Charles III
55-571: Aberdyfi ( Welsh pronunciation: [abɛrˈdəvi] ), also known as Aberdovey ( / æ b ə r ˈ d ʌ v iː / a-bər- DUH -vee ), is a village and community in Gwynedd , Wales , located on the northern side of the estuary of the River Dyfi . The population of the community was 878 at the 2011 census. The electoral ward had a larger population of 1,282 and includes the community of Pennal . Founded by shipbuilding , Aberdyfi
110-715: A Welsh ally of the English kings, was imprisoned here from 1404 to 1412 for attempting to assassinate Owain Glyndŵr . After his release by Glyndŵr, ransomed Gam fought alongside Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt and is named amongst the dead in Shakespeare 's Henry V . The name Royal House undoubtedly refers to the tradition that Charles I stayed at the house in 1643. The weekly market and biannual fair thrived, and in 1613 drew complaints from other towns whose trading in cloth
165-572: A bridge at the toune of Mathanlleth". By 1601 "Dovey bridge in the Hundred of Mochunleth" was reported to be insufficient, and the current one was built in 1805 for £250. Fenton describes it in 1809 as "A noble erection of five large arches. The piers are narrow and over each cut-water is a pilaster, a common feature of the 18th century". Rowland Pugh was the Lord of Meirionedd, and lived at Mathafarn about two miles east of Machynlleth. Pugh supported
220-481: A centre of performing arts in an old chapel, a private initiative by former journalist Andrew Lambert. In 1994 this was expanded with a new complex of art galleries, a recording studio and a language laboratory. Lambert had previously tried to convert the town's old railway station into a hotel and museum, employing international architect Richard Rogers . MoMA Wales hosts the annual Machynlleth Festival , as well as its own annual open exhibition of art. Machynlleth
275-544: A large amount of coverage in the UK media. In 1846 Mary Cornelia, the daughter of a local landowner Sir John Edwards married Viscount Seaham , the second son of the third Marquess of Londonderry and they set up home at Plas Machynlleth . Seaham became Earl Vane on the death of his father and the fifth Marquess on the death of his half-brother . To celebrate the 21st birthday of the Seahams’ eldest son, Viscount Castlereagh ,
330-459: A move thought to be unprecedented for a community council of its size, Machynlleth Town Council took ownership of the Plas and its parkland and facilities. It has reopened the restaurant by leasing it to a local licensee, and the 1st and 2nd floors of the main building are rented out as office space. Medium-sized meeting rooms and conference space are also offered for hire. Machynlleth railway station
385-470: A number of years; however initial predictions of visitor numbers proved to be too ambitious, and the council was unwilling to prolong its subsidy. With little scope for alternative investment, Celtica closed in March 2006, and the house stood empty while Powys County Council sought to relinquish responsibility for it in line with their policy of selling many of their publicly owned buildings. On 1 April 2008, in
440-439: A population of 2,147, rising to 2,235 in 2011. It is sometimes referred to colloquially as Mach . Machynlleth was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr 's Welsh Parliament in 1404, and as such claims to be the "ancient capital of Wales". However, it has never held any official recognition as a capital. It applied for city status in 2000 and 2002, but was unsuccessful. It is twinned with Belleville, Michigan . Machynlleth hosted
495-664: Is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest tier of local government in Wales . Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England but, unlike English parishes, communities cover the whole of Wales. There are 878 communities in Wales. Until 1974 Wales was divided into civil parishes . These were abolished by section 20 (6) of the Local Government Act 1972 , and replaced by communities by section 27 of
550-680: Is by the A493 , with Tywyn four miles to the north and Machynlleth 11 miles to the east. The village is on the Cambrian Coast railway line and has two railway stations, Aberdovey and Penhelig . Trains on the Cambrian Line are operated by Transport for Wales . The local bus service is operated by Lloyds Coaches with services to Tywyn , where a connection can be made for Dolgellau , and to Machynlleth , where connections are available to Aberystwyth . A ferry used to operate across
605-427: Is closely linked to the legend of the submerged lost kingdom of Cantre'r Gwaelod (English: Lowland Hundred ) beneath Cardigan Bay , and bells which, it is said, can be heard ringing beneath the water at the beach. The Bells of Aberdovey ( Welsh : Clychau Aberdyfi ) is a well-known song referring to this legend. This song first appeared in the English opera Liberty Hall in 1785, written by Charles Dibdin , and
