Cwm y Glo
Encyclopedia
Cwm y Glo is a small village
in Wales
, some 4 miles to the east of Caernarfon
, between Llanberis
and Llanrug
. It is in the Caernarfon Parliament constituency
and the Gwynedd Council
electoral ward.
The focus of the village is on the original roadway, now bypassed by the A4086 road, which follows the approximate line of the former railway.
To the east of the village lies the flood plain of Afon Rhythallt
, and consequently some houses on the eastern side of the old road (which lie below the level of the main road) suffer some problems.
The village these days is mainly residential but has a number of small businesses. Menter Fachwen is thriving local charity offering work to adults with disabilities and has a cafe, shop and garden furniture factory in the village. The village also hosts a secondhand car dealer, a car repair garage/secondhand car dealership and a picture framers.
The community is policed from Llanberis and has a dedicated Community Beat Manager
. (Searchable link included to identify the local Officer)
") lies in its connection with the extensive slate industries
which thrived in the valley in 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. The area was home to the charcoal
sub-industry, which the foundries at the various quarries depended on to fabricate iron
to support the slate industry.
On June 30, 1869, two carts carrying nitroglycerine explosive collided in the village; the resulting explosion killed the carters as well as three others and injured a further eight. The explosion was at the time believed to be the loudest manmade explosion ever, and the debris, allegedly including a cart wheel, was thrown as far as the next village, Brynrefail
. To this day an X inscribed on a wall at Clegir along the old road between Bryn Bras Castle
and Llanberis
, marking the spot where a wheel and harness from one of the carts was flung.
In April 2008 a plaque commemorating the tragedy was unveiled on the rock face opposite Y Fricsan (the village's public house
); the plaque was paid for by local resident, Martin Kressman, who donated it to the local community council.
Between 1865 and 1965 an LNWR 8-mile branch railway line ran through the village from Llanberis
to Caernarfon
, but there are no longer any visible remains of Cwm-y-Glo railway station
. The line was established by the Caernarvon and Llanberis Railway Act 1864
.
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...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, some 4 miles to the east of Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
, between Llanberis
Llanberis
Llanberis is a village in Gwynedd, North Wales, lying on the southern banks of Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia. It takes its name from Saint Peris, an early Welsh saint.According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llanberis was 1,954...
and Llanrug
Llanrug
Llanrug is a large village in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It lies about 4 miles to the east of Caernarfon, 7 miles south of Bangor and 3 miles to the west of Llanberis. It is the largest populated village in the Arfon area of Gwynedd, Wales. The old name term of the village was initially...
. It is in the Caernarfon Parliament constituency
Caernarfon (UK Parliament constituency)
Caernarfon was a parliamentary constituency centred on the town of Caernarfon in Wales. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system....
and the Gwynedd Council
Gwynedd Council
Gwynedd Council is the governing body for the principal area of Gwynedd, one of the subdivisions of Wales within the United Kingdom.- Creation of the Authority :...
electoral ward.
The focus of the village is on the original roadway, now bypassed by the A4086 road, which follows the approximate line of the former railway.
To the east of the village lies the flood plain of Afon Rhythallt
Afon Rhythallt
The River Rhythallt is a river in Gwynedd, North Wales whose source is Llyn Padarn. It flows in a northwesterly direction past the village of Brynrefail, Gwynedd and changes its name to Afon Seiont downstream of Pont Rhythallt in Llanrug. The Afon Seiont eventually reaches the sea at Caernarfon...
, and consequently some houses on the eastern side of the old road (which lie below the level of the main road) suffer some problems.
The village these days is mainly residential but has a number of small businesses. Menter Fachwen is thriving local charity offering work to adults with disabilities and has a cafe, shop and garden furniture factory in the village. The village also hosts a secondhand car dealer, a car repair garage/secondhand car dealership and a picture framers.
The community is policed from Llanberis and has a dedicated Community Beat Manager
Community Beat Manager
A Community Beat Manager is a police officer within the British Police's territorial police forces, such as the Metropolitan Police Service and Greater Manchester Police. The CBM is usually responsible for a particular neighbourhood or area of a town or city. Most commonly CBMs are Constables...
. (Searchable link included to identify the local Officer)
History
The origin of the village's name ("Valley of CoalCoal
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...
") lies in its connection with the extensive slate industries
Slate industry in Wales
The slate industry in Wales began during the Roman period when slate was used to roof the fort at Segontium, now Caernarfon. The slate industry grew slowly until the early 18th century, then expanded rapidly until the late 19th century, at which time the most important slate producing areas were in...
which thrived in the valley in 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. The area was home to the charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
sub-industry, which the foundries at the various quarries depended on to fabricate iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
to support the slate industry.
On June 30, 1869, two carts carrying nitroglycerine explosive collided in the village; the resulting explosion killed the carters as well as three others and injured a further eight. The explosion was at the time believed to be the loudest manmade explosion ever, and the debris, allegedly including a cart wheel, was thrown as far as the next village, Brynrefail
Brynrefail, Gwynedd
Brynrefail is a small village in Gwynedd, Wales that straddles the A4244 road roughly between Deiniolen and Llanberis.The village is in Wales the Caernarfon and the Gwynedd Council Ward of Penisarwaen.Brynrefail stands a short walk from the northern shore of Llyn Padarn lake...
. To this day an X inscribed on a wall at Clegir along the old road between Bryn Bras Castle
Bryn Bras Castle
Bryn Bras Castle is a Grade II* Listed Building, located on the old road between Llanrug and Llanberis known locally as the Clegir road, in Caernarfon, Gwynedd....
and Llanberis
Llanberis
Llanberis is a village in Gwynedd, North Wales, lying on the southern banks of Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia. It takes its name from Saint Peris, an early Welsh saint.According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llanberis was 1,954...
, marking the spot where a wheel and harness from one of the carts was flung.
In April 2008 a plaque commemorating the tragedy was unveiled on the rock face opposite Y Fricsan (the village's public house
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
); the plaque was paid for by local resident, Martin Kressman, who donated it to the local community council.
Between 1865 and 1965 an LNWR 8-mile branch railway line ran through the village from Llanberis
Llanberis
Llanberis is a village in Gwynedd, North Wales, lying on the southern banks of Llyn Padarn in Snowdonia. It takes its name from Saint Peris, an early Welsh saint.According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, the population of Llanberis was 1,954...
to Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
, but there are no longer any visible remains of Cwm-y-Glo railway station
Cwm-y-Glo railway station
Cwm-y-Glo was a railway station located in Cwm y Glo, Gwynedd, at the north-west end of Llyn Padarn. This station was closed for regular passenger services in 1932 but may have been used for occasional excursion trains until December 1964....
. The line was established by the Caernarvon and Llanberis Railway Act 1864
Caernarvon and Llanberis Railway Act 1864
The Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway, built under theCaernarvon and Llanberis Railway Act 1864, was an eight mile branch line from the Carnarvonshire Railway running from Caernarfon to Llanberis, Gwynedd via Pont Rhythallt , Cwm y Glo, and Padarn Halt, and terminating at Llanberis...
.