near Romilly Park.

Reports state that thousands of people came to see the proclamation and that the ceremony had been a huge success.