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Coordinates: 52°18′04″N 3°30′40″W / 52.301°N 3.511°W / 52.301; -3.511
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{{short description|Town in Wales}}
<ref></ref><ref></ref>{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{infobox UK place
{{infobox UK place
|country = Wales
| country = Wales
|welsh_name = Rhaeadr Gwy
| welsh_name = Rhaeadr Gwy
| official_name = Rhayader
|constituency_welsh_assembly =
|official_name = Rhayader
| area_total_km2 = 137.31
|coordinates = {{coord|52.31|-3.50|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates = {{coord|52.301|-3.511|display=inline,title}}
|static_image = [[File:Rhayader centre.jpg|250px]]
| static_image_name = Rhayader centre.jpg
|unitary_wales = [[Powys]]
| unitary_wales = [[Powys]]
|lieutenancy_wales = Powys
| lieutenancy_wales = Powys
|constituency_westminster = [[Brecon & Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon & Radnorshire]]
| constituency_westminster = [[Brecon & Radnorshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Brecon & Radnorshire]]
| constituency_welsh_assembly = [[Brecon and Radnorshire (Senedd constituency)|Brecon and Radnorshire]]
|post_town = RHAYADER
|postcode_district = LD6
| post_town = RHAYADER
|postcode_area = LD
| postcode_district = LD6
|dial_code = 01597
| postcode_area = LD
|os_grid_reference = SN975685
| dial_code = 01597
| population = 2,088
| os_grid_reference = SN975685
| population_ref = ''(2011)''
| population = 2,088
| population_ref =
}}
}}


'''Rhayader''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|eɪ|.|ə|d|ər}}; {{lang-cy|Rhaeadr Gwy}} {{IPA-cy|ˈr̥əɪadar ˈɡʊi̯|pron}}) is a [[market town]] and [[community (Wales)|community]] in [[Powys]], [[Wales]]. It has a population of 2,088,<ref>[http://www.powys-i.org.uk/documents/en/powys_i_stats/Census%202011/Key%20Statistics/Community%20Councils/KS_CCRAD25.pdf Powys County Council : ''Census 2011 : Rhayader Community''] Retrieved 13 November 2010</ref> and is the first town on the banks of the [[River Wye]], {{convert|20|mi|km}} from its source on the [[Plynlimon]] range of the [[Cambrian Mountains]].
'''Rhayader''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|r|eɪ|.|ə|d|ər}}; {{langx|cy|Rhaeadr Gwy}}; {{IPA|cy|ˈr̥əɪadar ˈɡʊi̯|pron}}) is a [[market town]] and [[community (Wales)|community]] in [[Powys]], Wales, within the [[Historic counties of Wales|historic county]] of [[Radnorshire]]. The town is {{convert|20|mi}} from the source of the [[River Wye]] on [[Plynlimon]], the highest point of the [[Cambrian Mountains]], and is located at the junction of the [[A470 road]] and the [[A44 road]] {{convert|13|mi}} north of [[Builth Wells]] and {{convert|30|mi}} east of [[Aberystwyth]].


Although being situated in the mostly Anglicised border county of Radnorshire, 55% of the community have some form of Welsh identity according to the 2011 census.<ref name="rhayader">{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11127899&c=rhayader&d=16&e=62&g=6491226&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1463431705212&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2529|publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk|title=rhayader identity|accessdate=16 May 2016}}</ref>
The population was 2,088, with 55% of the community having some form of Welsh identity, according to the 2011 census.<ref>[http://www.powys-i.org.uk/documents/en/powys_i_stats/Census%202011/Key%20Statistics/Community%20Councils/KS_CCRAD25.pdf Powys County Council : Census 2011 : Rhayader Community] Retrieved 13 November 2010</ref><ref name="rhayader">{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11127899&c=rhayader&d=16&e=62&g=6491226&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1463431705212&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2529|publisher=neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk|title=rhayader identity|access-date=16 May 2016}}</ref> The community is the largest in Wales by area, with {{cvt|137.31|sqkm}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=W04000341|title=Custom report - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics|website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}</ref> It includes the [[Elan Valley]].<ref>{{NOMIS2011|id=W04000341|title=Rhayader Parish|access-date=26 August 2020}}</ref>


Rhayader holds the record for the [[United Kingdom weather records|lowest-ever temperature recorded in Wales]], -23.3&nbsp;°C on 21 January 1940.
The town is one of the principal centres of population in the [[Historic counties of Wales|historic county]] of [[Radnorshire]].


