Llandrindod Wells
Encyclopedia
Llandrindod Wells colloquially known locally as "Llandod", is a town
and community
in Powys
, within the historic boundaries of Radnorshire
, mid Wales
, United Kingdom
. It was developed as a spa town
in the 19th century, with a boom in the late 20th century as a centre of local government. Before the 1860s the site of the town was common land in Cefnllys
parish. Llandrindod Wells is the fifth largest town in Powys
.
making Llandrindod accessible from the Midlands and North West of England, and South Wales. Enclosure
of the common in 1862 enabled expansion of the town with the construction of new streets, hotels, shops and houses.
During the 'season' between May and mid-September visitors would take the waters at the pump rooms at the Rock Park and Pump House Hotel, entertained by orchestras. Shops — including the Central Wales Emporium on the corner of Temple Street and Station Crescent — and hotels and boarding houses catered for the visitors. In the early 1870s the ornamental lake had been formed by draining marshland near the Pump House Hotel (current site of the Powys County Council offices), and in 1893 a 9-hole golf
course was opened on the common beside the lake. (This was later replaced by the present 18-hole course on the hills above the lake.) Horse races (and, later, air displays) were held on the Rock Ddole meadow beside the river
. In 1893 the Archdeacon with responsibility for the area had Llandrindod old church and Cefnllys church unroofed in order to persuade the congregations to attend the new church in the centre of the town. In 1895 both churches were restored. Llandrindod was the place chosen for the election of the first Archbishop of Wales, which took place at the Old Parish Church. Elections for every Archbishop since have continued to be held in Llandrindod, now at Holy Trinity Church in the Town Centre.
The town's boom continued until the First World War during which time soldiers on training courses were billeted in hotels and boarding houses, and refugees and wounded soldiers were accommodated in the town. The depression
of the late-1920s and 1930s led to many hotels and boarding houses being turned into private homes and flats. During the Second World War the town was again used for military hospitals and billets, followed by a slump in the post-war years.
The Beeching Axe
resulted in the closure in the mid-1960s of the Mid-Wales line and with it Llandrindod's connection from nearby Builth Wells
direct to Cardiff
in the south and to North and West Wales. The town does however retain connections to Swansea
and Shrewsbury
via its station
on the Heart of Wales Line
.
During the 1970s the mid-Wales area became popular with hippies many of whom settled permanently in the area. In Llandrindod a hippy wholefood
shop and cafe was established. At the time this was viewed with curiosity and even suspicion by local residents, some of whom harboured suspicions about the unfamiliar herbs sold in the shop. The shop's practice of asking customers to return paper bags for re-use in packaging food was also unfamiliar. In time, however, the shop became established and is now an accepted part of the local community, as well a being a successful business wholesaling to other outlets around Wales.
While Llandrindod was already the capital of the county of Radnorshire
, the reorganisation of local government
in 1974 resulted in Llandrindod becoming the capital of the newly formed administrative county of Powys
. This led to an influx of people employed by the new bureaucracies
, on salaries determined by national pay scales. With the relatively low cost of living in the area this resulted in a boom in the town's economy as the newcomers spent their money on housing and entertainment.
In more recent years the economy has again flagged. Significant local industries, the town's carpet and stationery factories, closed, and many shops likewise. As in many such areas there are now many charity shop
s occupying premises once used by for-profit enterprises. An open-air market is held once a week which brings many visitors into the town, and supermarkets have established with more planned, but whether any of this benefits local businesses is debatable.
The architecture of the town includes many buildings in ornate styles dating from the boom period of the Victorian and Edwardian eras including the Metropole and the Glen Usk hotels, the Albert Hall theatre
and former county hall building adjacent to it. There are also buildings in the Art Deco
style including two striking former garages
, Pritchard's and the Automobile Palace. The latter was notable for a collection of antique bicycles owned by the proprietor, Tom Norton, which were displayed suspended from ceilings in the building. The building has in recent years been renovated and is now home to several small businesses and the National Cycle Collection
, featuring some of the bicycles originally displayed in the garage.
