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27-519: Michael Neaum became the accompanist in 1976 and retired officially in 2006. Ann Irons joined as Assistant Director in 1976. Elaine Guy was a former member and became a Vocal Tutor in 1983. Joy Nicol became a Vocal Tutor in 1995 but died in 2010, aged 45. Philip Robinson was appointed an accompanist in 2006. Notable titles are the Choir of the World title at the 1997 Llangollen Eisteddfod , Olympic Champions title at

54-572: A Scheduled Ancient Monument . Plas Newydd ("New Mansion" or "New Place") high on the outskirts of the town, was from 1780 the home of the Ladies of Llangollen (the Honourable Sarah Ponsonby and Lady Eleanor Butler) and their maid Mary Carryl . They share the same grave memorial in the church. Elevated on the opposite side of the Dee is Castell Dinas Brân, the ruins of a medieval castle built by

81-644: A section navigable only by a horse-drawn excursion boat. Llangollen on the River Dee hosts white water Slalom canoeing and kayaking , being host to International and UK events. The International Canoe Federation (ICF), the European Canoe Union (ECU) and the British Canoe Union (BCU) all hold events in Llangollen. Cricket , football and rugby union teams play at Tower Fields, which overlooks

108-667: A stronghold of the Princes of Powys . Beyond the castle is the impressive Lower Carboniferous limestone escarpment known as the Eglwyseg Rocks. The outcrop continues north to World's End in Wrexham . The single track road north of the castle forms the Panorama Walk , and a monument to poet I. D. Hooson from the village of Rhosllannerchrugog is located near its easternmost end [Grid Ref: SJ 2459 4287]. The ancient parish of Llangollen

135-570: Is a local fundraising music festival, usually held during May when the town hall is transformed into a music venue. Llangollen was an important coaching stop for the mail coach on the old mail route which is now the A5 from London to Holyhead . Various buses serve the town, including buses to Wrexham (Arriva service 5), Barmouth (TrawsCymru service T3) and the Ceiriog Valley . Services 5 and T3 connect Llangollen to Ruabon and Wrexham, which have

162-673: Is a town and community , situated on the River Dee , in Denbighshire , Wales . Its riverside location forms the edge of the Berwyn range , and the Dee Valley section of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty , with the easternmost point of the Dee Valley Way being within the town. It had a population of 3,658 at the 2011 census. Llangollen takes its name from

189-621: Is an independent arts festival, usually held in mid July in the town hall. The Fringe includes music, comedy, theatre, dance and workshops. Artists who have taken part in the Llangollen Fringe include Clement Freud , Rhys Ifans , the Damned , Cerys Matthews , Tracey Emin , Damien Hirst , Juan Martín , the Black Seeds , John Cooper Clarke , Will Self , Gang of Four , Lee Scratch Perry , Victoria Coren Mitchell and Gruff Rhys . Dee Rocks

216-533: Is based at Llangollen Town Hall . Today Llangollen relies heavily on the tourist industry , but still gains substantial income from farming . Most of the farms in the hills around the town were sheep farms , and the domestic wool industry , both spinning and weaving, was important in the area for centuries. Several factories were later built along the banks of the River Dee, where both wool and cotton were processed. The water mill opposite Llangollen railway station

243-595: Is over 600 years old, and was originally used to grind flour for local farmers. In the late 19th century, Llangollen had a weekly newspaper, the Llangollen Advertiser . Llangollen hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1908. The Gorsedd ceremony was held on the Hermitage Field, next to Plas Newydd, and the circle of stones was later moved into the grounds of the hall. The eisteddfod itself took place on

270-649: The Llangollen Railway , a tourist attraction. In 2002, the Rainhill locomotive trials were re-staged on the line. The Ellesmere Canal was intended to connect the coal mines and ironworks at Ruabon and Wrexham to the canal network and thence to the sea via the River Mersey and the River Severn . The plans were altered, and instead of connecting Trevor northwards to the sea via the River Dee and southwards to

297-537: The 1970s and 1980s, the route, roughly parallel to the river Dee and across the Dee Valley on the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct , is an important part of Llangollen's attraction as a holiday destination. Moorings at Llangollen Wharf and additional moorings in a marina are built at the end of the generally-navigable section, allowing visitors arriving by narrowboat to moor overnight in Llangollen. The canal then extends 1.7 miles, north and then west, to Horseshoe Falls in

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324-622: The Llangollen Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal, though it is now known as the Llangollen Canal . The canal supplied enough Dee water to supply Crewe and Nantwich , and when commercial traffic failed in the 1940s, it was its function as a water supply which kept it open. The canal is unusual amongst Britain's artificial waterways in having a strong flow (up to 2 miles per hour). Since the use of canals for leisure took off in

351-746: The Palace Theatre and by the commissioning of a special choral work dedicated to her. Cantamus's major achievements were when the Senior Choir competed at the 4th World Choir Games in Xiamen , China, in July 2006, winning two gold medals, and achieved the highest mark of the competition with a score of 89.13. The choir gave its first public concert in 1968 since when more than 400 girls have sung with Cantamus. (tracks 4-9 make up Spanish Suite) Llangollen Llangollen ( Welsh: [ɬaŋˈɡɔɬɛn] )

