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Builth Wells

Coordinates:52°08′56″N3°24′18″W/ 52.149°N 3.405°W/52.149; -3.405
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This article is about the modern Welsh town. For the medieval cantref, seeBuellt.

Builth Wells
Bridge over theRiver Wyeat Builth Wells
Builth Wells is located in Powys
Builth Wells
Builth Wells
Location withinPowys
Population2,568(2011)[1]
OS grid referenceSO035505
Community
  • Builth
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBUILTH WELLS
Postcode districtLD2
Dialling code01982
PoliceDyfed-Powys
FireMid and West Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
Websitebuilthwellstowncouncil.org.uk
List of places
UK
Wales
Powys
52°08′56″N3°24′18″W/ 52.149°N 3.405°W/52.149; -3.405

Builth Wells(/ˈbɪlθˈwɛlz/;Welsh:Llanfair-ym-Mualltⓘ) is amarket townandcommunityin the county ofPowysandhistoric countyofBrecknockshire(Breconshire), midWales,lying at theconfluenceof riversWyeandIrfon,in the Welsh (or upper) part of theWye Valley.In 2011 it had a population of 2,568.

Etymology[edit]

Builthis a longstanding anglicization of the Old WelshBuellt/Buallt,which combinesbu([bɨː]) "ox"andgellt(latergwellt) "lea or leas".

The town added "Wells" in the 19th century when itsspringswere promoted as avisitor attraction.Its modernWelshnameLlanfair-ym-Mualltmeans "Saint Mary in Ox Leas".[2][3]

In the centre of the town is a large mural (about 35 feet (11 m) by 30 feet (9.1 m) wide) depictingLlywelyn ap Gruffudd,who was killed at theBattle of Orewin Bridgeon 11 December 1282.[4]

One of the best known Welsh hymns is also titled 'Builth'. Opening bars, sang here by Cymanfa Eisteddfod Llangefni

Governance[edit]

Builth Wells is in theBrecon and Radnorshireconstituency for elections to the UK parliament anda constituency of the same namefor elections to theSenedd.

For elections toPowys County Councilthe town's boundaries are coterminous with the Builthelectoral ward,which sends one county councillor to sit on the council. Since 1995 the ward had been represented byIndependentcouncillors.[5]At theMay 2017 electionsthe seat was won by former internationalrugbyplayer,Jeremy Pugh,[6]after Avril York resigned in December 2016 to move toHong Kong.[7]

Town councillors are elected every four years to serve on Builth WellsTown Counciland represent the interests of the town's residents.[8]

Livestock breeds[edit]

Bronze sculpture of aWelsh Blackbull by Gavin Fifield[9]

The White Bull of Builth may be a reference to a herd ofWhite Park Cattlethat lived in the area from Post-Roman times. Two herds survived in Wales to modern times. The laws of the time suggest that the medieval and later economy of the Welsh borders was strongly dependent on cattle. TheHereford cattlebreed, named afterHerefordmarket where it was most prominently sold was the main breed of the Welsh borders. Builth was the market for a variant of the Hereford called the Builth Smokey Face. This was the traditional animal of the area but the breed has not existed for many, many decades.

TheBeulah Speckled Faceis a local breed of sheep. NearbyMynydd Epyntwas famous for its horses until it was seized for military training purposes.

The beef cattle market has vanished and economically sheep are now vastly more important than cattle with consequences for the traditional woodlands of the area, the salmon runs and other important ecological features.

Industry[edit]

Llanelwedd Quarry was the source of the stone used in many of Builth's buildings, and in the dams along theElan Valley.The quarry was the source of the firstlaumontitemined in Wales.[10]It is operated byHanson Aggregates.[11]

Transport[edit]

The remains ofBuilth Wells railway stationin 1967

The town is served byBuilth Road railway stationon theHeart of Wales Line,which is located just over 2 miles to the north-west. The more central (Builth Wells) railway station on theMid-Wales Railwaywas opened in 1864, and closed with the line in 1962 – actually before theBeeching Axe.It was located across the river, next to the present showground.

A dedicated cycle route linking the town withSwansea(NCR 43) has been proposed and a 13-mile section of the route from Swansea has already been developed.