Jasper Fforde’s novels “Red Side Story” and “Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron” are located in a dystopian version of Rhayader called East Carmine.
It is situated roughly midway between [[north Wales|North]] and [[south Wales]] on the [[A470 road|A470]], 13 miles north of [[Builth Wells]] and 30 miles east of [[Aberystwyth]] on the [[A44 road|A44]] - two of Wales' most important [[trunk roads]]. The [[B4574]] mountain road to Aberystwyth is described by the AA as one of the ten most scenic drives in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cycling.visitwales.com/server.php?show=nav.2472 |title=Cycling Breaks UK - Cycling in the UK at Visit Wales |publisher=Cycling.visitwales.com |date= |accessdate=24 April 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Rachael Misstear |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/04/11/pm-should-head-west-for-a-hidden-gem-holiday-destination-91466-23362715/ |title=PM should head West for a ‘hidden gem’ holiday destination |publisher=Wales Online |date=11 April 2009 |accessdate=24 April 2013}}</ref>


== Etymology ==
== Etymology ==
The name "Rhayader" is a partly-Englished form of its Welsh name "Y Rhaeadr" (the waterfall), or more fully, "Rhaeadr Gwy" (waterfall [on the] Wye). Strictly speaking, according to place-name spelling conventions in Welsh, the name of the town would be 'Rhaeadr-gwy', and the waterfall itself 'Rhaeadr Gwy', but it seems that this distinction is usually ignored. In the Welsh of the area the name is, as one would expect on the pattern of similar words, Rheiad {{IPA-cy|ˈr̥əɪad|pron}} <ref>{{cite web|url= https://amgueddfa.cymru/casgliadau/storigwerin/?story=16 |title=Hen Ffrwcsod Ffair-rhos – Mary Thomas (1905-83)|publisher=Amgueddfa Cymru|date= |accessdate=30 May 2017}}</ref>. Little remains of the [[waterfall]] itself, it having been destroyed in 1780 to make way for the bridge linking the town to [[Cwmdauddwr]] and the [[Elan Valley Reservoirs|Elan Valley]] - the Lakeland of Wales.
The name, ''Rhayader'', is a partly-Anglicised form of its Welsh name, {{lang|cy|Y Rhaeadr}} ('the waterfall'), or, to distinguish it from other places named after waterfalls, {{lang|cy|Rhaeadr Gwy}} ('waterfall [on the] Wye'). Strictly speaking, according to place-name spelling conventions in Welsh, the name of the town would be {{lang|cy|Rhaeadr-gwy}}, and the waterfall itself {{lang|cy|Rhaeadr Gwy}}, but it seems that this distinction is usually ignored.{{cn |date=March 2023 }}
In the Welsh of the area the name is {{lang|cy|Rheiad}}, as one would expect on the pattern of similar words in colloquial Welsh, {{IPA|cy|ˈr̥əɪad|pron}}.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://amgueddfa.cymru/casgliadau/storigwerin/?story=16 |title=Hen Ffrwcsod Ffair-rhos – Mary Thomas (1905-83)|publisher=Amgueddfa Cymru|access-date=30 May 2017}}</ref> That is, a final "r" is dropped after "d", as in {{lang|cy|aradr}} ('plough') > {{lang|cy|arad}}, {{lang|cy|Llangynidr}} ('church of Cynidr', a village in Breconshire) > {{lang|cy|Llangynid}}, {{lang|cy|Cadwaladr}} (a forename, 'battle-leader') > {{lang|cy|Cadwalad}}, {{lang|cy|'Dwalad}}.
Little remains of the [[waterfall]] itself, it having been destroyed in 1780 to make way for the bridge linking the town to {{lang|cy|[[Cwmdauddwr]]|italic=no}} and the [[Elan Valley Reservoirs|Elan Valley]], the Lakeland of Wales.


