Aberbran
Encyclopedia
Aberbrân is a small settlement in Powys
, Wales
. It lies beside the River Usk
and is 7 kilometres (4 mi) west of the town of Brecon
.
Aberbrân translates from the Welsh language
to English as: mouth of the river (aber) crow (brân).
Two rivers run through Aberbrân, it is where the Bran comes to an end and meets
the Usk.
For such a small settlement, Aberbrân’s economy in the past has boasted of having a railway station and a flour mill, both were closed in the 1950’s. The railway station was shut down when the Western Region of British Rail
ways closed the Neath and Brecon railway line due to a lack of passenger usage. The flour mills closure was a bit more dramatic; after the miller got caught up in the machinery and was accidentally killed. The mill has now been converted into a house.
Today Aberbrân consists of around 15 houses and two farms which both offer B & B, caravan
and campsite
parks. The settlement also has a post and telephone box and a twice-daily bus service.
One of the farms, Aberbrân Fawr also has a successful fruit PYO business, which is well known in the Brecon area. There is also a third caravan park that is owned by the Caravan Club
, which is located where the old train station was. The site opened in 1967 and has celebrated its 40th anniversary of being in business.
The settlement is a well known in the area for its bridge over the River Usk which is a recognised starting point for canoeists and fishermen. There are also two other bridges that go over the River Bran.
The majority of the working population are commuters working outside Aberbrân mainly in the closest market town
of Brecon.
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, 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...
. It lies beside the River Usk
River Usk
The River Usk rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain of mid-Wales, in the easternmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially it flows north into Usk Reservoir, then east by Sennybridge to Brecon before turning southeast to flow by Talybont-on-Usk, Crickhowell and...
and is 7 kilometres (4 mi) west of the town of Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
.
Aberbrân translates from the 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...
to English as: mouth of the river (aber) crow (brân).
Two rivers run through Aberbrân, it is where the Bran comes to an end and meets
Confluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
the Usk.
For such a small settlement, Aberbrân’s economy in the past has boasted of having a railway station and a flour mill, both were closed in the 1950’s. The railway station was shut down when the Western Region of British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
ways closed the Neath and Brecon railway line due to a lack of passenger usage. The flour mills closure was a bit more dramatic; after the miller got caught up in the machinery and was accidentally killed. The mill has now been converted into a house.
Today Aberbrân consists of around 15 houses and two farms which both offer B & B, caravan
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
and campsite
Campsite
A campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in the outdoors. In British English a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents or camper vans or caravans; this British English use of the word is synonymous with the...
parks. The settlement also has a post and telephone box and a twice-daily bus service.
One of the farms, Aberbrân Fawr also has a successful fruit PYO business, which is well known in the Brecon area. There is also a third caravan park that is owned by the Caravan Club
Caravan Club
The Caravan Club is an organisation representing caravanners in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1907 and now represents nearly 1 million members.-History:...
, which is located where the old train station was. The site opened in 1967 and has celebrated its 40th anniversary of being in business.
The settlement is a well known in the area for its bridge over the River Usk which is a recognised starting point for canoeists and fishermen. There are also two other bridges that go over the River Bran.
The majority of the working population are commuters working outside Aberbrân mainly in the closest market town
Market town
Market 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...
of Brecon.