Blaenau Ffestiniog
Encyclopedia
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 a decrease in the demand for slate. Blaenau Ffestiniog at one time was the second largest town in North Wales
, behind Wrexham
. Today, the town relies heavily on tourism who come to see the many attractions within and around the town such as the Ffestiniog Railway
.
. Locals divide Blaenau Ffestiniog into "areas" - among these are Tanygrisiau
, Rhiwbryfdir, Bethania, Dolrhedyn, Glanpwll, Cwmbowydd and Manod. In this sense Blaenau Ffestiniog is sometimes used to refer only to the centre of town.
speakers and usually ˈblaɪnə by non-Welsh-speakers.
Located in the mountain
s of Snowdonia
, the town was once a centre of the Welsh slate mining
industry. This industry declined during the early 20th century. The town's economy is now largely dependent on tourism
. Although the town is in the centre of the Snowdonia National Park, the boundaries of the Park are specifically arranged to omit the town with its substantial slate waste heaps from the Park.
The hills around Blaenau Ffestiniog form the watershed between the River Lledr
flowing to the north (a tributary of the River Conwy
) and the River Dwyryd
flowing to the west.
in the area, covering Blaenau, Manod, Tanygrisiau, Llan Ffestiniog, Trawsfynydd, Gellilydan, Maentwrog and even stretching into the Vale of Ffestiniog. Ysgol Y Moelwyn came third in Britain's best county school in 2006. Headmaster Mr Dewi Lake went to meet Tony Blair, then prime minister of Britain in 2006. There are five primary schools in the area: many are due for closure or mergers with other schools.
which runs from the north to the south of Wales. The A496 runs south from the town down to the coastal resort of Barmouth. The A487, which runs West to East, feeds the Llŷn Peninsula
into the A487 (which runs from Bangor through Caernarfon and into Porthmadog, which in turn connects with the north-south A470. Immediately to the north of the town the A470 climbs steeply to the Crimea Pass
and meets the A5 at Betws-y-Coed
, towards Wrexham
and Shrewsbury
. In the opposite direction you can follow the A470 to Dolgellau, then on to its eventual end in Caerdydd
/ Cardiff
At various times the town has been the terminus for four independent railway lines, each with its own station or stations:
Today Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station
on the site of the former Great Western station serves as a combined station for the Ffestiniog Railway and the Conwy Valley line, their previous stations being no longer in use.
s, including the Ffestiniog Railway
, and also the Llechwedd Slate Caverns
, a former slate mine open to visitors. Llechwedd is regularly listed as one of Wales' top 5 visitor attractions. Blaenau Ffestiniog also plays a host to miles of mountain landscape with derelict quarries, rivers, various lakes and walking routes to look forward to.
, 4.5 million will be spent on redeveloping the town centre in order to create a vibrant shopping experience. Various cycle paths are also been installed. If plans go ahead Blaenau Ffestiniog will have the UK's first vello rail, which are popular in France
.
s, to the Jazz / Dance bands like ‘The New Majestics’ to the popular-rock bands of the 80-90’s such as Llwybr Llaethog
and Anweledig
, to most recent bands such as Gai Toms
, Frizbee and Gwibdaith Hen Fran. Further to this local Alternative Music training Company Gwallgofiaid now has 12 + bands under its umbrella based at their Center 'Cell' at the Old Police Station in Park Square. The Centre has 5 rehearsal rooms, a 24 track studio and Cwrt performance space, but recently the center has been put under threat of closure because of lack of funding.
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...
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
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...
. It has a population of 5,000, including Llan Ffestiniog
Llan Ffestiniog
Llan Ffestiniog, also known as Ffestiniog or simply Llan is a village in Gwynedd , north Wales, lying south of Blaenau Ffestiniog....
, which makes it the third largest town in Gwynedd, behind Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
& Porthmadog
Porthmadog
Porthmadog , known locally as "Port", and historically rendered into English as Portmadoc, is a small coastal town and community in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd, in Wales. Prior to the Local Government Act 1972 it was in the administrative county of Caernarfonshire. The town lies east of...
