Llanfairfechan
{{Short description|Town and community in Conwy, Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = Wales
| static_image_name = Llanfairfechan1.jpg
| static_image_caption = A view over Llanfairfechan
| welsh_name =
| constituency_welsh_assembly = Aberconwy
| official_name = Llanfairfechan
| coordinates = {{coord|53.253|-3.973|display=inline,title}}
| community_wales = Llanfairfechan
| unitary_wales = Conwy
| lieutenancy_wales = Clwyd
| constituency_westminster = Bangor Aberconwy
| post_town = LLANFAIRFECHAN
| postcode_district = LL33
| postcode_area = LL
| dial_code = 01248
| os_grid_reference = SH683747
| population = 3,637
| cardiff_distance =
| london_distance =
| module= 240px
Map of the community
}}
{{langnf|cy|Llanfairfechan|little St Mary's parish|italic=no|paren=left}}; [ɬanvairvɛχan] {{pronunciation|LL-Q9309 (cym)-Jason.nlw-Llanfairfechan.wav|Welsh pronunciation}}) is a town and community in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is known as a seaside resort and had a population at the 2001 Census of 3,755,{{citation|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=3&b=801589&c=llanfairfechan&d=16&e=15&g=413634&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1237426002437&enc=1&dsFamilyId=779 |title=2001 Census: Llanfairfechan|publisher=Office for National Statistics|access-date=19 March 2009}} reducing to 3,637 at the 2011 Census. The history of the area dates back to at least Roman times, as demonstrated by the discovery of a large second century milestone, which is now preserved in the British Museum.[https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_prb/m/milestone.aspx British Museum Highlights]
History
There are a number of prehistoric sites on the hills above the village. The most important of these today is the old hillfort of Dinas; but the large defensive fortress of Braich-y-Dinas, at the summit of Penmaenmawr, was among the largest in Britain and Ireland until it was finally destroyed by quarrying at the start of the 20th century.
As in the case of Penmaenmawr, the present town grew up as a granite quarrying town and a seaside town from the mid-19th century onwards. At one time there were hundreds of men working in the Penmaenmawr quarry, but today quarrying has stopped completely on this side of the mountain.
Governance
File:Llanfairfechan Community Centre - geograph.org.uk - 4192856.jpg
There are two tiers of local government covering Llanfairfechan, at community (town) level and principal area (county borough) level: Llanfairfechan Town Council (Cyngor Tref Llanfairfechan) and Conwy County Borough Council. The town council is based at the Town Hall on Village Road.{{cite web |title=About the council |url=https://www.llanfairfechantowncouncil.co.uk/en/about-the-council.php |website=Llanfairfechan Town Council |access-date=30 November 2024}}
=Administrative history=
Llanfairfechan was an ancient parish within the historic county of Caernarfonshire.{{cite web |title=Llanfairfechan Ancient Parish / Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10151119 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=30 November 2024}} In 1872 the parish was made a local government district, administered by an elected local board.{{London Gazette|issue=23815|page=43|date=5 January 1872}}
Such local government districts were reconstituted as urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894.{{cite web |title=Llanfairfechan Urban District |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10040218#tab02 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=30 November 2024}} Llanfairfechan Urban District was abolished in 1974, with its area becoming a community in the Aberconwy borough of the new county of Gwynedd.Local Government Act 1972 Further reforms in 1996 abolished the boroughs and counties created in 1974, and Llanfairfechan was placed in the new Conwy County Borough.Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 For the ceremonial purposes of lieutenancy and shrievalty, Llanfairfechan remained in the preserved county of Gwynedd until 2003, when the whole of Conwy County Borough was placed in the preserved county of Clwyd.{{cite web |title=The Preserved Counties (Amendment to Boundaries) (Wales) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003 No. 974 ) |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2003/974/pdfs/wsi_20030974_mi.pdf |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |access-date=30 November 2024}}
Transport connections
The town lies on the north coast on the route of the A55 road, between Penmaenmawr and Bangor. It has a railway station on the North Wales Coast Line. It, however, is in the unusual situation where there is only one public road that connects it with the remainder of the British road network, which is the A55 road North Wales Expressway.
