Llangollen
Encyclopedia
Llangollen is a small town and community
in Denbighshire
, north-east Wales
, situated on the River Dee
and on the edge of the Berwyn
mountains. It has a population of 3,412.
(from the Welsh llan meaning 'fortified church yard' and gollen meaning Collen), a 6th century monk
who founded a church beside the river there. St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle
. As there are no other churches in Wales dedicated to St. Collen, it is possible that this St. Collen may also have connections in both Colan
, Cornwall
and Langolen
, Brittany
.
Standing high above the town to the north is Castell Dinas Bran
, the former stronghold of the Princes of Powys. Beyond the castle
is the limestone
escarpment
known as the Eglwyseg
Rocks. The outcrop continues north to the area known as World's End
. The area nearest to the castle is the Panorama Walk, and a monument to local poet I.D. Hooson
(from the nearby village of Rhosllanerchrugog
) can be found there.
Valle Crucis Abbey
was established in nearby Llangwestl in about 1201, under the patronage of Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor
of Castell Dinas Brân
.
The bridge at Llangollen was built in about 1345 by John Trevor
, of nearby Trevor Hall, who later became Bishop of St Asaph
. It was extended to cross the railway when this was built in the 1860s and was widened in the early 1960s. The upstream side has new masonry which blends in with the older structure.
On the outskirts of the town is Plas Newydd
("New Place" or "New Hall"), where The Honourable Sarah Ponsonby and Lady Eleanor Butler (the Ladies of Llangollen
) lived.
The ancient parish
of Llangollen was divided into three treanau ("trean" being the Welsh for "third"): Llangollen Traean, Trefor Traean, and Glyn Traean.
stop for the Mail coach
on the old mail route along the A5 road from London
to Holyhead
.
was intended to connect on the coal mines and Ironworks
at Ruabon
and Wrexham
to the canal
network and thence to the sea by ways of the River Mersey
and the River Severn
. The plans were altered and instead of connecting Trevor northwards to the sea along the route of the River Dee
and southwards to the Severn, the canal instead ran eastwards to join on to the national network at Hurleston Junction
on the (now-named) Shropshire Union Canal
near Nantwich
. A feeder (navigable to Llangollen) was constructed from the canal at Trevor to tap water from the River Dee at Llantysilio
(at the weir called "Horseshoe Falls"). After company mergers, this canal became part of the Shropshire Union System. Until recently the canal was properly called the Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal, though it is now known as the Llangollen Canal
.
The canal supplied enough Dee water to supply Crewe
and Nantwich
, and when commercial carrying failed in the 1940s, it was this function as a water supply which kept the canal open. The canal is unusual amongst Britain's artificial waterways in having a strong (up to 2 miles per hour) flow. Since the use of canals for leisure took off in the 1970s and 1980s, the route of this canal, twisting through beautiful Welsh
hills and across the Dee Valley on the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
, has made it the most famous (and busiest) in Britain. The canal is an important part of Llangollen's attraction as a holiday destination. A new marina, built at the end of the navigable section, allows more summer visitors to moor overnight in Llangollen, but the beauty of the canal, and the manoeuvres of the multi-coloured narrowboat
s are attractions even for non-boaters.
, via Acrefair
and Trevor, to reach Llangollen by 1865, operating both passenger and goods services. This Ruabon Barmouth line later became part of the Great Western Railway
. One hundred years later the line was closed under the Beeching Axe
in 1964, closing to passengers in early 1965, and then to freight in April 1969. The line itself was lifted in May 1969. However, part of the line was later restored and now operates as the Llangollen Railway
, a tourist attraction. In 2002, the Rainhill locomotive trials
were re-staged on this line.
was an important cottage industry in the area for centuries. Several factories were later built along the banks of the River Dee where both wool
and cotton
were processed.
The water mill opposite Llangollen railway station
has been converted into a public house
, "The Corn Mill". The building is over 600 years old and was originally used to grind flour
for local farmers.
, the Llangollen Advertiser.
Llangollen hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1908. The Gorsedd
ceremony was held on the Hermitage Field, next to Plas Newydd, and the circle of stones were later moved into the grounds of the hall. The eisteddfod itself took place on the old Vicarage Field at Fronhyfyd and was visited by David Lloyd George
, accompanied by Winston Churchill
.
