38-448: Ystradgynlais ( English: / ˌ ʌ s t r ə d ˈ ɡ ʌ n l aɪ s / ; Welsh: [ˌəstradˈɡənlais] ) in southwest Powys , Wales. It is located on the River Tawe , and was within the boundaries of the former county of Brecknockshire . The town has a high proportion of Welsh language -speakers. The community includes Cwmtwrch , Abercraf and Cwmgiedd , with
76-474: A bus station, served hourly by the First Cymru -operated X6 to and from Swansea, as well as the long-distance TrawsCymru T6 between Swansea and Brecon. The town is the home of Ystradgynlais F.C. and Ystradgynlais RFC . Ystradgynlais RFC was established in 1890 and has a fierce rivalry with Ystalyfera RFC and Abercrave RFC . In 1946, Smiths Industries Ltd , Ingersoll Ltd and Vickers Armstrong founded
114-426: A couple of houses by the church and a pub (now the rectory). In 1801 there were only 993 residents in the town living in only 196 houses. The first documented written evidence of iron working in the area was at Ynyscedwyn and is of a deed of release dated 1729. By 1750 there were seven furnaces in south Wales, one of which was at Ynyscedwyn . Tynycoed Chapel, located between Ynyswen and Penycae, near Ystradgynlais,
152-686: A further 54 enclosures and settlement sites. Powys is served by the Cambrian Line and Heart of Wales line which offer connections to major towns and cities such as Swansea , Wrexham , Shrewsbury , Birmingham , Wolverhampton , Manchester , Cardiff , Aberystwyth , London and Telford . The county used to be served by key railways such as the Mid-Wales Railway , Oswestry and Newtown Railway , Tanat Valley Light Railway , Llanfyllin Branch , Leominster and Kington Railway , Swansea Vale Railway and
190-566: A population of 8,092 in the 2011 census; it is the second-largest town in Powys. It forms part of the Swansea Urban Area where the Ystradgynlais subdivision has a population of 10,248. The place-name Ystradgynlais, meaning 'vale of the river Cynlais' – Cynlais may be a personal name, or derive from cyn ('chisel') and glais ('stream') – is first recorded in 1372. In the 1600s there were only
228-748: A rerouted A419 in 1935. Originally the southwestern portion of the Oxford Ring Road, from Botley to South Hinksey. Extended along the old A40 in the 1930s when it was moved to the Oxford northern bypass. The bypass was extended north around 1960, allowing the A34 to take over the southern extension of the A4141. The remainder later became the B4044. Originally the northern section of the Gloucester Ring Road. Later switched to
266-640: A section of leftover A40 in the center of Gloucester (the ring road was renumbered to A40); became a portion of the A417 by 1946 and is now unclassified and partially pedestrianized. Number previously reserved in 1935 for upgrading the B489 to form a Swindon-East Anglia route with the A5160 (proposed to be used instead of the A505 for the A505/A601 route for number continuity). But the tonnage
304-513: Is a county and preserved county in Wales . It borders Gwynedd , Denbighshire , and Wrexham to the north; the English ceremonial counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire to the east; Monmouthshire , Blaenau Gwent , Merthyr Tydfil , Caerphilly , Rhondda Cynon Taf , and Neath Port Talbot to the south; and Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion to the west. The largest settlement is Newtown , and
342-533: Is a " semé of black lozenges " for the former coal mining industry, while the golden fleece it carries is a reference to the importance of sheep rearing in the county. The county motto is: Powys – the paradise of Wales ( Welsh : Powys Paradwys Cymru ). On 1 April 1974, Powys was created under the Local Government Act 1972. At first, the former administrative counties of Montgomery , Radnor , and Brecknock were districts within it. On 1 April 1996,
380-554: Is also home to the Miners Welfare Hall, known and promoted as 'The Welfare', which contains a cinema. In 2020 a Purple Plaque was installed at the building to mark Eunice Stallard 's life and activity as a peace campaigner. It also has a number of public houses. For 11 years, from 1944m the town was the home of Polish artist Josef Herman , who stayed for the first four years in rooms at the Pen-y-Bont Inn. He became part of
418-759: Is now the largest administrative area in Wales by land and area ( Dyfed was until 1996 before several former counties created by the Local Government Act 1972 were abolished). It is bounded to the north by Gwynedd , Denbighshire and Wrexham County Borough ; to the west by Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire ; to the east by Shropshire and Herefordshire ; and to the south by Rhondda Cynon Taf , Merthyr Tydfil County Borough , Caerphilly County Borough , Blaenau Gwent , Monmouthshire and Neath Port Talbot . The largest towns are Newtown , Ystradgynlais , Brecon , Welshpool , Llandrindod Wells and Knighton . Powys has
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#1732859483112456-709: Is the region northwest of Welshpool. The county 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 . Powys covers the same area as the historic counties of Montgomeryshire , Radnorshire , and Brecknockshire . Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire , most of Brecknockshire , and part of historic Denbighshire . With an area of about 2,000 square miles (5,200 km ), it
494-551: The Hereford, Hay and Brecon Railway , all of which offered connections to South Wales , Hereford , Oswestry , North Wales and West Wales but have all since closed. The gold in the county coat of arms symbolises the wealth of the area. Black is for both mining and the Black Mountains . The fountain is a medieval heraldic charge displayed as a roundel barry wavy argent and azure. It represents water and refers to both