Notable sites
Morfa Madryn, the salt marsh area immediately west of the town on the shore of Traeth Lafan, is a local authority-managed nature reserve of outstanding beauty and a favourite haunt of bird watchers. The site is home to cormorants and shags. The rare little egret can also be spotted. It is also not far from Aber Falls.
Llanfairfechan is also home to Bryn y Neuadd Hospital, a learning disability facility, a mental health unit (Carreg Fawr) and a medium-secure unit (Tŷ Llywelyn). The site, Bryn Y Neuadd, is also home to the control centres for both the Emergency and Non-Emergency Ambulance services for the north.
Llanfairfechan was judged North Wales Calor Village of the Year for 2009 in the competition run by Calor Gas UK{{cite web|title=Llanfairfechan crowned N.Wales finest village|url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/2009/07/28/llanfairfechan-crowned-n-wales-finest-village-55578-24252618/|access-date=23 June 2011}}
The earlier Llanfairfechan Golf Club was founded in 1909. This club continued until the early 1950s. There is still a golf club operating in the town under the same name.[http://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/index.php/wales-64/1057-llanfairfechan-golf-club-conwy “Llanfairfechan Golf Club”], “Golf’s Missing Links”.
Wern Isaf (Rosebriars) is a house and garden designed by the architect Herbert Luck North. Born in Llanfairfechan, Luck North studied in London under Henry Wilson and Edwin Lutyens, before returning to build a substantial practice in Wales. His home is a Grade II listed building{{National Historic Assets of Wales|desc= Wern Isaf (formerly Rose Briars)|num=3567|grade=II|access-date=22 February 2023}} and its garden is listed, also at Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.{{NHAW|uid=139|num=PGW(Gd)9(CON)|desc=Wern Isaf (Rosebriars) |class=HPG|access-date=6 February 2023}}
Welsh language
According to the 2011 Census, 45.3% of the population of the town can speak Welsh.{{Cite web|url=http://www.eryri-npa.gov.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/341822/Llanfairfechan.pdf|title=Community Council Profiles - Llanfairfechan|date=2011|website=Snowdonia National Park|publisher=Snowdonia National Park|access-date=9 November 2016}} 66.2% of the town's population who were born in Wales noted that they could speak the language.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/lc2206wa|title=LC2206WA (Welsh language skills by country of birth by age) - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics|website=www.nomisweb.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2018-01-23}}
The two schools situated in Llanfairfechan, Ysgol Pant-y-Rhedyn and Ysgol Babanod Llanfairfechan, are categorized as being predominantly English-medium schools but with significant use of Welsh.{{Cite web|url=http://mylocalschool.wales.gov.uk/school.htm?estab=6623020&lang=eng|title=Ysgol Babanod Llanfairfechan|website=My Local School|publisher=Welsh Government|access-date=9 November 2016}}{{Cite web|url=http://mylocalschool.wales.gov.uk/School/6622115?lang=en|title=Ysgol Pant Y Rhedyn|website=mylocalschool.wales.gov.uk|access-date=2018-01-23}}
Town twinning
In 2011, the process of town-twinning between Llanfairfechan and Pleumeleuc was completed over the first weekend of June. A number of events were held over the weekend, including trips to local attractions and guided tours around Llanfairfechan itself.{{cite web|title=Programme of events for town twinning visit|url=http://www.llanfairfechan.org.uk/llantaa/news.php?item.436|access-date=23 June 2011}}