Since 1904, the town has been the home of the Llangollen Silver Band. The Brass Band perform at a wide range of local functions and concerts throughout the year. The band has a 'training' section, and provides free musical instruments and tuition to children and adults, many of whom go on to join the senior band.
, a week long event, usually starting on the Tuesday, and ending on the Sunday of the same week. During the week people from all over the world take part in musical and dancing competitions.
A parade
, led by the Llangollen Silver Band, is usually held on the Tuesday of the Eisteddfod week, in which both the locals and visitors, take part dancing, singing
, and playing musical instruments, whilst marching the streets of Llangollen.
Artists who have taken part in the Llangollen Fringe include Sir Clement Freud, Lesley Garrett
, Rhys Ifans
, , The Damned, Cerys Matthews
, Tracey Emin
, Damien Hirst
, Juan Martín
, The Black Seeds
, John Cooper Clarke
, Will Self
and Race Horses.
The inaugural Dee Rocks, originally intended to be a one-off event, took place on Saturday 29 May 2004 but, such was the success of the night, demand ensured Dee Rocks would return and, with Dee Rocks VI having taken place on Saturday 22 May 2010, it has now become an annual fixture in the town raising in excess of £12,000 for local good causes.
An integral part of the Dee Rocks experience, is the "Styes in Their Eyes" finale when local characters take to the stage to entertain and dazzle the audience with their party pieces. The flamboyantly dressed singers and novelty acts dive headlong into the spirit of the event as they each perform their chosen song with the live band.
Local artists who have taken part in Dee Rocks include The Swillers, Skeleton Bob, Afterdark, Carnival, Favourite Colour Red, Drink Till Dawn, Tailors of Taboo, Iguana, Petrol Rainbow and
Chasing Kim.
hosts white water Slalom canoeing
and kayaking
, being host to International and UK events. The International Canoe Federation
(ICF), The European Canoe Union (ECU) and the British Canoe Union
(BCU) all hold events in Llangollen.
Cricket
, football
and rugby union
teams play at Tower Fields, which overlooks the town and the International Eisteddfod field and pavilion.
Thermals rising up the valley sides to the south of the town are used for paragliding
. Mountain bikers
enjoy the hills.
Llangollen was the finishing point of the first massed-start cycle race held on British roads, on 7 June 1942. The 59-mile Wolverhampton
-Llangollen race was organised by Percy Stallard
in defiance of the sport's governing body, the National Cyclists' Union
, but with approval from all police chief constables through whose districts the event ran.
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 Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, north-east 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...
, situated on the River Dee
River Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
and on the edge of the Berwyn
Berwyn range
The Berwyn range is an isolated and sparsely populated area of moorland located in the north-east of Wales, roughly bounded by Llangollen in the north-east, Corwen in the north-west, Bala in the south-west, and Oswestry in the south-east.The Berwyn range also played its part in causing King Henry...
mountains. It has a population of 3,412.
History
Llangollen takes its name from Saint CollenSaint Collen
St Collen's Church, Llangollen|thumb|rightSaint Collen was a 7th-century monk who gave his name to Llangollen . St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle and founded a church beside the river there. As there are no other churches in Wales dedicated to St. Collen, it is possible...
(from the Welsh llan meaning 'fortified church yard' and gollen meaning Collen), a 6th century monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
who founded a church beside the river there. St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle
Coracle
The coracle is a small, lightweight boat of the sort traditionally used in Wales but also in parts of Western and South Western England, Ireland , and Scotland ; the word is also used of similar boats found in India, Vietnam, Iraq and Tibet...
. As there are no other churches in Wales dedicated to St. Collen, it is possible that this St. Collen may also have connections in both Colan
Colan, Cornwall
Colan is a village and civil parish in mid-Cornwall, UK. It is situated approximately three miles east of Newquay.Fir Hill Manor, which once belonged to the Hoblyn family of Colan, was the subject of a BBC Bristol documentary, The Curse of Fir Hill Manor...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and Langolen
Langolen
Langolen is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.The commune takes its name from Saint Collen, a 7th-century monk who is associated with the town of Llangollen in Wales and also with Cornwall.-References:** ;...
, Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
.
Standing high above the town to the north is Castell Dinas Bran
Castell Dinas Bran
Castell Dinas Brân is a medieval castle standing high on a hill above the town of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales. It is also the site of an Iron Age hill fort.-Early history:...
, the former stronghold of the Princes of Powys. Beyond the castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
is the limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
escarpment
Escarpment
An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that occurs from erosion or faulting and separates two relatively level areas of differing elevations.-Description and variants:...
known as the Eglwyseg
Eglwyseg
The Eglwyseg valley is an area to the north east of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales; it is within the boundaries of Llantysilio Community. The name also refers to a widely-scattered hamlet in the valley....
Rocks. The outcrop continues north to the area known as World's End
World's End, Wrexham
World's End is a narrow vale located between Wrexham and Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales. It lies at the head of the Eglwyseg Valley, enclosed by the cliffs of Craig y Forwyn, Craig y Cythraul, and Craig yr Adar....
. The area nearest to the castle is the Panorama Walk, and a monument to local poet I.D. Hooson
Isaac Daniel Hooson
Isaac Daniel Hooson , or I. D. Hooson as he was commonly known, solicitor and poet was born in Victoria House, Market St. in the village of Rhosllannerchrugog, Denbighshire, Wales....
(from the nearby village of Rhosllanerchrugog
Rhosllanerchrugog
Rhosllannerchrugog is a large village and local government community, the lowest tier of local government, part of Wrexham County Borough in Wales.-History:...
) can be found there.
Valle Crucis Abbey
Valle Crucis Abbey
Valle Crucis Abbey is a Cistercian abbey located in Llantysilio in Denbighshire, Wales. More formally the Abbey Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Valle Crucis it is known in Welsh both as Abaty Glyn Egwestl and Abaty Glyn y Groes.The abbey was built in 1201 by Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor, Prince of...
was established in nearby Llangwestl in about 1201, under the patronage of Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor
Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor
Madog ap Gruffudd or Madog ap Gruffudd Maelor, was Prince of Powys Fadog 1191-1236 in north-east Wales.- Lineage :He was elder son of Gruffydd Maelor and his wife, Angharad a daughter of Owain Gwynedd.- Sole Ruler :...
of Castell Dinas Brân
Castell Dinas Bran
Castell Dinas Brân is a medieval castle standing high on a hill above the town of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales. It is also the site of an Iron Age hill fort.-Early history:...
.
The bridge at Llangollen was built in about 1345 by John Trevor
John Trevor I
John Trevor was the first man of that name to hold the position of Bishop of St Asaph in north Wales, from 1346 to 1357.The famous bridge across the River Dee at Llangollen, Denbighshire is reputed to have been built in about 1345 by John Trevor, who then lived at nearby Trefor Hall. His father,...
, of nearby Trevor Hall, who later became Bishop of St Asaph
Bishop of St Asaph
The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph.The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of St Asaph in the town of...
. It was extended to cross the railway when this was built in the 1860s and was widened in the early 1960s. The upstream side has new masonry which blends in with the older structure.
On the outskirts of the town is Plas Newydd
Plas Newydd (Llangollen)
Plas Newydd in the town of Llangollen, Wales, was the home of the Ladies of Llangollen, Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, for nearly 50 years. Today, it is run as a museum by Denbighshire County Council....
("New Place" or "New Hall"), where The Honourable Sarah Ponsonby and Lady Eleanor Butler (the Ladies of Llangollen
Ladies of Llangollen
The Ladies of Llangollen were two upper-class women from Ireland whose relationship scandalised and fascinated their contemporaries.-Early lives:...
) lived.
The ancient parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
of Llangollen was divided into three treanau ("trean" being the Welsh for "third"): Llangollen Traean, Trefor Traean, and Glyn Traean.
- Llangollen Traean contained the townships of Bachau, Cysylltau, Llangollen Abad, Llangollen Fawr, Llangollen Fechan, Feifod, Pengwern and Rhisgog.
