![The Brecon County Times May 5 1866](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/The_Brecon_County_Times_May_5_1866.jpg)
Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a
market town
A market town is a settlement most common in Europe that obtained by custom or royal charter, in the Middle Ages, a market right, which allowed it to host a regular market; this distinguished it from a village or city. In Britain, small rural ...
in
Powys
Powys (; ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county and Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county in Wales. It is named after the Kingdom of Powys which was a Welsh succession of states, successor state, petty kingdom and princi ...
, mid
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the
county town
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a county town is the most important town or city in a county. It is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county and the place where the county's members of Parliament are elect ...
of
Brecknockshire
, image_flag=
, HQ= Brecon
, Government= Brecknockshire County Council (1889-1974)
, Origin= Brycheiniog
, Status=
, Start= 1535
, End= ...
(Breconshire); although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of the County of Powys, it remains an important local centre. Brecon is the third-largest town in Powys, after
Newtown and
Ystradgynlais
Ystradgynlais (, ) is a town on the River Tawe in southwest Powys, Wales. It is the second-largest town in Powys and is in the historic county of Brecknockshire. The town has a high proportion of Welsh language-speakers. The community includes ...
. It lies north of the
Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons ( cy, Bannau Brycheiniog, ) are a mountain range in South Wales. In a narrow sense, the name refers to the range of Old Red Sandstone peaks which lie to the south of Brecon. Sometimes referred to as "the central Beacons" t ...
mountain range, but is just within the
Brecon Beacons National Park
The Brecon Beacons National Park ( cy, Parc Cenedlaethol Bannau Brycheiniog) is one of three national parks in Wales, and is centred on the Brecon Beacons range of hills in southern Wales. It includes the Black Mountain (range), Black Mountain ...
.
History
Early history
The
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
name, Aberhonddu, means "mouth of the Honddu". It is derived from the
River Honddu
The River Honddu ( cy, Afon Honddu) (pronounced ''hon-thee'') is a river in the Black Mountains within the Brecon Beacons National Park, southeast Wales. Early recorded versions of the name are of the form ''Hothenei'' and ''hodni'' which are be ...
, which meets the
River Usk
The River Usk (; cy, Afon Wysg) rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain (''y Mynydd Du''), Wales, in the westernmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially forming the boundary between Carmarthenshire and Powys, it fl ...
near the
town centre
A town centre is the commerce, commercial or geographical centre or core area of a town. Town centres are traditionally associated with shopping or retail. They are also the centre of communications with major public transport hubs such as train ...
, a short distance away from the River Tarell which enters the Usk a few hundred metres upstream. After the
Dark Ages the original Welsh name of the kingdom in whose territory Brecon stands was (in modern orthography) "
Brycheiniog
Brycheiniog was an independent kingdom in South Wales in the Early Middle Ages. It often acted as a buffer state between England to the east and the south Welsh kingdom of Deheubarth to the west. It was conquered and pacified by the Normans be ...
", which was later
anglicised
Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influen ...
to Brecknock or Brecon, and probably derives from
Brychan
Brychan Brycheiniog was a legendary 5th-century king of Brycheiniog (Brecknockshire, alternatively Breconshire) in Mid Wales.
Life
According to Celtic hagiography Brychan was born in Ireland, the son of a Prince Anlach, son of Coronac, and h ...
, the eponymous founder of the kingdom.
Before the building of the bridge over the Usk, Brecon was one of the few places where the river could be
forded. In
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the period in classical antiquity when large parts of the island of Great Britain were under occupation by the Roman Empire. The occupation lasted from AD 43 to AD 410. During that time, the territory conquered was ...
Y Gaer
Y Gaer () is a Roman fort situated near modern-day Brecon in Mid Wales, United Kingdom.
Y Gaer is located at (Landranger 160).
History
Y Gaer was built around AD 75 and sits on a crossroads of Roman roads in the valley of the River Usk at a ...
(''Cicucium'') was established as a Roman cavalry base for the conquest of
Roman Wales
The Roman era in the area of modern Wales began in 48 AD, with a military invasion by the imperial governor of Roman Britain. The conquest was completed by 78 AD, and Roman rule endured until the region was abandoned in 383 AD.
The Roman Emp ...
and Brecon was first established as a military base.
Norman control
The
confluence
In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...
of the
River Honddu
The River Honddu ( cy, Afon Honddu) (pronounced ''hon-thee'') is a river in the Black Mountains within the Brecon Beacons National Park, southeast Wales. Early recorded versions of the name are of the form ''Hothenei'' and ''hodni'' which are be ...
and the
River Usk
The River Usk (; cy, Afon Wysg) rises on the northern slopes of the Black Mountain (''y Mynydd Du''), Wales, in the westernmost part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Initially forming the boundary between Carmarthenshire and Powys, it fl ...
made for a valuable defensive position for the
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...
which overlooks the town, built by
Bernard de Neufmarche
Bernard ('' Bernhard'') is a French and West Germanic masculine given name. It is also a surname.