Climate
{{Weather box
| width = auto
| metric first = yes
| single line = yes
| location = Llanfairfechan (1991–2020)
| Jan high C = 9.2
| Feb high C = 9.2
| Mar high C = 10.6
| Apr high C = 12.6
| May high C = 15.4
| Jun high C = 17.9
| Jul high C = 19.6
| Aug high C = 19.5
| Sep high C = 17.7
| Oct high C = 14.8
| Nov high C = 11.8
| Dec high C = 9.7
| year high C = 14.0
| Jan low C = 3.7
| Feb low C = 3.5
| Mar low C = 4.5
| Apr low C = 6.0
| May low C = 8.6
| Jun low C = 11.0
| Jul low C = 12.9
| Aug low C = 13.0
| Sep low C = 11.4
| Oct low C = 9.0
| Nov low C = 6.4
| Dec low C = 4.1
| year low C = 7.9
| rain colour = green
| Jan rain mm = 115.7
| Feb rain mm = 89.5
| Mar rain mm = 81.0
| Apr rain mm = 59.4
| May rain mm = 62.8
| Jun rain mm = 71.3
| Jul rain mm = 60.7
| Aug rain mm = 84.7
| Sep rain mm = 93.7
| Oct rain mm = 118.3
| Nov rain mm = 137.4
| Dec rain mm = 140.1
| year rain mm = 1114.7
| unit rain days = 1 mm
| Jan rain days = 15.3
| Feb rain days = 12.9
| Mar rain days = 12.4
| Apr rain days = 11.5
| May rain days = 10.9
| Jun rain days = 10.0
| Jul rain days = 11.5
| Aug rain days = 12.3
| Sep rain days = 12.7
| Oct rain days = 14.7
| Nov rain days = 17.7
| Dec rain days = 16.7
| year rain days = 158.5
| Jan sun = 41.2
| Feb sun = 68.5
| Mar sun = 112.3
| Apr sun = 163.9
| May sun = 214.7
| Jun sun = 191.1
| Jul sun = 187.0
| Aug sun = 170.1
| Sep sun = 134.1
| Oct sun = 92.5
| Nov sun = 48.7
| Dec sun = 33.4
| year sun = 1457.5
| source 1 = Met Office{{cite web
|url = https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gcmnvw66g
|title = Llanfairfechan (Conwy) UK climate averages - Met Office
|publisher = Met Office
|access-date = July 6, 2024}}
}}
Gallery
The parade, Llanfairfechan, Wales-LCCN2001703510 (colour balance correction).jpg|Colourised Photochrom print (circa the late 19th century) of seafront and Penmaenmawr mountain
Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr mountain with mist 1989.jpg|A similar view in 1989 during more overcast weather
Penmaenmawr mountain - geograph.org.uk - 486864.jpg|The town in 2007
The Beach, Llanfairfechan - geograph.org.uk - 241994.jpg|The beach
File:St Marys and Christ Church Llanfairfechan - geograph.org.uk - 150036.jpg|Christ Church (Church in Wales)
File:St Mary of the Angels Church, Llanfairfechan by Ian S Geograph 4192861.jpg|St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Llanfairfechan}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
- https://catholicchurchllanfairfechan.webs.com/
- https://www.parishcommunity.org/
- http://www.llandudno-catholic-church.org.uk/
- [http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/265 A Vision of Britain Through Time]
- [http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/wales/conwy/llanfairfechan British Listed Buildings]
- [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/wal/CAE/LlanfairFechan/index.html Genuki]
- [https://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/SH6874 Geograph]
- [http://www.llanfairfechantowncouncil.co.uk/ Llanfairfechan Town Council website]
- [http://www.llanfairfechan.org.uk/ Llanfairfechan's Community Web Portal]
- [http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadAreaSearch.do?a=7&c=llannefydd+community&d=16&r=1&i=1001&m=0&s=1366041499879&enc=1&areaSearchText=Llanfairfechan&areaSearchType=16&extendedList=true&searchAreas= Office for National Statistics]
{{Conwy}}
{{authority control}}