== History ==
== History ==
[[Image:Rhayader-clock-view-001.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Rhayader clock]]
[[File:Rhayader Hoard.jpg|thumbnail|left|upright=0.85|The Rhayader Hoard of [[Romano-British]] jewellery in the British Museum]]
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Rhayader has long been a natural stopping point for travellers – the Romans had a stop-over camp in the [[Elan Valley]], [[monk]]s travelled between the [[abbey]]s of [[Strata Florida]] and [[Abbeycwmhir]] and [[Droving|drovers]] headed to the lucrative markets with their livestock.<ref name="rhayader.co.uk">{{cite web |url=http://www.rhayader.co.uk/index.php/rhayader/aboutdetail/more_about_rhayader/ |title=About |publisher=Rhayader |access-date=24 April 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619001309/http://www.rhayader.co.uk/index.php/rhayader/aboutdetail/more_about_rhayader |archive-date=19 June 2013}}</ref> It was not until the 12th century that a documented history of the town began with the building of [[Rhayader Castle]] in 1177. Little remains today, with the exception of a dry [[moat]] that can be seen from Wauncapel Park.<ref name="rhayader.co.uk"/>
[[File:Rhayader Hoard (2).jpg|thumb|left|200px|Gold necklace, bracelets and ring from the Rhayader Hoard (British Museum)]]
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The abundance of [[cairn]]s and [[standing stones]] bears witness that man inhabited the area several thousand years BCE. An important hoard of gold jewellery dating from 1st-2nd centuries AD was found in 1899 in the vicinity of the town. Known as the Rhayader Hoard, it is now in the [[Roman-British]] collection of the [[British Museum]].<ref>[http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/search.aspx?place=39158&plaA=39158-3-1 British Museum Collection]</ref></blockquote><ref>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-13641567 BBC report]</ref> Rhayader has always been a natural stopping point for travellers - the Romans had a stop-over camp in the [[Elan Valley]], [[Monk]]s travelled between the [[Abbey]]s of [[Strata Florida]] and [[Abbeycwmhir]] and [[Droving|drovers]] headed to the lucrative markets with their livestock.<ref name="rhayader.co.uk">{{cite web|url=http://www.rhayader.co.uk/index.php/rhayader/aboutdetail/more_about_rhayader/ |title=About |publisher=Rhayader |date= |accessdate=24 April 2013}}</ref> it wasn't until the 12th Century that documented history of the town began with the building of a [[Castle]] in 1177. Little remains today, with the exception of a dry [[moat]] that can be seen from Wauncapel Park.<ref name="rhayader.co.uk"/>


One of the oldest buildings in Rhayader is the [[Old Swan, Rhayader|Old Swan]], which stands on the corner of West and South Streets Rhayader. The original building was mentioned in 1676 as being one of the two inns in Rhayader at that date. Some changes were made in 1683, including the rebuilding of the three chimney stacks, and this date is carved into the old timbers inside the building.
One of the oldest buildings in Rhayader is the [[Old Swan, Rhayader|Old Swan]], which stands on the corner of West and South Streets Rhayader. The original building was mentioned in 1676 as being one of the two inns in Rhayader at that date. Some changes were made in 1683, including the rebuilding of the three chimney stacks, and this date is carved into the old timbers inside the building.


In the 19th Century, [[Turnpike trust|turnpike]] roads were only passable on payment of extortionate [[Toll road|tolls]], imposing additional burdens on already poor communities. This led to the [[Rebecca Riots]] across South and Mid Wales from 1839–1842, with no less than six of Rhayader's [[tollgate]]s being demolished with impunity by local farmers dressed as women. The actions of these 'Rebeccaites' led to a Commission of Inquiry being set up, and most of Rebecca's grievances were righted two years later.<ref>http://history.powys.org.uk/school1/rhayader/origins.shtml</ref>
In the 19th century, [[Turnpike trust|turnpike]] roads were only passable on payment of extortionate [[Toll road|tolls]], imposing additional burdens on already poor communities. This led to the [[Rebecca Riots]] across South and Mid Wales from 1839 to 1842, with no fewer than six of Rhayader's [[tollgate]]s being demolished with impunity by local farmers dressed as women. The actions of these "Rebeccaites" led to a Commission of Inquiry being set up, and most of Rebecca's grievances were righted two years later.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://history.powys.org.uk/school1/rhayader/origins.shtml|title=Victorian Rhayader: The Rebecca Riots: 1|website=history.powys.org.uk |access-date=9 July 2021}}</ref>


In the 1890s the rapidly expanding city of [[Birmingham]], 70 miles east, viewed the nearby Elan Valley as the ideal source of clean, safe water. This was to change the face of Rhayader forever, bringing thousands of workers involved in building this massive complex of [[dam]]s and [[reservoir]]s to the area. A new [[railway]] was built connecting this huge area with the main network in Rhayader, and the construction of a new village to house the workers was built on the banks of the River Elan. Work started in 1894 and the scheme was officially opened in 1904 by [[King Edward VII]] and [[Queen Alexandra]].<ref name="rhayader.co.uk"/><ref>http://history.powys.org.uk/school1/rhayader/elanmenu.shtml</ref>
In the 1890s the rapidly expanding city of [[Birmingham]], {{convert|80|mi|km|abbr=off|-1}} east, viewed the nearby Elan Valley as the ideal source of clean, safe water. This was to change the face of Rhayader forever, bringing thousands of workers involved in building this massive complex of [[dam]]s and [[reservoir]]s to the area. A new [[railway]] was built connecting this huge area with the main network in Rhayader, and the construction of a new village to house the workers was built on the banks of the River Elan. Work started in 1894 and the scheme was officially opened in 1904 by [[King Edward VII]] and [[Queen Alexandra]].<ref name="rhayader.co.uk"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://history.powys.org.uk/school1/rhayader/elanmenu.shtml|title=Victorian Rhayader - Elan Valley dams menu|website=history.powys.org.uk |access-date=9 July 2021}}</ref>

