the Oakwood as the upcast shafts to provide ventilation for the miners of both collieries. Oakwood, which also began work in 1864, had its pithead located to the west of the River Llynfi. Although not located in Garth, the Oakwood Pit explosion of 1872 which killed 11 repairers, included members of the Garth community. In 1908, at its peak, the Garth colliery had a workforce of 1,075. The number of people employed gradually decreased over the next two decades, with 730 in 1918 and 688 in 1923. In 1930 Garth Colliery closed for good, two years after the cessation of mining in nearby Oakwood. Transport The main road through Garth is the B4282, which consists of Mill Road, Bridgend Road and Castle Street. It connects at both ends to the A4063. In 1970 Troedyrhiew Garth, the village sole railway station was closed down. A new station was opened at a different location in 1992, known as Garth or sometime Garth (Bridgend). Buildings of note Newman selects two structures of note within Garth, both religious buildings. St Mary the Virgin (1891) is described as a 'pretty little stone faced building' with stained glass windows in the grisaille style with lilies on the borders. The west window centres on the Name of Jesus. Libanus Welsh Calvinistic Methodist Church was built in 1871. It is stone faced and classical in style. The interior has galleries on three sides and on the fourth, behind the pulpit, there is dramatic double-depth arch on marbled columns. References Bibliography Further reading Villages in Bridgend County Borough Maesteg