Trawsfynydd
Encyclopedia
Trawsfynydd is a village
in Gwynedd, North
Wales
, adjacent to the A470
north of Dolgellau
near Blaenau Ffestiniog
.
The total parish area is 12,830 hectares with a population of just under 1000 – the area is therefore sparsely populated with each hectare inhabited by an average 0.07 persons. The village is typical of several Welsh villages. There is one grocer shop, one public house, a newsagent, garage, petrol service station, hardware shop and a branch of a large agricultural merchants.
used a site near Trawsfynydd for training exercises. Its continued use for training exercises following the war was the subject of protest by Plaid Cymru
, which also challenged the UK government's continued military conscription in peace time. Other locations in Wales used for training exercises included Preseli Hills
and Tregaron
.
Trawsfynydd used to be served by a section of the Great Western Railway
branch line which ran from Bala to Blaenau Ffestiniog
. To the north of the station the army built its own station to serve the large camp nearby (camp detail). Today Trawsfynydd railway station
is a private home. (pictures). The line closed to all traffic in 1961, and the trackbed at the Bala end was subsequently severed by the Llyn Celyn
reservoir, but the section between Blaenau and Trawsfynydd Power Station reopened in 1964 for nuclear flask
traffic. Access from the Bala end being no longer possible, a new section of track - the so-called "Trawsfynydd Link" - was constructed to link the previously separate ex-GWR and ex-LNWR
stations in Blaenau Ffestiniog. It finally closed in 1998, although the track remains in situ.
The village has a high proportion of Welsh language
speakers (81.7%) http://www.bwrdd-yr-iaith.org.uk/download.php%3Fid%3D2082.6&e=42, and is accordingly in the top five Welsh communities in Gwynedd http://www.mentrau-iaith.com/mentrau.php?page_id=c9145296&cat_id=10&lang=2.
, a large man-made reservoir which was originally built, between 1924 and 1928, to supply water for Maentwrog
hydro-electric power station
.
The original flooding of the area in the 1920s to create the lake, involved the drowning of some two dozen properties, some of historical significance, but there was little objection at the time. The new power station was regarded as a good thing, and indeed on its completion was capable of supplying the whole of North Wales' electricity needs. However, there was certain objection to the loss of rights of way across the former land, necessitating long detours round the new lake. In response to this, a small road was built along its western shore, and a footbridge (still standing) across the narrowest part of the lake.
The lake was subsequently also utilized for the supply of cooling water to the twin reactor Trawsfynydd nuclear power station
used for the commercial generation of electricity for the UK
national grid.
Four dams were built to create the lake, one of these being subsequently rebuilt after construction of the nuclear power plant. Whereas previously the Maentwrog power station had access to all of the water in the lake, the needs of the nuclear plant dictated that from then on, the hydro plant should only use the top 5 feet of water.
Hedd Wyn
, who died on the battlefields of Flanders
during World War I
, just before he was to receive the winning prize at the National Eisteddfod. Y Gadair Ddu (The Black Chair) can now be found at his home farm Yr Ysgwrn. He is buried in Flanders.
, was burned down in 1978 and re-opened in 1981 (it remains the only listed building in the village).
The parish
of Trawsfynydd was home to Saint John Roberts
, one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales
, canonised in 1970: he was baptised in the church. Descended from Welsh saints and princes, he gained great respect helping the plague sufferers in London, but was found guilty of high treason
and hanged, drawn and quartered
on 10 December 1610.
had scenes filmed around Lake Trawsfynydd.
The film Hedd Wyn
was filmed in and around Trawsfynydd.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
in Gwynedd, North
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
Wales
Wales
Wales 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...
, adjacent to the A470
A470 road
The 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...
north of Dolgellau
Dolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
near Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau Ffestiniog
Blaenau 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...
.
