Llanrwst
Llanrwst ('church or parish of
History
The site of the original church dedicated to St Grwst was Cae Llan in Llanrwst (land now occupied by the Seion Methodist Chapel).[5] The current church of St Grwst is on land which was donated in about 1170 by Rhun ap Nefydd Hardd, a member of the royal family of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, specifically to build a new church so dedicated.[6]
Llanrwst developed around the
In 1276,
In 1610 Sir John Wynn of Gwydir had the historic Llanrwst Almshouses built to house poor people of the parish. These closed in 1976, but were restored in 1996 with the aid of Heritage Lottery funding, reopening as a museum of local history and community focal point. It held a collection of over 100 items relating largely to the rural Conwy valley, and a number associated with the renowned Llanrwst Bards of the late 19th century. It closed as a museum in 2011, but reopened in 2013 as the new council chamber.[10][12][13]
Grade I-listed Pont Fawr, a narrow, three-arched stone bridge said to have been designed by Inigo Jones, was built in 1636 by Sir Richard Wynn (son of Sir John Wynn) of Gwydir Castle.[14] It links the town with Gwydir, a manor house dating from 1492, a 15th-century courthouse known as Tu Hwnt i'r Bont, and a road from nearby Trefriw.[15][16][17] North of the village is the site of a house, Plas Madoc, which was the home of Colonel John Higson. A friend of Henry Pochin of Bodnant, Higson developed a garden at Plas Madoc which may have had input from, or been influenced by Henry Ernest Milner. The house has been demolished but the garden remains and is listed at Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.[18]
In 1947, Llanrwst Town Council allegedly sought in vain for a seat on the United Nations Security Council as an independent state within Wales.[11][19] This is not confirmed in the United Nations Security Council minutes available online.[20]
Llanrwst hosted the
Geography
Llanrwst lies between 10 and 50 metres (33 and 160 ft) above sea level on the eastern bank of the River Conwy. The A470 trunk route between North and South Wales runs through the town, joined by the A548 main road from Rhyl, Prestatyn and Chester. To the south-west is Gwydir Forest. On the hills above is Moel Maelogan wind farm; the power generated by its turbines is fed to the town sub-station.
In 1830 local doctor and naturalist John Williams published a work Faunula Grustensis ('Crusty Plants') which described the fauna, geography and pathologies in and around Llanrwst.
-
Frontispiece of "Faunula Grustensis" by John Williams published in 1830
-
Church of St Grwst
-
The River Conwy at Llanrwst
-
Tu Hwnt i'r Bont
-
An elevated view of Llanrwst from Gwydir Forest
Governance
There are two tiers of local government covering Llanrwst, at community (town) and county borough level: Llanrwst Town Council and Conwy County Borough Council.
Llanrwst was the name of the
Llanrwst now divides into two such wards, Gower and Crwst, each sending a councillor to Conwy County Borough Council.[23] In 2017, Plaid Cymru's Aaron Wynne was elected to the Crwst ward at the age of 20 years, making him Wales's youngest county councillor and Conwy County Borough Council's youngest ever elected member. The town also elects members to Llanrwst Town Council.[24]
Administrative history
Llanrwst was an
Demography
In the 2011 census the town population was put at 3,323,[1] 61 per cent being Welsh speakers.[29] At one time Llanrwst was the Wales's eighth largest town, with a higher population than Cardiff.[31][32] The change in the town population in the 19th and 20th centuries appears in the chart below.
Transport
Llanrwst has two
-
18th century water colour of Llanrwst Bridge
-
Plan of bridge, 1753
-
Engraving, 1790
-
Early 19th century
-
Engraving, 1842
Education
There is a Christian-based youth club in Seion Chapel called Clwb Cyfeillion.
Sport
Llanrwst hosts
Notable people
In birth order:
- Evan Owen Allen (1805–1852), Welsh-language journalist and poet, born at Pant-y-llin, near Llanrwst
- Peter Thomas, Baron Thomas of Gwydir (1920-2008), Welsh politician, born in Llanrwst, a former Secretary of State for Wales
- , known for the song Cymru, Lloegr a Llanrwst
- Kai Owen (born 1975), actor notable as Rhys Williams in Torchwood
- Big Brother 7 (UK)contestant on television in 2006, attended Ysgol Dyffryn Conwy.
- Alex Frew (born 1988), graphic designer, created the Wales brand and Transport for Wales brand identities.
- Erin Mai (born 2005 or 2006), Wales's representative at the 2019 edition of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with "Calon yn Curo (Heart Beating)" after victory at the S4C show Chwilio am Seren
See also
References
- ^ a b "Area: Llanrwst (Parish), Key Figures for 2011 Census: Key Statistics". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
- ^ "Cyngor Llanrwst". Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "snowdoniaantiques.co.uk - Snowdonia Antiques. North Wales Fine Antique Furniture and Clock Specialists". snowdoniaantiques.co.uk.
- ^ Snowdonia National Park Authority. "Location Map". Archived from the original on 23 October 2014.
- ^ "History of Llanrwst: Saint Grwst the Confessor". Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ "History of Llanrwst: Foundation of the Modern Church". Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ISBN 9780598739971.
- ^ "Llanrwst is the principal mart for this article, and is attended by the English buyers: the price obtained for the wool at this fair is usually the standard for the year."[7]
- ^ "BBC – Gogledd Orllewin – hanes". Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ a b "Llanrwst Almshouse Museum rent rise blamed for closure". BBC News. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- ^ a b Talk of the town BBC News, 28 April 2006.
- ^ "Celebrations as town council re-open Llanrwst Almshouses Museum". Daily Post. 28 February 2013.
- ^ "Llanrwst Almshouses re-opens and is taken on by village council". Daily Post. 11 July 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
- National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
- ^ "Tu Hwnt Ir Bont Tearooms - Llanrwst Conwy North Wales". www.tuhwntirbont.co.uk.
- ^ "Tu Hwnt ir Bont in Wales". Wales Directory.
- ^ "Llanrwst" (PDF). Conservation Area Appraisal – Conwy County Borough Council. Conwy County Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 April 2015.
- National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
- ISBN 978-1445608761.
- ^ "Chapter II. Agenda" (PDF). un.org. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
- ^ "National Eisteddfod". National Eisteddfod. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
- Plymouth University). Retrieved 23 April 2019.
- ^ "Ward Map". Llanrwst Town Council. 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
- ^ "Llanrwst Town Council, Llanrwst.net. Retrieved 23 March 2018". Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
- ^ "Llanrwst Ancient Parish / Civil Parish". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ Annual Report of the Local Government Board. 1898. p. 287. Retrieved 18 January 2024.
- ^ Local Government Act 1972
- ^ Local Government (Wales) Act 1994
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2014. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Cardiff Glamorgan". Vision of Britain.
- ^ "In 1801 the pop. [of Cardiff] was only 1018; in 1841 it was 10,077..."[30]
- ^ "Llanrwst CP/AP". Vision of Britain.
- ^ "Snowdonia Half Marathon – Run Wales". www.runwales.com.