. Although the population reached 12,000 at the peak of the slate industry, the population fell due to a decrease in the demand for slate. Blaenau Ffestiniog at one time was the second largest town in North Wales
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...
, behind Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
. Today, the town relies heavily on tourism who come to see the many attractions within and around the town such as the Ffestiniog Railway
Ffestiniog Railway
The Ffestiniog Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park....
.
History
Blaenau Ffestiniog hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1898. It was formerly part of the ancient county of MerionethshireMerionethshire
Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...
. Locals divide Blaenau Ffestiniog into "areas" - among these are Tanygrisiau
Tanygrisiau
Tanygrisiau is a village in the upper end of the Vale of Ffestiniog in the county of Gwynedd, north-west Wales . It can be found along the southern side of the Moelwyn mountain range and dates to around 1750...
, Rhiwbryfdir, Bethania, Dolrhedyn, Glanpwll, Cwmbowydd and Manod. In this sense Blaenau Ffestiniog is sometimes used to refer only to the centre of town.
Pronunciation
The English pronunciation of Blaenau Ffestiniog suggested by the BBC Pronouncing Dictionary of British Names is ˈblaɪnaɪ fɛsˈtɪnjɒɡ, but the first word is pronounced ˈbləɨna by local WelshWelsh 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 and usually ˈblaɪnə by non-Welsh-speakers.
Geography
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
s 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:...
, the town was once a centre of the Welsh slate mining
Slate 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...
industry. This industry declined during the early 20th century. The town's economy is now largely dependent on tourism
Tourism
Tourism 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...
. Although the town is in the centre of the Snowdonia National Park, the boundaries of the Park are specifically arranged to omit the town with its substantial slate waste heaps from the Park.
The hills around Blaenau Ffestiniog form the watershed between the River Lledr
River Lledr
The River Lledr is a river in North Wales and the second major tributary of the River Conwy.The Lledr has its source on the eastern slopes of Ysgafell Wen, which lies between Moel Siabod and Cnicht...
flowing to the north (a tributary of the River Conwy
River Conwy
The 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."...
) and the River Dwyryd
River Dwyryd
The Afon Dwyryd is a river in Gwynedd, North Wales, which flows principally westwards draining to the sea into Tremadog Bay south of Porthmadog....
flowing to the west.
Education
Ysgol y Moelwyn is the main secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary 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...
in the area, covering Blaenau, Manod, Tanygrisiau, Llan Ffestiniog, Trawsfynydd, Gellilydan, Maentwrog and even stretching into the Vale of Ffestiniog. Ysgol Y Moelwyn came third in Britain's best county school in 2006. Headmaster Mr Dewi Lake went to meet Tony Blair, then prime minister of Britain in 2006. There are five primary schools in the area: many are due for closure or mergers with other schools.
Transport
The main access route to Blaenau Ffestiniog is via the A470 roadA470 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...
which runs from the north to the south of Wales. The A496 runs south from the town down to the coastal resort of Barmouth. The A487, which runs West to East, feeds the Llŷn Peninsula
Llŷn Peninsula
The Llŷn Peninsula extends into the Irish Sea from north west Wales, south west of the Isle of Anglesey. It is part of the modern county and historic region of Gwynedd. The name is thought to be of Irish origin, and to have the same root Laigin in Irish as the word Leinster...
into the A487 (which runs from Bangor through Caernarfon and into Porthmadog, which in turn connects with the north-south A470. Immediately to the north of the town the A470 climbs steeply to the Crimea Pass
Crimea Pass
The Crimea Pass is a mountain pass in north Wales, on the A470 road between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Dolwyddelan.At its highest point, it is above sea level, and is sometimes closed in winter because of snow...
and meets the A5 at Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-Coed
Betws-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...
, towards Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
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...
. In the opposite direction you can follow the A470 to Dolgellau, then on to its eventual end in Caerdydd
Caerdydd
Caerdydd is a Welsh language television programme set in Cardiff made by Fiction Factory for Welsh public service television station S4C...
/ 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...
At various times the town has been the terminus for four independent railway lines, each with its own station or stations:
- the Ffestiniog RailwayFfestiniog RailwayThe Ffestiniog Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park....
