Bethesda, Wales
Encyclopedia
Bethesda is a town
lying on the River Ogwen
and the A5 road on the edge of Snowdonia
, in Gwynedd
, north-west Wales
, colloquially called Pesda by the locals.
and stone
quarry
ing industry, the largest of the local quarries being the Penrhyn Quarry
. At its peak, it was exporting its purple slate
all over the world, and in so doing it gained a reputation for being the world's best. The town was the site of a famous three-year strike led by the North Wales Quarrymen's Union
from 1900. This led to the creation of the nearby village of Tregarth
, built by the quarry owners, which housed the families of the workers who did not strike.
Most of the town is to the east and north east of the A5 road with housing packed onto the hill-side in irregular rows. This was due to the A5 marking the border of Lord Penrhyn's land, and the freehold
land. This can still be seen in the layout of the current high street where all the public house
s are only found on one side of the road.
of Bethesda peaked at 10,000 people, but it is currently around 4,327 people (2001 census). Current opportunities for employment are limited within the town. It is home to a small number of manufacturing businesses, although the majority of businesses are in the low-paid service sector and hospitality industry
. For employment with higher earning potential, residents tend to commute
to towns along the North Wales Coast. Bangor
is the most popular location, however, some will travel as far as Cheshire
on a daily basis.
The lack of degree-based employment opportunities is one of the main reasons many of the younger people relocate out of the area to places such as Cardiff
and Manchester
as soon as they are qualified.
The town does has 40 Grade II listed buildings including three pubs and the substantial and imposing Calvinistic
Methodist
Jerusalem Chapel.
The upper parts of Carneddi, Cilfodan and Tan y Foel owe more to stone quarrying on the nearby hills rather than slate quarrying that supported the lower end of the town. At the eastern limits, the town is bounded by the rising land of the Carneddau
mountains which form some of the more remote landscapes of Snowdonia
. Much of Bethesda was once discrete villages such as Gerlan, Rachub and Braichmelyn and their names are retained as districts of the town.
s (mostly dating from the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival
) and pubs in the town. The town was named after the Bethesda Chapel, which was recently converted into residential flats.
). It is noted throughout the surrounding area that the busiest night in Bethesda is Sunday, not the typical Saturdays or Fridays. One of the High Street pubs, the Douglas Arms, was named after the family which owned the nearby Penrhyn Quarry. Other include the Tŷ Isaf, The Bull, The Kings Head, Y Sior, The Victoria Arms, and the Llangollen.
, 77.0% of the residents are Welsh-speaking, higher than the average for both Gwynedd
and Wales as a whole.
The S4C
series Amdani! was based on a fictitious women's rugby team in Bethesda, and many of the location shots were filmed in the area. The series was based on the novel of the same name, by Bethan Gwanas
, who lived in the town at the time.
, author of Un Nos Ola' Leuad, and of the singer Leila Megane
. It was the childhood home of Gruff Rhys
the lead singer of Super Furry Animals
who grew up in the area known as Rachub
/ Llanllechid.
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...
lying on the River Ogwen
River Ogwen
The Afon Ogwen is a river in north-west Wales draining from some of the greatest peaks in Snowdonia before discharging to the sea on the eastern side of Bangor, Gwynedd.- Source :...
and the A5 road on the edge of Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia 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:...
, in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, north-west 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...
, colloquially called Pesda by the locals.
History
The town grew around the slateSlate industry in Wales
The slate industry in Wales began during the Roman period when slate was used to roof the fort at Segontium, now Caernarfon. The slate industry grew slowly until the early 18th century, then expanded rapidly until the late 19th century, at which time the most important slate producing areas were in...
and stone
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
ing industry, the largest of the local quarries being the Penrhyn Quarry
Penrhyn Quarry
The Penrhyn Slate Quarry is a slate quarry located near Bethesda in north Wales. At the end of the nineteenth century it was the world's largest slate quarry; the main pit is nearly long and deep, and it was worked by nearly 3,000 quarrymen. It has since been superseded in size by slate quarries...
. At its peak, it was exporting its purple slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
all over the world, and in so doing it gained a reputation for being the world's best. The town was the site of a famous three-year strike led by the North Wales Quarrymen's Union
North Wales Quarrymen's Union
The North Wales Quarrymen's Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom.It was founded on 27 April 1864 at the Queen's Hotel, Caenarfon after a month of discussions between quarrymen from Dinorwic and other supporters...
from 1900. This led to the creation of the nearby village of Tregarth
Tregarth
Tregarth is a village near Thomas Telford's A5 London to Holyhead road between the village of Bethesda and the city of Bangor in Gwynedd, North Wales.- History :...
