Newspaper extracts for St Donats parish

There are many references to this area in the 15 million Welsh and English language articles from Welsh newspapers transcribed by the NLW and viewable on Welsh Newspapers Online
Below are English language articles that have been re-transcribed and extracted randomly to illustrate what is available, there are many that are not extracted here that include names of local people

•  From The Cardiff Times 4th January 1879

ST DONAT'S. THE closing of the old year, and the commencement of the new, was celebrated at St Donat's Castle by an entertainment given to the tenants and the church choir by Mr and Mrs Stradling Carne. At five o'clock the ancient hall was filled, and grace was sung before and after dinner by the church choir, of upwards of 30 voices. The entertainment lasted until the beginning of the new year, and was concluded by a very fine display of fireworks in the quadrangle of the castle.

• From the South Wales Daily News (Third Edition) 6th December 1894

HISTORY OF ST. DONAT'S. Thomas Stradling, Esq., son to Sir Harry, enjoyed the possession of St. Donat's only seven years, having died there on the 8th Sept, 1480, when in his 26th year. He left three children— Edward, Harry, and Jane. Edward succeeded his father Harry's son eventually came into the estates; and Jane married Mr William Griffiths, of Anglesey, and took with her as waiting woman one Agnes, wife of David Rees, who also went as gardener. The son of this pair, after a somewhat adventurous childhood and youth, became the learned Dr. John Dafydd Rhys. Thomas Stradling's widow became the wife of Sir Rees ab Thomas, and was buried with her second husband at Carmarthen.   ......(part extract)......

•  From The Cardiff Times 19th September 1862

ST. DONAT'S CASTLE. When Fitzhamon became Lord of Glamorgan, he gave St. Donat's (or St. Dennit) Castle to Sir William le Esterling, or Stradling, one of his twelve knights. It is supposed that Sir William built the castle. The property continued in his family for 700 years, when, owing to a failure of the issue, it came into the possession of the Mansels, of Margam, into which family the last of the Stradlings had married.     ......(part extract)......

• From the Evening Express (First Edition) 17th October 1893

St. Donat's Parish Church. An effort is at present being made to obtain funds for the restoration of St. Donat's Parish Church, the historic interest of which is well known. According to the report of the diocesan surveyor (Mr. Geo. E. Halliday), "the state of bad repair into which portions of the church have fallen is principally owing to the fact that at the last restoration no steps were taken to prevent the rain water percolating from the parapets and gutters into the walls." The estimate for the reparation of the chancel, chapel, and nave (including drainage) is £585, and those chiefly interested are anxious to realise this sum, and let the reparation of the tower, &c., stand over for the present, as the total estimate is £923. Of this amount over £275 has already been obtained. Subscriptions may be sent to the Rev. Rees Williams, the Vicarage, St. Donat's, Bridgend.

• From the Evening Express (Extra Football) 12th January 1901

ST. DONAT'S  V  LLANTWIT MAJOR,  HOAXING THE NATIVES. An announcement of a match between St. Donat's and Llantwit-Major appeared yesterday in a contemporary, and concerning this our correspondent writes:- There is no match. It is only a hoax. St. Donat's is only a very small village, all old men, from 40 to 80 years of age, and they are all mentioned in the notice of the alleged match. As for the Llantwit-Major names, they are principally members of the parish council and other business men. I assure you it has caused a good laugh in this neighbour- hood."

• From the Evening Express 21st June 1892

BOATING FATALITY NEAR ST. DONATS. A correspondent writing from St. Donat's, near Bridgend, sends us particulars of a singular boating accident which he witnessed on Sunday evening. He first of all observed a small pleasure-boat tossed to and fro by the waves. With the aid of a telescope he distinctly saw a man lying full length in the bows. In a few minutes the boat took a sudden plunge, went down, and soon reappeared bottom upwards. This was the last our correspondent saw of the boat and the poor unfortunate fellow who was in her. As far as he could judge, by means of the glass, the colour of the boat was white, with a blue band running along the side.