Betws y Coed is a popular inland holiday resort on A5, where three rivers, the Llugwy, the Lledr and the Machno, join the River Conwy.
It is one of the main villages within Snowdonia National Park and also part of the Gwydir Forest Park. It is a popular centre for all outdoor sports.
Its name translates as prayer house in the woods and the Church of St Michael was the site of a C6th Celtic monastery. Lead was mined in the area in the Middle Ages. Pont y Pair pack horse bridge across Afon Llugwy was built in 1468 in what was then, a remote area.
The name means ‘bridge of the cauldron’ after the waterfalls and rapids flowing beneath.
After the Acts of Union 1800, between Ireland and the UK, there was a need for better transport links between London and Holyhead for the ferry to Ireland. The best route, now the A5, passed through the village. Waterloo Bridge built by Thomas Telford in 1815, crossed the River Conwy and through the village. Pont y Pair bridge was widened for stagecoaches use.
This brought an economic boost to the area as the village became a major mail coach stop, with inns and hotels being built. The railway arrived and Betws-y-Coed railway station opened in 1868. As well as carrying slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to the coast, it also brought increasing numbers of passengers to the town.
Much of the village was built in the late C19th around a large green area.
The impressive station buildings are now shops and cafes and there are many specialist shops in the village.
Across the railway line in the old goods yard is a Railway Museum with miniature railway.
The Courthouse on the edge of the village was an imposing building and is now a B&B.
St Michael’s Old Church (#2) surrounded by trees and overlooking the river, was the site of the C6th monastery.
The building dates from the C14th and is the oldest building in the village. With the rapid population growth in the late C19th, the church was too small and no longer suited the needs of the community. A new church was badly needed and St Mary’s Church (#3) was built in the centre of the village. It was the work of Owen Jones, a local man who also also responsible for building the railway station.
Close to St Michael's church is Sapper’s suspension bridge, which gave access to the A470. This was built in 1930 to replace an earlier bridge built to allow access from a World War One army base across the river to Betws y Coed. Previous to that the only way to cross had been by stepping stones. The suspension bridge is currently closed as the wood is now rotting.
It is one of the main villages within Snowdonia National Park and also part of the Gwydir Forest Park. It is a popular centre for all outdoor sports.
Its name translates as prayer house in the woods and the Church of St Michael was the site of a C6th Celtic monastery. Lead was mined in the area in the Middle Ages. Pont y Pair pack horse bridge across Afon Llugwy was built in 1468 in what was then, a remote area.
The name means ‘bridge of the cauldron’ after the waterfalls and rapids flowing beneath.
After the Acts of Union 1800, between Ireland and the UK, there was a need for better transport links between London and Holyhead for the ferry to Ireland. The best route, now the A5, passed through the village. Waterloo Bridge built by Thomas Telford in 1815, crossed the River Conwy and through the village. Pont y Pair bridge was widened for stagecoaches use.
This brought an economic boost to the area as the village became a major mail coach stop, with inns and hotels being built. The railway arrived and Betws-y-Coed railway station opened in 1868. As well as carrying slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to the coast, it also brought increasing numbers of passengers to the town.
Much of the village was built in the late C19th around a large green area.
The impressive station buildings are now shops and cafes and there are many specialist shops in the village.
Across the railway line in the old goods yard is a Railway Museum with miniature railway.
The Courthouse on the edge of the village was an imposing building and is now a B&B.
St Michael’s Old Church (#2) surrounded by trees and overlooking the river, was the site of the C6th monastery.
The building dates from the C14th and is the oldest building in the village. With the rapid population growth in the late C19th, the church was too small and no longer suited the needs of the community. A new church was badly needed and St Mary’s Church (#3) was built in the centre of the village. It was the work of Owen Jones, a local man who also also responsible for building the railway station.
Close to St Michael's church is Sapper’s suspension bridge, which gave access to the A470. This was built in 1930 to replace an earlier bridge built to allow access from a World War One army base across the river to Betws y Coed. Previous to that the only way to cross had been by stepping stones. The suspension bridge is currently closed as the wood is now rotting.
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