From: Rod Selden <rodselden(a)optushome.com.au>
If Machen Lower (in the birth certificate) refers to the urban
subdistrict of Machen then this supports the Graig View in Pontymister
option. However why is it called Machen Lower if it refers to the
subdistrict of Machen? Machen Lower would seem to be a narrower
classification, referring to a different place?
I haven't followed the thread of this discussion, so this may be irrelevant
(and certainly confusing):
The 'original' Machen - where the parish church of St Michael is, down the
valley, closer to Newport - is now called 'Lower Machen'. The more recent
Machen, further up the valley towards Caerphilly, was mostly a product of
the 19th century, and was once called Upper Machen. Upper Machen, which is
'bigger' than (Lower) Machen, is now generally called just Machen. Both
Machens straddle the river Rhymney - and have in practice therefore occupied
two different counties (Monmouthshire and Glamorgan).
In about 1972 Graham Beeston wrote: "The Bedwas and Machen Urban District
[in its original form constituted in 1912] consists of the ecclesiastical
parish of Bedwas (including the present-day Bedwas, Maesycwmmer and
Trethomas) and that part of the ecclesiastical parish of Machen known as
Upper Machen (including Craig-y-Rhaca). The other two civil divisions of
Machen, namely Lower Machen (Mon.) and the hamlet of Rydygwern (Glam.) form
part respectively of Magor and St Mellons and Cardiff Rural areas for local
government purposes."
Since then the local government situation has changed, of course...
Glyn Hatherall
Ealing, London UK
glyn(a)hatherall.org.uk
scarrott(a)one-name.org