The name is attested from at least the 9th century. West Germanic ''Bernhard'' is composed from the two elements ''bern'' "bear" and ''hard'' "brav ...
in the late 11th century.
[Davies (2008).] Gerald of Wales
Gerald of Wales ( la, Giraldus Cambrensis; cy, Gerallt Gymro; french: Gerald de Barri; ) was a Cambro-Norman priest and English historians in the Middle Ages, historian. As a royal clerk to the king and two archbishops, he travelled widely and w ...
came and made some speeches in 1188 to recruit men to go to the
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and sometimes directed by the Latin Church in the medieval period. The best known of these Crusades are those to the Holy Land in the period between 1095 and 1291 that were in ...
.
Town walls
Brecon's town walls were constructed by
Humphrey de Bohun after 1240.
[Pettifer (2000).] The walls were built of cobble, with four
gatehouse
A gatehouse is a type of fortified gateway, an entry control point building, enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a town, religious house, castle, manor house, or other fortification building of importance. Gatehouses are typically the mos ...
s and was protected by ten semi-circular
bastion
A bastion or bulwark is a structure projecting outward from the curtain wall of a fortification, most commonly angular in shape and positioned at the corners of the fort. The fully developed bastion consists of two faces and two flanks, with fi ...
s.
In 1400 the Welsh prince
Owain Glyndŵr
Owain ap Gruffydd (), commonly known as Owain Glyndŵr or Glyn Dŵr (, anglicised as Owen Glendower), was a Welsh leader, soldier and military commander who led a 15 year long Welsh War of Independence with the aim of ending English rule in Wa ...
rose in rebellion against English rule, and in response in 1404 100
marks
Marks may refer to:
Business
* Mark's, a Canadian retail chain
* Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain
* Collective trade marks, trademarks owned by an organisation for the benefit of its members
* Marks & Co, the inspiration for the novel '' ...
was spent by the royal government improving the fortifications to protect Brecon in the event of a Welsh attack. Brecon's walls were largely destroyed during the
English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
. Today only fragments survive, including some earthworks and parts of one of the gatehouses; these are protected as
scheduled monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a nationally important archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change.
The various pieces of legislation that legally protect heritage assets from damage and d ...
s.
[.]
In Shakespeare's play ''
King Richard III
Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Battl ...
'', the Duke of Buckingham is suspected of supporting the Welsh pretender Richmond (the future Henry VII), and declares:
''O, let me think on Hastings and be gone
To Brecknock, while my fearful head is on!''
Priory and cathedral
![Brecon Cathedral (5726564531)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Brecon_Cathedral_%285726564531%29.jpg)
A Priory was dissolved in 1538, and Brecon's Dominican Friary of St Nicholas was suppressed in August of the same year.
About north of the castle stands
Brecon Cathedral
Brecon Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Aberhonddu), in the town of Brecon, Powys, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon in the Church in Wales and seat of the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon. Previously the church of Brecon Priory ...
, a fairly modest building compared to many cathedrals. The role of cathedral is a fairly recent one, and was bestowed upon the church in 1923 with the formation of the
Diocese of Swansea and Brecon
The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon was established as a Diocese of the Church in Wales in 1923 with Brecon Priory as the cathedral. The area of the diocese had formerly been the Archdeaconry of Brecon within the Diocese of St Davids. The dioc ...
from what was previously the
archdeaconry
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in the Church of the East, Chaldean Catholic Church, Syriac Orthodox Church, Anglican Communion, St Thomas Christians, Eastern Orthodox churches and some other Christian denominations, above that o ...
of Brecon—a part of the
Diocese of St David's
The Diocese of St Davids is a diocese of the Church in Wales, a church of the Anglican Communion. The diocese covers the historic extent of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, together with a small part of western Glamorgan. The episcop ...
.
St. Mary's Church
Saint Mary's Church began as a
chapel of ease
A chapel of ease (or chapel-of-ease) is a church architecture, church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently.
Often a chapel of ea ...
to the priory but most of the building is dated to later medieval times. The West Tower, some high, was built in 1510 by
Edward, Duke of Buckingham at a cost of £2,000. The tower has eight bells which have been rung since 1750, the heaviest of which weighs . In March 2007 the bells were removed from the church tower for refurbishment. The church is a Grade II*
listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
.
St. David's Church, Llanfaes
![St](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/St._David%27s_church_and_churchyard%2C_Llanfaes_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1284712.jpg)
The
Church of St. David, referred to locally as Llanfaes Church, was probably founded in the early sixteenth century. The first Parish Priest, Maurice Thomas, was installed there by John Blaxton, Archdeacon of Brecon in 1555. The name is derived from the Welsh – Llandewi yn y Maes – which translates as St. David's in the Field.
Plough Lane Chapel, Lion Street
Plough Lane Chapel, also known as Plough United Reformed Church, is a
Grade II* listed building
In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
. The present building dates back to 1841 and was re-modelled by Owen Morris Roberts.
