Rhayader
Rhayader
| |
---|---|
Location within Powys | |
Area | 137.31 km2 (53.02 sq mi) |
Population | 2,088 |
• Density | 15/km2 (39/sq mi) |
OS grid reference | SN975685 |
Principal area | |
Preserved county |
|
Country | Wales |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | RHAYADER |
Postcode district | LD6 |
Dialling code | 01597 |
Police | Dyfed-Powys |
Fire | Mid and West Wales |
Ambulance | Welsh |
Brecon & Radnorshire | |
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
Rhayader (/ˈreɪ.ədər/; Welsh: Rhaeadr Gwy; pronounced [ˈr̥əɪadar ˈɡʊi̯]) is a market town and community in Powys, Wales, within the historic county of Radnorshire. The town is 20 miles (32 km) from the source of the River Wye on Plynlimon, the highest point of the Cambrian Mountains, and is located at the junction of the A470 road and the A44 road 13 miles (21 km) north of Builth Wells and 30 miles (48 km) east of Aberystwyth.
The population was 2,088, with 55% of the community having some form of Welsh identity, according to the 2011 census.[1][2] The community is the largest in Wales by area, with 137.31 km2 (53.02 sq mi).[3] It includes the Elan Valley.[4]
Rhayader holds the record for the lowest-ever temperature recorded in Wales, -23.3 °C on 21 January 1940.
Etymology
The name, Rhayader, is a partly-Anglicised form of its Welsh name, Y Rhaeadr ('the waterfall'), or, to distinguish it from other places named after waterfalls, Rhaeadr Gwy ('waterfall [on the] Wye'). Strictly speaking, according to place-name spelling conventions in Welsh, the name of the town would be Rhaeadr-gwy, and the waterfall itself Rhaeadr Gwy, but it seems that this distinction is usually ignored.[citation needed]
In the Welsh of the area the name is Rheiad, as one would expect on the pattern of similar words in colloquial Welsh, pronounced [ˈr̥əɪad].[5] That is, a final "r" is dropped after "d", as in aradr ('plough') > arad, Llangynidr ('church of Cynidr', a village in Breconshire) > Llangynid, Cadwaladr (a forename, 'battle-leader') > Cadwalad, 'Dwalad.
Little remains of the waterfall itself, it having been destroyed in 1780 to make way for the bridge linking the town to Cwmdauddwr and the Elan Valley, the Lakeland of Wales.
History
Rhayader has long been a natural stopping point for travellers – the Romans had a stop-over camp in the
One of the oldest buildings in Rhayader is the Old Swan, which stands on the corner of West and South Streets Rhayader. The original building was mentioned in 1676 as being one of the two inns in Rhayader at that date. Some changes were made in 1683, including the rebuilding of the three chimney stacks, and this date is carved into the old timbers inside the building.
In the 19th century,
In the 1890s the rapidly expanding city of
The area around the town has several of
Governance
Rhayader is an electoral ward to Powys County Council, electing one county councillor. As of 2022,[update] the incumbent is Cllr Angela Davies of the Liberal Democrats.[11]
Rhayader Town Council represents the town at the local level, with 41 town councillors elected from the Rhayader and Cwmdauddwr community wards.[12]
Notable people
- Jonathan Williams (ca.1752 – 1829), clergyman, schoolmaster and antiquarian writer.
- Thomas Jones (1819–1882), Independent minister, known as the Welsh Poet-Preacher
- John Evans (1867–1958), emigrated to Canada in 1890 and became a farmer and politician
- Mary Jones (1896–1990), film actress.
- Protestant missionary who served with the London Missionary Societyin China and Korea
Transport
The station on the Mid-Wales Railway line that served the town was closed on 31 December 1962. The nearest station is now 9 miles (14 kilometres) away, at Pen-y-Bont railway station, Crossgates on the Heart of Wales line, though connections are usually made at the more accessible Llandrindod railway station, a similar distance away.
A bus service connects with outlying villages and neighbouring towns, with two-hourly daytime departures to Builth Wells, Llandrindod Wells, Aberystwyth and Newtown, with connections to Hereford, Shrewsbury and Cardiff.
Due to the volume of traffic generated by the convergence of two trunk roads — the A44 and the A470 — the construction of a bypass to relieve congestion at the town centre crossroads has been an ongoing debate for many years.[13]
The town is also a popular
Amenities
Tourism and agriculture are the most important industries locally. Walkers and cyclists are drawn to Rhayader for the abundance of trails and bridleways surrounding the town, which is the gateway to a massive complex of reservoirs and dams (The Elan Valley). This vast area is home to some of Britain's rarest wildlife and plants, including red kites, along with magnificent feats of engineering.
There are a number of hotels,
Rhayader is also home to a community founded art and heritage complex which includes a museum and gallery,[14] a leisure centre, numerous parks and all the amenities expected of a larger town. Potter Phil Rogers has his studio in Rhayader. There are an abundance of shops, cash facilities, restaurants, takeaways and supermarkets catering to both the local population and visitors to the area.
Rhayader is also renowned for being the town with the highest concentration of pubs and drinking establishments, per capita, in the UK, with one to each 173 people.[15]
In nearby Nant-glas, across the river Wye from the village of
Sport
The town is also well known by motocross fans. Every summer a series of events take place at the nearby Cwmythig Hill circuit, with many of Britain's top riders taking part. The race series regularly attracts over 5,000 spectators.
As part of the annual carnival celebrations, Rhayader also plays host to a number of World Championship events in lesser celebrated sports, including
Development
Rhayader and its surrounding districts are supported by development organisation Rhayader 2000 Ltd, established in 1996 to revive Rhayader's economy.[17] Rhayader 2000 Ltd is a voluntary sector organisation representing a cross section of the local community. It builds links with Powys County Council, Rhayader Town Council, local businesses and charitable and voluntary organisations.
References
- ^ Powys County Council : Census 2011 : Rhayader Community Retrieved 13 November 2010
- ^ "rhayader identity". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
- ^ "Custom report - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics". www.nomisweb.co.uk.
- Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
- ^ "Hen Ffrwcsod Ffair-rhos – Mary Thomas (1905-83)". Amgueddfa Cymru. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
- ^ a b c "About". Rhayader. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ "Victorian Rhayader: The Rebecca Riots: 1". history.powys.org.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "Victorian Rhayader - Elan Valley dams menu". history.powys.org.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "Ancient gold jewellery returns to Rhayader Museum". BBC News. 3 June 2011.
- ^ bracelet Museum number 1900,1122.3 www.britishmuseum.org, accessed 9 July 2021
- ^ "County Council Elections 2022 - Radnorshire". Powys County Council. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
- ^ Councillors, Rhayader.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ Mike Sivier (16 October 2006). "Trade fears over bypass". Shropshire Star. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
- ^ Rhayader Museum and Gallery CARAD, 'The Organisation', accessed 24 January 2014
- ^ "Town has pub for every 173 people". London: BBC. 28 May 2008.
- ^ "Rhayader Town secure promotion to Spar". County Times. 1 May 2008.
- ^ "Skate talk for board children". BBC News. 31 March 2003. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
External links
- Rhayader Website
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Rhayader and surrounding area
- Rhayader carnival website
- Transition Town Rhayader Website