The area around the town has several [[cairn]]s and [[standing stones]] dating from several thousand years BCE. An important hoard of gold jewellery dating from the 1st–2nd centuries AD was found nearby in 1899. Known as the Rhayader Hoard, it is now in the [[Romano-British]] collection of the [[British Museum]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-13641567|title=Ancient gold jewellery returns to Rhayader Museum|work=BBC News |date=3 June 2011}}</ref><ref>[https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1900-1122-3 bracelet Museum number 1900,1122.3] ''www.britishmuseum.org'', accessed 9 July 2021</ref>

==Governance==
Rhayader is an electoral ward to [[Powys County Council]], electing one county councillor. {{As of|2022|post=,}} the incumbent is Cllr Angela Davies of the [[Welsh Liberal Democrats|Liberal Democrats]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=County Council Elections 2022 - Radnorshire |url=https://en.powys.gov.uk/article/7163/County-Council-Elections-2022---Radnorshire |access-date=2022-05-10 |website=Powys County Council |language=en-gb}}</ref>

Rhayader Town Council represents the town at the local level, with 41 town councillors elected from the Rhayader and {{lang|cy|[[Cwmdauddwr]]|italic=no}} community wards.<ref>[http://www.rhayader.co.uk/im-local/councillors Councillors], Rhayader.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2018.</ref>

== Notable people ==
* [[Jonathan Williams (antiquary)|Jonathan Williams]] (ca.1752 – 1829), clergyman, schoolmaster and antiquarian writer.
* [[Thomas Jones (minister)|Thomas Jones]] (1819–1882), Independent minister, known as the ''Welsh Poet-Preacher''
* [[John Evans (Saskatchewan politician)|John Evans]] (1867–1958), emigrated to Canada in 1890 and became a farmer and politician
* [[Mary Jones (actress)|Mary Jones]] (1896–1990), film actress.
*[[Robert Jermain Thomas]] (1840{{spnd}}disappeared 1866), [[Protestant]] missionary who served with the [[London Missionary Society]] in China and Korea


== Transport ==
== Transport ==
[[File:Rhayader station with local Mid-Wales line train geograph-2540449-by-Ben-Brooksbank.jpg|thumb|[[Rhayader railway station|Rhayader station]] with a local [[Mid-Wales Railway]] train, 1949]]
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The [[Rhayader railway station|station]] on the [[Mid Wales Railway]] line that served the town was closed on 31 December 1962. The nearest station is now at [[Pen-y-Bont railway station|Crossgates]] on the [[Heart of Wales Line]], though connections are usually made at the more accessible [[Llandrindod railway station]] a similar distance away.


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The [[Rhayader railway station|station]] on the [[Mid-Wales Railway]] line that served the town was closed on 31 December 1962. The nearest station is now {{convert|9|mi|km|0|abbr=off}} away, at [[Pen-y-Bont railway station|Pen-y-Bont railway station, Crossgates]] on the [[Heart of Wales line]], though connections are usually made at the more accessible [[Llandrindod railway station]], a similar distance away.
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An extensive bus service connects with outlying villages and neighbouring towns, with two-hourly daytime departures to [[Builth Wells]], [[Llandrindod Wells]], Aberystwyth and [[Newtown, Powys|Newtown]], with connections to [[Hereford]], [[Shrewsbury]], [[Cardiff]] and further afield.