St Michael's Church
After the Reformation, some Breconshire families such as the Havards, the Gunters and the Powells persisted with Catholicism despite its suppression. In the 18th Century a Catholic Mass house in Watergate was active, and Rev John Williams was the local Catholic priest from 1788 to 1815. The present parish priest is Rev Father Jimmy Sebastian Pulickakunnel MCBS since 2012. The Watergate house was sold in 1805, becoming the current Watergate Baptist Chapel, and property purchased as the priest's residence and a chapel between Wheat Street and the current St Michael Street, including the "Three Cocks Inn"; about this time Catholic parish records began again. The normal round of bishop's visitations and confirmations resumed in the 1830s. In 1832 most civil liberties were restored to Catholics and they became able to practise their faith more openly. A simple Gothic church, dedicated to St Michael and designed by
Charles Hansom
Charles Francis Hansom (27 July 1817 – 30 November 1888) was a prominent Roman Catholic Victorian architecture, Victorian architect who primarily designed in the Gothic Revival architecture, Gothic Revival style.
Career
He was born of a Cathol ...
, was built in 1851 at a cost of £1,000.
Military town
The east end of town has two military establishments:
* Dering Lines, home to the
Infantry Battle School
The Infantry Battle School, Brecon is a British Army training establishment at Dering Lines in Brecon, Wales.
History
The Infantry Battle School was established at Brecon in 1939 at the start of the Second World War. The Parachute Regiment forme ...
(formerly Infantry Training Centre Wales)
*
The Barracks, Brecon
The Barracks, Watton is a military installation in Brecon in Wales.
History
The original barracks, which were constructed of red brick, were built at the Watton in 1805 and then extended in 1813.Tones, p. 126
In 1873, as part of the Cardwell R ...
, home to
160th (Wales) Brigade
160th (Welsh) Brigade or Brigâd 160 (Cymru), is a regional brigade of the British Army that has been in existence since 1908, and saw service during both the First and the Second World Wars, as part of the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division. It is ...
.
Approximately to the west of Brecon is
Sennybridge Training Area
The Sennybridge Training Area (SENTA) is a UK Ministry of Defence military training area near the village of Sennybridge in Powys, Wales. It consists of approximately 31,000 acres (12,000 ha) of Ministry of Defence freehold land and 6,000 acres ...
, an important training facility for the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
.
Governance
![Brecon Guildhall (Town Hall) (geograph 5995001)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Brecon_Guildhall_%28Town_Hall%29_%28geograph_5995001%29.jpg)
Brecon Town Council, based at
Brecon Guildhall
Brecon Guildhall ( cy, Neuadd y Dref Aberhonddu), is a municipal building in the High Street, Brecon, Powys, Wales. The structure, which is the meeting place of Brecon Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.
History
The first municipal b ...
, represents the town at the local level, with up to fifteen councillors elected from four wards: St David's,
St Mary's, St John's East and St John's West. The town elects a mayor annually. In May 2018 it elected its first mixed race mayor, local hotelier Emmanuel (Manny) Trailor, who is a town councillor for St John's West.
Until 2022 there were three county council
electoral ward
A ward is a local authority area, typically used for electoral purposes. In some countries, wards are usually named after neighbourhoods, thoroughfares, parishes, landmarks, geographical features and in some cases historical figures connected to t ...
s in the town (St David Within, St John and
St Mary
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Joseph and the mother of ...
) which each elected a county councillor to
Powys County Council
Powys County Council ( cy, Cyngor Sir Powys) is the local authority for Powys, one of the administrative areas of Wales. The County Hall is in Llandrindod Wells.
History
The county of Powys was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Governme ...
. All three are represented by
Labour Party councillors, the St Mary ward being gained from the
Conservatives
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
in a November 2019 by-election.
In 2018 a review of electoral arrangements proposed that all three Brecon county wards be merged into a single, three councillor ward.
Education
![GIRLS' COUMTY SCHOOL LAB](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/GIRLS%27_COUMTY_SCHOOL_LAB.jpg)
Brecon has
primary school
A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Africa), junior school (in Australia), elementary school or grade school (in North America and the Philippines) is a school for primary e ...
s, with a
secondary school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' secondary education, lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) ...
and
further education
Further education (often abbreviated FE) in the United Kingdom and Ireland is education in addition to that received at secondary school, that is distinct from the higher education (HE) offered in universities and other academic institutions. I ...
college (Brecon Beacons College) on the northern edge of the town. The secondary school, known as Brecon High School, was formed from separate boys' and girls' grammar schools ('county schools') and Brecon Secondary Modern School, after comprehensive education was introduced into Breconshire in the early 1970s. The town is home to a famous independent school,
Christ College, which was founded in 1541.
Transport
![Brecon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Brecon.JPG)
The junction of the east–west
A40 (
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
-
Monmouth
Monmouth ( , ; cy, Trefynwy meaning "town on the Monnow") is a town and community in Wales. It is situated where the River Monnow joins the River Wye, from the Wales–England border. Monmouth is northeast of Cardiff, and west of London. I ...