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#1732783707038660-463: Is not thought to be a traditional folk-song as Welsh words were written by John Ceiriog Hughes , during the 19th century. The legend and the song have inspired local cultural projects involving bells. A new chime of bells was installed in September 1936 in the tower of St Peter's Church, which overlooks the harbour. The ten bells, tuned in the key of A flat, were specifically designed to allow
715-422: Is now a seaside resort with a high quality beach . The centre is on the river and seafront, around the original harbour, jetty and beach; it stretches back from the coast and up the steep hillside in the midst of typical Welsh coastal scenery of steep green hills and sheep farms. Penhelig railway station ( Welsh : Penhelyg ) is in the eastern part of the village. Being less than 100 miles (160 km) from
770-443: Is situated on the river front. The deeds of 1923 state it was established in perpetuity as "a non-sectarian, non-political place of recreation, education and social intercourse including ... reading rooms, writing rooms, library, billiard rooms, concert rooms ..." Neuadd Dyfi is a community hall, conference centre and theatre owned by the village for village activities. It caters for a range of local organisations and events. Aberdyfi
825-630: Is the Royal charter granted in 1291 by Edward I to Owen de la Pole , Lord of Powys. This gave him the right to hold "a market at Machynlleth every Wednesday for ever and two fairs every year". The Wednesday market is still a busy and popular day in Machynlleth 700 years later. The Royal House , which stands on the corner of the Garsiwn , is another of the mediaeval houses that can still be seen today. According to local tradition, Dafydd Gam ,
880-483: Is the home of Ecodyfi, a locally controlled organisation that was set up to foster and support a greener community and economy in the Dyfi Valley. The Centre for Alternative Technology is based in a disused quarry three miles from Machynlleth. In December 2019 Machynlleth council was the first in Wales to declare a climate emergency . There are two tiers of local government covering Machynlleth: In both
935-696: The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 and the Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 . Machynlleth Machynlleth ( pronounced [maˈχənɬɛθ] ) is a market town , community and electoral ward in Powys , Wales and within the historic boundaries of Montgomeryshire . It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads. At the 2001 Census it had
990-574: The National Eisteddfod in 1937 and 1981. The etymology of the name Machynlleth derives from maes [field, plain] and Cynllaith . The ending 's' of maes is the cause of the 'c' of Cynllaith becoming 'ch': maes cynllaith > machynlleth reflecting a standard phonological development in Welsh. There is a long history of human activity in the Machynlleth area. In the late 1990s, radiocarbon dating showed that copper
1045-755: The Royalist side in the English Civil War . On 2 November 1644, Sir Thomas Myddleton of Chirk Castle was marching on Machynlleth with a force of the Parliamentarian army, when he was ambushed by a force organised by Pugh. In retaliation for the attack, Myddleton burned down Mathafarn on 29 November 1644, along with a number of houses in Machynlleth. Laura Ashley 's first shop was opened in Machynlleth (at 35 Maengwyn Street) in 1961. The disappearance of April Jones in October 2012 received
1100-584: The Senedd and the UK House of Commons , Machynlleth sits within the Montgomeryshire constituency, whose MS and MP are Conservatives Russell George and Craig Williams respectively. Machynlleth was an ancient parish in the historic county of Montgomeryshire . When elected parish and district councils were established in 1894, the parish was made an urban district . The Machynlleth Urban District
1155-592: The West Midlands , the area is popular with tourists. 43.3% of houses in the village are holiday homes. The village is located within the Snowdonia National Park . In the 2011 census , 38.5% of the population of Aberdyfi ward identified themselves as Welsh (or combined). 59.4% of the population were born outside Wales. According to the 2021 census , 43.3% could speak Welsh with an increase of 0.7% from last time. The anglicised spelling for
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#17327837070381210-823: The Aberdovey Golf Club is Aberdyfi Football club boasting one of the best football pitches in Mid-Wales. The football team won the Welsh Amateur Cup Competition in 1934. The Aberdyfi Rowing Club rows in the Dyfi Estuary and Cardigan Bay and takes part in races all round the coast of Wales and internationally. They row 24’ long Celtic longboats, with four rowers (each with one oar) and a cox. They have three of these traditional Welsh boats with fixed seats and use these for races in Wales. The Aberdovey Literary Institute, founded in 1882,
