Llangollen is a small town in
DenbighshireDenbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales...
, north-east
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
, situated on the
River DeeThe River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between them....
and on the edge of the
BerwynThe Berwyn range is an isolated and sparsely-populated area of moorland located in the north-east of Wales, roughly bounded by Llangollen in the north-east, Corwen in the north-west, Bala in the south-west, and Oswestry in the south-east.The Berwyn range also played its part in causing King Henry...
mountains.
History
Llangollen takes its name from
Saint CollenSt Collen's Church, Llangollen|thumb|rightSaint Collen was a 7th century monk who gave his name to Llangollen . St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle and founded a church beside the river there. As there are no other churches in Wales dedicated to St. Collen, it is possible...
(from the Welsh
llan meaning 'church' and
gollen meaning Collen), a 6th century
monkA monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, whilst always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
who founded a church beside the river there. St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by
coracleThe coracle is a small, lightweight boat of the sort traditionally used in Wales but also in parts of Western and South Western England, Ireland , and Scotland ; the word is also used of similar boats found in India, Vietnam, Iraq and Tibet...
. As there are no other churches in Wales dedicated to St. Collen, it is possible that this St. Collen may also have connections in both
ColanColan is a village and parish in mid-Cornwall, in England, UK.Colan Church was built in 1250 and the present church dates from 1360.The church contains two interesting brasses...
,
CornwallCornwall is a county of England in the United Kingdom, forming the tip of the south-western peninsula of Great Britain. It is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Taken with the...
and
LangolenLangolen is a commune in Finistère department in Bretagne in north-western France.It takes its name from Saint Collen, a 7th century monk who is associated with the town of Llangollen in Wales and also with Cornwall.-References:* ;* -External links:...
,
BrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Brittany was previously a kingdom and then as a duchy it was a fief of the Kingdom of France. It was at one time called Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
.
Standing high above the town to the north is
Castell Dinas BranCastell Dinas Brân is a medieval castle standing high on a hill above the town of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales. It is also the site of an Iron Age hill fort.-Early history:...
, the former stronghold of the Princes of
Powys
. Beyond the
castleA castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. The term has a history of scholarly debate surrounding its exact meaning, but it is usually regarded as being distinct from the general terms fort or fortress, in that it describes a residence of a monarch or...
is the
limestoneLimestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the mineral calcite . The deposition of limestone strata is often a by-product and indicator of biological activity in the geologic record...
escarpmentIn geomorphology, an escarpment is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves a sharp, steep elevation differential, characterized by a cliff or steep slope. Usually escarpment is used interchangeably with scarp...
known as the
EglwysegEglwyseg is the name of a valley, river and mountain to the north east of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales. The area is best known for the prominent limestone escarpment, Creigiau Eglwyseg , which runs north–south for around . The high point of the area is at on Mynydd Eglwyseg...
Rocks. The outcrop continues north to the area known as
World's EndWorld's End is a narrow vale located between Wrexham and Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales. It lies at the head of the Eglwyseg Valley, enclosed by the cliffs of Craig y Forwyn, Craig y Cythraul, and Craig yr Adar....
. The area nearest to the castle is the Panorama Walk, and a monument to local poet
I.D. HoosonIsaac Daniel Hooson , or I. D. Hooson as he was commonly known, solicitor and poet was born in Victoria House, Market St. in the village of Rhosllannerchrugog, Denbighshire, Wales....
(from the nearby village of
RhosllanerchrugogRhosllannerchrugog is a village in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales.-History:...
) can be found there.
Valle Crucis AbbeyValle Crucis Abbey is in the Dee valley about 1½ miles upstream and north of Llangollen, Denbighshire, in north-east Wales.The crucis in its name refers to the Pillar of Eliseg which stands nearby, which would already have stood for nearly four centuries when the abbey was established in 1201...
was established in nearby Llangwestl in about 1201, under the patronage of
Madog ap Gruffydd MaelorMadog ap Gruffudd or Madog ap Gruffudd Maelor, was Prince of Powys Fadog 1191-1236 in north-east Wales.- Lineage :He was elder son of Gruffydd Maelor and his wife, Angharad a daughter of Owain Gwynedd.- Sole Ruler :...
of
Castell Dinas BrânCastell Dinas Brân is a medieval castle standing high on a hill above the town of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales. It is also the site of an Iron Age hill fort.-Early history:...
.
