Llanrwst is a small
townA town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
and
communityA community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
on the
A470 roadThe A470 is a major long-distance connective spine road in Wales, running from Cardiff on the south coast to Llandudno on the north coast. It covers approximately 186 miles , over a zig-zagging route through the entirety of the country's mountainous central region, including the Brecon Beacons and...
and the
River ConwyThe River Conwy is a river in north Wales. From its source to its discharge in Conwy Bay it is a little over long. "Conwy" is sometimes Anglicized as "Conway."...
in Conwy County Borough,
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It takes its name from the 5th century to 6th century
Saint GrwstSaint Grwst the Confessor was a 6th and 7th century saint operating in the Welsh Kingdom of Gwynedd.-Family:...
, and the original
parish churchA parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
in Cae Llan was replaced by the 12th-century church.
The growth of the town in the 13th century was considerably aided by an edict by
Edward I of EnglandEdward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
, who built
Conwy CastleConwy Castle is a castle in Conwy, on the north coast of Wales.It was built between 1283 and 1289 during King Edward I's second campaign in North Wales....
, prohibiting any Welshman from trading within 10 miles (16.1 km) of that town. Llanrwst, located some 13 miles (20.9 km) from Conwy, was therefore strategically placed to benefit from this.
The population of the town was 3,037 and 65% of the inhabitants were Welsh speakers according to the 2001 Census.
The town grew around
woolWool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
, and indeed for a long time the price of wool for the whole of Britain was set here. Llanrwst also became renowned for
harpThe harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
manufacture, but today, lying as it does in
SnowdoniaSnowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
, its main industry aside that of being a
market townMarket town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
is
tourismTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
.
It is served by two railway stations
LlanrwstLlanrwst railway station is in Denbigh Street near the centre of the market town of Llanrwst close to the local bus termini in Watling Street. It is on the Conwy Valley Line from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog and was opened in 1989. The town's original station is now called North...
and
North LlanrwstNorth Llanrwst railway station is the only train passing station on the Conwy Valley Line between Llandudno Junction and Blaenau Ffestiniog in Wales. The station has had several previous names, including Llanrwst and Trefriw, Llanrwst and Llanrwst North...
on the
Conwy Valley LineThe Conwy Valley Line is a railway line in north Wales. It runs from Llandudno via Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffestiniog, and was originally part of the London and North Western Railway, being opened in stages to 1879...
(which once terminated here, before being extended to
Betws-y-CoedBetws-y-Coed is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It has a population of 534. The name Betws or Bettws is generally thought to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon Old English 'bed-hus' - i.e. a bead-house - a house of prayer, or oratory...
in 1867 and
Blaenau FfestiniogBlaenau Ffestiniog is a town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It has a population of 5,000, including Llan Ffestiniog, which makes it the third largest town in Gwynedd, behind Caernarfon & Porthmadog. Although the population reached 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, the population fell due to...
in 1879). It was originally envisaged that the railway would pass closer to the river (on the site of today's Central Garage), and the one-time grand-looking
Victoria Hotel was therefore built opposite the bridge in anticipation of this. Had the railway line been built on the west shore of the river Conwy, as originally planned (to serve the inland port of
TrefriwTrefriw is a village in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It lies on the river Conwy in North Wales, a few miles south of the site of the Roman fort of Canovium, sited at Caerhun. The parish population in 2001 was 924....
, located across the river from Llanrwst), it is unlikely that Llanrwst would ever have achieved its present status. Indeed, at one time Llanrwst was the eighth largest town in Wales, its population being greater than that of
CardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
A major feature is the narrow three-arch stone bridge,
Pont Fawr. It is said to have been designed by
Inigo JonesInigo Jones is the first significant British architect of the modern period, and the first to bring Italianate Renaissance architecture to England...
and it was built in 1636 by Sir
John WynnJohn Wynn may refer to:*John "Wynn" ap Maredudd, Head of the House of Cunedda, 1525–1559*Sir John Wynn, 1st Baronet , his descendant, Welsh baronet, Member of Parliament for Carnarvonshire, 1586*Sir John Wynn, 5th Baronet...
of
Gwydir CastleGwydir Castle is situated in the Conwy valley, North Wales, a mile to the west of the ancient market town of Llanrwst and to the south of the large village of Trefriw...
. The bridge connects the town with Gwydir, a
manor houseA manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
dating from 1492, the fifteenth-century
courthouseA courthouse is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English speaking countries, buildings which house courts of law are simply...
known as Tu Hwnt i'r Bont and also with the road from nearby Trefriw. Originally built to carry horses and carts, the bridge has stood up well to modern traffic, not to mention the regular floods.
Attractions in Llanrwst include the
almshouseAlmshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s, two seventeenth-century chapels and the parish church, which holds the stone coffin of
Llywelyn the GreatLlywelyn the Great , full name Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, was a Prince of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually de facto ruler over most of Wales...
.
In 1610 Sir John Wynn of Gwydir constructed the historic Llanrwst
AlmshouseAlmshouses are charitable housing provided to enable people to live in a particular community...
s to house poor people of the parish. The buildings closed in 1976, but were restored in 1996 with the aid of
Heritage LotteryThe National Lottery is the state-franchised national lottery in the United Kingdom and the Isle of Man.It is operated by Camelot Group, to whom the licence was granted in 1994, 2001 and again in 2007. The lottery is regulated by the National Lottery Commission, and was established by the then...
funding, reopening as a museum of local history and a community focal point. The museum currently holds a collection of over a hundred items relating largely to the rural Conwy valley, and a number of items are associated with the renowned Llanrwst Bards of the late nineteenth century.