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A bus service connects with outlying villages and neighbouring towns, with two-hourly daytime departures to [[Builth Wells]], [[Llandrindod Wells]], Aberystwyth and [[Newtown, Powys|Newtown]], with connections to [[Hereford]], [[Shrewsbury]] and [[Cardiff]].
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Due to the volume of traffic generated by the convergence of two of Wales's most important [[trunk roads]], the construction of a [[bypass (road)|bypass]] to relieve congestion at the town centre [[Junction (road)|crossroads]] has been an ongoing debate for many years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/2006/10/16/trade-fears-over-bypass |title=Shropshire Star |publisher=Shropshire Star |date= |accessdate=24 April 2013}}</ref>


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Due to the volume of traffic generated by the convergence of two [[trunk road]]s — the [[A44 road|A44]] and the [[A470 road|A470]] — the construction of a [[bypass (road)|bypass]] to relieve congestion at the town centre [[road junction|crossroads]] has been an ongoing debate for many years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.shropshirestar.com/2006/10/16/trade-fears-over-bypass |title=Trade fears over bypass |author=Mike Sivier |work=[[Shropshire Star]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525211853/http://www.shropshirestar.com/latest/2006/10/16/trade-fears-over-bypass/ |date=16 October 2006 |archive-date=25 May 2011 |access-date=24 April 2013}}</ref>
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The town is also a popular [[cycling]] centre and is on Route 8 of the [[United Kingdom]] [[National Cycle Network]] - [[Lôn Las Cymru]].

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The town is also a popular [[cycling]] centre and is on Route 8 of the United Kingdom [[National Cycle Network]], known in Welsh as {{lang|cy|[[Lôn Las Cymru]]}}, 'Wales' green lane'.


== Amenities ==
== Amenities ==
Tourism and agriculture are the most important industries locally. Walkers and cyclists are drawn to Rhayader for the abundance of trails and [[Rights of way in England and Wales|bridleways]] surrounding the town, which is the gateway to a massive complex of reservoirs and dams (The [[Elan Valley Reservoirs|Elan Valley]]). This vast area is home to some of Britain's rarest wildlife and plants, including [[red kite]]s, along with magnificent feats of engineering.
Tourism and agriculture are the most important industries locally. Walkers and cyclists are drawn to Rhayader for the abundance of trails and [[Rights of way in England and Wales|bridleways]] surrounding the town, which is the gateway to a massive complex of reservoirs and dams (The [[Elan Valley Reservoirs|Elan Valley]]). This vast area is home to some of Britain's rarest wildlife and plants, including [[red kite]]s, along with magnificent feats of engineering.


There are a number of hotels, [[bed and breakfasts]] and campsites to accommodate the large amount of visitors that travel to the area all year round.
There are a number of hotels, [[bed and breakfasts]] and campsites to accommodate the large number of visitors that travel to the area all year round.


Rhayader is also home to a community founded art and heritage complex which includes a museum and gallery,<ref>Rhayader Museum and Gallery CARAD , 'The Organisation', http://carad.org.uk/about/organisation [accessed 24 January 2014]</ref> a [[leisure centre]], numerous parks and all the amenities expected of a larger town. There are an abundance of shops, banks, restaurants, takeaways and supermarkets catering to both the local population and visitors to the area.
Rhayader is also home to a community founded art and heritage complex which includes a museum and gallery,<ref>[http://carad.org.uk/about/organisation Rhayader Museum and Gallery] CARAD, 'The Organisation', accessed 24 January 2014</ref> a [[leisure centre]], numerous parks and all the amenities expected of a larger town. Potter [[Phil Rogers (potter)|Phil Rogers]] has his studio in Rhayader. There are an abundance of shops, cash facilities, restaurants, takeaways and supermarkets catering to both the local population and visitors to the area.


Rhayader is also renowned for being the town with the highest concentration of pubs and drinking establishments, [[per capita]], in the UK, with one to each 173 people.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7423077.stm|title=Town has pub for every 173 people|publisher=BBC |date=28 May 2008 | location=London}}</ref>
Rhayader is also renowned for being the town with the highest concentration of pubs and drinking establishments, [[per capita]], in the UK, with one to each 173 people.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/mid/7423077.stm|title=Town has pub for every 173 people|publisher=BBC |date=28 May 2008 | location=London}}</ref>


In nearby Nantmel, across the river Wye from the village of [[Llanwrthwl]], the [[Living Willow Theatre]], an open-air theatre constructed of living willow trees, was opened in 2007.
In nearby Nant-glas, across the river Wye from the village of [[Llanwrthwl]], the [[Living Willow Theatre]], an open-air theatre constructed of living willow trees, was opened in 2007.


