Welshpool ( cy, Y Trallwng) is a market town and
community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, ...
in
Powys
Powys (; ) is a county and preserved county in Wales. It is named after the Kingdom of Powys which was a Welsh successor state, petty kingdom and principality that emerged during the Middle Ages following the end of Roman rule in Britain.
Geog ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
, historically in the
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of
Montgomeryshire
, HQ= Montgomery
, Government= Montgomeryshire County Council (1889–1974)Montgomeryshire District Council (1974–1996)
, Origin=
, Status=
, Start=
, End= ...
. The town is from the
Wales–England border and low-lying on the
River Severn
, name_etymology =
, image = SevernFromCastleCB.JPG
, image_size = 288
, image_caption = The river seen from Shrewsbury Castle
, map = RiverSevernMap.jpg
, map_size = 288
, map_c ...
; its
Welsh language
Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language of the Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut Province, Argentina). Historically, it has ...
name ''Y Trallwng'' means "the marshy or sinking land". The community includes
Cloddiau and
Pool Quay
Pool Quay ( cy, Cei'r Trallwng) is a small village in Powys, Mid Wales.
Location
It is situated on the A483 road, between the towns of Welshpool and Oswestry right on the banks of the river Severn.
Attractions & amenities
Although only a s ...
.
In
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
it was initially known as Pool but its name was changed to Welshpool in 1835 to distinguish it from the English town of
Poole. The community had a population of 6,664 (as of the
2011 United Kingdom census), with the town having 5,948. It contains much
Georgian architecture and is just north of
Powis Castle
Powis Castle ( cy, Castell Powys) is a British medieval castle, fortress and grand country house near Welshpool, in Powys. The seat of the Herbert family, Earls of Powis, the castle is known for its formal gardens and for its interiors, the fo ...
.
History
![Golden chalice in Welch Pool Church, 1794](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Golden_chalice_in_Welch_Pool_Church%2C_1794.jpg)
St Cynfelin is reputed to be the founder of two churches in the town, St Mary's and St Cynfelin's, during "the age of the saints in Wales" in the 5th and 6th centuries.
The parish of Welshpool roughly coincides with the medieval
commote
A commote (Welsh ''cwmwd'', sometimes spelt in older documents as ''cymwd'', plural ''cymydau'', less frequently ''cymydoedd'')''Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru'' (University of Wales Dictionary), p. 643 was a secular division of land in Medieval Wales ...
of
Ystrad Marchell
Ystrad Marchell sometimes Strad Marchell ( en, Vale of Marchell) was a medieval commote (''cwmwd'') in the cantref of Ystlyg in the Kingdom of Powys. It roughly coincides with the parish of Welshpool.
It lay at the east of the kingdom, borderin ...
in the
cantref of
Ystlyg
Ystlyg ( en, possibly curve or open country) was a medieval cantref in the Kingdom of Powys. It lay at the east of the kingdom on the border with England. It consisted of the commotes (''cymydau'') of Deuddwr in the north, Ystrad Marchell in the ...
in the
Kingdom of Powys
The Kingdom of Powys ( cy, Teyrnas Powys; la, Regnum Poysiae) was a Welsh successor state, petty kingdom and principality that emerged during the Middle Ages following the end of Roman rule in Britain. It very roughly covered the northern t ...
.
The
Long Mountain, which plays as a backdrop to most of Welshpool, once served as the ultimate grounds for defence for fortresses in the times when the town was just a swampy marsh.
Welshpool served briefly as the capital of
Powys Wenwynwyn
Powys Wenwynwyn or Powys Cyfeiliog was a Welsh kingdom which existed during the high Middle Ages. The realm was the southern portion of the former princely state of Powys which split following the death of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys in 1160: the ...
or South Powys after its prince was forced to flee the traditional Welsh royal site at
Mathrafal
Mathrafal near Welshpool, in Powys, Mid Wales, was the seat of the Kings and Princes of Powys probably from the 9th century until its destruction in 1213 by Prince Llywelyn the Great.
Location
On the banks of the River Banwy, just above its c ...
in 1212, by the prince of
Gwynedd; assistance from the English crown (enemies of the Gwynedd prince) restored the Wenwynwyn dynasty to their lands. Further disputes with Gwynedd again brought in the English; in 1284, the family strengthened their hold on Powys Wenwynwyn by converting it into a
marcher lordship
A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales.
A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in ...
(via ''surrender and re-grant'') - the Lordship of Powys. Owain, the heir to the former principality, called himself
Owen de la Pole
Owen de la Pole (c. 1257 – c. 1293), also known as Owain ap Gruffydd ap Gwenwynwyn, was the heir presumptive to the Welsh principality of Powys Wenwynwyn until 1283 when it was abolished by the Parliament of Shrewsbury. He became the 1st Lord o ...
, after the town.
The town was devastated by the forces of
Owain Glyndŵr (heir to
Powys Fadog
Powys Fadog (English: ''Lower Powys'' or ''Madog's Powys'') was the northern portion of the former princely realm of Powys, which split in two following the death of Madog ap Maredudd in 1160. The realm was divided under Welsh law, with Madog's ...