-
Carmarthen
Carmarthen (, RP: ; cy, Caerfyrddin , "Merlin's fort" or "Sea-town fort") is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community in Wales, lying on the River Towy. north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. The population was 14,185 in 2011, ...
-
Fishguard
Fishguard ( cy, Abergwaun, meaning "Mouth of the River Gwaun") is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, with a population of 3,419 in 2011; the community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5,407. Modern Fishguard consists of two pa ...
) and the north–south
A470
The A470 (also named the Cardiff to Glan Conwy Trunk Road) is a trunk road in Wales. It is the country's longest road at and links the capital Cardiff on the south coast to Llandudno on the north coast. While previously one had to navigate t ...
(
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
-
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...
-
Llandudno
Llandudno (, ) is a seaside resort, town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located on the Creuddyn peninsula, which protrudes into the Irish Sea. In the 2011 UK census, the community – which includes Gogarth, Penrhyn Bay, Craigsi ...
) is on the east side of Brecon town centre. The nearest airport is
Cardiff Airport
Cardiff Airport ( cy, Maes Awyr Caerdydd) is the only airport offering commercial passenger services in Wales. It has been under the ownership of the Welsh Government since March 2013, operating at an arm's length as a commercial business. Pa ...
.
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
The
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal
The Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal ( cy, Camlas Sir Fynwy a Brycheiniog) is a small network of canals in South Wales. For most of its currently (2018) navigable length it runs through the Brecon Beacons National parks of England and Wales, Na ...
runs for between Brecon and
Pontnewydd
Pontnewydd is a suburb of Cwmbran in the county borough of Torfaen, south-east Wales. It should not be confused with Pontnewynydd in nearby Pontypool.
An 18th century settlement within the historical parish of Llanfrechfa Upper, Pontnewydd beca ...
,
Cwmbran
Cwmbran ( ; cy, Cwmbrân , also in use as an alternative spelling in English) is a town in the county borough of Torfaen in South Wales.
Lying within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, Cwmbran was designated as a New Town in 1949 to pro ...
. It then continues to
Newport
Newport most commonly refers to:
*Newport, Wales
*Newport, Rhode Island, US
Newport or New Port may also refer to:
Places Asia
*Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay
Europe
Ireland
*Newport, County Mayo, a town on the ...
, the towpath being the line of communication and the canal being disjointed by obstructions and road crossings. The canal was built between 1797 and 1812 to link Brecon with Newport and the
Severn Estuary
The Severn Estuary ( cy, Aber Hafren) is the estuary of the River Severn, flowing into the Bristol Channel between South West England and South Wales. Its high tidal range, approximately , means that it has been at the centre of discussions in t ...
. The canalside in Brecon was redeveloped in the 1990s and is now the site of two mooring basins and
Theatr Brycheiniog
Theatr Brycheiniog is an arts venue in Brecon, Powys, Wales.
Location
Theatr Brycheiniog is located close to the centre of Brecon, on Canal Wharf fronting the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
Facilities
The complex comprises an 477-seater c ...
.
Usk bridge
![Usk Bridge plaque, Brecon (geograph 2977056)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/Usk_Bridge_plaque%2C_Brecon_%28geograph_2977056%29.jpg)
The bridge carries the B4601 across the River Usk. A plaque on a house wall adjacent to the eastern end of the bridge records that the present bridge was built in 1563 to replace a medieval bridge destroyed by floods in 1535. It was repaired in 1772 and widened in 1794 by Thomas Edwards, the son of
William Edwards William Edwards may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*William Edwards (architect) (1719–1789), Welsh architect of the Pontypridd bridge in south Wales
*William Camden Edwards (1777–1855), Welsh engraver
*William Augustus Edwards (1866–1939), ...
of
Eglwysilan Eglwysilan is an ecclesiastical parish and hamlet in Wales, within the community of Aber Valley in the unitary authority of Caerphilly County Borough.
History of the parish
During the 12th Century Norman invasion of Wales, the formal parish wa ...
. It had stone parapets until the 1970s when the present deck was superimposed on the old structure. The bridge was painted by
J.M.W. Turner
Joseph Mallord William Turner (23 April 177519 December 1851), known in his time as William Turner, was an English Romantic painter, printmaker and watercolourist. He is known for his expressive colouring, imaginative landscapes and turbulen ...
c.1769.