The total parish area is 12,830 hectares with a population of just under 1000 – the area is therefore sparsely populated with each hectare inhabited by an average 0.07 persons. The village is typical of several Welsh villages. There is one grocer shop, one public house, a newsagent, garage, petrol service station, hardware shop and a branch of a large agricultural merchants.
General information
During the Second World War, the War OfficeWar Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
used a site near Trawsfynydd for training exercises. Its continued use for training exercises following the war was the subject of protest by Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
, which also challenged the UK government's continued military conscription in peace time. Other locations in Wales used for training exercises included Preseli Hills
Preseli Hills
The Preseli Hills or Preseli Mountains are a range of hills in north Pembrokeshire, West Wales...
and Tregaron
Tregaron
Tregaron is a market town in the county of Ceredigion, Wales, lying on the River Brenig , a tributary of the River Teifi. The town is twinned with Plouvien, in Finistere, France. According to the 2001 Census, Tregaron's population was 1,183, of whom 68.8% spoke Welsh fluently.-History:Tregaron...
.
Trawsfynydd used to be served by a section of the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The 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 in 1838...
branch line which ran from Bala to Blaenau Ffestiniog
Bala Ffestiniog Line
The Bala and Ffestiniog Railway was a , standard gauge, railway backed by the Great Western Railway railway in North Wales which connected Bala with Blaenau Ffestiniog.- History :...
. To the north of the station the army built its own station to serve the large camp nearby (camp detail). Today Trawsfynydd railway station
Trawsfynydd railway station
Trawsfynydd railway station was a railway station on the Great Western Railway's Bala Ffestiniog Line in Wales. It closed to passenger services on 2 January 1960 and freight services on 27 January 1961....
is a private home. (pictures). The line closed to all traffic in 1961, and the trackbed at the Bala end was subsequently severed by the Llyn Celyn
Llyn Celyn
Llyn Celyn is a large reservoir constructed between 1960 and 1965 in the valley of the River Tryweryn in Gwynedd, North Wales. It measures roughly 2½ miles long by a mile wide, and has a maximum depth of...
reservoir, but the section between Blaenau and Trawsfynydd Power Station reopened in 1964 for nuclear flask
Nuclear flask
A nuclear flask is a shipping container that is used to transport active nuclear materials between many nuclear power stations in the UK. Each flask weighs more than 50 tonnes, and transports usually not more than 2.5 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel....
traffic. Access from the Bala end being no longer possible, a new section of track - the so-called "Trawsfynydd Link" - was constructed to link the previously separate ex-GWR and ex-LNWR
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
stations in Blaenau Ffestiniog. It finally closed in 1998, although the track remains in situ.
The village has a high proportion of Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
speakers (81.7%) http://www.bwrdd-yr-iaith.org.uk/download.php%3Fid%3D2082.6&e=42, and is accordingly in the top five Welsh communities in Gwynedd http://www.mentrau-iaith.com/mentrau.php?page_id=c9145296&cat_id=10&lang=2.
Llyn Trawsfynydd, and power stations
The village is close to Llyn TrawsfynyddLlyn Trawsfynydd
Llyn Trawsfynydd is a large man-made reservoir situated near the village of Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd, North Wales. With a total surface area of 4.8 km² the reservoir is slightly more extensive than Wales's largest natural lake, Llyn Tegid .Originally created in 1928 as the header reservoir for...
, a large man-made reservoir which was originally built, between 1924 and 1928, to supply water for Maentwrog
Maentwrog
Maentwrog is a village and community in the Welsh county of Gwynedd, lying in the Vale of Ffestiniog, within the Snowdonia National Park. The River Dwyryd runs alongside the village...
hydro-electric power station
Power station
A power station is an industrial facility for the generation of electric energy....
.
The original flooding of the area in the 1920s to create the lake, involved the drowning of some two dozen properties, some of historical significance, but there was little objection at the time. The new power station was regarded as a good thing, and indeed on its completion was capable of supplying the whole of North Wales' electricity needs. However, there was certain objection to the loss of rights of way across the former land, necessitating long detours round the new lake. In response to this, a small road was built along its western shore, and a footbridge (still standing) across the narrowest part of the lake.
