Ammanford, Carmarthenshire
Encyclopedia
Ammanford is a town
and community
in the county
of Carmarthenshire
, Wales
, with a population 5,293 according to the Office of National Statistics (2001). Located at the end of the Amman Valley, Ammanford is an ex-mining town and serves as the main shopping
centre for many village
s in the surrounding area.
According to the 2001 census, 75.88% of the population are competent in the Welsh language
, compared to roughly 55% in Carmarthenshire as a whole and 21.8% in Wales as a whole.
Ammanford is served by the A483
and A474
roads and the local railway station is a stop on the Heart of Wales Line
with trains to Swansea
to the south and Shrewsbury
to the north.
Ammanford is twinned
with Breuillet, Essonne
.
and Llandybïe
went to Betws
, and the east-west road from the Amman
Valley went to Penybanc and Tycroes
, and further afield, both converging at a crossroads
(now Ammanford Square). This in turn led to the development of coaching inn
s or staging inns and tavern
s catering for the needs of the traveller. The area eventually became identified by the name of one of these hostelries — Cross Inn.
The community of Cross Inn centred on the activity of the cross road, along with a small group of low-grade cottage
s sited in the vicinity of Carregaman Isaf which became known as Pentrefacas. Betws was a larger hamlet
with the parish church, St David's, as its focal point. All the area to the west of the River Amman
fell within the parish of Llandybïe.
The Industrial Revolution
created a demand for coal
, an essential source of power to operate the boiler
s of steam engine
s. Coal attracted investment which led to various companies, one of which was the Llanelly Railway and Dock Company, building an elaborate transport
system of railways. The first railway was opened in 1840, linking Llanelli
with Ammanford, reaching Brynamman
by 1842 and later extending northwards to Llandeilo
and beyond. (See Ammanford railway station
).
Coal could not be mined without manpower, and so an influx of workers began. People needed house
s, services, entertainment
, and school
s. Within a relatively short period of time, what was once a quiet and tranquil agricultural
community changed to a bustling town, hungry to absorb the land of old established farmsteads. The population increased explosively, with many of the migrants and their families coming from English language
-speaking areas of Wales as well as from England
, Scotland
and Ireland
.
members who perhaps resented the hamlet bearing the name of a public house
. Another consideration appears to be that the largest chapel in the village was then known as Cross Inn Chapel: a conflict of ideals, to say the least. There is still an engraved
stone in the grounds of the chapel, now called Gellimanwydd or the Christian Temple, bearing its original name.
On the 1 October 1880, this article
appeared in the local newspaper
:
From later press reports, it seems that there was by no means unanimity in the selection of the new name. Several public meetings followed and eventually it was decided to refer the choice of a new name to a group of prominent local dignitaries.
On 20 November, the nominated committee
met at the Ivorites
Hall (on Hall Street, which took its name from this building). After a long discussion it was proposed by Mr. A. A. Morris of Wernolau, and seconded by Mr. W. Jones of the Cross Inn Hotel, that from this time forth, the village should be known as Ammanford. The proposal was accepted unanimously, there being no other name before the meeting. After the vote was taken, the chairman of the meeting, Watkin Hezekiah Williams (Watcyn Wyn), a local schoolmaster, could not resist announcing that 'Cross Inn' had finally been 'crossed out'.
The Ammanford Anthracite Strike was a riot at Ammanford in 1925 during a strike by anthracite miners who took control of the town by force and violence for 10 days. 200 Glamorgan police were ambushed by strikers at Pontamman Bridge during the so-called 'Battle of Ammanford'.
Ammanford hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1922 and 1970.
status. This status was renewed by the Fairtrade Foundation on 27 December 2003.
long-track meeting, one of the few held in the UK, was staged at Ammanford. Local football team Ammanford A.F.C.
play in the Welsh Football League Second Division
, while rugby union
team Ammanford RFC
were formed in 1887 and play in the Welsh Rugby Union
leagues.
Town
A 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 community
Community (Wales)
A 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....
in the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire
Carmarthenshire is a unitary authority in the south west of Wales and one of thirteen historic counties. It is the 3rd largest in Wales. Its three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford...
, 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...
, with a population 5,293 according to the Office of National Statistics (2001). Located at the end of the Amman Valley, Ammanford is an ex-mining town and serves as the main shopping
Shopping
Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with the intent to purchase at that time. Shopping is an activity of selection and/or purchase. In some contexts it is considered a leisure activity as well as an economic one....
centre for many village
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...
s in the surrounding area.