== Sport ==
== Sport ==
[[Rhayader Town F.C.]], despite previously having some success in the [[League of Wales]] - the top-tier of domestic [[Welsh football]] between 1997 and 2002, ceased to exist in the summer of 2006. The club has since reformed, and in its inaugural season gained promotion into the Spar [[Mid Wales League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.countytimes.co.uk/sport/Rhayader-Town-secure-promotion-to.4041094.jp|title=Rhayader Town secure promotion to Spar|publisher=County Times |date=1 May 2008}}</ref> A subsequent promotion to the [[Cymru Alliance]] followed, but a finishing position of 15th saw the team relegated after just one season. The town's [[rugby union]] team play in the Cambrian Training Mid Wales League. There is also a [[cricket]] club and thriving local [[darts]], [[dominos]] and [[Pocket billiards|pool]] leagues.
[[Rhayader Town F.C.]], despite previously having some success in the [[League of Wales]] - the top-tier of domestic [[Welsh football]] between 1997 and 2002, ceased to exist in the summer of 2006. The club has since reformed, and in its inaugural season gained promotion into the Spar [[Mid Wales League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.countytimes.co.uk/sport/Rhayader-Town-secure-promotion-to.4041094.jp|title=Rhayader Town secure promotion to Spar|publisher=County Times |date=1 May 2008}}</ref> A subsequent promotion to the [[Cymru Alliance]] followed, but a finishing position of 15th saw the team relegated after just one season. The town's [[rugby union]] team play in the Cambrian Training Mid Wales League. There is also a [[cricket]] club and thriving local [[darts]], [[dominos]] and [[Pocket billiards|pool]] leagues.


The town is also well known by [[motocross]] fans. Every summer a series of events take place at the nearby [[Cwmythig Hill]] circuit, with many of Britain's top riders taking part. The race series regularly attracts over 5,000 spectators.
The town is also well known by [[motocross]] fans. Every summer a series of events take place at the nearby Cwmythig Hill circuit, with many of Britain's top riders taking part. The race series regularly attracts over 5,000 spectators.


As part of the annual carnival celebrations, Rhayader also plays host to a number of World Championship events in lesser celebrated sports, including [[wheelbarrow race|wheelbarrow racing]] and [[rock-paper-scissors]].
As part of the annual carnival celebrations, Rhayader also plays host to a number of World Championship events in lesser celebrated sports, including [[wheelbarrow race|wheelbarrow racing]] and [[rock-paper-scissors]].


== Town Development ==
== Development ==


Rhayader and its surrounding districts are supported by development organisation Rhayader 2000 Ltd, established in 1996 to revive Rhayader's economy.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/2892475.stm |title=Skate talk for board children |work=BBC News |date=31 March 2003 |access-date=21 January 2018 }}</ref> Rhayader 2000 Ltd is a voluntary sector organisation representing a cross section of the local community. It builds links with [[Powys County Council]], Rhayader Town Council, local businesses and charitable and voluntary organisations.
Rhayader and its surrounding districts are supported by Development Organisation Rhayader 2000 Ltd.
Established in March 1995, Rhayader 2000 Ltd is a voluntary sector, community development organisation representing a cross section of the local community. Strong links have been created with Powys County Council, Rhayader Town Council, local businesses, a selection of charitable and voluntary organisations and the local community, to enable a variety of initiatives to be undertaken which have had a real and lasting impact on the life of the town.

Rhayader 2000 manages the town's website: www.rhayader.co.uk


== References ==
== References ==
{{reflist}}
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* [http://www.transition-rhayader.midwales.org.uk Transition Town Rhayader Website]
{{Reflist|30em}}


== External links ==
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Rhayader|position=right}}
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* [http://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2742825 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Rhayader and surrounding area]
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* [http://www.rhayadercarnival.co.uk Rhayader carnival website]
* [http://www.rhayader.co.uk Rhayader Website]
* [http://www.rhayader.co.uk Rhayader Website]
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* [https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2742825 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Rhayader and surrounding area]
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* [http://www.rhayadercarnival.co.uk Rhayader carnival website]
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130125073242/http://transition-rhayader.midwales.org.uk/ Transition Town Rhayader Website]


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[[Category:Rhayader| ]]
[[Category:Towns in Powys]]
[[Category:Towns in Powys]]
[[Category:Communities in Powys]]
[[Category:Wards of Powys]]
[[Category:Market towns in Wales]]
[[Category:Market towns in Wales]]

Latest revision as of 21:15, 7 November 2024

Rhayader
Rhayader is located in Powys
Rhayader
Rhayader
Location within Powys
Area137.31 km2 (53.02 sq mi)
Population2,088 
• Density15/km2 (39/sq mi)
OS grid referenceSN975685
Principal area
Preserved county
  • Powys
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townRHAYADER
Postcode districtLD6
Dialling code01597
PoliceDyfed-Powys
FireMid and West Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Powys
52°18′04″N 3°30′40″W / 52.301°N 3.511°W / 52.301; -3.511

Rhayader (/ˈreɪ.ədər/; Welsh: Rhaeadr Gwy; pronounced [ˈr̥əɪadar ˈɡʊi̯]) is a market town and community in Powys, Wales, within the historic county of Radnorshire. The town is 20 miles (32 km) from the source of the River Wye on Plynlimon, the highest point of the Cambrian Mountains, and is located at the junction of the A470 road and the A44 road 13 miles (21 km) north of Builth Wells and 30 miles (48 km) east of Aberystwyth.

