Rachub
Encyclopedia
Rachub is a small village
of about 700 people in Dyffryn Ogwen
(Ogwen Valley), Gwynedd
, Wales
, about half a mile away from the nearby, larger village of Bethesda
. It forms part of Bethesda community.
, an achub in fact being an area of land in Old Welsh. Rachub was considered no more than a part of Llanllechid parish
until the 19th century, when the slate industry
expanded in the valley, and Rachub grew as a separate village.
Until then, the village consisted of a few houses and the Carmel chapel. Most of the area was farmland, used mostly for sheep. This changed considerably over the last half of the 18th century and the 19th century, with farms giving way to housing. Much of the housing was concentrated in small streets off the High Street. These many ranks of terrace
houses are served by a narrow foot lanes connected to the high street. At the top of the village and to the east of the high Street, slate and stone quarry
waste heaps prevent further housing development. In the 20th century some new housing has been established in the lower parts of the village especially along Lon Henbarc,
is the main language in the village, although it is in decline. In 1991, 83% of residents spoke Welsh. In 2001, Gwynedd
council had changed its local ward boundaries, so the figure today is unclear, but is certainly still over 75%. The higher part of the village, which goes up the Carneddau
mountains, is more English-speaking
, while the lower parts tend towards Welsh.
Most residents commute
to work from the village (with very few having the opportunity not to do so), many to Bangor
. The main gathering points include the local pub (The Royal Oak or Y Dderwen Frenhinol) and the local post office
. Rachub is also home to Ysgol Llanllechid (a Welsh-language primary school), a bakery
and has three chapels. Even so, it is generally considered to be a part of Bethesda rather than a separate entity. Villagers will variously say that they are from either Rachub or Bethesda, depending on whichever one takes their fancy at the time.
Though not noted for much, perhaps Gruff Rhys
, the Super Furry Animals
' lead singer, is its most famous export. The Welsh-language band, Celt, are a very popular band in the Welsh music scene, and hail from the village.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of about 700 people in Dyffryn Ogwen
Dyffryn Ogwen
Dyffryn Ogwen, or Ogwen Valley, is a valley mostly located in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The upper section of the valley, east of Llyn Ogwen lies in the county of Conwy.- Geography :...
(Ogwen Valley), 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...
, 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...
, about half a mile away from the nearby, larger village of Bethesda
Bethesda, Wales
Bethesda is a town lying on the River Ogwen and the A5 road on the edge of Snowdonia, in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, colloquially called Pesda by the locals.- History :...
. It forms part of Bethesda community.
Origins
The name Rachub is thought to have come from Yr Achub, which would roughly translates as The Saving or Safe place. The origin of this is the belief that when enemy forces were in the area the locals would flee to Rachub for safety (though the village itself did not exist then), although the story is a mythMythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, an achub in fact being an area of land in Old Welsh. Rachub was considered no more than a part of Llanllechid 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...
until the 19th century, when the slate industry
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...
expanded in the valley, and Rachub grew as a separate village.
Until then, the village consisted of a few houses and the Carmel chapel. Most of the area was farmland, used mostly for sheep. This changed considerably over the last half of the 18th century and the 19th century, with farms giving way to housing. Much of the housing was concentrated in small streets off the High Street. These many ranks of terrace
Terraced house
In architecture and city planning, a terrace house, terrace, row house, linked house or townhouse is a style of medium-density housing that originated in Great Britain in the late 17th century, where a row of identical or mirror-image houses share side walls...
houses are served by a narrow foot lanes connected to the high street. At the top of the village and to the east of the high Street, slate and stone quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
waste heaps prevent further housing development. In the 20th century some new housing has been established in the lower parts of the village especially along Lon Henbarc,
Day to day life
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...
is the main language in the village, although it is in decline. In 1991, 83% of residents spoke Welsh. In 2001, 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...
council had changed its local ward boundaries, so the figure today is unclear, but is certainly still over 75%. The higher part of the village, which goes up the Carneddau
Carneddau
The Carneddau , are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. It includes the largest contiguous areas of high ground in Wales and England, as well as six or seven of the highest peaks in the country—the Fourteen Peaks...
mountains, is more English-speaking
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, while the lower parts tend towards Welsh.
Most residents commute
Commuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
to work from the village (with very few having the opportunity not to do so), many to Bangor
Bangor, Wales
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
. The main gathering points include the local pub (The Royal Oak or Y Dderwen Frenhinol) and the local post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
. Rachub is also home to Ysgol Llanllechid (a Welsh-language primary school), a bakery
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
and has three chapels. Even so, it is generally considered to be a part of Bethesda rather than a separate entity. Villagers will variously say that they are from either Rachub or Bethesda, depending on whichever one takes their fancy at the time.
Though not noted for much, perhaps Gruff Rhys
Gruff Rhys
Gruffydd Maredudd Bowen Rhys is a Welsh musician, performing solo and with several bands, including Super Furry Animals who obtained mainstream success in the 1990s. He also most recently formed the electro-pop outfit Neon Neon with Boom Bip. Their album Stainless Style was nominated for the 2008...
, the Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals
Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band that lean towards psychedelic rock and electronic experimentation. Since their formation in Cardiff, Wales in 1993, the band has consisted of Gruff Rhys , Huw Bunford , Guto Pryce , Cian Ciaran and Dafydd Ieuan Super Furry Animals are a Welsh rock band...
' lead singer, is its most famous export. The Welsh-language band, Celt, are a very popular band in the Welsh music scene, and hail from the village.
External links
- Gruff Rhys - BBC guide to the singer
- Ysgol Gynradd Llanllechid - The Welsh primary school in Rachub
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Rachub and surrounding area
- Rachub on Openstreetmap