- the Festiniog and Blaenau RailwayFestiniog and Blaenau RailwayThe Festiniog & Blaenau Railway was a narrow gauge railway built in 1868 to connect the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog with the slate quarries around Tanymanod and the smaller town of Llan Ffestiniog. At Blaenau Ffestiniog it made a direct connection with the Ffestiniog Railway with which it was...
- the Conwy Valley LineConwy 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...
of the London and North Western RailwayLondon and North Western RailwayThe 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...
, and - the Bala Ffestiniog LineBala Ffestiniog LineThe 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 :...
of the Great Western RailwayGreat Western RailwayThe 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...
.
Today Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station
Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station
Blaenau Ffestiniog railway station serves the slate mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales, and is the passenger terminus of the Conwy Valley Line from Llandudno Junction. Arriva Trains Wales operate through services to Llandudno Junction and Llandudno...
on the site of the former Great Western station serves as a combined station for the Ffestiniog Railway and the Conwy Valley line, their previous stations being no longer in use.
Tourism
Blaenau Ffestiniog boasts several major tourist attractionTourist attraction
A tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities....
s, including the Ffestiniog Railway
Ffestiniog Railway
The Ffestiniog Railway is a narrow gauge heritage railway, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park....
, and also the Llechwedd Slate Caverns
Llechwedd Slate Caverns
Llechwedd Slate Caverns is a visitor attraction in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales. Visitors can travel on the Miners' Tramway or descend into the Deep Mine, via a funicular railway, to explore the former Llechwedd slate quarry and learn how slate was extracted and processed and about the lives...
, a former slate mine open to visitors. Llechwedd is regularly listed as one of Wales' top 5 visitor attractions. Blaenau Ffestiniog also plays a host to miles of mountain landscape with derelict quarries, rivers, various lakes and walking routes to look forward to.
Regeneration
Blaenau Ffestiniog's town centre is currently undergoing a regeneration. Due to funding from various organisations, grants and the Welsh Assembly GovernmentWelsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Government is the devolved government of Wales. It is accountable to the National Assembly for Wales, the legislature which represents the interests of the people of Wales and makes laws for Wales...
, 4.5 million will be spent on redeveloping the town centre in order to create a vibrant shopping experience. Various cycle paths are also been installed. If plans go ahead Blaenau Ffestiniog will have the UK's first vello rail, which are popular in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Music
Blaenau Ffestiniog has strong roots and tradition with music from the Quarrying boom days with the Caban, Male voice choirs and brass bandBrass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
s, to the Jazz / Dance bands like ‘The New Majestics’ to the popular-rock bands of the 80-90’s such as Llwybr Llaethog
Llwybr Llaethog
Llwybr Llaethog are an experimental Welsh language band that effectively mix such varied musical genres as rap, dub, reggae, hip hop, and punk in their music....
and Anweledig
Anweledig
Anweledig are a band from Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales; their style is a mixture of funk, reggae, ska and rock. The band consists of Ceri Cunnington , Gai Toms , Iwan 'Oz' Jones , Rhys Roberts , Alwyn Evans , Joe Buckley , Edwin Humphries , Barri Gwilliam , and Arwel Davies .The band became popular in...
, to most recent bands such as Gai Toms
Gai Toms
Gai Toms, born Gareth J Thomas in Bangor, Wales on 14 September 1976, is a Welsh singer songwriter and performer. In 1992 he co-formed the popular Welsh language ska rock band, Anweledig with two school friends Michael Jones and Rhys Roberts. Between 1997 an 2007 Gai Toms performed using pseudonym...
, Frizbee and Gwibdaith Hen Fran. Further to this local Alternative Music training Company Gwallgofiaid now has 12 + bands under its umbrella based at their Center 'Cell' at the Old Police Station in Park Square. The Centre has 5 rehearsal rooms, a 24 track studio and Cwrt performance space, but recently the center has been put under threat of closure because of lack of funding.