The population was 2,088, with 55% of the community having some form of Welsh identity, according to the 2011 census.[1][2] The community is the largest in Wales by area, with 137.31 km2 (53.02 sq mi).[3] It includes the Elan Valley.[4]

Rhayader holds the record for the lowest-ever temperature recorded in Wales, -23.3 °C on 21 January 1940.

Jasper Fforde’s novels “Red Side Story” and “Shades of Grey: The Road to High Saffron” are located in a dystopian version of Rhayader called East Carmine.

Etymology

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The name, Rhayader, is a partly-Anglicised form of its Welsh name, Y Rhaeadr ('the waterfall'), or, to distinguish it from other places named after waterfalls, Rhaeadr Gwy ('waterfall [on the] Wye'). Strictly speaking, according to place-name spelling conventions in Welsh, the name of the town would be Rhaeadr-gwy, and the waterfall itself Rhaeadr Gwy, but it seems that this distinction is usually ignored.[citation needed]

In the Welsh of the area the name is Rheiad, as one would expect on the pattern of similar words in colloquial Welsh, pronounced [ˈr̥əɪad].[5] That is, a final "r" is dropped after "d", as in aradr ('plough') > arad, Llangynidr ('church of Cynidr', a village in Breconshire) > Llangynid, Cadwaladr (a forename, 'battle-leader') > Cadwalad, 'Dwalad.

Little remains of the waterfall itself, it having been destroyed in 1780 to make way for the bridge linking the town to Cwmdauddwr and the Elan Valley, the Lakeland of Wales.

History

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The Rhayader Hoard of Romano-British jewellery in the British Museum

Rhayader has long been a natural stopping point for travellers – the Romans had a stop-over camp in the Elan Valley, monks travelled between the abbeys of Strata Florida and Abbeycwmhir and drovers headed to the lucrative markets with their livestock.[6] It was not until the 12th century that a documented history of the town began with the building of Rhayader Castle in 1177. Little remains today, with the exception of a dry moat that can be seen from Wauncapel Park.[6]

One of the oldest buildings in Rhayader is the Old Swan, which stands on the corner of West and South Streets Rhayader. The original building was mentioned in 1676 as being one of the two inns in Rhayader at that date. Some changes were made in 1683, including the rebuilding of the three chimney stacks, and this date is carved into the old timbers inside the building.

In the 19th century, turnpike roads were only passable on payment of extortionate tolls, imposing additional burdens on already poor communities. This led to the Rebecca Riots across South and Mid Wales from 1839 to 1842, with no fewer than six of Rhayader's tollgates being demolished with impunity by local farmers dressed as women. The actions of these "Rebeccaites" led to a Commission of Inquiry being set up, and most of Rebecca's grievances were righted two years later.[7]

In the 1890s the rapidly expanding city of Birmingham, 80 miles (130 kilometres) east, viewed the nearby Elan Valley as the ideal source of clean, safe water. This was to change the face of Rhayader forever, bringing thousands of workers involved in building this massive complex of dams and reservoirs to the area. A new railway was built connecting this huge area with the main network in Rhayader, and the construction of a new village to house the workers was built on the banks of the River Elan. Work started in 1894 and the scheme was officially opened in 1904 by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.[6][8]

The area around the town has several cairns and standing stones dating from several thousand years BCE. An important hoard of gold jewellery dating from the 1st–2nd centuries AD was found nearby in 1899. Known as the Rhayader Hoard, it is now in the Romano-British collection of the British Museum.[9][10]

Governance

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Rhayader is an electoral ward to Powys County Council, electing one county councillor. As of 2022, the incumbent is Cllr Angela Davies of the Liberal Democrats.[11]

Rhayader Town Council represents the town at the local level, with 41 town councillors elected from the Rhayader and Cwmdauddwr community wards.[12]

Notable people

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Transport

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Rhayader station with a local Mid-Wales Railway train, 1949

The station on the Mid-Wales Railway line that served the town was closed on 31 December 1962. The nearest station is now 9 miles (14 kilometres) away, at Pen-y-Bont railway station, Crossgates on the Heart of Wales line, though connections are usually made at the more accessible Llandrindod railway station, a similar distance away.