One of the main Wales north-south trunk roads, theA483,passes through the town, using the former railway route. As of June 2009 part of this road, along with the other main route through town (A470), is the subject of a transport study by the Welsh Assembly to help alleviate traffic congestion in the town centre.[12]

The bridge at Builth Wells carries vehicles on the A470. It dates from the 18th-century and has six masonry spans, with small cutwaters on the upstream side. The centre of the bridge has two pedestrian refuges. It was built in 1775 and widened in 1925. The river here marks the boundary between the old counties ofBreconshireandRadnorshire.[13]

Education and recreation[edit]

Ysgol Calon Cymruis the mainsecondary schooland isbilingual.It replaced Builth Wells High School in September 2018 and can draw on certain specialist teachers and facilities as is dual campus with its other site inLlandrindod Wells.[14]In 2000 its predecessor was placed 67th inWales(by percentage of its children, 59%, gaining 5GCSEsat full pass grades A*–C). According to a 2010 report byEstynits rate rose to 77%, making it 9th best performing (state secondary) inWalesand the only ranking inPowysafterLlanidloes High School.A fall to two years of Special Measures was followed in 2017 by the closing report of the old school finding sufficient progress to remove it from those measures. Progress was ranked as strong as to six recommendations of 2015, in 2017, and sufficient progress as to the other.[15]

The town features Wyeside Arts Centre, which has two cinemas and a live performance stage.[16]

Builth Wells has arugby unionteam calledBuilth Wells RFC,also known as 'The Bulls', who play on the Groe. The team play in the WRU SWALEC National League 2.

The town's football team isBuilth Wells F.C.who play in theArdal Leagues,the third tier of Welsh football.

Builth Male Voice Choir has approximately fifty members and performs concerts to support local and national charities.[17]

Builth Wells also has a cricket pitch, tennis courts, a sports centre with squash courts, a 25m swimming pool and a bowling green.

Notable people[edit]

SeeCategory:People from Builth Wells.

Buildings and landmarks[edit]

Flooding in 1910s; photo byPercy Benzie Abery.
The cypher ofKing Edward VIIIabove the former Post Office

Builth Wells has a large number of Grade IIlisted buildingsand fixtures.[18]

A plaque on the wall of thepost officestakes its claim as the only in England and Wales to bear a contemporary inscription to less-than-one-year monarchEdward VIII.[19]The claim can be qualified to active post offices as the former one inBradford-on-Avonhas a similar insignia.[20]

After a small health centre opened in the town,Builth Wells Hospitalclosed in 2013.[21]

References[edit]

  1. ^"Town and ward population 2011".Archived fromthe originalon 29 July 2014.Retrieved10 November2015.
  2. ^"What's in a name: Builth Wells".www.bbc.co.uk.BBC. 2013.Retrieved12 February2013.
  3. ^Mills, A. D. (2003)."Builth Wells".Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names.Oxford University Press.ISBN0191578479.Retrieved14 February2013.
  4. ^"Unveiling of ancient prince mural".BBC News.16 July 2003.Retrieved13 October2019.
  5. ^"Powys County Council Election Results 1995-2012"(PDF).The Elections Centre.Retrieved7 September2018.
  6. ^Twm Owen (5 May 2017)."Powys council election – the counting continues".Brecon & Radnor Express.Retrieved5 October2018.[permanent dead link]
  7. ^Twm Owen (7 December 2016)."Councillor quits cabinet for Hong Kong".Brecon & Radnor Express.Retrieved5 October2018.
  8. ^"Council Information".Builth Wells Town Council.Retrieved7 September2018.
  9. ^"Welsh Black bull takes a firm stand".Wales Online.13 December 2005.
  10. ^"Llanelwedd Quarry, Builth Wells, Powys (Radnorshire), Wales, UK".Retrieved23 September2014.
  11. ^"Builth Wells Quarry".Archived fromthe originalon 23 September 2014.Retrieved23 September2014.
  12. ^Builth Wells Transport Studywales.gov.uk/
  13. ^Builth & District Heritage Society."Builth Wells Town Walk".builth-wells.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 12 December 2016.Retrieved9 June2013.
  14. ^Anwen Parry (6 September 2018)."Ysgol Calon Cymru: Hundreds of pupils start back at Powys' newest school".Powys County Times.Retrieved14 January2019.
  15. ^"Builth Wells High School"(PDF).
  16. ^"Wyeside Arts Centre website".Retrieved23 November2016.
  17. ^"Builth Male Voice Choir website".Retrieved23 November2016.
  18. ^"Listed Buildings in Builth, Powys, Wales".British Listed Buildings.Retrieved21 December2014.
  19. ^"Geograph:: Plaque near the doorway © Bill Nicholls cc-by-sa/2.0".
  20. ^BazzaDaRambler (7 November 2012),Bradford on Avon... Edward VIII cipher at the post office.,retrieved20 June2019
  21. ^"Builth Wells hospital replaced by £5m health centre".BBC. 27 September 2013.Retrieved24 March2020.

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Builth_Wells&oldid=1217579522"