Memorial at St Athan Boys' Village

Cadw's description

Location

In the centre of the former Boys' Village approximately 300m south of the B4265 on a minor road leading to West Aberthaw and about 1km north of Aberthaw power station.

History

The Village opened on 8th August 1925 as a holiday camp for boys from the working class families of south Wales. It could accommodate up to 180 people and was a fully equipped holiday village with a main hall, kitchens & canteen, dormitories, sports facilities and a chapel.

The Boys' Club movement (now Clubs for Young People Wales) had been started in the early 1920s by Captain J Glynn-Jones and David Davies of Llandinam. Davies, who was chair of the Ocean Coal Company and Glynn-Jones who was its Welfare Officer, recognised the need to help and support boys from the mining communities of south Wales. The first Boys' Club opened in Treharris in 1922 with the aim of providing outdoor and sporting activities. Later clubs followed in Nantymoel, Ton Pentre & Gelli, Treorchy, Wattstown and Nine Mile Point.

The idea for the village at St Athan was developed after realisation of the benefits of closer working of the different clubs and after a party of boys from the Ocean Coal Company had travelled in 1923 to an annual camp organised by the Duke of York in New Romney, Kent. In August 1928 a conference at St Athan led to the formation of the South Wales Federation of Boys’ Clubs.

The memorial was probably erected as part of the initial construction of the camp to commemorate the youth of all nations who died in the first World War. It was located at the focal point of the village within a formal landscaped garden with the village buildings surrounding. It was later amended with the dates of World War II.

Exterior

Memorial in Portland stone orientated with its main face to the west. Pierced arch set on rectangular base with plain moulded plinth, recessed cap stone and two steps to west side. Partially infilling the arch is a moulded inscription panel that reads ‘ST ATHAN, DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE YOUTH OF ALL NATIONS WHO FELL THAT WAR MIGHT END BY THE BOYS OF THE SOUTH WALES COALFIELD WHO AT THIS ALTAR DEDICATE THEMSELVES TO COMPLETE THE TASK SO NOBLY BEGUN, 1914-18, 1939-45, AR Y DDAER TANGNEFEDD, I DDYNION EWYLLYS DA.’

Reason for designation

Included for its special architectural interest as a good and unusual example of a war memorial and especially for its historic interest as testament to the role of the Boys' Village and the Boys' Club movement played in improving the life of the mining communities of south Wales.