1265-479: The Crown . In Wales, all town councils are community councils. There are now three communities with city status: Bangor , St Asaph and St Davids . The chair of a town council or city council will usually have the title mayor (Welsh: maer ). However, not every community has a council. In communities with populations too small to sustain a full community council, community meetings may be established. The communities in
1320-542: The Dyfi estuary. She was unable to leave for 10 days because of the wind and could not be boarded as no suitable boats were available. An attempt to burn her was frustrated by winds and when she did leave she ended up being captured by a waiting English fleet off the Cornish coast. In the 1700s, the village grew with the appearance of several of the inns still in current use (The Dovey Hotel, Britannia and Penhelig Arms). Copper
1375-668: The Machynlleth Comedy Festival annually since May 2010, featuring comedians such as Jon Richardson , Pappy's , Josie Long , Stewart Lee and Richard Herring . The festival dominates the town for a weekend, with events running over three days in nine venues. Machynlleth lies on Glyndŵr's Way and the Dyfi Valley Way , two long-distance footpaths . Machynlleth is the home of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Wales . It originated in 1986 as Y Tabernacl ,
1430-667: The Opposition Andrew RT Davies MS ( C ) Shadow Cabinet ( current ) Prime Minister Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP ( L ) Secretary of State for Wales Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP (L) Principal councils ( leader list ) Corporate Joint Committees Local twinning see also: Regional terms and Regional economy United Kingdom Parliament elections European Parliament elections (1979–2020) Local elections Police and crime commissioner elections Referendums A community ( Welsh : cymuned )
1485-565: The River Dyfi to Ynyslas . The last ferryman was Ellis Williams . Popular recreational activities focus on the beach and watersports , such as windsurfing , kitesurfing , fishing , crabbing , sailing , and canoeing on the estuary. The Dovey Yacht Club has a prominent position on the river front of the village. It was founded in 1949 and helped develop the popularity of the GP14 dinghy class. It organises races for dinghies throughout
1540-666: The United Kingdom. Bugail Aberdyfi (the Shepherd of Aberdovey) is a poem written by John Ceiriog Hughes which has been set to music and recorded by several singers including Bryn Terfel . The children's novel, Silver on the Tree , by Susan Cooper , the final book of The Dark is Rising , is largely set around Aberdyfi, with many references to local landmarks. The novel, Megan's Game by Tony Drury, published in 2012, contains many references to Aberdyfi, surrounding areas and
1595-532: The centre of the village, Pen-y-Bryn, has been claimed to be the site of fortifications in the 1150s, which were soon destroyed. The site of Aberdyfi Castle however is usually said to be at the motte earthworks further up the opposite side of the river near Glandyfi . During the Spanish Armada of 1597 , a Spanish ship, the Bear of Amsterdam missed her objective at Milford Haven and ended up having entered
1650-772: The community boundaries within their area every fifteen years. The councils propose changes to the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales , which prepares a report and makes recommendations to the Welsh Government . If the Welsh Government accepts the recommendations, then it implements them using a statutory instrument . For example, in 2016 four new communities were created in the City and County of Cardiff . The legislation surrounding community councils in Wales has been amended significantly in
1705-467: The house. The £3 million attraction was part-funded by the European Union . The centre had a high-profile in the Welsh media, with opera singer Bryn Terfel officially opening the attraction in October 1995. Powys County Council took over Celtica and the house when it was formed as a unitary authority in 1997. The centre was successful in attracting tourists, school groups and conferences for
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1760-531: The legend of The Bells of Aberdovey . Community (Wales) Heir Apparent William, Prince of Wales First Minister ( list ) Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS ( L ) Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MS ( L ) Counsel General-designate – Elisabeth Jones Chief Whip and Trefnydd – Jane Hutt MS (L) Permanent Secretary Sixth Senedd Llywydd (Presiding Officer) Elin Jones MS ( PC ) Leader of
1815-463: The playing of The Bells of Aberdovey and are played from a mechanical carillon inside the church. In 2010 an art installation was commissioned from sculptor Marcus Vergette as a homage to The Bells of Aberdovey . The work is a bronze time-and-tide bell suspended beneath the pier which is rung by the action of water at high tide. It was installed in July 2011 and is one of several such bells around