A bus service connects with outlying villages and neighbouring towns, with two-hourly daytime departures to Builth Wells, Llandrindod Wells, Aberystwyth and Newtown, with connections to Hereford, Shrewsbury and Cardiff.

Due to the volume of traffic generated by the convergence of two trunk roads — the A44 and the A470 — the construction of a bypass to relieve congestion at the town centre crossroads has been an ongoing debate for many years.[13]

The town is also a popular cycling centre and is on Route 8 of the United Kingdom National Cycle Network, known in Welsh as Lôn Las Cymru, 'Wales' green lane'.

Amenities

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Tourism and agriculture are the most important industries locally. Walkers and cyclists are drawn to Rhayader for the abundance of trails and bridleways surrounding the town, which is the gateway to a massive complex of reservoirs and dams (The Elan Valley). This vast area is home to some of Britain's rarest wildlife and plants, including red kites, along with magnificent feats of engineering.

There are a number of hotels, bed and breakfasts and campsites to accommodate the large number of visitors that travel to the area all year round.

Rhayader is also home to a community founded art and heritage complex which includes a museum and gallery,[14] a leisure centre, numerous parks and all the amenities expected of a larger town. Potter Phil Rogers has his studio in Rhayader. There are an abundance of shops, cash facilities, restaurants, takeaways and supermarkets catering to both the local population and visitors to the area.

Rhayader is also renowned for being the town with the highest concentration of pubs and drinking establishments, per capita, in the UK, with one to each 173 people.[15]

In nearby Nant-glas, across the river Wye from the village of Llanwrthwl, the Living Willow Theatre, an open-air theatre constructed of living willow trees, was opened in 2007.

Sport

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Rhayader Town F.C., despite previously having some success in the League of Wales - the top-tier of domestic Welsh football between 1997 and 2002, ceased to exist in the summer of 2006. The club has since reformed, and in its inaugural season gained promotion into the Spar Mid Wales League.[16] A subsequent promotion to the Cymru Alliance followed, but a finishing position of 15th saw the team relegated after just one season. The town's rugby union team play in the Cambrian Training Mid Wales League. There is also a cricket club and thriving local darts, dominos and pool leagues.

The town is also well known by motocross fans. Every summer a series of events take place at the nearby Cwmythig Hill circuit, with many of Britain's top riders taking part. The race series regularly attracts over 5,000 spectators.

As part of the annual carnival celebrations, Rhayader also plays host to a number of World Championship events in lesser celebrated sports, including wheelbarrow racing and rock-paper-scissors.

Development

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Rhayader and its surrounding districts are supported by development organisation Rhayader 2000 Ltd, established in 1996 to revive Rhayader's economy.[17] Rhayader 2000 Ltd is a voluntary sector organisation representing a cross section of the local community. It builds links with Powys County Council, Rhayader Town Council, local businesses and charitable and voluntary organisations.

References

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  1. ^ Powys County Council : Census 2011 : Rhayader Community Retrieved 13 November 2010
  2. ^ "rhayader identity". neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Custom report - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics". www.nomisweb.co.uk.
  4. ^ UK Census (2011). "Local Area Report – Rhayader Parish (W04000341)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Hen Ffrwcsod Ffair-rhos – Mary Thomas (1905-83)". Amgueddfa Cymru. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  6. ^ a b c "About". Rhayader. Archived from the original on 19 June 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  7. ^ "Victorian Rhayader: The Rebecca Riots: 1". history.powys.org.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  8. ^ "Victorian Rhayader - Elan Valley dams menu". history.powys.org.uk. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Ancient gold jewellery returns to Rhayader Museum". BBC News. 3 June 2011.
  10. ^ bracelet Museum number 1900,1122.3 www.britishmuseum.org, accessed 9 July 2021
  11. ^ "County Council Elections 2022 - Radnorshire". Powys County Council. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  12. ^ Councillors, Rhayader.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  13. ^ Mike Sivier (16 October 2006). "Trade fears over bypass". Shropshire Star. Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
  14. ^ Rhayader Museum and Gallery CARAD, 'The Organisation', accessed 24 January 2014
  15. ^ "Town has pub for every 173 people". London: BBC. 28 May 2008.
  16. ^ "Rhayader Town secure promotion to Spar". County Times. 1 May 2008.
  17. ^ "Skate talk for board children". BBC News. 31 March 2003. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rhayader.


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