Bethel, Anglesey
Encyclopedia
Bethel itself remains a relatively small and quiet village
set centrally within the wider community and larger Parish of Bodorgan
. The village is located inland (approximately three miles) from the south-western coast on the isle of Anglesey
in North Wales
.
This belies its relatively interesting recent history however as during the late 19c until the 1950s the village and the nearby Bodorgan Railway Station
were a hive of commercial and social activity. The present village shop Bethel Stores, was constructed by Harold and Dorothy Mawson in the 1960s as a result of a major demolition
programme affecting many older properties deemed to be in a dangerous state of construction and repair - including their own general store
s business, “Siop Isaf” ( Lower Shop”), in the village. The new Bethel Stores ( the former Bethel Filling Station and Motorique Autoparts) stands on ground that was used as in-fill to reclaim an area that was known locally as Chwarel Bethel (Bethel Quarry) a source of some relatively unique, fairly valuable and sought after mineral deposits by the Bone-China / Ceramic industry of the Potteries. Some local inhabitants once indicated that they had the “superior bone-china tea sets” made from the quarried stone ( a type of quartz
) after it had returned to the area in its new, manufactured state. Beside the quarrying industry however, Bethel could arguably boast it that it had a vibrant commercial centre to some extent that existed until relatively recent times.
It once supported two general goods/grocery store
s, besides Shop Isaf a second business also operated in the village, known as Bryn Meilir (Meilir’s Hill Stores) Both shops were supported by the villagers and the wider farming community. However, in a blatantly obvious show of partisanship, one was supported by the Chapel-going community whilst the other was held in place by the Church-fraternity (it may be noted that one of Bryn Meilir's occupants had close family ties with a high ranking member of the Church of Wales) according to wide-held belief it was suggested that many locals chose to alternate their allegiance to the great Lord ( and therefore obtain favour in either "camp" during periods of food rationing) by following either "path" on alternate Sundays or morning/afternoon services.
The village once boasted a blacksmith
, a leather/shoe repairers, coal
merchants, police station
, petrol filling station
( up to early 21c) a garage, motor-parts and accessory shop, post office
, surgery, chapel, school and church-hall, china shop, joinery
workshop/carpenter
s. In addition, when one cared to pop out for some liquid refreshment of the alcoholic variety(except on Sundays until 1980’s) within half mile’s walk, two well frequented hostelries stood almost side by side opposite the railway concourse at Bodorgan Station. These two “pubs” - the Bodorgan and the Meyrick Arms were divided only by the positioning of the Cattle-Market and it was on such market days that farmers and the general public gathered to sell or purchase fine beasts or agricultural products and equipment. No doubt many a deal was struck outside the Auction room over a glass or two in the bar. The railway played its part too by transporting the bartered for beasts as well as passengers to and from the area in their droves.
Sadly those Halcyon days are long gone and lost perhaps forever - condemned to the pages of history
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
set centrally within the wider community and larger Parish of Bodorgan
Bodorgan
Bodorgan is a hamlet and a surrounding community area on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales, United Kingdom.According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, there are 1,503 residents in the electoral ward, 72.7% of them being able to speak Welsh: the local government community of Bodorgan, including the...
. The village is located inland (approximately three miles) from the south-western coast on the isle of Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
.
Community
Today, the village consists, in the main, of a cluster of detached private dwellings, a few social housing properties ( since the social and political revolution of the 80’s have become mostly former tenant owned) that in turn circumvent the village shop, Bethel Stores/Post Office and the new Medical Surgery.This belies its relatively interesting recent history however as during the late 19c until the 1950s the village and the nearby Bodorgan Railway Station
Bodorgan railway station
Bodorgan railway station serves the hamlet of Bodorgan and the village of Bethel on the Isle of Anglesey. The stop is an unmanned halt, and serves as a request stop for Chester and Holyhead-bound local trains along the North Wales coast....
were a hive of commercial and social activity. The present village shop Bethel Stores, was constructed by Harold and Dorothy Mawson in the 1960s as a result of a major demolition
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
programme affecting many older properties deemed to be in a dangerous state of construction and repair - including their own general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
s business, “Siop Isaf” ( Lower Shop”), in the village. The new Bethel Stores ( the former Bethel Filling Station and Motorique Autoparts) stands on ground that was used as in-fill to reclaim an area that was known locally as Chwarel Bethel (Bethel Quarry) a source of some relatively unique, fairly valuable and sought after mineral deposits by the Bone-China / Ceramic industry of the Potteries. Some local inhabitants once indicated that they had the “superior bone-china tea sets” made from the quarried stone ( a type of quartz
Quartz
Quartz is the second-most-abundant mineral in the Earth's continental crust, after feldspar. It is made up of a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tetrahedra, giving an overall formula SiO2. There are many different varieties of quartz,...
) after it had returned to the area in its new, manufactured state. Beside the quarrying industry however, Bethel could arguably boast it that it had a vibrant commercial centre to some extent that existed until relatively recent times.
It once supported two general goods/grocery store
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
s, besides Shop Isaf a second business also operated in the village, known as Bryn Meilir (Meilir’s Hill Stores) Both shops were supported by the villagers and the wider farming community. However, in a blatantly obvious show of partisanship, one was supported by the Chapel-going community whilst the other was held in place by the Church-fraternity (it may be noted that one of Bryn Meilir's occupants had close family ties with a high ranking member of the Church of Wales) according to wide-held belief it was suggested that many locals chose to alternate their allegiance to the great Lord ( and therefore obtain favour in either "camp" during periods of food rationing) by following either "path" on alternate Sundays or morning/afternoon services.
The village once boasted a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
, a leather/shoe repairers, coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
merchants, police station
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
, petrol filling station
Filling station
A filling station, also known as a fueling station, garage, gasbar , gas station , petrol bunk , petrol pump , petrol garage, petrol kiosk , petrol station "'servo"' in Australia or service station, is a facility which sells fuel and lubricants...
( up to early 21c) a garage, motor-parts and accessory shop, post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, surgery, chapel, school and church-hall, china shop, joinery
Joinery
Joinery may refer to:* Woodworking joints or other types of mechanical joints * The work of the joiner, the fabrication and installation of fittings in buildings with materials such as wood and aluminum * In Australia and New Zealand, a joinery is also the generic term for a business which...
workshop/carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
s. In addition, when one cared to pop out for some liquid refreshment of the alcoholic variety(except on Sundays until 1980’s) within half mile’s walk, two well frequented hostelries stood almost side by side opposite the railway concourse at Bodorgan Station. These two “pubs” - the Bodorgan and the Meyrick Arms were divided only by the positioning of the Cattle-Market and it was on such market days that farmers and the general public gathered to sell or purchase fine beasts or agricultural products and equipment. No doubt many a deal was struck outside the Auction room over a glass or two in the bar. The railway played its part too by transporting the bartered for beasts as well as passengers to and from the area in their droves.
Sadly those Halcyon days are long gone and lost perhaps forever - condemned to the pages of history