- Trefor Traean contained the townships of Cilmediw, Dinbren, EglwysegEglwysegThe Eglwyseg valley is an area to the north east of Llangollen in Denbighshire, Wales; it is within the boundaries of Llantysilio Community. The name also refers to a widely-scattered hamlet in the valley....
l, Trefor Isaf and Trefor Uchaf. - Glyn Traean contained the townships of Cilcochwyn, Crogeniddon, Crogenwladus, Erwallo, Hafodgynfor, Nantygwryd, Pennant and Talygarth.
Transport
Llangollen was an important coachingCoach (carriage)
A coach was originally a large, usually closed, four-wheeled carriage with two or more horses harnessed as a team, controlled by a coachman and/or one or more postilions. It had doors in the sides, with generally a front and a back seat inside and, for the driver, a small, usually elevated seat in...
stop for the Mail coach
Mail coach
In Great Britain, the mail coach or post coach was a horse-drawn carriage that carried mail deliveries, from 1784. In Ireland, the first mail coach began service from Dublin in 1789. The coach was drawn by four horses and had seating for four passengers inside. Further passengers were later allowed...
on the old mail route along the A5 road from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
.
Waterways
The Ellesmere CanalEllesmere Canal
The Ellesmere Canal was a canal in England and Wales, originally planned to link the Rivers Mersey, Dee, and Severn, by running from Netherpool to Shrewsbury. The canal that was eventually constructed was very different from what was originally envisioned...
was intended to connect on the coal mines and Ironworks
Ironworks
An ironworks or iron works is a building or site where iron is smelted and where heavy iron and/or steel products are made. The term is both singular and plural, i.e...
at Ruabon
Ruabon
Ruabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales.More than 80% of the population of 2,400 were born in Wales with 13.6% speaking Welsh....
and 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...
to the canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
network and thence to the sea by ways of the River Mersey
River Mersey
The River Mersey is a river in North West England. It is around long, stretching from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and ending at Liverpool Bay, Merseyside. For centuries, it formed part of the ancient county divide between Lancashire and Cheshire....
and the River Severn
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
. The plans were altered and instead of connecting Trevor northwards to the sea along the route of the River Dee
River Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
and southwards to the Severn, the canal instead ran eastwards to join on to the national network at Hurleston Junction
Hurleston Junction
Hurleston Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Llangollen Canal terminates and meets the Shropshire Union Canal main line at Hurleston, Cheshire, England....
on the (now-named) Shropshire Union Canal
Shropshire Union Canal
The Shropshire Union Canal is a navigable canal in England; the Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the Shropshire Union system and lie partially in Wales....
near Nantwich
Nantwich
Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
. A feeder (navigable to Llangollen) was constructed from the canal at Trevor to tap water from the River Dee at Llantysilio
Llantysilio
Llantysilio is a community in the Welsh county of Denbighshire. It has a population of 472.The community includes the site of Valle Crucis Abbey and the Horseshoe Pass; it also includes the villages of Pentredwr and Rhewl, as well as the areas of Eglwyseg, Llandynan, and Llidiart Annie....
(at the weir called "Horseshoe Falls"). After company mergers, this canal became part of the Shropshire Union System. Until recently the canal was properly called the Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal, though it is now known as the Llangollen Canal
Llangollen Canal
The Llangollen Canal is a navigable canal crossing the border between England and Wales. The waterway links Llangollen in Denbighshire, north Wales, with Hurleston in south Cheshire, via the town of Ellesmere, Shropshire....
.
The canal supplied enough Dee water to supply Crewe
Crewe
Crewe is a railway town within the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. According to the 2001 census the urban area had a population of 67,683...
and Nantwich
Nantwich
Nantwich is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The town gives its name to the parliamentary constituency of Crewe and Nantwich...
, and when commercial carrying failed in the 1940s, it was this function as a water supply which kept the canal open. The canal is unusual amongst Britain's artificial waterways in having a strong (up to 2 miles per hour) flow. Since the use of canals for leisure took off in the 1970s and 1980s, the route of this canal, twisting through beautiful Welsh
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...
hills and across the Dee Valley on the famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Llangollen Canal over the valley of the River Dee in Wrexham in north east Wales....