According to the 2001 census, 75.88% of the population are competent in 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...
, compared to roughly 55% in Carmarthenshire as a whole and 21.8% in Wales as a whole.
Ammanford is served by the A483
A483 road
The A483 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Swansea in Wales to Chester in England, although the official title is the Swansea to Manchester Trunk Road.-Swansea:...
and A474
A474 road
The A474 is a suburban main route in south Wales.Settlements served by the A474 include:*Briton Ferry*Neath*Neath Abbey*Cadoxton*Rhyddings*Fforest Goch*Rhos*Gellinudd*Pontardawe*Gelligron*Rhydyfro*Cwmgors*Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen*Glanamman*Ammanford...
roads and the local railway station is a stop on the Heart of Wales Line
Heart of Wales Line
The Heart of Wales Line is a railway line running from Craven Arms in Shropshire to Llanelli in South Wales. It runs, as the name suggests, through some of the heartlands of Wales. It serves a number of rural centres en route, including several once fashionable spa towns, including Llandrindod Wells...
with trains to Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
to the south and Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
to the north.
Ammanford is twinned
Town twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with Breuillet, Essonne
Breuillet, Essonne
Breuillet is a commune in the Essonne department in Île-de-France in northern France.It is located between Arpajon and Dourdan.Inhabitants of Breuillet are known as Breuilletois.-Twin towns:Breuillet has town twinning and cooperation agreement with:...
.
History
Ammanford took its current name on 20 November 1880. The community that existed then and now known as Ammanford dates back to around the early 19th century. At that time the main highways went through the area, not to it. The north-south road from LlandeiloLlandeilo
Llandeilo is a town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated at the crossing of the River Towy by the A483 on a 19th century stone bridge. Its population is 1,731.The town is served by Llandeilo railway station on the Heart of Wales Line.- Early history :...
and Llandybïe
Llandybie
Llandybie is a community, and a large village two miles north of Ammanford in Carmarthenshire, Wales.The latest Ordnance Survey map the Grid reference at the centre of the village is SN 617 154...
went to Betws
Betws
Betws is a small village on the River Amman, some 15 miles north of Swansea, Wales; it is part of the ecclesiastical parish of Betws and Ammanford...
, and the east-west road from the Amman
River Amman
The River Amman is a river of south Wales, which joins the River Loughor at Pantyffynnon. The river gives its name to the town of Ammanford and the villages of Pontamman, Glanaman, Brynamman and Rhosaman. Garnant and Betws also lie in the Amman Valley....
Valley went to Penybanc and Tycroes
Tycroes
Tycroes is a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales. As measured in the 2001 Census, the population of Tycroes was 2,156 persons . Tycroes School has around 180 pupils....
, and further afield, both converging at a crossroads
Crossroads (culture)
In folk magic and mythology, crossroads may represent a location "between the worlds" and, as such, a site where supernatural spirits can be contacted and paranormal events can take place...
(now Ammanford Square). This in turn led to the development of coaching inn
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
s or staging inns and tavern
Tavern
A tavern is a place of business where people gather to drink alcoholic beverages and be served food, and in some cases, where travelers receive lodging....
s catering for the needs of the traveller. The area eventually became identified by the name of one of these hostelries — Cross Inn.
The community of Cross Inn centred on the activity of the cross road, along with a small group of low-grade cottage
Cottage
__toc__In modern usage, a cottage is usually a modest, often cozy dwelling, typically in a rural or semi-rural location. However there are cottage-style dwellings in cities, and in places such as Canada the term exists with no connotations of size at all...
s sited in the vicinity of Carregaman Isaf which became known as Pentrefacas. Betws was a larger hamlet
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
with the parish church, St David's, as its focal point. All the area to the west of the River Amman
River Amman
The River Amman is a river of south Wales, which joins the River Loughor at Pantyffynnon. The river gives its name to the town of Ammanford and the villages of Pontamman, Glanaman, Brynamman and Rhosaman. Garnant and Betws also lie in the Amman Valley....
fell within the parish of Llandybïe.
The Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
created a demand for coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
, an essential source of power to operate the boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
s of steam engine
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
s. Coal attracted investment which led to various companies, one of which was the Llanelly Railway and Dock Company, building an elaborate transport
Transport
Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...
system of railways. The first railway was opened in 1840, linking Llanelli
Llanelli
Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
with Ammanford, reaching Brynamman
Brynamman
Brynamman is a village sitting on the south facing side of the Black Mountain, part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The village is split in two into Upper Brynamman and Lower Brynamman by the River Amman which also acts as the boundary between the counties of Carmarthenshire and Neath Port...
by 1842 and later extending northwards to Llandeilo
Llandeilo
Llandeilo is a town in Carmarthenshire, Wales, situated at the crossing of the River Towy by the A483 on a 19th century stone bridge. Its population is 1,731.The town is served by Llandeilo railway station on the Heart of Wales Line.- Early history :...
and beyond. (See Ammanford railway station
Ammanford railway station
Ammanford railway station serves the town of Ammanford in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Situated 12 miles north of Swansea on today's Heart of Wales Line, the station was first opened in 1841 as a temporary terminus of the Llanelly Railway's line to Llandeilo , making it one of the country's earliest...
).
Coal could not be mined without manpower, and so an influx of workers began. People needed house
House
A house is a building or structure that has the ability to be occupied for dwelling by human beings or other creatures. The term house includes many kinds of different dwellings ranging from rudimentary huts of nomadic tribes to free standing individual structures...
s, services, entertainment
Entertainment
Entertainment consists of any activity which provides a diversion or permits people to amuse themselves in their leisure time. Entertainment is generally passive, such as watching opera or a movie. Active forms of amusement, such as sports, are more often considered to be recreation...
, and school
School
A school is an institution designed for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is commonly compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools...
s. Within a relatively short period of time, what was once a quiet and tranquil agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
community changed to a bustling town, hungry to absorb the land of old established farmsteads. The population increased explosively, with many of the migrants and their families coming from English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking areas of Wales as well as from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Naming
This rapid growth appeared to have been the reason for changing the name of the village, as there was already another village in Carmarthenshire called Cross Inn. Prominent citizens convened a public meeting with a view to changing the name, and there was overwhelming support for the proposal, especially amongst the strong representation of church and chapelChapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
members who perhaps resented the hamlet bearing the name of a public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
. Another consideration appears to be that the largest chapel in the village was then known as Cross Inn Chapel: a conflict of ideals, to say the least. There is still an engraved
Engraving
Engraving is the practice of incising a design on to a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an intaglio printing plate, of copper or another metal, for printing...
stone in the grounds of the chapel, now called Gellimanwydd or the Christian Temple, bearing its original name.
On the 1 October 1880, this article
Article (publishing)
An article is a written work published in a print or electronic medium. It may be for the purpose of propagating the news, research results, academic analysis or debate.-News articles:...
appeared in the local newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
:
- "It has been proposed to call CROSS INN, which is in the parish of Llandybïe, in the County of Carmarthen, from this time forth, after the Right Hon. Baron, who owns the place, Dynevor.
- "By adopting a new name, it is hoped to get rid of all previous annoyances, and also, that the other Cross Inn may benefit by the change."
From later press reports, it seems that there was by no means unanimity in the selection of the new name. Several public meetings followed and eventually it was decided to refer the choice of a new name to a group of prominent local dignitaries.
On 20 November, the nominated committee
Committee
A committee is a type of small deliberative assembly that is usually intended to remain subordinate to another, larger deliberative assembly—which when organized so that action on committee requires a vote by all its entitled members, is called the "Committee of the Whole"...
met at the Ivorites
The Philanthropic Order of True Ivorites
The Philanthropic Order of True Ivorites commonly referred to as the Ivorites Society or The Ivorites was a friendly society founded in Wrexham, Wales in 1836.-History:...
Hall (on Hall Street, which took its name from this building). After a long discussion it was proposed by Mr. A. A. Morris of Wernolau, and seconded by Mr. W. Jones of the Cross Inn Hotel, that from this time forth, the village should be known as Ammanford. The proposal was accepted unanimously, there being no other name before the meeting. After the vote was taken, the chairman of the meeting, Watkin Hezekiah Williams (Watcyn Wyn), a local schoolmaster, could not resist announcing that 'Cross Inn' had finally been 'crossed out'.
Twentieth century
Ammanford was an important location as the 1904–1905 Welsh Revival unfolded.The Ammanford Anthracite Strike was a riot at Ammanford in 1925 during a strike by anthracite miners who took control of the town by force and violence for 10 days. 200 Glamorgan police were ambushed by strikers at Pontamman Bridge during the so-called 'Battle of Ammanford'.
Ammanford hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1922 and 1970.
Recent developments
On 4 July 2002, Ammanford was granted Fairtrade TownFairtrade Town
Fairtrade Town is a status awarded by a recognized Fairtrade certification body describing an area which is committed to the promotion of Fairtrade certified goods...
status. This status was renewed by the Fairtrade Foundation on 27 December 2003.