532-522: The Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire . The Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire and Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire were appointed as lieutenants. The present lord lieutenant is Shân Legge-Bourke of Crickhowell . From 2024, Powys would be in the UK parliament constituencies of Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe and Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr , both of which extend out of the county. In December 2007, Powys
570-432: The water catchment area and the rivers and lakes. Thus, the arms contain references to the hills and mountains, rivers and lakes, water supply and industry. The crest continues the colouring of the arms. A tower has been used in preference to a mural crown , which alludes to the county's military history and remains. From the tower rises a red kite , a bird almost extinct elsewhere in Britain but thriving in Powys. The bird
608-446: The 2005 National Eisteddfod. Ystradgynlais's Parc-yr-Orsedd has a monument to the fallen heroes of both World Wars from Ystradgynlais, Abercrave , Cwmtwrch , Cwmgiedd , Glyntawe and Coelbren . Dan yr Ogof caves are a short journey from the town centre, passing Craig-y-Nos Castle and country park. The caves are reputed to have once been the hideout of folk figure Twm Siôn Cati . Henrhyd Falls are also nearby. Ystradgynlais
646-795: The A404 to the A416 in Amersham. Became a spur of the A404 in 1935 and is now part of the A4154. The second A4108 ran from Gelilydan to Congl-y-wal, created around 1947 when the B4408 was upgraded to Class I status. Later became part of the A470 to create a north-south cross-country route through Wales. Originally ran from Bladon Road to Oxford Road in Woodstock; this was part of the B4024 before it
684-705: The A435, and the remainder is now the B4632. Originally ran from Beeches Green to Cairnscross. Became a portion of the A419 in 1935 when it was rerouted. Originally ran along Park Road in Hagley; declassified when the A491 bypass was built. Originally ran from Wall Heath to Kidderminster which became a portion of the A449 in 1935. Originally ran from Crumlin to Brynmawr. Renumbered as a northern extension of
722-755: The A467 in 1935. Number later used for Victoria and Newmarket streets between the A438 and A49 in Hereford. Became the A438 and A49 due to pedestrianization in Hereford. Also used in Newport linking the A48 to the docks near Watch House Parade. Later renumbered as an extension of the A4042 and has since been declassified; the completion of the A4042/A48 rendered the route redundant. Originally ran across
760-772: The A491 (the remainder became the A458, which ironically replaced the original A4084). Became a portion of the A470 in the 1970s after it was extended. Next used in 1935 from the A489 in Tremadog to the A499 in Llanwrda; this was originally the B4410 before it was upgraded to Class I status. Became a part of the A487 in the 1960s after it swapped numbers; the old route of the A487 is now the current A4085. Originally ran from
798-688: The Anglo-Celtic Watch Co. Ltd. producing watches on the Ynyscedwyn estate on the outskirts of Ystradgynlais. The factory was officially opened by Hugh Dalton on 15 March 1947. Vickers Armstrong sold their shares to the other two companies in 1948. The company became one of the largest producers of watches in Europe, producing up to 1.25 million watches a year until 1980 when it closed. Powys Powys ( / ˈ p oʊ ɪ s , ˈ p aʊ ɪ s / POH -iss, POW -iss , Welsh: [ˈpou̯ɪs] )
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#1732859483112836-482: The administrative centre is Llandrindod Wells . Powys is the largest and most sparsely populated county in Wales, having an area of 5,181 km (2,000 sq mi) and a population of 133,891 in 2022. After Newtown (11,362), the most populous settlements are Ystradgynlais (8,270), Brecon (8,254), and Llandrindod Wells (5,602). The county is entirely rural, and characterised by multiple market towns and villages. The Welsh language can be spoken by 16.4% of
874-562: The ancient Welsh Kingdom of Powys , which in the sixth century AD included the northern two-thirds of the area as well as most of Shropshire and adjacent areas now in England, and came to an end when it was occupied by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd of Gwynedd during the 1260s. The uplands retain evidence of occupation from long before the Kingdom of Powys, and before the Romans, who built roads and forts across
912-583: The area. There are 1130 identified burial mounds within the county, of varying styles and ages, dating from 4000 BC to 1000 BC, most of them belonging to the Bronze Age . Of these, 339 are scheduled monuments . Standing stones , most again dating to the Bronze Age, also occur in large numbers, 276 being found across the county, of which 92 are scheduled. From the Iron Age , the county has 90 scheduled hillforts and
950-496: The community, where he was fondly nicknamed "Joe Bach" (Little Joe). Herman is quoted as saying: "I stayed here because I found ALL I required. I arrived a stranger for a fortnight. The fortnight became eleven years." In 2016 The Stephen Lewis Tristars Aquathlon in Ystradgynlais won the Welsh triathlon event of the Year 2016. National Cycle Route 43 passes by the southern edge of the town on