378-417: The Princes of Powys Fadog . The Pillar of Eliseg [Grid Ref: SJ 20267 44528] is another ancient monument located 400m NNW of Valle Crucis Abbey. Llangollen Community Hospital was completed in 1876. There is an electoral ward of Denbighshire County Council of the same name. This ward includes Llantysilio community and has a total population taken at the 2011 census of 4,079. Llangollen Town Council

405-592: The Severn, the canal ran eastwards to join the national network at Hurleston Junction on the Shropshire Union Canal near Nantwich . A feeder canal, navigable to Llangollen, was constructed from Trevor to tap water from the River Dee at Llantysilio (at the weir called " Horseshoe Falls "). After company mergers, the canal became part of the Shropshire Union System. Until recently it was properly called

432-610: The Welsh llan meaning "a religious settlement" and Saint Collen , a 7th-century monk who founded a church beside the river. St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle . St Collen’s Church is the only church in Wales dedicated to St Collen, and he may have had connections with Colan in Cornwall and with Langolen in Brittany . Above the town to the north is Castell Dinas Brân ,

459-719: The World Choir Games in 2004 and 2006, and the Grand Prix award at the Riva de Garda Festival in 1996. In December 2005, the choir recorded the EMI Album 'Cantamus' one track of which entered the UK Singles Chart with their cover version of " Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime ". In 2013 Pamela Cook died, and the baton was passed to Ann Irons with Elaine Guy as Assistant. Tributes from former students, associates and friends from all over

486-466: The closest railway stations on the national network. The Dee Valley Picturesque Bus (service 199) operates between April and November, linking Llangollen and the surrounding villages to popular local attractions including Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Wenffrwd Nature Reserve, Horseshoe Falls, Valle Crucis Abbey, Plas Newydd house and the Horseshoe Pass. The railway, operating both passenger and goods services,

513-545: The globe poured in, recognising her amazing contribution to their lives and to choral music generally. She was due to receive an honorary degree from Nottingham University but died before it could be awarded. This would have added to all her other awards – MBE, Fellowships of both Birmingham Conservatoire and the Royal Academy of Music, and many others. She is to be commemorated in Mansfield with her sculpted head to be displayed in

540-519: The old Vicarage Field at Fronhyfryd and was visited by David Lloyd George , accompanied by Winston Churchill . The annual Llangollen International Eisteddfod is a large international music festival. It starts on a Tuesday and ends on the following Sunday. It opens with a parade led by the Llangollen Silver Band, in which both locals and visitors take part in dancing, singing, and playing musical instruments. The Llangollen Fringe Festival

567-414: The reign of King Henry I . In the 1860s the present bridge was extended by adding an extra arch (to cross the new railway) and a two-storey stone tower with a castellated parapet. This became a café before being demolished in the 1930s to improve traffic flow. The bridge was also widened in 1873 and again in 1968, using masonry which blended in with the older structure. It is a Grade I listed structure and

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594-421: The territory he ruled became known as Powys Fadog ( Fadog in Welsh is a lenited form of his name, Madog ) in his honour, the remainder of the old kingdom formed Powys Wenwynwyn . After his death in 1236, this area—comprising Welsh and English Maelor , Ial (Yale) , Cynllaith , Nanheudwy and Mochnant Is Rhaeadr—was still referred to as Powys Fadog although it was divided up between his five sons. Madog

621-549: The town and the International Eisteddfod field and pavilion. Thermals rising up the valley sides to the south of the town are used for paragliding . Mountain bikers enjoy the hills. Llangollen was the starting point of the first massed-start cycle race held on British roads, on 7 June 1942. Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor Madog ap Gruffudd , or Madog ap Gruffudd Maelor , was a Prince of Powys Fadog from 1191 to 1236 in north-east Wales , and Lord of Powys. He

648-634: Was close to his cousin, prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth , initially, but gradually distanced himself and also kept aloof from 1212 when his cousin had managed to reform the Welsh Confederacy and looked instead to King John of England , in whose pay he was, as an official ally of the English king. By 1215 he decided to ally with his cousin and remained so. On 28 January 1201, Madog founded the Cistercian abbey of Valle Crucis Abbey , Llangollen , Wales. The abbey

675-579: Was divided into three traeanau ( traean being the Welsh for "a third"): Llangollen Traean, Trefor Traean, and Glyn Traean. Valle Crucis Abbey [Grid Ref: SJ 20441 44168] was established at Llantysilio in about 1201, under the patronage of Madog ap Gruffydd Maelor of Castell Dinas Brân. The bridge at Llangollen was built across the Dee in the 16th century to replace a previous bridge built in about 1345 by John Trevor , of Trevor Hall (later Bishop of St Asaph ), which replaced an even earlier bridge built in

702-625: Was extended from Ruabon , via Acrefair and Trevor, to reach Llangollen by 1865. The Ruabon to Barmouth Line became part of the Great Western Railway . However under the Beeching Axe of 1964, the line closed to passengers in early 1965, and to freight in April 1969. The line was lifted in May 1969. However, a 10-mile stretch of the line between Llangollen and Corwen has been restored and operates as

729-637: Was the founder of Valle Crucis Abbey in the Lordship of Yale . He was elder son of Prince Gruffydd Maelor and his wife, Angharad, a daughter of King Owain Gwynedd . He succeeded his father jointly with his brother, Owen, in 1191 and on Owen's death in 1197 became the sole ruler of Powys north of the River Rhaeadr and the Afon Tanat . Madog consolidated the possessions of his father, Prince Gruffudd Maelor , and

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