The
Gwydir ForestGwydir Forest, also spelled Gwydyr, is located in Conwy county borough and the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. It takes its name from the ancient Gwydir Estate, established by the John Wynn family of Gwydir Castle, which owned this area....
lies to the south west of the town, beyond the bridge.
On the hills above the town is the
Moel Maeloganthumb|300px|right|The first 3 turbines at Moel MaeloganMoel Maelogan is a hill on the western edge of Mynydd Hiraethog in north Wales, and overlooking the Conwy Valley...
wind farmA wind farm is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electric power. A large wind farm may consist of several hundred individual wind turbines, and cover an extended area of hundreds of square miles, but the land between the turbines may be used for agricultural or other...
. The electricity generated by these turbines is sent to the sub-station in the town.
Schools
Ysgol Dyffryn ConwyYsgol Dyffryn Conwy is a bilingual co-educational comprehensive school in the town of Llanrwst in Conwy County Borough, North Wales. The school serves the community of Llanrwst and the many surrounding villages including the rural districts of Betws-y-Coed, Llangernyw and Cerrigydrudion...
previously Llanrwst Grammar School, is a bilingual,
secondary schoolSecondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
with approximately 790 pupils. According to the latest inspection report by
EstynEstyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. Its name comes from the Welsh language verb meaning "to extend". Its mission is to achieve excellence for all in learning in Wales by providing an independent, high quality inspection and advice service to the Welsh Assembly Government and...
, the school has a GCSE pass rate of 71% (based on 5 GCSEs, grades A-C). This means the school is in equal 24th place in
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, or just outside the top 10% of secondary schools in Wales. It is also the second best performing secondary school in
ConwyConwy is a walled market town and community in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales. The town, which faces Deganwy across the River Conwy, formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. Conwy has a population of 14,208...
, behind
Eirias High SchoolEirias High School is situated in Colwyn Bay, in Conwy county borough, North Wales. The school has approx 1600 pupils and over 120 teachers and staff. The school’s name is derived from its location, the grounds of Eirias Park. Its modern facilities include up-to-date science laboratories, modern...
in
Colwyn Bay- Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...
.
History and "Independence"
In 1276 Llywelyn ap Gruffudd,
Prince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
, also known as
Llywelyn the LastLlywelyn ap Gruffydd or Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf , sometimes rendered as Llywelyn II, was the last prince of an independent Wales before its conquest by Edward I of England....
, seized the town, declaring it a "free borough" independent from the diocese of Llanelwy. Although the bishop went as far as to seek the help of the
PopeThe Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
to overturn this, his attempts failed, Llywelyn pleading a close family tie to the place as a reason for safeguarding it.
After the death of Llywelyn in 1282, every further attempt by the bishop of Llanelwy failed, the Cistercian
monkA monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s of
Aberconwy AbbeyAberconwy Abbey was a Cistercian foundation at Conwy, later transferred to Maenan near Llanrwst and in the 13th century was the most important abbey in North Wales....
(where
Llywelyn the GreatLlywelyn the Great , full name Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, was a Prince of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually de facto ruler over most of Wales...
, Llywelyn's grandfather, had died in 1240) insisted that it be allowed to keep the independence which had belonged to it for 29 years, and ripped down any banners related to the Bishopric or to
Edward IEdward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
. A century later, the
monasteryMonastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
was moved eight miles (13 km) upriver to Maenan, near Llanrwst.
The town consequently has its own
coat of armsA coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
and flag, and this is the origin of the old local motto "Cymru, Lloegr a Llanrwst" (Wales, England and Llanrwst).
In 1947, Llanrwst town council made an unsuccessful submission to the
United NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
for a seat on the security council, stating that Llanrwst was an independent state within Wales. The chairman and secretary of the Llanrwst Historical Society have obtained proof of this from the UN in New York.
The Llanrwst Almshouses & Museum Trust recently returned the above-mentioned Llanrwst flag to the community. Dating from the twelfth century, this emblem was central to the town's belief that it was independent of the United Kingdom.
The motto "Cymru, Lloegr a Llanrwst", a testament to this apparent independence, has now become synonymous with the song of that title, by local band
Y CyrffY Cyrff were a popular Welsh language indie band in the 1980s. They came from Llanrwst, Conwy, and their line-up included Mark Roberts , Barry Cawley , Paul Jones and Dylan Hughes . Dylan left to join Welsh punks Yr Anhrefn and Mark Kendall took Dylan's place...
.
Llanrwst hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1951 and 1989.
Llanrwst is also home to Llanrwst United FC who have two senior
teamsAssociation football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
, the first team play in the Welsh Alliance League and the Reserve team play in the Clwyd League Division 2. The club also have a Junior section "Llanrwst United Juniors" who have 8 teams and play in the Aberconwy and Colwyn League.
Notable People
- Kai Owen
Kai Owen is a Welsh actor of stage and screen, known to Welsh audiences for his numerous roles on Welsh-language television and to worldwide audiences for his portrayal of Rhys Williams in Torchwood....
, Welsh actor most noticeable for his role in TorchwoodTorchwood is a British science fiction television programme created by Russell T Davies. The series is a spin-off from Davies's 2005 revival of the long-running science fiction programme Doctor Who. The show has shifted its broadcast channel each series to reflect its growing audience, moving from...
as Rhys WilliamsRhys Alun Williams, portrayed by Kai Owen, is a fictional character in the BBC television programme Torchwood, a spin-off from the long-running series Doctor Who. The character is introduced in the premiere episode as the co-habiting boyfriend of principal character Gwen Cooper...
- Members of Catatonia
Catatonia is a state of neurogenic motor immobility, and behavioral abnormality manifested by stupor. It was first described in 1874: Die Katatonie oder das Spannungsirresein ....
.
External links