Notable people
- See :Category:People from Blaenau Ffestiniog
- Gwyn ThomasGwyn Thomas (poet)Professor Gwyn Thomas , is a Welsh poet, academic and a former National Poet for Wales.Raised in Tanygrisiau and Blaenau Ffestiniog, Thomas was educated at Ysgol Sir Ffestiniog, University of Wales, Bangor and Jesus College, Oxford; Prof Thomas is presently Emeritus Professor of Welsh at the...
, WelshWalesWales 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...
poetPoetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, academic and the present National Poet for WalesNational Poet for WalesThe post of National Poet of Wales was established in May 2005 by Academi – the Welsh National Literature Promotion Agency and Society for Writers. The post is supported by the Arts Council of Wales’ Lottery fund....
. - AnweledigAnweledigAnweledig are a band from Blaenau Ffestiniog, Wales; their style is a mixture of funk, reggae, ska and rock. The band consists of Ceri Cunnington , Gai Toms , Iwan 'Oz' Jones , Rhys Roberts , Alwyn Evans , Joe Buckley , Edwin Humphries , Barri Gwilliam , and Arwel Davies .The band became popular in...
, musical group. - Gai TomsGai TomsGai Toms, born Gareth J Thomas in Bangor, Wales on 14 September 1976, is a Welsh singer songwriter and performer. In 1992 he co-formed the popular Welsh language ska rock band, Anweledig with two school friends Michael Jones and Rhys Roberts. Between 1997 an 2007 Gai Toms performed using pseudonym...
, music artist. - Llwybr LlaethogLlwybr LlaethogLlwybr Llaethog are an experimental Welsh language band that effectively mix such varied musical genres as rap, dub, reggae, hip hop, and punk in their music....
, musical group. - Howard Bowcott, Sculptor
- David NashDavid Nash (Artist)David Nash, OBE RA is a British sculptor based in Blaenau Ffestiniog. Nash has worked worldwide with wood, trees and the natural environment.-Early life:...
, artist - John Cowper PowysJohn Cowper Powys-Biography:Powys was born in Shirley, Derbyshire, in 1872, the son of the Reverend Charles Francis Powys , who was vicar of Montacute, Somerset for thirty-two years, and Mary Cowper Johnson, a descendent of the poet William Cowper. He came from a family of eleven children, many of whom were also...
, novelist. - Glyn Wise, contestant and runner up on Big Brother 7Big Brother (UK series 7)Big Brother 7 in 2006 was the seventh series of the United Kingdom reality television series Big Brother. It aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, from 18 May 2006 to 18 August 2006, a total of 93 days; fifteen days longer than the previous series....
. - Dave FelgateDavid FelgateDavid Felgate is a retired Welsh football goalkeeper. Due to his stature, many supporters affectionately nicknamed him "the fat goalie". Felgate had a long professional career from 1978 to 1995, making a total of 612 Football League appearances...
, footballer.
See also
- Llan FfestiniogLlan FfestiniogLlan Ffestiniog, also known as Ffestiniog or simply Llan is a village in Gwynedd , north Wales, lying south of Blaenau Ffestiniog....
- TanygrisiauTanygrisiauTanygrisiau is a village in the upper end of the Vale of Ffestiniog in the county of Gwynedd, north-west Wales . It can be found along the southern side of the Moelwyn mountain range and dates to around 1750...
- Llechwedd quarryLlechwedd quarryLlechwedd quarry is a major slate quarry in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales. At its peak in 1884 it produced 23,788 tons of finished slate per year and had 513 employees. It continues to produce slate on a limited scale and is the location of the Llechwedd Slate Caverns tourist...
- Oakeley QuarryOakeley QuarryOakeley Quarry is a slate mine in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales.- History :Oakeley Quarry originated in 1818 when Samuel Holland leased a small quarry at Rhiwbryfdir farm. This venture was successful and was sold in 1825 to the Welsh Slate Company. Holland then opened a new quarry at...
- Maenofferen QuarryMaenofferen QuarryMaenofferen Quarry is a major slate quarry in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog, north Wales and one of the major users of the Ffestiniog Railway. It continues to produce crushed slate on a limited scale under the ownership of the nearby Llechwedd quarry....