Rhydypennau is a
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
in the
Genau'r-glyn district of
Ceredigion
Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cere ...
, Wales, approximately north-east of
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...
. Along with the village of
Pen-y-garn, Rhydypennau is now often considered to be part of the neighbouring village of
Bow Street
Bow Street is a thoroughfare in Covent Garden, Westminster, London. It connects Long Acre, Russell Street and Wellington Street, and is part of a route from St Giles to Waterloo Bridge.
The street was developed in 1633 by Francis Russell, 4 ...
. All three places stretch in a long narrow strip along the main Aberystwyth to Machynlleth road (
A487
The A487, officially the Fishguard to Bangor Trunk Road, is a trunk road in Wales that follows the coast from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in the south, to Bangor, Gwynedd, in the north.
Route
The road starts at a junction with the A40 in ...
).
Toponymy
In his memoirs about growing up in Llanfihangel Geneu’r Glyn (
Llandre
Llandre, or Llanfihangel Genau'r Glyn, is a village in Ceredigion, Wales. It lies 5 miles north of Aberystwyth in the north-west of the county, on the road from Rhydypennau to Borth. To the north of the community lies the village of Dôl-y-bo ...
), Pen-y-garn and Bow Street, Tom Macdonald (1900–80) recalls that the local pronunciation of Rhydypennau was ‘Rhypenne’.
Archaeology
An early
Bronze-age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second prin ...
copper thin-butted flat axe was found to the north-east of Rhydypennau Bridge. The axe has one smooth face, which is slightly hammered along its edges, whilst the other is irregular and shows traces of tooling.
[''Cardiganshire County History'', Vol 1 (1994), p. 217; Sambrook, Paul & Hall, Jenny, ''Arolwg Cymunedol Llandre Community Audit'', p. 33; National Monuments Record of Wales NPRN No. 405446]
Services
Rhydypennau is centred on the junction of the A487 with the road towards
Llandre
Llandre, or Llanfihangel Genau'r Glyn, is a village in Ceredigion, Wales. It lies 5 miles north of Aberystwyth in the north-west of the county, on the road from Rhydypennau to Borth. To the north of the community lies the village of Dôl-y-bo ...
and
Borth
Borth ( cy, Y Borth) is a village and seaside resort in Ceredigion, Mid Wales, 7 miles (11 km) north of Aberystwyth on the Ceredigion Coast Path. The community includes the settlement of Ynyslas. The population was 1,399 in 2011. From bein ...
. As well as a few houses, there is the Rhyd-y-Pennau Inn, Rhydypennau Garage, the Pennau craft centre, and Rhydypennau Farm.
The old Rhydypennau School (which was closed in the late 1990s) overlooks the hamlet, whilst the present Rhydypennau school,
Ysgol Rhydypennau, is located in Pen-y-garn.
Bow Street Football Club's ground, Cae Piod, is also at Rhydypennau.
Notable residents
*
T. Ifor Rees (1890–1977), author of travel books and ambassador
References
External links
1891 First Ed. 6" Ordnance Survey Map showing ''Rhyd-y-pennau''
{{authority control
Villages in Ceredigion