, has made it the most famous (and busiest) in Britain. The canal is an important part of Llangollen's attraction as a holiday destination. A new marina, built at the end of the navigable section, allows more summer visitors to moor overnight in Llangollen, but the beauty of the canal, and the manoeuvres of the multi-coloured narrowboat
Narrowboat
A narrowboat or narrow boat is a boat of a distinctive design, made to fit the narrow canals of Great Britain.In the context of British Inland Waterways, "narrow boat" refers to the original working boats built in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries for carrying goods on the narrow canals...
s are attractions even for non-boaters.
Railways
The railway had been extended from RuabonRuabon
Ruabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales.More than 80% of the population of 2,400 were born in Wales with 13.6% speaking Welsh....
, via Acrefair
Acrefair
Acrefair is a village in the county borough of Wrexham, Wales. It was formerly part of the ancient parish of Ruabon, and is located between the towns of Wrexham and Llangollen. It is close to the villages of Trefor, Cefn Mawr, Ruabon and Plas Madoc...
and Trevor, to reach Llangollen by 1865, operating both passenger and goods services. This Ruabon Barmouth line later became part of the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The 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...
. One hundred years later the line was closed under 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...
in 1964, closing to passengers in early 1965, and then to freight in April 1969. The line itself was lifted in May 1969. However, part of the line was later restored and now operates as the Llangollen Railway
Llangollen Railway
The Llangollen Railway is a volunteer-run preserved railway in Denbighshire, Wales, which operates between Llangollen and Carrog; at long, it is the longest preserved standard gauge line in Wales and operates daily in Summer as well as weekends throughout the Winter months using a wide variety of...
, a tourist attraction. In 2002, the Rainhill locomotive trials
Rainhill Trials
The Rainhill Trials were an important competition in the early days of steam locomotive railways, run in October 1829 in Rainhill, Lancashire for the nearly completed Liverpool and Manchester Railway....
were re-staged on this line.
Industry
Llangollen was predominantly a farming and agricultural area. Most of the farms in the hills around the town would have been involved in sheep farming and weavingWeaving
Weaving is a method of fabric production in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads are interlaced at right angles to form a fabric or cloth. The other methods are knitting, lace making and felting. The longitudinal threads are called the warp and the lateral threads are the weft or filling...
was an important cottage industry in the area for centuries. Several factories were later built along the banks of the River Dee where both wool
Wool
Wool is the textile fiber obtained from sheep and certain other animals, including cashmere from goats, mohair from goats, qiviut from muskoxen, vicuña, alpaca, camel from animals in the camel family, and angora from rabbits....
and cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
were processed.
The water mill opposite Llangollen railway station
Llangollen railway station
Llangollen railway station in Denbighshire, Wales was formerly a station on the Ruabon to Barmouth line. It closed to passengers on Monday 18 January 1965 but the section between Ruabon and Llangollen Goods Yard remained opened for freight traffic until April 1968. Immediately afterwards the track...
has been converted into 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...
, "The Corn Mill". The building is over 600 years old and was originally used to grind flour
Flour
Flour is a powder which is made by grinding cereal grains, other seeds or roots . It is the main ingredient of bread, which is a staple food for many cultures, making the availability of adequate supplies of flour a major economic and political issue at various times throughout history...
for local farmers.
Climate
Culture
In the late 19th century, Llangollen had a weekly newspaperNewspaper
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...
, the Llangollen Advertiser.
Llangollen hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1908. The Gorsedd
Gorsedd
A gorsedd plural gorseddau, is a community or coming together of modern-day bards. The word is of Welsh origin, meaning "throne". It is occasionally spelled gorsedh , or goursez in Brittany....
ceremony was held on the Hermitage Field, next to Plas Newydd, and the circle of stones were later moved into the grounds of the hall. The eisteddfod itself took place on the old Vicarage Field at Fronhyfyd and was visited by David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, accompanied by Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
.
Since 1904, the town has been the home of the Llangollen Silver Band. The Brass Band perform at a wide range of local functions and concerts throughout the year. The band has a 'training' section, and provides free musical instruments and tuition to children and adults, many of whom go on to join the senior band.
Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod
Llangollen is most famous for the annual Llangollen International EisteddfodInternational Eisteddfod
The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is a music festival which takes place every year during the second week of July in Llangollen, North Wales. Singers and dancers from around the world are invited to take part in over 20 high quality competitions followed each evening by concerts where...
, a week long event, usually starting on the Tuesday, and ending on the Sunday of the same week. During the week people from all over the world take part in musical and dancing competitions.
A parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
, led by the Llangollen Silver Band, is usually held on the Tuesday of the Eisteddfod week, in which both the locals and visitors, take part dancing, singing
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, and playing musical instruments, whilst marching the streets of Llangollen.
Llangollen Fringe Festival
The Llangollen Fringe Festival is an independent arts festival, usually held in mid July. Initially the festival was held in a tent on a playing field, and later a weaver's shed. It is now held in the Town Hall. The Fringe includes music, comedy, theatre, dance and workshops.Artists who have taken part in the Llangollen Fringe include Sir Clement Freud, Lesley Garrett
Lesley Garrett
Lesley Garrett CBE is an English musician, broadcaster and media personality.- Early life :Garrett was born in the town of Thorne near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, into a musical family. She attended Thorne Grammar School, where she performed in school plays and musicals. As she grew up she...
, Rhys Ifans
Rhys Ifans
Rhys Ifans is a Welsh actor and musician. He is known for his portrayal of characters such as Spike in Notting Hill and Jed Parry in Enduring Love and as a member of the Welsh rock groups Super Furry Animals and The Peth. Ifans also appeared as Xenophilius Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Deathly...
, , The Damned, Cerys Matthews
Cerys Matthews
Cerys Elizabeth Matthews is a Welsh singer and songwriter. She is known as the lead singer of the Welsh rock band Catatonia, her more recent bilingual solo career, and for a 1998 Christmas duet with Tom Jones.-Biography:...
, Tracey Emin
Tracey Emin
Tracey Karima Emin RA is a British artist of English and Turkish Cypriot origin. She is part of the group known as Britartists or YBAs ....
, Damien Hirst
Damien Hirst
Damien Steven Hirst is an English artist, entrepreneur and art collector. He is the most prominent member of the group known as the Young British Artists , who dominated the art scene in Britain during the 1990s. He is internationally renowned, and is reportedly Britain's richest living artist,...
, Juan Martín
Juan Martín
Juan Cristóbal Martín is a Spanish flamenco guitarist and an author of flamenco guitar method books.-Career:Martín started learning the guitar at the age of six. In his early twenties he moved to Madrid to study under Niño Ricardo and Paco de Lucía. He played in clubs in Málaga, Seville and...
, The Black Seeds
The Black Seeds
The Black Seeds are a musical group from Wellington, New Zealand. Their music is a fusion of dub, funk, afrobeat and soul.The Black Seeds have two double-platinum selling albums at home, and successful European album releases through the German-based Sonar Kollektiv label...
, John Cooper Clarke
John Cooper Clarke
John Cooper Clarke is an English performance poet who first became famous during the punk rock era of the late 1970s when he became known as a "punk poet"...
, Will Self
Will Self
William Woodard "Will" Self is an English novelist and short story writer. His fictional style is known for being satirical, grotesque, and fantastical. He is a prolific commentator on contemporary British life, with regular appearances on Newsnight and Question Time...
and Race Horses.
Dee Rocks
Dee Rocks is a local fundraising music event bringing much needed financial support to the smaller local good causes that tend to get overlooked on a national, or county level. Dee Rocks night is usually held during May when the Town Hall is transformed into a music venue on an incredible scale. All the organisers, performers, sound engineers, lighting crew, stagehands and many others contribute their time and effort free-of-charge to provide an event that is second-to-none for both entertainment and reward in the locality.The inaugural Dee Rocks, originally intended to be a one-off event, took place on Saturday 29 May 2004 but, such was the success of the night, demand ensured Dee Rocks would return and, with Dee Rocks VI having taken place on Saturday 22 May 2010, it has now become an annual fixture in the town raising in excess of £12,000 for local good causes.