1870-473: The population have some knowledge of Welsh, with 39% able to read, write and speak the language. Machynlleth has a special role in Welsh history because of its connection with Owain Glyndŵr , a Prince of Wales who rebelled against the English during the reign of King Henry IV . Owain was crowned Prince of Wales in 1404 near the Parliament House, which is one of three mediaeval houses in town, in
1925-493: The presence of leaders from Scotland , France and Spain , and he held his own Parliament in the town. He held his last parliament in the nearby village of Pennal , by the Church of St Peter ad Vincula . It is thought that after the rebellion floundered, Owain went into hiding in the area around Machynlleth. The town has a market on Wednesdays which includes traditional Welsh, Spanish and French food stalls. The town has hosted
1980-523: The road approaching the town from the north. Machynlleth is served by two TrawsCymru long-distance bus routes. The T2 connects the town with Bangor to the north and continues to Aberystwyth, where connections can be made to South Wales. There is also the T12 which runs to Wrexham , via Newtown; this is branded as TrawsCymru Connect . Machynlleth retains its linguistic tradition, with Welsh spoken alongside English . The 2011 Census indicated that 67% of
2035-487: The same Act. The principal areas of Wales are divided entirely into communities. Unlike in England, where unparished areas exist, no part of Wales is outside a community, even in urban areas . Most, but not all, communities are administered by community councils , which are equivalent to English parish councils in terms of their powers and the way they operate. Welsh community councils may call themselves town councils unilaterally and may have city status granted by
2090-814: The same name stretches inland along the A494 road and includes Pennal community. The total population of the ward taken at the 2011 census was 1,282. Chapels in Aberdyfi include the Welsh Calvinistic Methodist chapel, the English Presbyterian chapel, the Wesleyan Methodist chapel, and the Welsh Independent congregational chapel. The Anglican ( Church in Wales ) is St Peter's. Road access to Aberdyfi
2145-467: The season on the estuary of the River Dyfi . The Aberdovey Golf Club, founded in 1892, is a famous 18 hole links course located near the railway station. It is world-renowned, having been described frequently and lyrically in the press by Bernard Darwin , the famed golf writer, who was a notable member of the club. In 1895, it was the location of the first Welsh Golfing Union Championship. Current members include Ian Woosnam and Peter Baker . Located by
2200-446: The town was served by the narrow gauge Corris Railway , which brought slate from the quarries around Corris and Aberllefenni for onward despatch to the markets. The railway's original station, Machynlleth Town was on Brickfield Street, and operated from about 1860 to about 1874. It was replaced by a new station , opened in 1874, next to the mainline station. A new station building was built in 1905, and can still be seen alongside
2255-587: The townspeople in December 1948 under the stewardship of the then Machynlleth Urban District Council. Various local government re-organisations saw responsibility for the Plas pass first to Montgomeryshire District Council, who in 1995 converted it into the Celtica visitor centre . Celtica interpreted the history and culture of the Celts with a walk-through audio-visual exhibition housed in a purpose-built addition to
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2310-399: The townspeople paid for the clock tower which stands at the town's main road intersection. Erected on the site of the old town hall, it has become the symbol of the town. The foundation stone was laid on 15 July 1874 amid great festivities. The clock tower, designed by Henry Kennedy of Bangor and now a Grade II listed monument, cost £800; the townspeople raised £1,000, of which the remainder
2365-668: The two spellings interchangeably e.g. the BBC or under different circumstances e.g. the Aberdyfi Community Council. Local tradition suggests that the Romans established a track into the area as part of the military occupation of Wales around AD78. The strategic location in mid-Wales was the site of several conferences between north and south Wales princes in 540, 1140, and for the Council of Aberdyfi in 1216. The hill in
2420-551: The urban areas of the cities of Cardiff , Swansea and Newport do not have community councils. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census , there were 869 communities in Wales. 84 percent, or more than 730, have a council. They vary in size from Rhayader with an area of 13,945 hectares (34,460 acres) to Cefn Fforest with an area of 64 hectares (160 acres). They ranged in population from Barry with 45,053 recorded inhabitants to Baglan Bay with no permanent residents. The twenty-two principal area councils are required to review
