Llanwrtyd Wells

Llanwrtyd Wells grew in the 19th century as a spa town around the Ffynnon Ddrewllyd ("stinking well"), 1.5 miles from the much older settlement of Llanwrtyd. The town was also known as an eisteddfod site, and is the site of both the World Bog Snorkelling Championships and the annual Man versus Horse Marathon, as well as other annual events.

The Abernant Lake Hotel{{Cite web|url=https://www.manoradventure.com/abernant-lake.php|title=Outdoor Activity Centre Wales|website=www.manoradventure.com}} was built on the site of an old farm, to cater for the many visitors, keen to take the spa waters. The hotel grounds include a {{convert|5|acre|ha|0}} lake created in 1903 by damming an oxbow of the Irfon. During World War II, the hotel was home to Bromsgrove School, evacuated from Worcestershire, and from 1943–45 to the Czechoslovak State School for Refugee Children. It remained as a hotel until 2007 when it became home to a multi-activity centre for school groups and families.

Llanwrtyd Wells had two golf clubs and courses during the 20th century, both now defunct. The early course was at the Dol-y-coed Hotel and the later one at Abernant Lake Hotel.[http://www.golfsmissinglinks.co.uk/index.php/wales-64/1062-llanwrtyd-wells-powy Llanyrtyd Wells Golf Clubs”], "Golf's Missing Links".

{{main|Cambrian Woollen Mill}}

Built in 1852, the Cambrian Woollen Mill was the largest woollen mill in the Llanidloes area, employing over 250 workers at its peak.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/item1/25175|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071010083547/http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/item1/25175|url-status=dead|title=Cambrian Mill, Llanidloes, which was destroyed by fire in November 1889 :: Gathering the Jewels|archivedate=10 October 2007}} It was reduced to an empty shell by a fire in November 1889, but rebuilt in 1902 and has been in continuous operation since then.[http://en.erih.net/index.php?pageId=82&anchor=146&filter=gb European Route of Industrial Heritage] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719145152/http://en.erih.net/index.php?pageId=82&anchor=146&filter=gb |date=2011-07-19 }} It is one of very few woolen mills still operating in Wales. According to the mill's website, visitors can experience "700 years of weaving history".

Following the discovery in 1732 by the Rev. Theophilus Evans of waters claimed to have healing properties, Llanwrtyd Wells became a spa town. (In 1740 Wales' most famous hymn-writer, William Williams Pantycelyn{{Cite web|url=http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=williamspantycelynnlwms77a|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507214806/http://www.llgc.org.uk/index.php?id=williamspantycelynnlwms77a|url-status=dead|title="Poetry by William Williams, Pantycelyn (NLW MS 77A)" at llgc.org.uk|archivedate=7 May 2012}} was appointed curate to Evans.)

The spa was referred to as Ffynnon Ddrewllyd "Stinking Well" because of the strong smell of hydrogen sulfide.{{citation needed|date=November 2012}} The spa is located at the site of the Dol-y-Coed Hotel,{{Cite web|url=http://www.llandrindod-wells.com/spas.html|title=Mid Wales Spas and Mineral Springs|website=www.llandrindod-wells.com}} now the home of Charcroft Electronics.

The fashion for spas reached its peak in the Victorian era and many of the hotels in the town date back to that time. The Belle Vue Hotel,[http://www.powys-hotel.co.uk Belle Vue Hotel] the only purpose-built hotel in Llanwrtyd, was built in 1843.

In contrast to its history as a spa town, when hundreds flocked to take the waters for their claimed medicinal effects, the area is now better known for recreations such as pony trekking, mountain biking, walking and birdwatching, and for its annual Man versus Horse Marathon, Beer Festival, World Bog Snorkeling Championship and Welsh Open stone skimming championship. The World Record for the longest distance a stone has been skimmed was set on Abernant Lake by Dougie Isaacs, a Scotsman. The town's largest employer Charcroft Electronics{{Cite web|url=https://www.charcroft.com/|title=Charcroft Electronics Ltd.|website=www.charcroft.com}} is located in buildings which were previously the Dol-y-Coed Hotel. The hotel, on the banks of the Irfon, dates from about 1535.{{cite web| url = https://www.charcroft.com/media/blog/2019/45-years-at-charcroft/| title = 45 Years at Charcroft}}