, built by the quarry owners, which housed the families of the workers who did not strike.
Most of the town is to the east and north east of the A5 road with housing packed onto the hill-side in irregular rows. This was due to the A5 marking the border of Lord Penrhyn's land, and the freehold
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
land. This can still be seen in the layout of the current high street where all the 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...
s are only found on one side of the road.
Modern Bethesda
During its heyday, the populationPopulation
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of Bethesda peaked at 10,000 people, but it is currently around 4,327 people (2001 census). Current opportunities for employment are limited within the town. It is home to a small number of manufacturing businesses, although the majority of businesses are in the low-paid service sector and hospitality industry
Hospitality industry
The hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar industry...
. For employment with higher earning potential, residents tend to commute
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
to towns along the North Wales Coast. Bangor
Bangor, Wales
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
is the most popular location, however, some will travel as far as Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
on a daily basis.
The lack of degree-based employment opportunities is one of the main reasons many of the younger people relocate out of the area to places such as Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff 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...
and Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
as soon as they are qualified.
Architecture
The architecture and layout of the town is largely utilitarian. Most of the buildings are constructed of stone with slate roofs. Some are constructed wholly of slate blocks although such buildings tend to suffer from damp and structural slippage because the very flat and smooth surfaces of slate do not bind well to mortar.The town does has 40 Grade II listed buildings including three pubs and the substantial and imposing Calvinistic
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
Jerusalem Chapel.
The upper parts of Carneddi, Cilfodan and Tan y Foel owe more to stone quarrying on the nearby hills rather than slate quarrying that supported the lower end of the town. At the eastern limits, the town is bounded by the rising land of the Carneddau
Carneddau
The Carneddau , are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. It includes the largest contiguous areas of high ground in Wales and England, as well as six or seven of the highest peaks in the country—the Fourteen Peaks...
mountains which form some of the more remote landscapes of Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia 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:...
. Much of Bethesda was once discrete villages such as Gerlan, Rachub and Braichmelyn and their names are retained as districts of the town.
Religion
Bethesda is noted for both the number of 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,...
s (mostly dating from the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival
1904-1905 Welsh Revival
The Welsh Revival was the largest Christian revival in Wales during the 20th century. While by no means the best known of revivals, it was one of the most dramatic in terms of its effect on the population, and it had repercussions that reached far beyond the Welsh border, triggering a series of...
) and pubs in the town. The town was named after the Bethesda Chapel, which was recently converted into residential flats.
Public houses
Considered by some infamous for its pubs, there are no fewer than ten public establishments that serve alcohol in the Bethesda area (excluding TregarthTregarth
Tregarth is a village near Thomas Telford's A5 London to Holyhead road between the village of Bethesda and the city of Bangor in Gwynedd, North Wales.- History :...
). It is noted throughout the surrounding area that the busiest night in Bethesda is Sunday, not the typical Saturdays or Fridays. One of the High Street pubs, the Douglas Arms, was named after the family which owned the nearby Penrhyn Quarry. Other include the Tŷ Isaf, The Bull, The Kings Head, Y Sior, The Victoria Arms, and the Llangollen.
Language and culture
Welsh is the dominant language of the town, and can be seen and heard in most settings. According to the United Kingdom Census 2001United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
, 77.0% of the residents are Welsh-speaking, higher than the average for both Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
and Wales as a whole.
The S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
series Amdani! was based on a fictitious women's rugby team in Bethesda, and many of the location shots were filmed in the area. The series was based on the novel of the same name, by Bethan Gwanas
Bethan Gwanas
Bethan Gwanas is a popular contemporary Welsh author, who publishes exclusively in the Welsh language. A prolific writer, she has had 17 titles published in the last decade...
, who lived in the town at the time.
Famous residents
Bethesda is the birthplace of Welsh novelist and poet Caradog PrichardCaradog Prichard
Caradog Prichard was a Welsh poet and novelist writing in Welsh. His daughter, Mari Prichard, was married to the late Humphrey Carpenter....
, author of Un Nos Ola' Leuad, and of the singer Leila Megane
Leila Megane
Leila Megane was a Welsh mezzo-soprano opera singer.Born Margaret Jones in Bethesda, Wales, she married T. Osborne Roberts , a composer. She sang in Paris, Milan, Rome, New York, and London....
. It was the childhood home of Gruff Rhys
Gruff Rhys
Gruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, performing solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He also most recently formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008...
the lead singer of Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
who grew up in the area known as Rachub
Rachub
Rachub is a small village of about 700 people in Dyffryn Ogwen , Gwynedd, Wales, about half a mile away from the nearby, larger village of Bethesda. It forms part of Bethesda community.-Origins:...
/ Llanllechid.