The lake was subsequently also utilized for the supply of cooling water to the twin reactor Trawsfynydd nuclear power station
Trawsfynydd nuclear power station
Trawsfyndd nuclear power station is a disused Magnox power station situated at Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd, Wales.-History:Construction of the power station, which was undertaken by a consortium involving Crompton Parkinson, International Combustion, Fairey Engineering and Richardsons Westgarth, and...
used for the commercial generation of electricity for the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
national grid.
Four dams were built to create the lake, one of these being subsequently rebuilt after construction of the nuclear power plant. Whereas previously the Maentwrog power station had access to all of the water in the lake, the needs of the nuclear plant dictated that from then on, the hydro plant should only use the top 5 feet of water.
Hedd Wyn
Trawsfynydd was the home of the Welsh bardBard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
Hedd Wyn
Hedd Wyn
Hedd Wyn was a Welsh language poet who was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. He was posthumously awarded the bard's chair at the 1917 National Eisteddfod...
, who died on the battlefields of Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, just before he was to receive the winning prize at the National Eisteddfod. Y Gadair Ddu (The Black Chair) can now be found at his home farm Yr Ysgwrn. He is buried in Flanders.
Church of St Madryn
The church is dedicated to St MadrynSaint Materiana
Saint Materiana is a Welsh saint and princess of the 5th century who is patron of two churches in Cornwall and one in Wales. Alternative spellings are Madrun, Madryn, Merthiana, and Mertheriana: the name was corrupted to Marcelliana in medieval times...
, was burned down in 1978 and re-opened in 1981 (it remains the only listed building in the village).
The parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Trawsfynydd was home to Saint John Roberts
Saint John Roberts
Saint John Roberts was a Benedictine monk and priest, and was the first Prior of St. Gregory's, Douai, France...
, one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales
Forty Martyrs of England and Wales
The Forty Martyrs of England and Wales are a group of men and women who were executed for treason and related offences in the Kingdom of England between 1535 and 1679...
, canonised in 1970: he was baptised in the church. Descended from Welsh saints and princes, he gained great respect helping the plague sufferers in London, but was found guilty of high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
and hanged, drawn and quartered
Hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered was from 1351 a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded during the reigns of King Henry III and his successor, Edward I...
on 10 December 1610.
In popular culture
The film First KnightFirst Knight
First Knight is a 1995 American medieval film based on Arthurian legend, directed by Jerry Zucker. It stars Richard Gere as Lancelot, Julia Ormond as Guinevere, Sean Connery as King Arthur and Ben Cross as Malagant....
had scenes filmed around Lake Trawsfynydd.
The film Hedd Wyn
Hedd Wyn (film)
Hedd Wyn is a 1992 Welsh anti-war biopic, written by Alan Llwyd and directed by Paul Turner.Based on the life of Ellis Humphrey Evans , killed in the First World War, the cinematography starkly contrasts the lyrical beauty of the poet's native Meirionnydd with the bombed-out horrors of Passchendaele...
was filmed in and around Trawsfynydd.
Notable people
- Saint John Roberts, Benedictine monk and missionary priest, was born in the parish of Trawsfynydd.
- Hedd WynHedd WynHedd Wyn was a Welsh language poet who was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele in World War I. He was posthumously awarded the bard's chair at the 1917 National Eisteddfod...
, Welsh poet, was born in the village. - Iwan RobertsIwan "Iwcs" RobertsIwan "Iwcs" Roberts is a Welsh actor, lyricist and singer.-Biography:Roberts started his career as an actor, performing in the Urdd Eisteddfod and local Eisteddfodau whilst a pupil at Trawsfynydd primary school, where he was nicknamed "Iwcs"...
, Welsh actor, lyricist and singer, was raised in the village. - Dewi Prysor, Welsh novelist and poet, was raised in the parish of Trawsfynydd.