Former railways
The
Neath and Brecon Railway
The Dulas Valley Mineral Railway was incorporated in 1862 to bring coal from the Onllwyn area north-east of Neath to the quays there, and in the following year was reconstituted as the Neath and Brecon Railway. The line was opened as far as Onllw ...
reached Brecon in 1867, terminating at
Free Street. By this point, Brecon already had two other railway stations:
*Watton – from 1 May 1863 when the
Brecon and Merthyr Railway
The Brecon and Merthyr Tydfil Junction Railway (B&MR) was a railway company in Wales. It was originally intended to link the towns in its name. Finding its access to Merthyr difficult at first, it acquired the Rumney Railway, an old plateway, and ...
to
Merthyr Tydfil
Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...
was opened for traffic
*Mount Street – in September 1864, with
Llanidloes
Llanidloes () is a town and community on the A470 and B4518 roads in Powys, within the historic county boundaries of Montgomeryshire ( cy, Sir Drefaldwyn), Wales. The population in 2011 was 2,929, of whom 15% could speak Welsh. It is the third ...
by the
Mid Wales Railway
The Mid-Wales Railway was conceived as a trunk route through Wales connecting industrial areas in north west England with sea ports in south west Wales. The company was prevented from reaching its goal by competing proposals in Parliament, and i ...
which linked to the
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
at
Talyllyn Junction
Talyllyn Junction was a railway junction located east of Brecon, Powys, opened in 1869. The junction was triangular, with north, east and west chords, station platforms being sited at the western junction and also, until 1878, at the eastern j ...
. The three companies consolidated their stations at a newly rebuilt Free Street Joint Station from 1871 and the station finally closed in 1872
Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
![Hugh llewelyn 9796 & 3621 (7873352510)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Hugh_llewelyn_9796_%26_3621_%287873352510%29.jpg)
The
Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway
The Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway (HH&BR) was a railway company that built a line between Hereford in England and a junction with the Mid-Wales Railway at Three Cocks Junction. It opened its line in stages from 1862 to 1864. It never had enoug ...
was opened gradually from Hereford towards Brecon. The first section opened in 1862, with passenger services on the complete line starting on 21 September 1864.
The
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway (MR) was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844. The Midland was one of the largest railway companies in Britain in the early 20th century, and the largest employer in Derby, where it had its headquarters. It am ...
Company (MR) took over the HH&BR from 1 October 1869, leasing the line by an Act of 30 July 1874 and absorbing the HH&BR in 1876.
The MR was absorbed into the
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMSIt has been argued that the initials LMSR should be used to be consistent with LNER, GWR and SR. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway's corporate image used LMS, and this is what is generally u ...
(LMS) on 1 January 1923.
Passenger services to
Merthyr
Merthyr Tydfil (; cy, Merthyr Tudful ) is the main town in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, Wales, administered by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. It is about north of Cardiff. Often called just Merthyr, it is said to be named after Tydf ...
ended in 1958,
Neath
Neath (; cy, Castell-nedd) is a market town and Community (Wales), community situated in the Neath Port Talbot, Neath Port Talbot County Borough, Wales. The town had a population of 50,658 in 2011. The community of the parish of Neath had a po ...
in October 1962 and
Newport
Newport most commonly refers to:
*Newport, Wales
*Newport, Rhode Island, US
Newport or New Port may also refer to:
Places Asia
*Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay
Europe
Ireland
*Newport, County Mayo, a town on the ...
in December 1962. In 1962 the important line to
Hereford
Hereford () is a cathedral city, civil parish and the county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, south-west of Worcester and north-west of Gloucester. With a population ...
closed. Therefore, Brecon lost all its train services before the 1963 ''
Reshaping of British Railways
The Beeching cuts (also Beeching Axe) was a plan to increase the efficiency of the nationalised railway system in Great Britain. The plan was outlined in two reports: ''The Reshaping of British Railways'' (1963) and ''The Development of the ...
'' report (often referred to as the
Beeching Axe
The Beeching cuts (also Beeching Axe) was a plan to increase the efficiency of the nationalised railway system in Great Britain. The plan was outlined in two reports: ''The Reshaping of British Railways'' (1963) and ''The Development of the ...
) was implemented.
Culture
Brecon hosted the
National Eisteddfod
The National Eisteddfod of Wales (Welsh: ') is the largest of several eisteddfodau that are held annually, mostly in Wales. Its eight days of competitions and performances are considered the largest music and poetry festival in Europe. Competitors ...
in 1889.
August sees the annual
Brecon Jazz Festival
The Brecon Jazz Festival is a music festival held annually in Brecon, Wales. Normally staged in early August, it has played host to a range of jazz musicians from across the world.
Created in 1984 by local enthusiasts – musicians, promoters a ...
. Concerts are held in both open air and indoor venues, including the town's market hall and the 400-seat
Theatr Brycheiniog
Theatr Brycheiniog is an arts venue in Brecon, Powys, Wales.
Location
Theatr Brycheiniog is located close to the centre of Brecon, on Canal Wharf fronting the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
Facilities
The complex comprises an 477-seater c ...
, which opened in 1997.
[
October sees the annual 4-day weekend Brecon Baroque Music Festival, organised by leading violinist ]Rachel Podger
Rachel Podger (born 1968 in England) is a British violinist and conductor specialising in the performance of Baroque music.
Career
Podger was born to a British father and a German mother. She was educated at a German Rudolf Steiner school then ...
.