Notable people
- Neil HamiltonNeil Hamilton (politician)Mostyn Neil Hamilton is a former British barrister, teacher and Conservative MP. Since losing his seat in 1997 and leaving politics, Hamilton and his wife Christine have become media celebrities...
, ex-ToryConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
MPMember of ParliamentA Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
who lost his seat after a cash-for-questions row in 1997 - JarcrewJarcrewJarcrew was a five-piece progressive rock band from Ammanford, Wales. They were a relatively well known underground band for approximately five years between 2000 and their early 2005 split...
, now-defunct pop group - Gareth JewellGareth JewellGareth Jewell is a Welsh television actor from Ammanford, Carmarthenshire.-Career:Before concentrating on his acting career, Jewell held a number of different jobs after getting rejected from RADA as a teenager. In 2009 Jewell portrayed the character of Rob Williams in the BBC Wales drama Crash...
, actor. - Alex JonesAlex Jones (presenter)Charlotte Alexandra "Alex" Jones is a Welsh television presenter, from Ammanford, best known for co-presenting BBC's The One Show since August 2010.-Early life:...
, television presenter on S4C and BBC's The One Show - Owain Wyn Evans, television presenter on BBC's FfeilFfeilFfeil is a Welsh-language television news programme for children and young people, produced by BBC Cymru Wales for S4C.-Overview:...
- Donald PeersDonald PeersDonald Peers was a popular Welsh singer. His best remembered rendition and signature song was "In a Shady Nook by a Babbling Brook".-Biography:...
, 1950s1950s in musicFor music from a year in the 1950s, go to 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59This article includes an overview of the major events and trends in popular music in the 1950s....
singer - John Rhys-DaviesJohn Rhys-DaviesJohn Rhys-Davies is a Welsh actor and voice actor. He is perhaps best known for playing the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
, actor, SlidersSlidersSliders is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast for five seasons, beginning in 1995 and ending in 2000. The series follows a group of travelers as they use a wormhole to "slide" between different parallel universes. The show was created by Robert K. Weiss and Tracy Tormé...
, the Indiana JonesIndiana JonesColonel Henry Walton "Indiana" Jones, Jr., Ph.D. is a fictional character and the protagonist of the Indiana Jones franchise. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg created the character in homage to the action heroes of 1930s film serials...
films and The Lord of the Rings film trilogyThe Lord of the Rings film trilogyThe Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers and The Return of the King .The films were directed by Peter...
(as GimliGimli (Middle-earth)Gimli is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. A Dwarf warrior, he is the son of Glóin ....
) - Rick Smith, musician, UnderworldUnderworld (band)Underworld are a British electronic group, and principal name under which duo Karl Hyde and Rick Smith have recorded together since 1980.- Early years: 1979–1986 :...
- Rheinallt Nantlais WilliamsRheinallt Nantlais WilliamsReverend Professor Rheinallt Nantlais Williams MBE, MA was a Welsh Professor of Philosophy of Religion and Principal of the Presbyterian United Theological College Aberystwyth in Wales....
, Professor of Philosophy of ReligionPhilosophy of religionPhilosophy of religion is a branch of philosophy concerned with questions regarding religion, including the nature and existence of God, the examination of religious experience, analysis of religious language and texts, and the relationship of religion and science...
and theologianTheologyTheology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
Sport
A motorcycle speedwayMotorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
long-track meeting, one of the few held in the UK, was staged at Ammanford. Local football team Ammanford A.F.C.
Ammanford A.F.C.
Ammanford A.F.C. is a football club from Ammanford, Carmarthenshire in Wales, formed by a merger of Ammanford Town and Ammanford Athletic in 1992. They are members of the Welsh Football League and currently play in the Welsh Football League Division Two...
play in the Welsh Football League Second Division
Welsh Football League Second Division
The Division Two of the Welsh Football League is a football league and forms the third level of the Welsh football league system in south Wales....
, while rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
team Ammanford RFC
Ammanford RFC
Ammanford Rugby Football Club is a rugby union team from the town of Ammanford, West Wales. The club is a member of the Welsh Rugby Union and is a feeder club for the Llanelli Scarlets.-History:...
were formed in 1887 and play in the Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Wales, recognised by the International Rugby Board.The union's patron is Queen Elizabeth II, and her grandson Prince William of Wales became the Vice Royal Patron of the Welsh Rugby Union as of February 2007.-History:The roots of the...
leagues.