A Blue Plaque Scheme was introduced by Bridgend Town Council to recognise significant contributions made to the area and commemorate notable people, places and events within the Bridgend Town Council wards of Morfa, Oldcastle and Newcastle.

In order to develop the Blue Plaque Scheme, the Town Council consulted with representatives from Bridgend Civic Trust and Bridgend Historical Society and continues to work with them on all blue plaque projects.

Blue Plaque Scheme

Blue Plaque Scheme

The Countess & Mayor presenting the Blue Plaque for Dowager Countess of Dunraven, Caroline Wyndham.

Plaques installed to date are dedicated to:

  • Sir Morien Bedford Morgan, originally from Caroline Street Bridgend who is noted as the ‘Father of Concorde’.

  • Dowager Countess of Dunraven, Caroline Wyndham, who in 1857 paid for a pipe-line to be laid to provide free clean water on the corner of Court Road/Derwen Road and later paid for the ‘Randall Memorial’ drinking fountain to be erected.

  • St John’s House, a protected Grade II Listed building within the Newcastle Conservation area.

  • Monsignor Dilwyn Lewis who was born in Bridgend, a renowned international fashion designer. In 1974 was ordained as a Catholic Priest and was later posted as a canon of the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

  • A Tudor Plaque commemorating 500 years of the granting of a Royal Market Charter to Bridgend by King Henry V111 in 1516.

  • John Thomas: Born in Elder Street on St David’s Day in 1826, John Thomas was harpist to Queen Victoria and to her successor, King Edward VII.

  • Caroline Williams: Born in 1823 at a house on Newcastle Hill, Caroline Williams had a passion for the advancement of women. Throughout her life she did much to better the education for women and funded the first Women’s Scholarship ever given at a Welsh University College.

  • Sub-Lieutenant Brian Lloyd, a resident from Park Street who lost his life in 1941 undertaking a special mission paddling solo from HMS Urge to the shores of Sicily in a fold up canoe He was killed by enemy fire. HMS Urge was the submarine funded by the people Bridgend as part of ‘Warships Week’.

  • Wil Ifan – The Rev William Evans, Poet, Eisteddfod Archdruid, Broadcaster, Priest who lived at 14, Park Street from 1952 – 1968

The next blue plaques to be installed in 2026 will be dedicated to:

  • Dr Marshall Annear (1917-1985)  Medical Superintendent of Morgannwg Hospitals including The Parc and Glanrhyd, Well respected in the profession for his deep interest in Postgraduate Education in Psychiatry.  Plaque to be located on the former family home, The Patch, Ewenny Road.

  • Captain Charles F Napier (1805-1867) Appointed the first chief constable of the newly created Glamorgan Constabulary in 1841 and served until his death in 1867.

  • William Morgan (1750-1833)  Nephew of the philosopher Richard Price,  born on Newcastle Hill. Credited with being the founder of modern actuarial science as well as the first person to create a very basic X-ray tube which led to the discovery, in 1895 of the x-ray. 

Bridgend Town Council welcome suggestions from individuals or organisations relating to notable people, places and events that could be considered for a blue plaque. The aim of the Blue Plaque Scheme is to commemorate a range of people, places or events within the Bridgend Town Council wards of Morfa, Oldcastle and Newcastle throughout all historical periods.