The largest of the city's hotels are the Metropole (with 120 bedrooms of 3 star standard, an indoor swimming pool and leisure centre), the Glen Usk and the Commodore. The Hotel Metropole's swimming pool used to be open-air and was open to the public when it was the only pool in the town, but a public pool is available now at the sports centre attached to the local comprehensive school. A hotel in the scenic Rock Park has not survived, and various cafes and restaurants have come and gone over the years leaving a handful of establishments currently operating.
The large man-made lake is popular for fishing and, in recent years, model boating. In the centre of the lake is a striking sculpture of a water serpent and leaping carp, the scales of which are made of thousands of copper plates initialled by local people and visitors during construction of the work. Beside the lake a distinctive tree-trunk sculpture known as the Llandoddie has been carved "to create a corporate image ... to attract tourists and provide the town with a strong identity for people to rally round"
An 18-hole golf course, established in 1905, features challenging topology and sweeping views over the lake, the town and surrounding countryside.
The town has international standard outdoor bowling greens dating from 1912 which hosts national and international events and a newer indoor bowling centre.
Llandrindod also hosts the recently established Heart of Wales Walking Festival
The amateur Drama Festival, held in May at the Albert Hall, attracts theatrical groups from all over the British Isles and achieves high standards of performances.
The town hosts annual Scrambler Bike Trials in June.
Llandrindod Wells Victorian Festival
, known locally as Victorian Week, at the end of August, brings many visitors to the town. Many locals and some visitors dress in Victorian, Edwardian or other antique costumes, and many of the town's shops and other high-street businesses dress their windows or otherwise join in the spirit of the event. The festival typically offers open-air and street theatre and music, a fairground, craft fair, historical re-enactment, entertainments at the Albert Hall
and exhibitions of things old-time.
in Germany
Contrexéville
in France
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 Powys
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...
, within the historic boundaries of Radnorshire
Radnorshire
Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805...
, mid 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...
, United Kingdom
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...
. It was developed as a spa town
Spa town
A spa town is a town situated around a mineral spa . Patrons resorted to spas to "take the waters" for their purported health benefits. The word comes from the Belgian town Spa. In continental Europe a spa was known as a ville d'eau...
in the 19th century, with a boom in the late 20th century as a centre of local government. Before the 1860s the site of the town was common land in Cefnllys
Cefnllys
Cefnllys was a mediaeval town in Radnorshire in central Wales. Only St Michael's Church remains standing, with mounds indicating the remains of other buildings existing before the decline of the town in the 19th century. Close by on the hill known as Castle Rock are the remains of what is known...
parish. Llandrindod Wells is the fifth largest town in Powys
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...
.
History
During the mid-18th century the 'healing qualities' of the local spring waters attracted visitors to the area resulting in an economic boom with the building of a 'splendid' hotel at Llandrindod Hall. A period of relative decline during the late 18th and early 19th centuries was reversed with the construction of the Heart of Wales LineHeart 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...
making Llandrindod accessible from the Midlands and North West of England, and South Wales. Enclosure
Enclosure
Enclosure or inclosure is the process which ends traditional rights such as mowing meadows for hay, or grazing livestock on common land. Once enclosed, these uses of the land become restricted to the owner, and it ceases to be common land. In England and Wales the term is also used for the...
of the common in 1862 enabled expansion of the town with the construction of new streets, hotels, shops and houses.
During the 'season' between May and mid-September visitors would take the waters at the pump rooms at the Rock Park and Pump House Hotel, entertained by orchestras. Shops — including the Central Wales Emporium on the corner of Temple Street and Station Crescent — and hotels and boarding houses catered for the visitors. In the early 1870s the ornamental lake had been formed by draining marshland near the Pump House Hotel (current site of the Powys County Council offices), and in 1893 a 9-hole golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
course was opened on the common beside the lake. (This was later replaced by the present 18-hole course on the hills above the lake.) Horse races (and, later, air displays) were held on the Rock Ddole meadow beside the river
River Ithon
The River Ithon is a major left-bank tributary of the River Wye in Powys, mid Wales. It rises in the broad saddle between the western end of Kerry Hill and the hill of Glog to its west and flows initially southwards to Llanbadarn Fynydd...