Idris Davies
Idris Davies (6 January 1905 – 6 April 1953) was a Welsh poet. Born in Rhymney, near Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales, he became a poet, originally writing in Welsh, but later writing exclusively in English.
He was the only poet to cover signific ...
put "the pink bells of Brecon" in his poem published as XV in ''Gwalia Deserta'' (by T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns Eliot (26 September 18884 January 1965) was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor.Bush, Ronald. "T. S. Eliot's Life and Career", in John A Garraty and Mark C. Carnes (eds), ''American National Biogr ...
). This was copied in "Quite Early One Morning" by Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poems "Do not go gentle into that good night" and "And death shall have no dominion", as well as the "play for voices" ''Under ...
, put to music by Pete Seeger
Peter Seeger (May 3, 1919 – January 27, 2014) was an American folk singer and social activist. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, Seeger also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of the Weavers, notably ...
as the song "The Bells of Rhymney
"The Bells of Rhymney" is a song first recorded by folk singer Pete Seeger, which consists of Seeger's own music accompanying words written by Welsh poet Idris Davies.
Composition
The lyrics to the song were drawn from part of Davies' poetic work ...
", then recorded by the Byrds
The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...
where it became known to millions although by then the Brecon line had gone missing.
Points of interest
*Brecon Castle
Brecon Castle ( cy, Castell Aberhonddu) is a castle in the town of Brecon, Wales. It was built by the Norman Lord Bernard de Neufmarché in 1093, and was frequently assaulted by the Welsh in 13th and 15th centuries. The castle's ownership change ...
*Brecon Beacons
The Brecon Beacons ( cy, Bannau Brycheiniog, ) are a mountain range in South Wales. In a narrow sense, the name refers to the range of Old Red Sandstone peaks which lie to the south of Brecon. Sometimes referred to as "the central Beacons" t ...
and National Park Visitor Centre (also known as the Mountain Centre)
*Brecon Beacons Food Festival
The Brecon Beacons Food Festival is an annual food festival that was established in 1998. The festival is held during October in Brecon, a town which is located in the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Overview
The Brecon Beacons Food Festival at ...
*Brecon Cathedral
Brecon Cathedral ( cy, Eglwys Gadeiriol Aberhonddu), in the town of Brecon, Powys, is the cathedral of the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon in the Church in Wales and seat of the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon. Previously the church of Brecon Priory ...
, the seat of the Diocese of Swansea and Brecon
The Diocese of Swansea and Brecon was established as a Diocese of the Church in Wales in 1923 with Brecon Priory as the cathedral. The area of the diocese had formerly been the Archdeaconry of Brecon within the Diocese of St Davids. The dioc ...
*Brecon Jazz Festival
The Brecon Jazz Festival is a music festival held annually in Brecon, Wales. Normally staged in early August, it has played host to a range of jazz musicians from across the world.
Created in 1984 by local enthusiasts – musicians, promoters a ...
* Buckland Coach House & Ice House
*Cae Gwernllertai
Cae Gwernllertai is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Brecknock, Powys, Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England bor ...
*Christ College, Brecon
Christ College, Brecon, is a co-educational, boarding and day independent school, located in the cathedral and market town of Brecon in mid-Wales. It currently caters for pupils aged 7–18 years.
History
Christ College was founded by Roya ...
*Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh
The Regimental Museum of The Royal Welsh, formerly the South Wales Borderers Museum is located at Brecon in Wales. The museum's collection is made up of artefacts collected from a variety of sources from around the world and which display the reg ...
*Theatr Brycheiniog
Theatr Brycheiniog is an arts venue in Brecon, Powys, Wales.
Location
Theatr Brycheiniog is located close to the centre of Brecon, on Canal Wharf fronting the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
Facilities
The complex comprises an 477-seater c ...
(Brecon Theatre)
*Y Gaer
Y Gaer () is a Roman fort situated near modern-day Brecon in Mid Wales, United Kingdom.
Y Gaer is located at (Landranger 160).
History
Y Gaer was built around AD 75 and sits on a crossroads of Roman roads in the valley of the River Usk at a ...
Notable people
:''See :People from Brecon''
* Gerald of Wales
Gerald of Wales ( la, Giraldus Cambrensis; cy, Gerallt Gymro; french: Gerald de Barri; ) was a Cambro-Norman priest and English historians in the Middle Ages, historian. As a royal clerk to the king and two archbishops, he travelled widely and w ...
(c. 1146 – c. 1223)
* Sibyl de Neufmarché
Sibyl de Neufmarché, Countess of Hereford, ''suo jure'' Lady of Brecknock (Wiktionary:circa, c. 1100 – after 1143), was a Cambro-Norman Nobility, noblewoman, heiress to one of the most substantial fiefs in the Welsh Marches. The grea ...
, Countess of Hereford, suo jure
''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...
Lady of Brecknock (c. 1100 – after 1143)
* Dafydd Gam
Dafydd ap Llewelyn ap Hywel (c. 1380 – 25 October 1415), better known as Dafydd Gam, anglicized to David or Davy Gam, was a Welsh warrior, a prominent opponent of Owain Glyndŵr.
He died at the Battle of Agincourt fighting for Henry V, King o ...
(c. 1380–1415), archer, died fighting for Henry V of England
Henry V (16 September 1386 – 31 August 1422), also called Henry of Monmouth, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1413 until his death in 1422. Despite his relatively short reign, Henry's outstanding military successes in the ...
at the Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt ( ; french: Azincourt ) was an English victory in the Hundred Years' War. It took place on 25 October 1415 (Saint Crispin's Day) near Azincourt, in northern France. The unexpected English victory against the numerica ...
* Edward, Duke of Buckingham, born at Brecon Castle
Brecon Castle ( cy, Castell Aberhonddu) is a castle in the town of Brecon, Wales. It was built by the Norman Lord Bernard de Neufmarché in 1093, and was frequently assaulted by the Welsh in 13th and 15th centuries. The castle's ownership change ...
in 1478
* Hugh Price Hugh Price may refer to:
* Hugh Price (intelligence), former senior official in the Central Intelligence Agency
* Hugh Price (lawyer) (c. 1495–1574), Welsh lawyer and cleric; founder of Jesus College, Oxford
* Hugh Bernard Price (born 1941), U.S. ...
(c. 1495–1574), founder of Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship St ...
* Henry Vaughan
Henry Vaughan (17 April 1621 – 23 April 1695) was a Welsh metaphysical poet, author and translator writing in English, and a medical physician. His religious poetry appeared in ''Silex Scintillans'' in 1650, with a second part in 1655.''Oxfor ...
(1621–1695), physician, author and one of the major Metaphysical poets
The term Metaphysical poets was coined by the critic Samuel Johnson to describe a loose group of 17th-century English poets whose work was characterised by the inventive use of conceits, and by a greater emphasis on the spoken rather than lyrica ...
* John Jeffreys (c.1623-1689), landowner and politician, and first master of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham
The Royal Hospital Kilmainham ( ga, Ospidéal Ríochta Chill Mhaighneann) in Kilmainham, Dublin, is a former 17th-century hospital at Kilmainham in Ireland. The structure now houses the Irish Museum of Modern Art.
History
A priory, founded in 11 ...
* Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons (''née'' Kemble; 5 July 1755 – 8 June 1831) was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. Contemporaneous critic William Hazlitt dubbed Siddons as "tragedy personified".
She was the elder sister of John ...
, best-known tragedienne actress of the 18th century, born 1755
* Charles Kemble
Charles Kemble (25 November 1775 – 12 November 1854) was a Welsh-born English actor of a prominent theatre family.
Life
Charles Kemble was one of 13 siblings and the youngest son of English Roman Catholic theatre manager/actor Roger Kemble ...
(1775–1854), actor, younger brother of Sarah Siddons
Sarah Siddons (''née'' Kemble; 5 July 1755 – 8 June 1831) was a Welsh actress, the best-known tragedienne of the 18th century. Contemporaneous critic William Hazlitt dubbed Siddons as "tragedy personified".
She was the elder sister of John ...
* Thomas Coke, the first Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
, who previously had served as mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
of Brecon in 1772
* John Evan Thomas
John Evan Thomas, FSA (15 January 1810 – 9 October 1873) was a Welsh sculptor, notable for many sculptures both in Wales and elsewhere in the UK, such as his portrait sculptures in London. He was especially notable for the ''Death of Tewdri ...
, sculptor, born 1810
* Frances Hoggan
Frances Elizabeth Hoggan (''née'' Morgan; 20 December 1843 – 5 February 1927) was a Welsh doctor and the first British woman to receive a doctorate in medicine from any university in Europe. She was also a pioneering medical practitioner, rese ...
(1843–1927), first British woman to receive a doctorate in medicine
* Ernest Howard Griffiths
Ernest Howard Griffiths (15 June 1851 – 3 March 1932) was a British physicist born in Brecon, Wales. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1895 and won its Hughes Medal in 1907. On his maternal side he was a descendant of the 17th- ...
(1851–1932), physicist
* Llewela Davies
Llewela Davies (February 1871 – 22 August 1952) was a Welsh pianist and composer who toured with Dame Nellie Melba.
Early life and education
Llewela Tegwedd Davies was born at Talgarth, near Brecon, in South Wales. Her father was Rhys Davies, ...
(1871–1952), pianist and composer
* Dame Olive Wheeler (1886–1963), educationist, psychologist and university lecturer
* Captain Richard Mayberry (1895–1917), World War I flying ace
* Reginald, Lord Talbot (1897–1975), buried in Brecon cemetery
* Tudor, Lord Watkins (1903–1983), buried at St David's Church cemetery
* George Melly
Alan George Heywood Melly (17 August 1926 – 5 July 2007) was an English jazz and blues singer, critic, writer, and lecturer. From 1965 to 1973 he was a film and television critic for ''The Observer''; he also lectured on art history, with an e ...
(1926–2007), trad jazz
Trad jazz, short for "traditional jazz", is a form of jazz in the United States and Britain in the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, played by musicians such as Chris Barber, Acker Bilk, Kenny Ball, Ken Colyer and Monty Sunshine, based on a revival ...
and blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form which originated in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues incorporated spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts, chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads from the Afr ...
singer, art critic and writer
* Jeb Loy Nichols
Jeb Loy Nichols is an American-born singer, songwriter, and musician, who is based in Wales. His music combines elements of soul, Country music, country, Folk music, folk, reggae and blues.
Biography
Jeb Loy Nichols was born in Lander, Wyoming ...
, musician
* Captain Thomas Phillips, slave trader
* Andy Powell
Andrew Powell (born 19 February 1950) is an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He is a founding member of the British band Wishbone Ash, whose use of twin lead guitars was influential.
Early life and career
Powell was born in the East E ...
, Welsh Rugby Union
The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU; cy, Undeb Rygbi Cymru) is the Sports governing body, governing body of rugby union in the country of Wales, recognised by the sport's international governing body, World Rugby.
The WRU is responsible for the running ...
international number eight
* Sam Hobbs
Samuel Francis Hobbs (October 5, 1887 – May 31, 1952) was a United States Representative from Alabama.
Biography
Born in Selma, Alabama, Hobbs attended the public schools, Callaway's Preparatory School, Marion (Alabama) Military Institute ...
, rugby union player with Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Rugby ( cy, Rygbi Caerdydd) are one of the four professional Welsh rugby union teams. They compete in the United Rugby Championship and in European Professional Club Rugby competitions.
Based in Cardiff, the team play at Cardiff Arms ...
* Jessica Allen
Jessica Allen (born 21 August 1989) is a Welsh racing cyclist.
She was born in Brecon After being spotted by the Welsh Talent Team, she was selected for the Olympic Development Programme in 2006. She was British Junior Time Trial Champion in 2 ...
, cyclist
* Roger Glover
Roger David Glover (born 30 November 1945) is a Welsh bassist, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the member of the hard rock bands Deep Purple and Rainbow. As a member of Deep Purple, Glover was inducted into the Rock and Ro ...
, bassist and songwriter with the band Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock music, but their musical style has changed over the course of its existence. Ori ...
* Medicine Head
Medicine Head were a British blues rock band – initially a duo – active in the 1970s. Their biggest single success was in 1973 with " One and One Is One", which reached number 3 on the UK Singles Chart. The group recorded six original albums ...
's Peter Hope-Evans
* Sian Reese-Williams
Sian Reese-Williams (born 18 November 1981) is a Welsh actress, best known for playing detective Cadi John in three series of ''Hidden (2018 TV series), Hidden''.
Early life
Reese-Williams was born in Glanamman, South Wales. She lived in Swan ...
, actress
* Nia Roberts, actress
* Adrian Street
Adrian Street (born 5 December 1940) is a retired Welsh professional wrestler and author known for his flamboyant, androgynous wrestling persona, brought to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s. Street was often accompanied to the ring by his long- ...
, professional wrestler
Town twinning
* Saline, Michigan
Saline ( ') is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 8,948 at the 2020 census. The city borders Saline Township to the southwest, and the two are administered autonomously.
History
Before the 18th century ...
, United States
* Blaubeuren
Blaubeuren () is a town in the district of Alb-Donau near Ulm in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
it had 11,963 inhabitants.
Geography Geographical location
The core city Blaubeuren lies at the foot of the Swabian Jura, west of Ulm.
Neighboring ...
, Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
, Germany (Blaubeuren is twinned with Brecknockshire
, image_flag=
, HQ= Brecon
, Government= Brecknockshire County Council (1889-1974)
, Origin= Brycheiniog
, Status=
, Start= 1535
, End= ...
, which is an area of Powys
Powys (; ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county and Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county in Wales. It is named after the Kingdom of Powys which was a Welsh succession of states, successor state, petty kingdom and princi ...
, rather than with the town of Brecon.)
* Gouesnou
Gouesnou (; br, Gouenoù) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.
International relations
Gouesnou is a satellite town of Brest. Gouesnou is twinned with the town of Brecon in Powys, south Wales enabling ...
, Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
, France
* Dhampus
Dhampus is a village and Village Development Committee in Kaski District in the Gandaki Zone of northern-central Nepal. At the time of the 1991 Nepal census
The 1991 Nepal census was a widespread national census conducted by the Nepal Central B ...
, Kaski District
Kaski District ( ne, कास्की जिल्ला, ), a part of Gandaki Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The name is disambiguated from Kaskikot, the ancient Kaski Kingdom.
The district, with Pokhara as its di ...
, Nepal
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
External links
*
Brecon Town Council website
{{authority control
Towns in Powys
County towns in Wales
Market towns in Wales
Towns with cathedrals in the United Kingdom
River Usk
Former county towns in Wales
sl:HMS Brecon
fi:HMS Brecon