- North Powys) in 1400 at the start of his rebellion against the English king
Henry IV. Today, the waymarked, 135-mile
long-distance footpath
A long-distance trail (or long-distance footpath, track, way, greenway (landscape), greenway) is a longer recreational trail mainly through rural areas used for hiking, backpacking (wilderness), backpacking, cycling, horse riding or cross-cou ...
and
National Trail
National Trails are long distance footpaths and bridleways in England and Wales. They are administered by Natural England, a statutory agency of the UK government, and Natural Resources Wales (successor body to the Countryside Council for Wal ...
,
Glyndŵr's Way
Glyndŵr's Way ( cy, Llwybr Glyndŵr) is a long-distance footpath in mid Wales. It runs for in an extended loop through Powys between Knighton and Welshpool, and anchored on Machynlleth to the west.
History
Its name derives from the early ...
, ends in Pont Howell Park, alongside the
Montgomery Canal
The Montgomery Canal ( cy, Camlas Trefaldwyn), known colloquially as "The Monty", is a partially restored canal in eastern Powys and northwest Shropshire. The canal runs from the Llangollen Canal at Frankton Junction to Newtown via Llanym ...
.
In 1411 the
priest
A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...
at the church St Mary's was
Adam of Usk
Adam of Usk ( cy, Adda o Frynbuga, c. 1352–1430) was a Welsh priest, canonist, and late medieval historian and chronicler. His writings were hostile to King Richard II of England.
Patronage
Born at Usk in what is now Monmouthshire (Sir Fynwy) ...
.
Population
The
population
Population typically refers to the number of people in a single area, whether it be a city or town, region, country, continent, or the world. Governments typically quantify the size of the resident population within their jurisdiction using a ...
of Welshpool has been rising since 2001.
Historic buildings
St Mary's Church is a Grade I listed building. The original church dated from about 1250, there are remains of this church in the lower courses of the church tower. The nave was rebuilt in the 16th century, and the whole building was substantially restored in 1871. The 15th century chancel ceiling may have come from
Strata Marcella
The Abbey of Strata Marcella ( cy, Abaty Ystrad Marchell) was a medieval Cistercian monastery situated at Ystrad Marchell (''Strata Marcella'' being the Latinised form of the Welsh name) on the west bank of the River Severn near Welshpool, Powys ...
Abbey, about away, and a stone in the churchyard is said to have been part of the abbot's throne. A memorial in the church commemorates
Bishop William Morgan, translator of the Bible into Welsh, who was the vicar from 1575 to 1579.
The Mermaid Inn, 28 High Street, was very probably an early 16th-century merchant's house, placed on a
burgage
Burgage is a medieval land term used in Great Britain and Ireland, well established by the 13th century.
A burgage was a town ("borough" or "burgh") rental property (to use modern terms), owned by a king or lord. The property ("burgage tenement ...
plot between the High Street and Alfred Jones Court. The timber-framed building has long storehouse or wing to the rear. The frontage was remodelled 1890, by
Frank H. Shayler, architect, of Shrewsbury. Early illustrations of the building show that prior to this it had a thatched roof and that the timbering was not exposed. There is a passage to side with heavy box-framing in square panels, with brick infill exposed in side elevation and in rear wing. The frontage was exposed by Shayler to show decorative timber work on the upper storey. An Inn by the 19th century when it was owned by a family named Sparrow.
There is an octagonal brick cockpit in New Street, which was built in the early 18th century and was in continual use for
cockfighting
A cockfight is a blood sport, held in a ring called a cockpit. The history of raising fowl for fighting goes back 6,000 years. The first documented use of the ''word'' gamecock, denoting use of the cock as to a "game", a sport, pastime or ente ...
until the practice was outlawed by the
Cruelty to Animals Act 1849
The Cruelty to Animals Act 1849The citation of this Act by this short title was authorised by the Short Titles Act 1896, section 1 and the first schedule. Due to the repeal of those provisions it is now authorised by section 19(2) of the Interpre ...
. , it is the home of the town's
Women's Institute
The Women's Institute (WI) is a community-based organisation for women in the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. The movement was founded in Stoney Creek, Ontario, Canada, by Erland and Janet Lee with Adelaide Hoodless being the ...
.
Welshpool Town Hall
Welshpool Town Hall ( cy, Neuadd y Dref Y Trallwng), is a municipal building in Broad Street, Welshpool, Powys, Wales. The structure, which is the meeting place of Welshpool Town Council, is a Grade II listed building.
History
The first munic ...
, which was completed in 1874, is a Grade II listed building.