. In 1893 the Archdeacon with responsibility for the area had Llandrindod old church and Cefnllys church unroofed in order to persuade the congregations to attend the new church in the centre of the town. In 1895 both churches were restored. Llandrindod was the place chosen for the election of the first Archbishop of Wales, which took place at the Old Parish Church. Elections for every Archbishop since have continued to be held in Llandrindod, now at Holy Trinity Church in the Town Centre.
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the late-1920s and 1930s led to many hotels and boarding houses being turned into private homes and flats. During the Second World War the town was again used for military hospitals and billets, followed by a slump in the post-war years.
The Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
resulted in the closure in the mid-1960s of the Mid-Wales line and with it Llandrindod's connection from nearby Builth Wells
Builth Road railway station
Builth Road railway station is a railway station serving the small settlement of Builth Road, north of the town of Builth Wells, in mid Wales. It is situated on the Heart of Wales Line. The station is located just over two miles north of Builth Wells on the A470.All trains serving the station are...
direct to 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...
in the south and to North and West Wales. The town does however retain connections 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...
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...
via its station
Llandrindod railway station
Llandrindod railway station serves the town of Llandrindod Wells in Mid Wales. It is located on the single line Heart of Wales Line and is served by four trains each way on Mondays to Saturdays, two each way on Sundays. Passenger services are operated by Arriva Trains Wales. The facility to pass...
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...
.
During the 1970s the mid-Wales area became popular with hippies many of whom settled permanently in the area. In Llandrindod a hippy wholefood
Whole foods
Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed. Whole foods typically do not contain added ingredients, such as salt, carbohydrates, or fat. Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains, beans, fruits, vegetables...
shop and cafe was established. At the time this was viewed with curiosity and even suspicion by local residents, some of whom harboured suspicions about the unfamiliar herbs sold in the shop. The shop's practice of asking customers to return paper bags for re-use in packaging food was also unfamiliar. In time, however, the shop became established and is now an accepted part of the local community, as well a being a successful business wholesaling to other outlets around Wales.
While Llandrindod was already the capital of the county of Radnorshire
Radnorshire
Radnorshire is one of thirteen historic and former administrative counties of Wales. It is represented by the Radnorshire area of Powys, which according to the 2001 census, had a population of 24,805...
, the reorganisation of local government
Local Government Act 1972
The Local Government Act 1972 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales on 1 April 1974....
in 1974 resulted in Llandrindod becoming the capital of the newly formed administrative county of Powys
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...
. This led to an influx of people employed by the new bureaucracies
Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy is an organization of non-elected officials of a governmental or organization who implement the rules, laws, and functions of their institution, and are occasionally characterized by officialism and red tape.-Weberian bureaucracy:...
, on salaries determined by national pay scales. With the relatively low cost of living in the area this resulted in a boom in the town's economy as the newcomers spent their money on housing and entertainment.
In more recent years the economy has again flagged. Significant local industries, the town's carpet and stationery factories, closed, and many shops likewise. As in many such areas there are now many charity shop
Charity shop
A charity shop, thrift shop, thrift store, hospice shop , resale shop or op shop is a retail establishment run by a charitable organization to raise money.Charity shops are a type of social enterprise...
s occupying premises once used by for-profit enterprises. An open-air market is held once a week which brings many visitors into the town, and supermarkets have established with more planned, but whether any of this benefits local businesses is debatable.
Notable landmarks
Albert Hall, Llandrindod Wells
The Albert Hall is a theatre in Llandrindod Wells in Powys, Wales. It is a period Victorian building, built when Llandrindod boomed as a spa town, which has retained most of its original features. It hosts a thriving amateur dramatics society, Llandrindod Wells Theatre Company...
and former county hall building adjacent to it. There are also buildings in the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style including two striking former garages
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
, Pritchard's and the Automobile Palace. The latter was notable for a collection of antique bicycles owned by the proprietor, Tom Norton, which were displayed suspended from ceilings in the building. The building has in recent years been renovated and is now home to several small businesses and the National Cycle Collection
National Cycle Collection
The National Cycle Collection of Wales is a collection of bicycles through the ages established in 1997, and located in Llandrindod Wells, Wales, United Kingdom. It contains around 250 bicyles from 1818 to 2005, including a large collection of penny farthings and solid tyred safety bicycles, as...