An integral part of the Dee Rocks experience, is the "Styes in Their Eyes" finale when local characters take to the stage to entertain and dazzle the audience with their party pieces. The flamboyantly dressed singers and novelty acts dive headlong into the spirit of the event as they each perform their chosen song with the live band.
Local artists who have taken part in Dee Rocks include The Swillers, Skeleton Bob, Afterdark, Carnival, Favourite Colour Red, Drink Till Dawn, Tailors of Taboo, Iguana, Petrol Rainbow and
Chasing Kim.
Songs and nursery rhymes
- "Llangollen MarketLlangollen MarketLlangollen Market is a song from early 19th century Wales.The song tells the tale of a young man from the Llangollen area going off to war and leaving behind his broken-hearted girlfriend...
", traditional - "Ladies of Llangollen", Ian Chesterman
- "Pastai Fawr Llangollen" (The Great Llangollen Pie), Arfon Gwilym
- According to an anonymous rhyme, the bridge over the Dee is one of the Seven Wonders of WalesSeven Wonders of WalesThe Seven Wonders of Wales is a traditional list of notable landmarks in North Wales, commemorated in an anonymously written rhyme:The seven wonders comprise:...
. - The nursery rhymeNursery rhymeThe term nursery rhyme is used for "traditional" poems for young children in Britain and many other countries, but usage only dates from the 19th century and in North America the older ‘Mother Goose Rhymes’ is still often used.-Lullabies:...
"Mary had a little lamb" is frequently, but incorrectly, linked with Llangollen. Its true origins are in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
: "This is a lovely folklore story, but sadly Mary Thomas of Llangollen was not the heroine of the nursery rhyme ... The Mary of the rhyme was Mary Sawyer and the school was the Redstone Schoolhouse in Sterling Massachusetts, U.S.A."
Sport
Llangollen on the River Dee, WalesRiver Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
hosts white water Slalom canoeing
Slalom canoeing
Whitewater Slalom is a competitive sport where the aim is to navigate a decked canoe or kayak through a course of hanging gates on river rapids in the fastest time possible. It is one of the two kayak and canoeing disciplines at the Summer Olympics, and is referred to by the International Olympic...
and kayaking
Kayaking
Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...
, being host to International and UK events. The International Canoe Federation
International Canoe Federation
The International Canoe Federation is the umbrella organization of all national canoe organizations worldwide. It is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, and administers all aspects of canoe sport worldwide...
(ICF), The European Canoe Union (ECU) and the British Canoe Union
British Canoe Union
The British Canoe Union is a national governing body for canoeing in the United Kingdom, whose stated purpose is "Helping and Inspiring people to go canoeing”....
(BCU) all hold events in Llangollen.
Cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
, football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and 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...
teams play at Tower Fields, which overlooks the town and the International Eisteddfod field and pavilion.
Thermals rising up the valley sides to the south of the town are used for paragliding
Paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure...
. Mountain bikers
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
enjoy the hills.
Llangollen was the finishing point of the first massed-start cycle race held on British roads, on 7 June 1942. The 59-mile Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
-Llangollen race was organised by Percy Stallard
Percy Stallard
Percy Thornley Stallard was an English racing cyclist who reintroduced massed-start road racing on British roads in the 1940s....
in defiance of the sport's governing body, the National Cyclists' Union
National Cyclists' Union
The National Cyclists' Union was an association established in the Guildhall Tavern, London, on 16 February 1878 as the Bicycle Union. Its purpose was to defend cyclists and to organise and regulate bicycle racing in Great Britain...
, but with approval from all police chief constables through whose districts the event ran.
Notable people
- See :Category:People from Llangollen
- Glyn JamesGlyn JamesEdward Glyn James is a Welsh former professional footballer. He played as a defender. He spent his entire professional career with Blackpool.James also represented Wales on nine occasions.-Early life:...
, former professional footballerFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. Played over 400 games for BlackpoolBlackpool F.C.Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
during the 1960s and 1970s and represented the Welsh international teamWales national football teamThe Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
on nine occasions. - The Ladies of LlangollenLadies of LlangollenThe Ladies of Llangollen were two upper-class women from Ireland whose relationship scandalised and fascinated their contemporaries.-Early lives:...
, Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby.