Neuadd Idris
Encyclopedia
Neuadd Idris is the old market hall in Dolgellau
Dolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...

, now known as Ty Siamas
Ty Siamas
Tŷ Siamas is the 'National Centre for Folk music' in Wales, and is situated in Dolgellau.Tŷ Siamas opened its doors to the public in Easter 2007 following extensive renovation and development of the old Neuadd Idris, which was formerly the market hall for the town of Dolgellau.The centre houses an...

.

History

The early history of the building is uncertain, but it is believed to have been built circa 1870 with the upper rooms being used as assembly rooms
Assembly rooms
In Great Britain and Ireland, especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, assembly rooms were gathering places for members of the higher social classes open to members of both sexes. At that time most entertaining was done at home and there were few public places of entertainment open to both sexes...

. Some believe it to have been designed by an an Italian Architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...

, because of its distinctive arches. However there is currently no evidence to support this theory and it shouldn't be given too much credence because the arcade created by the open arches is only a relatively new development in the history of the building.

The building was originally referred to as the Dolgellau Assembly Rooms. During the two world wars it was used to store grain. At some point, probably between the wars, a gallery was introduced and it became a cinema. At that time the building had several chimneys, the ground floor rooms and shops came right out to the pavement, and it housed a 'Lost Bell', which was rung whenever someone was lost on the peak of Cader Idris.

It then suffered major renovation, which changed its character. Again the exact time of the renovation works is uncertain, but it is probable that it happened prior to the 1949 National Eisteddfod, which was held at the hall. It is these renovations that created the 'arches' and the arcade that characterise the building today. A number of changes were made including the addition of a bigger stage and a newly refurbished green room
Green room
In British English and American English show business lexicon, the green room is that space in a theatre, a studio, or a similar venue, which accommodates performers or speakers not yet required on stage...

, new toilet facilities, a new entrance and lobby, new staircases and central heating.

From the 1950s onwards it became a very popular dancing hall, with both folk dancing
Folk dance
The term folk dance describes dances that share some or all of the following attributes:*They are dances performed at social functions by people with little or no professional training, often to traditional music or music based on traditional music....

 and disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...

s being held there, as well as other community events such as political rallies, fête
Fête
Fête is a French word meaning festival, celebration or party, which has passed into English as a label that may be given to certain events.-Description:It is widely used in England and Australia in the context of a village fête,...

s and live performances (especially with DADS, the Dolgellau Amateur Dramatics Society).

It was the venue for the first Sesiwn Fawr
Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau
Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau is a world music event held in the town of Dolgellau in Wales. The event was established in 1992, and was held in the town's streets. Since 2002, Sesiwn Fawr Dolgellau has been held on the Marian, a large grassy area next to Afon Wnion. There is a campsite provided for visitors...

 in 1992, but then gradually fell into disrepair. The last dance was held at the hall in August 2000, aptly titled 'The Last Waltz
Waltz
The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...

', and it was used as a backdrop to the S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...

 film Eldra in 2001.

Neuadd Idris was leased to Siamas Cyf. in March 2006 by 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...

 County Council
County council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...

 to develop Tŷ Siamas
Ty Siamas
Tŷ Siamas is the 'National Centre for Folk music' in Wales, and is situated in Dolgellau.Tŷ Siamas opened its doors to the public in Easter 2007 following extensive renovation and development of the old Neuadd Idris, which was formerly the market hall for the town of Dolgellau.The centre houses an...

, a national folk music centre.
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