, featuring some of the bicycles originally displayed in the garage.
The largest of the city's hotels are the Metropole (with 120 bedrooms of 3 star standard, an indoor swimming pool and leisure centre), the Glen Usk and the Commodore. The Hotel Metropole's swimming pool used to be open-air and was open to the public when it was the only pool in the town, but a public pool is available now at the sports centre attached to the local comprehensive school. A hotel in the scenic Rock Park has not survived, and various cafes and restaurants have come and gone over the years leaving a handful of establishments currently operating.
An 18-hole golf course, established in 1905, features challenging topology and sweeping views over the lake, the town and surrounding countryside.
The town has international standard outdoor bowling greens dating from 1912 which hosts national and international events and a newer indoor bowling centre.
Llandrindod also hosts the recently established Heart of Wales Walking Festival
Culture
The town hosts annual Scrambler Bike Trials in June.
Llandrindod Wells Victorian Festival
Llandrindod Wells Victorian Festival
Llandrindod Wells Victorian Festival, known locally as Victorian Week, is a festival held annually at the end of August in Llandrindod Wells, Powys, central Wales. Many locals and some visitors dress in Victorian, Edwardian or other antique costumes, and many of the town's shops and other...
, known locally as Victorian Week, at the end of August, brings many visitors to the town. Many locals and some visitors dress in Victorian, Edwardian or other antique costumes, and many of the town's shops and other high-street businesses dress their windows or otherwise join in the spirit of the event. The festival typically offers open-air and street theatre and music, a fairground, craft fair, historical re-enactment, entertainments at the Albert Hall
Albert Hall, Llandrindod Wells
The Albert Hall is a theatre in Llandrindod Wells in Powys, Wales. It is a period Victorian building, built when Llandrindod boomed as a spa town, which has retained most of its original features. It hosts a thriving amateur dramatics society, Llandrindod Wells Theatre Company...
and exhibitions of things old-time.
Twin towns
Llandrindod Wells is twinned withhttp://llandrindodtwinning.wordpress.com/: Bad RappenauBad Rappenau
Bad Rappenau is a town in the district of Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. It is situated about 15 km northwest of Heilbronn.- Neighbouring municipalities :...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
Contrexéville
Contrexéville
Contrexéville is a commune of north-eastern France, in the Vosges département. Inhabitants are called Contrexévillois.The reputation of Contrexéville as a health resort dates from 1864, when development began by a company, the Société des Eaux de Contrexéville.-Twin towns:Contrexéville is twinned...
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...
Politics
Following devolution to Wales, Llandrindod has developed a reputation for being a place where important decisions are made by political parties. Because of its position in mid-Wales close to the A470, Llandrindod is favoured by political parties for meetings that require representatives to turn out from across Wales.Sources
- Jane Griffiths, Walking Around Llandrindod Wells: Historic Spa Town, Kittiwake Press, 2007, ISBN 1902302516
- Olivia Harries, Llandrindod Wells in Old Postcards, C Davies, 1986, ISBN 0715406639
- Reginald Campbell Burn Oliver, Bridging a century: [the Hotel Metropole, Llandrindod Wells, 1872-1972], a century of growth in the story of Llandrindod Wells, Radnorshire, Sayce Brothers Printers, 1972, ISBN 0950233706
- Reginald Campbell Burn Oliver, The centenary of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Llandrindod Wells, 1871-1971, R.C.B. Oliver, 1971, ISBN 0950148016
- Bruce Osborne, Llandrindod Wells, New Millennium Spa Heritage Series, 1999, ISBN 1873614063
- Joel Williams, Voices of Llandrindod Wells, Red Dragon, 2000, ISBN 1903610001
- Chris Wilson, Around Llandrindod Wells, The Chalford Publishing Company, 1995, ISBN 0752401912
External links
- Welcome to Llandrindod Wells Website about Llandrindod Wells with useful details on the history and architecture of the town; also contains a list of publications
- Welcome to Llandrindod Wells Website of the Llandrindod Wells & District Chamber of Trade
- Llandrindod Wells Twinning Website of Llandrindod Wells and Area Twinning Association