In 1984 the town was the location for the filming of the BBC sitcom The Magnificent Evans, written by Roy Clarke and starring Ronnie Barker, Sharon Morgan and Myfanwy Talog.{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/the_magnificent_evans/about/|title=About The Magnificent Evans|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}}{{cite book|author=Richard Webber|title=Remembering Ronnie Barker|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IxN2MJRpiU4C&q=%22ronnie+barker%22+%22magnificent+evans%22+llanwrtyd+wells&pg=PA231|year=2011|publisher=Penguin Random House|isbn=978-0-09-954556-9|page=231}}

File:Llanwrtyd Wells Police Station and War Memorial - geograph.org.uk - 3157764.jpg

There are two tiers of local government covering Llanwrtyd Wells, at community (town) and county level: Llanwrtyd Wells Town Council and Powys County Council. The town council meets at the Institute on Irfon Terrace.{{cite web |title=Meetings, Agendas and Minutes |url=https://www.llanwrtyd-town-council.wales/meetings |website=Llanwrtyd Wells Town Council |access-date=19 November 2024}}

A Llanwrtyd Wells electoral ward exists, which also includes the neighbouring communities of Llangammarch Wells and Treflys. This ward had a population of 1,875 at the 2011 Census.{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/llanwrtyd-wells-w05000328#sthash.AHRs0Bcq.oAHICOuE.dpbs|title=Ward population 2011|access-date=13 November 2015}}

Llanwrtyd was an ancient parish in the historic county of Brecknockshire.{{cite web |title=Llanwrtud Ancient Parish / Civil Parish |url=https://visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10238158 |website=A Vision of Britain through Time |publisher=GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth |access-date=18 January 2024}} When elected parish and district councils were established in 1894 it was given a parish council and administered by the Llandovery Rural District, most of which was in Carmarthenshire. Llanwrtyd was transferred to the Builth Rural District in 1898.{{cite book |title=Annual Report of the Local Government Board |date=1898 |page=286 |url=https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Annual_Report_of_the_Local_Government_Bo/20swAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA286&printsec=frontcover |access-date=20 November 2024}} In 1907 part of the old parish of Llanwrtyd was converted into an urban district called Llanwrtyd Wells.{{cite book |title=Annual Report of the Local Government Board |date=1907 |page=24 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cE0wAQAAMAAJ |access-date=18 January 2024}} The remainder of the old parish outside the urban district became a separate parish called Llanwrtyd Without.{{cite web |title=Brecknockshire: Diagram showing administrative boundaries, 1971 |url=https://maps.nls.uk/view/241241410 |website=National Library of Scotland |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=19 November 2024}}

Llanwrtyd Wells Urban District was abolished in 1974, with its area becoming a community called Llanwrtyd Wells instead. District-level functions passed to Brecknock Borough Council, which in turn was abolished in 1996 and its functions passed to Powys County Council.Local Government Act 1972Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 The Llanwrtyd Wells and Llanwrtyd Without communities were merged into a single community called Llanwrtyd Wells in 1986, which also took in the Abergwesyn area to the north.{{cite web |last1=Langston |first1=Brett |title=Builth Registration District |url=https://www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg/districts/builth.html |website=UK BMD |access-date=19 November 2024}}

Unlike many small towns in rural Wales, Llanwrtyd station still has a passenger train service. Heart of Wales line trains between Swansea and Shrewsbury call four times a day each way Monday to Saturday and twice each way on Sunday (2019 timetable){{NRtimes|December 2019|129}}

The town is the home of Robin Kevan, also known as "Rob the Rubbish", who has become famous for his efforts to clean up Britain's countryside.{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1527987/After-Snowdonia-Rob-the-Rubbish-heads-for-Everest.html |title=After Snowdonia, Rob the Rubbish heads for Everest |author=Nigel Bunyan |publisher=telegraph.co.uk |date=4 September 2006 |access-date=9 March 2013}}

Llanwrtyd Wells is twinned with:

• Mériel, France
• Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=5975173 Photos of Llanwrtyd Wells and surrounding area on geograph.org.uk]

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Category:Towns in Powys

Category:Communities in Powys