The bridge at Llangollen was built in about 1345 by
John TrevorJohn Trevor was the first man of that name to hold the position of Bishop of St Asaph in north Wales, from 1346 to 1357.The famous bridge across the River Dee at Llangollen, Denbighshire is reputed to have been built in about 1345 by John Trevor, who then lived at nearby Trefor Hall. His father,...
, of nearby Trevor Hall, who later became
Bishop of St AsaphThe Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph.The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of St Asaph in the town of...
. It was extended to cross the railway when this was built in the 1860s and was widened in the early 1960s. The upstream side has new masonry which blends in with the older structure.
On the outskirts of the town is
Plas NewyddPlas Newydd in the town of Llangollen, Wales, was the home of the Ladies of Llangollen, Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, for nearly 50 years. Today, it is run as a museum by Denbighshire County Council....
("
New Place" or "
New Hall"), where The Honourable Sarah Ponsonby and Lady Eleanor Butler (the
Ladies of LlangollenThe Ladies of Llangollen were two upper-class Anglo-Irish women whose relationship scandalised and fascinated their contemporaries. The Ladies are interesting today as an example of historical romantic friendship ....
) lived.
The ancient
parishA parish is a territorial unit that was usually historically served by a local church. This administrative unit is typically found in Roman Catholic, Anglican Communion, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Church of Sweden, United Methodist, and Presbyterian churches...
of Llangollen was divided into three
treanau ("
trean" being the Welsh for "
third"): Llangollen Traean, Trefor Traean, and Glyn Traean.
- Llangollen Traean contained the townships of Bachau, Cysylltau, Llangollen Abad, Llangollen Fawr, Llangollen Fechan, Feifod, Pengwern and Rhisgog.
- Trefor Traean contained the townships of Cilmediw, Dinbren, Eglwysegl, Trefor Isaf and Trefor Uchaf.
- Glyn Traean contained the townships of Cilcochwyn, Crogeniddon, Crogenwladus, Erwallo, Hafodgynfor, Nantygwryd, Pennant and Talygarth.
Transport
Llangollen was an important
coachingA coach was originally a large, usually closed, four-wheeled carriage with two or more horses harnessed as a team, controlled by a coachman and/or one or more postilions...
stop for the
Mail coachIn Great Britain, the mail coach or post coach was a horse-drawn carriage that carried mail deliveries, from 1784. In Ireland, the first mail coach began service from Dublin in 1789. The coach was drawn by four horses and had seating for four passengers inside. Further passengers were later allowed...
on the old mail route along the A5 road from
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
to
HolyheadHolyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the north west of Wales.Although it is the largest town in the county, with a population of 11,237 , it is neither the county town nor actually on the island of Anglesey...
.
Waterways
The
Ellesmere CanalThe Ellesmere Canal was a canal in England and Wales, originally planned to link the Rivers Mersey, Dee, and Severn, by running from Netherpool to Shrewsbury. The canal that was eventually constructed was very different from what was originally envisioned...
was intended to connect the coal mines and
IronworksAn ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
at
RuabonRuabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales with a population of 2,400 with more than 80% of the population having been born in Wales and 13.6% speak Welsh . It also has a thriving school called Ysgol Rhiwabon....
and
WrexhamWrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located to the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
to the
canalCanals are artificial channels for water. There are two types of canal: aqueduct canals are used for the conveyance and delivery of water, and waterway canals are navigable transportation canals used for passage of goods and people, often connected to existing lakes, rivers, or oceans.The word...
network and hence to the sea via the
River MerseyThe River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
and the
River SevernThe River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at . It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales. It then flows through Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, with the county towns of Shrewsbury, Worcester, and Gloucester...
. The plans were altered and instead of connecting Trevor northwards to the sea along the route of the
River DeeThe River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between them....
and southwards to the Severn, the canal instead ran eastwards to join on to the national network at
Hurleston JunctionHurleston Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Llangollen Canal terminates and meets the Shropshire Union Canal main line at Hurleston, Cheshire, England....
on the (now-named)
Shropshire Union CanalThe Shropshire Union Canal is a navigable canal in England; the Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the SU system and lie partially in Wales....
near
NantwichNantwich is a market town in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
. A feeder (navigable to Llangollen) was constructed from the canal at Trevor to tap water from the River Dee at Llantysilio (at the weir called "Horseshoe Falls"). After company mergers, this canal became part of the Shropshire Union System. Until recently the canal was properly called the Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal, though it is now known as the
Llangollen CanalThe Llangollen Canal is a canal in England and Wales.What is today known as the Llangollen Canal was originally the centre section of the Ellesmere Canal, and later became part of the Shropshire Union Canal network...
.
The canal supplied enough Dee water to supply
CreweCrewe is a town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
and
NantwichNantwich is a market town in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
, and when commercial carrying failed in the 1940s, it was this function as a water supply which kept the canal open. The canal is unusual amongst Britain's artificial waterways in having a strong (up to 2 miles per hour) flow. Since the use of canals for leisure took off in the 1970s and 1980s, the route of this canal, twisting through beautiful
WelshWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
hills and across the Dee Valley on the famous
Pontcysyllte AqueductThe Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee, between the villages of Trevor and Froncysyllte, in Wrexham in north east Wales...
, has made it the most famous (and busiest) in Britain. The canal is an important part of Llangollen's attraction as a holiday destination. A new marina, built at the end of the navigable section, allows more summer visitors to moor overnight in Llangollen, but the beauty of the canal, and the manoeuvres of the multi-coloured
narrowboatA narrowboat or narrow boat is a boat of a distinctive design, made to fit the narrow canals of England and Wales.In the context of British Inland Waterways, "narrow boat" refers to the original working boats built in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries for carrying goods on the narrow canals...
s are attractions even for non-boaters.
Railways
The railway had been extended from
RuabonRuabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales with a population of 2,400 with more than 80% of the population having been born in Wales and 13.6% speak Welsh . It also has a thriving school called Ysgol Rhiwabon....
, via
AcrefairAcrefair is a village in the county borough of Wrexham, Wales. It was formerly part of the ancient parish of Ruabon, and is located between the towns of Wrexham and Llangollen. It is close to the villages of Trefor, Cefn Mawr, Ruabon and Plas Madoc....
and Trevor, to reach Llangollen by 1865, operating both passenger and goods services. This Ruabon Barmouth line later became part of the
Great Western RailwayThe Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835, and ran its first trains three years later...
. One hundred year later the line was closed under the
Beeching AxeThe Beeching Axe is an informal name for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard Beeching...
in 1964, closing to passengers in early 1965, and then to freight in April 1969. The line itself was lifted in May 1969. However, part of the line was later restored and now operates as the
Llangollen RailwayThe Llangollen Railway is a volunteer-run preserved railway in Denbighshire, Wales, which runs from Llangollen to Carrog, at 7.5 mile long , it is easily the longest preserved Standard-Gauge line in Wales.Work is being carried out on an extension to Corwen, with the trackbed cleared to Bonwm Halt,...
, a tourist attraction. In 2002, the
Rainhill locomotive trialsThe Rainhill Trials were an important competition in the early days of steam locomotive railways, run in October 1829 in Rainhill, Merseyside at the time in Lancashire ....
were re-staged on this line.
Industry
Llangollen was predominantly a farming and agricultural area. Most of the farms in the hills around the town would have been involved in sheep farming and
weavingWeaving is the textile art in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads, called the warp and the filling or weft , are interlaced with each other to form a fabric or cloth...
was an important cottage industry in the area for centuries. Several factories were later built along the banks of the River Dee where both
woolWool is a fibrous protein derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles. The wool is taken from animals in the Caprinae family, principally sheep, but the hair of certain species of other mammals including: goats, llamas, and rabbits may also be called wool...
and
cottonCotton is a soft, staple fiber that grows in a form known as a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft,...
were processed.
The water mill opposite
Llangollen railway stationLlangollen railway station in Denbighshire, Wales, was formerly a station on the Ruabon to Barmouth line. It closed to passengers on Monday 18 January 1965 but the section between Ruabon and Llangollen Goods Yard remained opened for freight traffic until April 1968. Immediately afterwards the...
has been converted into a
public houseA public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises in countries and regions of British influence. Although the terms often have different connotations, there is little definitive difference between pubs, bars,...
,
"The Corn Mill". The building is over 600 years old and was originally used to grind
flourFlour is a powder made of cereal grains or roots. It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many civilizations, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
for local farmers.
Culture
In the late 19th century, Llangollen had a weekly
newspaperA newspaper is a publication containing news, information, and advertising. General-interest newspapers often feature articles on political events, crime, business, art/entertainment, society and sports. Most traditional papers also feature an editorial page containing columns that express the...
, the
Llangollen Advertiser.
