Old Colwyn
Encyclopedia
Old Colwyn is a small town
just to the east of Colwyn Bay
, in Conwy County Borough, Wales
.
Prior to local government reorganisation in April 1974 it was part of the Municipal Borough
of Colwyn Bay, but the reorganisation established it as a separate parish
(known as a community in Wales), whose population
at the 2001 census was 7,626. It hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1941. It also harbours the 3rd Colwyn Bay (Old Colwyn) Scout Group headquarters and is home to the area's comprehensive school, Ysgol Bryn Elian
called the 'Fairy Glen'. This area of woodland is said to contain many different spirits including fairies
, hence its name, which dates from the Victorian era
and is a common name from that period (e.g. the "Fairy Glen" in Penmaenmawr
). This area has recently undergone a regeneration with funding from the council and it is now possible to walk through it easily. The Fairy Glen is subject to an ownership dispute between Conwy County Borough Council
and the water company, Dŵr Cymru, each claiming that the maintenance of the area is the responsibility of the other.
Old Colwyn was once overlooked by the (now demolished) Hotel 70 degrees, (just above Tan-y-Lan) so named because the architect who designed it used 70 degree angles in its construction. It was replaced by a housing development. It also has easy access onto the promenade and beach, as well as a protruded cliff area known as Penmaenhead, marked by a disused stone utility house. This is a popular spot amongst teenagers for the dangerous practice of "cliff jumping
" when tide is in and the water is deep enough, though to date nobody has been hurt.
Old Colwyn once had a station on the North Wales Coast Line
from Chester
to Holyhead
; the line remains open but the station closed in December 1952. There is still a "Station Road."
Old Colwyn is home to Colwyn Bay Football Club, the ground situated on Llanelian Road.
Old Colwyn can proudly claim to be the birthplace of Colwyn Bay
.
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...
just to the east of Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay
- Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...
, in Conwy County Borough, 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...
.
Prior to local government reorganisation in April 1974 it was part of the Municipal Borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
of Colwyn Bay, but the reorganisation established it as a separate 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...
(known as a community in Wales), whose population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
at the 2001 census was 7,626. It hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1941. It also harbours the 3rd Colwyn Bay (Old Colwyn) Scout Group headquarters and is home to the area's comprehensive school, Ysgol Bryn Elian
Ysgol Bryn Elian
-Overview:Ysgol Bryn Elian is an 11 - 18 English-language medium Comprehensive school on Windsor Drive in Old Colwyn. Along with Eirias High School and Coleg Llandrillo Cymru it serves the state secondary education sector in the Colwyn Bay area...
Amenities
In Old Colwyn is an area of woodlandWoodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
called the 'Fairy Glen'. This area of woodland is said to contain many different spirits including fairies
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
, hence its name, which dates from the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and is a common name from that period (e.g. the "Fairy Glen" in Penmaenmawr
Penmaenmawr
PenmaenmawrConwyPenmaenmawr is a town in the parish of Dwygyfylchi, in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The population was 3857 in 2001. It is a quarrying town, though the latter is no longer a major employer, on the North Wales coast between Conwy and Llanfairfechan.The town was bypassed by the A55...
). This area has recently undergone a regeneration with funding from the council and it is now possible to walk through it easily. The Fairy Glen is subject to an ownership dispute between Conwy County Borough Council
Conwy County Borough Council
Conwy County Borough Council is the governing body for Conwy County Borough, one of the unitary authority areas of Wales.-Political makeup:Elections take place every four years...
and the water company, Dŵr Cymru, each claiming that the maintenance of the area is the responsibility of the other.
Old Colwyn was once overlooked by the (now demolished) Hotel 70 degrees, (just above Tan-y-Lan) so named because the architect who designed it used 70 degree angles in its construction. It was replaced by a housing development. It also has easy access onto the promenade and beach, as well as a protruded cliff area known as Penmaenhead, marked by a disused stone utility house. This is a popular spot amongst teenagers for the dangerous practice of "cliff jumping
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
" when tide is in and the water is deep enough, though to date nobody has been hurt.
Old Colwyn once had a station on the North Wales Coast Line
North Wales Coast Line
The North Wales Coast Line is the railway line from Crewe to Holyhead. Virgin Trains consider their services along it to be a spur of the West Coast Main Line. The first section from Crewe to Chester was built by the Chester and Crewe Railway and absorbed by the Grand Junction Railway shortly...
from Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
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....
; the line remains open but the station closed in December 1952. There is still a "Station Road."
Old Colwyn is home to Colwyn Bay Football Club, the ground situated on Llanelian Road.
Old Colwyn can proudly claim to be the birthplace of Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay
- Demography :Prior to local government reorganisation on 1 April 1974 Colwyn Bay was a municipal borough with a population of c.25,000, but in 1974 this designation disappeared leaving five separate parishes, known as communities in Wales, of which the one bearing the name Colwyn Bay encompassed...
.