Bethel is a village in Gwynedd, Wales. It lies east of

Caernarfon Caernarfon (; ) is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is ...

on the B4366 road. Bethel Primary School is located in the village. The population of Bethel electoral ward was measured in the 2011 Census, and found to be 1,395. The village population is 1,171 with 87.3% having some form of Welsh identity one of the highest figures in the north of Wales.

Welsh Language

According to the 2011 UK Census, 85.8% of the electoral ward's population could speak Welsh. 40.2% of the population born outside Wales can speak Welsh - the highest figure in Gwynedd. 93.7% of the population who were born in Wales could speak Welsh.

Ysgol Gynradd Bethel

Ysgol Gynradd Bethel is the main serving

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 ...

for most children from Bethel, the

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, ...

Llanddeiniolen Llanddeiniolen (; ; ) is a hamlet and name of a community in the county of Gwynedd, Wales, and is from Cardiff and from London. It comprises the villages of Deiniolen, Bethel, Dinorwig, Rhiwlas, Brynrefail and Penisarwaun, and is the t ...

and the surrounding rural areas. The school educates children aged between 3–11 years old. In 2015, the school had 153 pupils on roll. Welsh is the school's main language medium. According to the last inspection conducted by

Estyn Estyn is the education and training inspectorate for Wales. Its name comes from the Welsh language verb ''estyn'' meaning "to reach (out), stretch or extend". Its function is to provide an independent inspection and advice service on quality ...

in 2019, approximately 90% of the pupils spoke Welsh at home. In 2015, approximately 96% of pupils were fluent in Welsh. Ysgol Gynradd Bethel was previously named Bethel British School and was located on a different site. The old school was opened on 11 April 1864 with 71 pupils. In October 1881 the school was reopened, with the current name.

Sport

Bethel Juniors Football Club is one of the most successful junior clubs in North Wales, producing many players who go on to play at Academy level. In the 2009/10 season, the under 16s became only the second Gwyrfai League team to win the North Wales Coast F.A. Cup, beating Towyn Rangers in the final 2–1 at Denbigh Town F.C.

Notable people

Selwyn Griffith Selwyn Griffith (1928 – 10 August 2011) was a Welsh language poet and the Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales, known by the bardic name Selwyn Iolen. Selwyn Iolen was born in Bethel, near Caernarfon in 1928 and lived in the area thr ...

(1928–2011), bardic name ''Selwyn Iolen'',

Archdruid Archdruid () is the title used by the presiding official of Gorsedd Cymru, the Gorsedd. The Archdruid presides over the most important ceremonies at the National Eisteddfod of Wales including the Crowning of the Bard, the award of the and the C ...

for the National Eisteddfod, 2005-2008. * Angharad Price (born 1972), a Welsh academic, novelist and recipient of the Glyndŵr Award

References

External links

www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Bethel and surrounding area
{{Authority control Llanddeiniolen