Llangollen hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1908. The
GorseddA gorsedd plural gorseddau, is a community of modern-day bards. The word means "throne" in Welsh. It is occasionally spelled gorsedh , or goursez in Brittany....
ceremony was held on the Hermitage Field, next to Plas Newydd, and the circle of stones were later moved into the grounds of the hall. The
eisteddfodAn eisteddfod is a Welsh festival of literature, music and performance. The tradition of such a meeting of Welsh artists dates back to at least the 12th century, when a festival of poetry and music was held by Rhys ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth at his court in Cardigan in 1176 but, with the decline of...
itself took place on the old Vicarage Field at Fronhyfyd and was visited by
David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British statesman and the only Welsh Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; he is also the only one to have spoken English as a second language, Welsh having been his first.During a long tenure of office, mainly as Chancellor of the...
, accompanied by
Winston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC was a British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II. He served as Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945 and again from 1951 to 1955. A noted statesman and orator, Churchill was also an officer...
.
Since 1904, the town has been the home of the Llangollen Silver Band. The Brass Band perform at a wide range of local functions and concerts throughout the year. The band has a 'training' section, and provides free musical instruments and tuition to children and adults, many of whom go on to join the senior band.
Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
Llangollen is most famous for the annual Llangollen
International EisteddfodThe International Eisteddfod is a music festival which takes place every year during the second week of July in Llangollen, North Wales. Singers and dancers from around the world are invited to take part in over 20 high quality competitions followed each evening by concerts where the best and most...
, a week long event, usually starting on the Tuesday, and ending on the Sunday of the same week. During the week people from all over the world take part in musical and dancing competitions.
A
paradeA parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
, led by the Llangollen Silver Band, is usually held on the Tuesday of the Eisteddfod week, in which both the locals and visitors, take part dancing,
singingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. A person who sings is called a singer or vocalist...
, and playing musical instruments, whilst marching the streets of Llangollen.
Llangollen Fringe Festival
The Llangollen Fringe Festival is an independent arts festival, usually held in mid July. Initially the festival was held in a tent on a playing field, and later a weaver's shed. It is now held in the Town Hall. The Fringe includes music, comedy, theatre, dance and workshops.
Artists who have taken part in the Llangollen Fringe include Sir John Mortimer, Sir Clement Freud,
Lesley GarrettLesley Garrett CBE is an English musician, broadcaster and media personality.- Early life :Garrett was born in the town of Thorne near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, into a musical family. She attended Thorne Grammar School where she performed in school plays and musicals. As she grew up she...
,
Rhys IfansRhys Ifans is a Welsh actor.-Early life:Ifans was born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales, the son of Beti Wyn, a nursery school teacher at Ysgol Pentrecelyn, and Eurwyn Evans, a primary school teacher...
,
Show of HandsShow of Hands is an English acoustic roots and folk duo comprising singer-songwriter Steve Knightley and multi-instrumentalist Phil Beer. Their appeal is based on the combined power of Knightley's original songs, the quality of their vocals and harmonies, and their multi-instrumental virtuosity...
, The Damned (with
Captain SensibleCaptain Sensible is a singer, songwriter, guitarist who grew up in Croydon, England, and co-founded the punk rock band The Damned in 1976. After leaving the band, he reinvented himself as an alternative pop singer with a rebellious, self-conscious image...
),
Cerys MatthewsCerys Matthews is a Welsh singer and songwriter. She is best known as the lead singer of the Welsh rock band Catatonia, for her 1999 Christmas duet with Tom Jones and her 2007 appearance on I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.-Biography:The daughter of a surgeon, Matthews was born in Cardiff and...
, Tracy Emin,
Damien HirstDamien Steven Hirst is an English artist and the most prominent member of the group known as "Young British Artists" , who dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reputed to be the richest living artist to date...
,
Juan MartínJuan Cristóbal Martín is a Spanish flamenco guitarist and an author of flamenco guitar method books.-Career:Martín started learning the guitar at the age of six. In his early twenties he moved to Madrid to study under and Paco de Lucía.He played in clubs in Málaga, Seville and Granada. One of...
and
The Black SeedsThe Black Seeds are group from Wellington, New Zealand. Their music is a fusion of dub, funk, afrobeat and soul.The Black Seeds have two double-platinum selling albums at home, and successul European album releases through the German-based Sonar Kollektiv label...
.
