# Boys Village, St Athan. Nov 2011



## shj35 (Dec 15, 2011)

Hey guys, I'm sure you all know about this site but here is a wiki on it... 

Opened on August 8th 1925 as a summer camp for the sons from families in the South Wales Coalfield, it offered them a place to play and be free, as well as being close to the nearby beach. Over the ages its usage developed (but not necessarily changed) to be used as a camp for youths and apprenticeships, etc., as well.

The buildings included a dining hall, dormitories, a gym, swimming pool and a church. There was also a full-sized cricket pitch and pavilion. The site also includes a war memorial. There are rumours about Boys Village being haunted or plagued by a troubled past.

The site declined in line with the decline in coal mining in the Welsh valleys and without the money put in by the miners, it no longer had the finances to operate and subsequently closed in the late 1960s.

It has been rumoured many times that the land has been sold for development, but it has not to date! 

On my visist I had the chance to run into the owner who was there taking measurements. He told me that he was planning in the very near future to be securing the site. Personaly i think this would be a complete waste of money and doubt very much it will happen.. time will tell.. On with the photos:



BoysVill1 by ~Ste~, on Flickr



BoysVill2 by ~Ste~, on Flickr



BoysVill3 by ~Ste~, on Flickr



BoysVill4 by ~Ste~, on Flickr



BoysVil5 by ~Ste~, on Flickr



Chapel by ~Ste~, on Flickr



Stairs to Boys dorm by ~Ste~, on Flickr



Chapel by ~Ste~, on Flickr



Chapel by ~Ste~, on Flickr



Main building by ~Ste~, on Flickr



Girls Dorm by ~Ste~, on Flickr



Girls Dorm1 by ~Ste~, on Flickr
Thought you might like to see a model too 



SHJ-Photo20111123-64 by ~Ste~, on Flickr



SHJ-Photo20111123-49 by ~Ste~, on Flickr
Thanks for reading guys, hope you enjoy


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## The Archivist (Dec 15, 2011)

Fine set of pics, but don't believe everything you read:



> The site declined in line with the decline in coal mining in the Welsh valleys and without the money put in by the miners, it no longer had the finances to operate and subsequently closed in the late 1960s.



The village actually closed in 1991. Sadly the author of that article doesn't seem to have bothered using any sources. I've edited it now with the correct info. 

Thanks for posting anyhow, it's good to see how the old place is getting on.


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