2475-613: The village and community is Aberdovey . The Welsh Aberdyfi is now widely used locally and by the Gwynedd Council and the Welsh Government . The body responsible for providing advice on the standard forms of Welsh place-names, the Welsh Language Commissioner , recommends Aberdyfi to be the standard form for use in both English and Welsh. Some entities continue to use the anglicisation e.g. some local businesses in their name and/or address and some use
2530-576: Was abolished in 1974, with its area instead becoming a community. District-level functions passed to Montgomery District Council , which in turn was abolished in 1996 and its functions passed to Powys County Council. Machynlleth Town Football Club, founded in 1885, plays in the Spar Mid-Wales district league and the reserve team is in the Cambrian Tyres Division 2 Amateur football league. The Machynlleth Rugby Club plays in
2585-511: Was being mined in the Early Bronze Age ( c. 2,750 years ago), within 1 mile (1.6 km) of the town centre. The Romans settled in the area; they built a fort at Cefn Caer, near Pennal , 2.5 miles (4 km) west of Machynlleth, and are reputed to have had two look-out posts above the town at Bryn-y-gog and Wylfa , and another fort, called Maglona, at Machynlleth. One of the earliest written references to Machynlleth
2640-525: Was being severely affected. A document dated 1632 shows that animals for sale came from all over Merionethshire , Montgomeryshire , Cardiganshire , Carmarthenshire and Denbighshire , and prospective buyers came from Flintshire , Radnorshire , Brecknockshire , Herefordshire and Shropshire , in addition to the above. The Dyfi Bridge ( Welsh : Pont ar Ddyfi ) was first mentioned in 1533, by Geoffrey Hughes, "Citizen and Merchant taylour of London" who left £6 13s 4d (ten marks ) "towards making of
2695-701: Was built by the Newtown and Machynlleth Railway ; it provides services to Aberystwyth and the Cambrian coast to the west, and Newtown and Shrewsbury to the east. Services are operated by Transport for Wales . The town is home to the signalling centre that controls the European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) on the Cambrian Line . The system went into full operational use in March 2011. From 1859 to 1948,
2750-411: Was built in 1887, with railway lines connecting it with the wharf and the main line. The Aberdyfi & Waterford Steamship Company imported livestock from Ireland which were then taken further by the railway. Coal, limestone and timber were also imported. Local coastal shipping links with Liverpool were strong, with many Aberdyfi men sailing on international voyages from Liverpool. The SS Dora
2805-552: Was ferried across the river, as the line to Dovey Junction and then Machynlleth was not completed until 1867. Due to public demand, this section had to use a long tunnel behind the village centre, and further major earthworks and tunnels were needed along the bank of the river. This line, which became part of the Cambrian Railways , and later the Great Western Railway , is particularly scenic. A jetty
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#17327837070382860-519: Was mined in the present Copperhill Street, and lead in Penhelig ( Welsh : Penhelyg ). In the 1800s, Aberdyfi was at its peak as a port. Major exports were slate and oak bark . Ship building was based in seven shipyards in Penhelig where 45 sailing ships were built between 1840 and 1880. The railway came to the village in 1863 built by the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway . The first train
2915-434: Was one of the last ships trading between Aberdyfi and Liverpool and was scuttled, with no loss of life, by a German submarine in 1917. The jetty and wharf continued in commercial use for coal until 1959. After prolonged negotiations, redevelopments from 1968 to 1971, including rebuilding the jetty, led to their present use mainly for recreational purposes. Some local fishing still occurs. The first ever Outward Bound centre
2970-516: Was opened in the village in 1941. Many of their activities involve the river, boats and jetty. The village's first lifeboat was bought in 1837. Run by the RNLI since 1853, it has taken part in many rescues, sometimes with loss of life of crew members. The current lifeboat, an Atlantic 75, is housed in the boathouse by the jetty and is launched using a lifeboat tractor. Currently it is averaging about 25 emergency launches each year. An electoral ward of
3025-465: Was spent planting trees along nearby streets. Meanwhile, a new town hall was erected on the east side of Penrallt Street in 1872; after becoming unsafe, it was demolished in 1968. Another son, Lord Herbert Vane-Tempest , was the last member of the family to live at the Plas and was killed in the Abermule train collision on the Cambrian Railways , of which he was a director. The house was given to
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