Songs and nursery rhymes
- "Llangollen Market
Llangollen Market is a song from early 19th century Wales.The song tells the tale of a young man from the Llangollen area going off to war and leaving behind his broken-hearted girlfriend...
", traditional
- "Ladies of Llangollen", Ian Chesterman
- "Pastai Fawr Llangollen" (The Great Llangollen Pie), Arfon Gwilym
- According to an anonymous rhyme, the bridge over the Dee is one of the Seven Wonders of Wales
The Seven Wonders of Wales is a traditional list of notable landmarks in North Wales, commemorated in an anonymously written rhyme:The seven wonders comprise:...
.
- The nursery rhyme
The term nursery rhyme is used for ‘traditional’ songs for young children in Britain and many English speaking countries, but usage only dates from the nineteenth century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
"Mary had a little lamb"Mary Had a Little Lamb" is an English language nursery rhyme of nineteenth-century American origin. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 7622.-Background:...
" is frequently, but incorrectly, linked with Llangollen. Its true origins are in the United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
: "This is a lovely folklore story, but sadly Mary Thomas of Llangollen was not the heroine of the nursery rhyme ... The Mary of the rhyme was Mary Sawyer and the school was the Redstone Schoolhouse in Sterling Massachusetts, U.S.A."
Sport
Llangollen on the
River Dee, WalesThe River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between them....
hosts white water
Slalom canoeingWhitewater Slalom is a competitive sport where the aim is to navigate a decked canoe or kayak through a course of hanging gates on river rapids in the fastest time possible. It is one of the two kayak and canoeing disciplines at the Summer Olympics, and is referred to by the International Olympic...
and
kayakingKayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking is generally differentiated from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle. A kayak is defined by the International Canoe Federation as a boat where the paddler faces forward, legs in...
, being host to International and UK events. The
International Canoe FederationThe International Canoe Federation is the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide. It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and administers all aspects of canoe sport worldwide...
(ICF), The European Canoe Union (ECU) and the
British Canoe UnionThe British Canoe Union is the National Governing Body for the sport of canoeing and kayaking in the UK, helping and inspiring people to go canoeing. It formulates standards for training programmes with certification levels and accredits instructors to teach canoeing.1887 saw the formation of the...
(BCU) all hold events in Llangollen.
CricketCricket is a bat-and-ball team sport that is first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, cricket had developed to the point where it had become the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being...
,
footballAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
and
rugby unionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
teams play at Tower Fields, which overlooks the town and the International Eisteddfod field and pavilion.
Thermals rising up the valley sides to the south of the town are used for
paraglidingParagliding is a recreational and competitive flying sport. A paraglider is a free-flying, foot-launched aircraft. The pilot sits in a harness suspended below a fabric wing, whose shape is formed by its suspension lines and the pressure of air entering vents in the front of the wing.- History :In...
.
Mountain bikersMountain biking is an ever evolving sport that has recently seen a huge flux of popularity but has firm roots in experimentation with non "mountain" style bicycles. The sport consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, with specially equipped mountain bikes or hybrid / cross...
enjoy the hills.
Llangollen was the finishing point of the first massed-start cycle race held on British roads, on 7 June 1942. The 59-mile
WolverhamptonWolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough of the West Midlands, England. In 2004, the local government district had an estimated population of 239,100; the wider Urban Area had a population of 251,462, which makes it the 13th most populous city in England.Historically a part of...
-Llangollen race was organised by
Percy StallardPercy Thornley Stallard was an English racing cyclist who reintroduced massed-start road racing on British roads in the 1940s....
in defiance of the sport's governing body, the
National Cyclists' UnionThe National Cyclists' Union was an association established in 1878 as the Bicycle Union to organise and regulate bicycle racing in Great Britain...
, but with approval from all police chief constables through whose districts the event ran.
Notable people
- Glyn James
Edward Glyn James is a Welsh former professional footballer. He played as a defender...
, former professional footballerAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
. Played over 400 games for BlackpoolBlackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 and located in the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They have been a member of the Football League continuously since 1900...
during the 1960s and 1970s and represented the Welsh international teamThe Wales national football team represents Wales in international men's football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales, the governing body for football in Wales and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team has not qualified for a major international...
on nine occasions.
- The Ladies of Llangollen
The Ladies of Llangollen were two upper-class Anglo-Irish women whose relationship scandalised and fascinated their contemporaries. The Ladies are interesting today as an example of historical romantic friendship ....
, Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby.
External links