988-716: The corner between the A438 and A479 in Llyswen and was the B4344 before it was upgraded to Class I status. Now part of the A470. Originally ran between Narberth and Narberth Castle along High Street. When the A40 was rerouted in the late 1920s, the A4074 was downgraded to Class II status as the B4313, but is now part of the A478 one-way system. Next used in 1935 from the A489 near Cemmaes to Mallwyd on an old section of
1026-449: The districts were abolished, and Powys was reconstituted as a unitary authority . There was a minor border adjustment in the northeast—specifically, the addition of the communities of Llansilin and Llangedwyn from Glyndŵr district in Clwyd —and with moving the border, so that rather than half of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, all is included. The first Lord Lieutenant of Powys was previously
1064-541: The former route of the A46; number is not shown on maps but does appear in a DfT road list from around 2002. A 1972 OS map indicates that this version of the A4016 dates from the late 1960s or early 1970s, possibly before construction of the M5 through the town. The route through the town center is now unclassified, Lower Winchcombe Street returned to the A46, Upper Winchcombe Street is now part of
1102-408: The industrial area of Ystradgynlais in the southwest of Brecknockshire. In Radnorshire, the language survived into the 20th century west of Rhayader with a few native speakers from Nantmel parish surviving into the 20th century too. The 2021 census recorded that 16.4% of the population were able to speak the Welsh language, a decline from 18.6% in 2011 and 21% in 2001 . The county is named after
1140-465: The line of the former Swansea Vale Railway which linked Swansea via the Neath and Brecon Railway at Coelbren with Brecon . Ystradgynlais railway station was operational from 1869 to 1923. The A4067 road linking West Cross , Swansea , with Sennybridge ran through the town until the 1970s, when it was diverted onto the bypass that follows the line of the former Swansea Canal . Ystradgynlais has
1178-509: The lowest population density of all the principal areas of Wales. Most of Powys is mountainous, and most roads and railways are relatively slow. Just under a third of the residents have Welsh linguistic skills: Welsh speakers are concentrated mainly in the rural areas both in and around Machynlleth , Llanfyllin and Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant (where William Morgan first translated the whole Bible into Welsh in 1588) in Montgomeryshire, and
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1216-547: The population was between 1821 and 1841. This coincides with the coming of George Crane and the development of the Ynyscedwyn Ironworks . By 1870, the town's industrial development was in decline due to various economic factors, although coal mining carried on in the area with a few light industries. Ystradgynlais hosted the 1954 National Eisteddfod , an annual Welsh festival of literature, dance, and music. The century-old award-winning Ystradgynlais Public Band competed in
1254-738: The population. The county is predominantly hilly and mountainous. To the west lie the Cambrian Mountains , where the River Severn and River Wye both have their source on the Powys side of the Plynlimon massif; together with their tributaries they drain most of the county. The southern quarter of the county is occupied by the Brecon Beacons (Bannau Brycheiniog) national park, and further north are two more upland areas, Mynydd Epynt and Radnor Forest . The only extensive area of flat land in Powys
1292-498: The southern end, which is unclassified. Originally ran from Hirwaun to Brecon Beacons. Renumbered as an extension of the A4059 in 1935. Used again in 1935 from A468 at Tredegar Park to A467 (now B4591) at Rogerstone after the B4242 and B4243 were upgraded to Class I status. The southern section became part of the A467 in 1983 and the remainder was declassified. Used again in 1935, cutting
1330-704: The southern side of Cardiff city center from the A48 to the A4055. Later renumbered as an extension of the A4055 and is now part of the A4160 after the A4055 was rerouted. Number later used in the late 1970s for the Droitwich Spa bypass; became a portion of the A38 in the early 1980s. Number later used between the A40 and A438 near Brecon as an upgrading of the B4557. Downgraded to the B4602 except for
1368-655: Was awarded Fair Trade County status by The Fairtrade Foundation . A4067 road List of A roads in zone 4 in Great Britain starting north of the A4 and south/west of the A5 (roads beginning with 4). Only roads that have individual articles have been linked in the "Road" column below. Another A479 runs along Empire Way, Wembley (North West of London); this was formerly B4565 until 2007. May have been used in Cheltenham along
1406-402: Was first constructed in 1774, and was rebuilt in 1829. The first written evidence of coal mining was at Wauclawdd in 1780. Most of the coal dug up was used in the blast furnaces of the ironworks. By 1790, the full extent of the mineral resources in the valley was better known and it was realised that to exploit these to the full, improved transport would be essential. The greatest increase in
1444-401: Was upgraded in 1922 (the remainder was renumbered A4095). Became a spur of the A4095 in 1935 and was declassified by the 1950s. Originally ran from Aberaeton to Lampeter; this was previously the B4340 before it was upgraded in the mid-1920s. Became part of a rerouted A482 in 1935. First used between Stroud and Cirencester, designated in the mid-1920s when the B4069 was upgraded. Became part of
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