Transport
Welshpool railway station
, symbol_location = gb
, symbol = rail
, image = File:The old station at Welshpool (geograph 2299927).jpg
, borough = Welshpool, Powys
, country = Wales
, coordinates =
, gri ...
is on the
Cambrian Line and is served by
Transport for Wales
Transport for Wales (TfW; cy, Trafnidiaeth Cymru; cy, TrC, label=none) is a not-for-profit company owned by the Welsh Government and managed at arms length by its appointed board. TfW oversees the Transport for Wales Group (TfW Group) consi ...
. The town is also the starting point of the
Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway
The Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway (W&LLR) ( cy, Rheilffordd y Trallwng a Llanfair Caereinion) is a narrow gauge heritage railway in Powys, Wales. The line is around long and runs westwards from the town of Welshpool ( cy, Y Trallwng) ...
, a narrow-gauge
heritage railway popular with tourists, with its terminus station at
Raven Square. The light railway once ran through the town to the Cambrian Line railway station, but today Raven Square, located on the western edge of the town, is the eastern terminus of the line.
A small network of bus services link surrounding towns and villages, mainly operated by
Tanat Valley Coaches. Notable is service No X75, serving
Shrewsbury to the east and
Newtown and
Llanidloes to the south west, also service No D71 to
Oswestry via Guilsfield and
Llanymynech. In addition there is a local town service operated by Owen's Coaches. The semi-disused
Montgomery Canal
The Montgomery Canal ( cy, Camlas Trefaldwyn), known colloquially as "The Monty", is a partially restored canal in eastern Powys and northwest Shropshire. The canal runs from the Llangollen Canal at Frankton Junction to Newtown via Llanym ...
also runs through Welshpool. To the south of the town is
Welshpool Airport
Welshpool Airport ( cy, Maes Awyr y Trawllng; also known as ''Mid-Wales Airport'') is located south of Welshpool, Powys, Wales.
It has a CAA Ordinary Licence (Number P865) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for fly ...
which is also known as the Mid Wales Airport. Three major trunk roads pass through Welshpool: the
A458,
A483
The A483, officially described as the Swansea to Manchester Trunk Road, although now ending in Chester, is a major road in the United Kingdom. It runs from Swansea in Wales to Chester in England via Llandovery, Llandrindod Wells, Oswestry and W ...
and the
A490.
Economy
The local economy is primarily based upon agriculture and local industry. The Smithfield Livestock Market is the largest one-day sheep market in Europe. Market days are on Mondays.
The town's industrial estates are home to numerous different types of small industry, ranging from metal to food production. Due to the town's small size and population the attraction of high street stores and stores that cut keys is limited, meaning that many of the residents prefer to shop in neighbouring towns like
Shrewsbury. However Welshpool remains an important hub serving its agricultural hinterland. The town is home to the headquarters of the
Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust and the
Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust
The Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust (CPAT) ( cy, Ymddiriedolaeth Archeolegol Clwyd-Powys (YACP)) is an educational charity which was established in 1975. Its objective is ‘to advance the education of the public in archaeology’. CPAT is one of ...
.
Education
The town is the home of Ardwyn Nursery and Infants School, Oldford Nursery and Infants School, Gungrog Nursery and Infants School, Maes-y-dre Primary School.
Welshpool High School is a
secondary school which teaches a range of pupils from ages 11–18 and has a good
standard of education throughout Key Stage 3 and 4 and
GCSE studies.
Sport
Welshpool has a
football club (
Welshpool Town F.C.
Welshpool Football Club ( cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Y Trallwng) is a football team, based in Welshpool, playing in the Mid Wales Football League.
The club was founded as Welshpool Football Club on 28 August 1877 following a meeting at the National Sch ...
) and a
rugby union
Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...
club (
Welshpool Rugby Football Club). The football club was jointly managed for a period in the late 2010s by Chris Roberts and Neil Pryce but with little success. The town also has
hockey
Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...
and
cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by str ...
clubs. The Montgomeryshire Marauders Rugby League Club are also nominally based in Welshpool, as this is where the majority of their home fixtures take place.
Notable people
*
William Morgan (1545-1604) - Bible translator, Vicar of Welshpool 1575-79, ultimately
Bishop of St Asaph
*
William Herbert Waring (1885 in Welshpool-1918),
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
recipient in World War I.
*
Ian Hutchinson (1964 in Welshpool- ) - county cricketer for
Middlesex
Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...
and
Shropshire
Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to ...
.
Gallery
File:Mermaid Inn, Welshpool.jpg, Mermaid Inn, Welshpool
File:Montgomeryshire War Weapons Week (1511246) 1.jpg, Troops in Welshpool during Montgomeryshire War Weapons Week, 1941
File:Welch Pool, 1794.jpg, Welshpool, 1794
Notes
External links
Photos of Welshpool and surrounding area on geograph.org.uk*
*
Welshpool Seven Stars Halt railway station
Seven Stars Halt railway station was located in the streets of Welshpool on the corner of Union Street. Seven Stars was an unstaffed request halt on the narrow gauge Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway. It had a single ground level platform on ...
Welshpool's Seven Stars Halt.
{{Authority control
Populated places on the River Severn
Towns in Powys
Towns of the Welsh Marches
Communities in Powys