Tregarth
Encyclopedia
Tregarth is a village near Thomas Telford
's A5 London to Holyhead
road between the village of Bethesda and the city
of Bangor
in Gwynedd
, North Wales
.
with many houses being built to house quarry workers and their families. The village is renowned for a street of houses that were built by Lord Penrhyn, proprietor of the Penrhyn Quarry
and occupier of Penrhyn Castle
to accommodate the workers that refused to strike
during the Penrhyn Lockout of 1900-1903 . The street, Tanrhiw Road, was known locally as 'Stryd y Gynffon' (Traitor's Row) and was one of the first main settlements in the village based alongside the farmsteads of Ty'n Clawdd, Tanrhiw Isaf and Tahrhiw Uchaf.
Tregarth has a population
of some 1,000 people of which around 70% would consider the Welsh language
as their first language.
The village is the birthplace of a number of local luminaries such as the late Sir Ifor Williams
, the late Ifor Bowen Griffith, the late T. Gwynn Jones and actor John Ogwen
. Tregarth is also home to sculptress Ann Catrin Evans
(Pant yr Ardd), chapel (Shiloh), parish church
(Santes Fair, St Mary's) and community centre which is the venue for many village activities such as Ysgol Feithrin (nursery school), Youth Club, Clwb yr Henoed (Senior Citizens Club) and Snooker
Club.
Owing to Bethesda's industrial heritage, Tregarth has two railway lines running through its centre, one The Bethesda Branch (London and North Western Railway
) which was closed in 1963 and the other The Narrow Gauge Penrhyn Quarry Railway
Line which was used to transport slate from the Penrhyn Quarries to Port Penrhyn
and was closed in 1962. These lines have since been converted to cycle paths as part of Sustrans
Lôn Las Cymru cycle route 5 and take the cyclist on a journey from the Nant Ffrancon Pass
winding through Tregarth down along the River Cegin towards Bangor
and Port Penrhyn
. An hourly bus service into the town is provided by both Arriva Buses Wales
and Padarn Bus
.
The Moelyci Environmental Centre (Canolfan Amgylcheddol Moelyci) can also be found in Tregarth which is a community based centre that specialises in the practice and teaching of sustainability
. The centre runs many open days and activities and welcomes visitors.
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
's A5 London to Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
road between the village of Bethesda and the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, 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...
.
History
The village grew around the local slate industrySlate 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...
with many houses being built to house quarry workers and their families. The village is renowned for a street of houses that were built by Lord Penrhyn, proprietor of the Penrhyn Quarry
Penrhyn Quarry
The Penrhyn Slate Quarry is a slate quarry located near Bethesda in north Wales. At the end of the nineteenth century it was the world's largest slate quarry; the main pit is nearly long and deep, and it was worked by nearly 3,000 quarrymen. It has since been superseded in size by slate quarries...
and occupier of Penrhyn Castle
Penrhyn Castle
Penrhyn Castle is a country house in Llandegai, Bangor, Gwynedd, North Wales, in the form of a Norman castle. It was originally a medieval fortified manor house, founded by Ednyfed Fychan. In 1438, Ioan ap Gruffudd was granted a licence to crenellate and he founded the stone castle and added a...
to accommodate the workers that refused to strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
during the Penrhyn Lockout of 1900-1903 . The street, Tanrhiw Road, was known locally as 'Stryd y Gynffon' (Traitor's Row) and was one of the first main settlements in the village based alongside the farmsteads of Ty'n Clawdd, Tanrhiw Isaf and Tahrhiw Uchaf.
Tregarth has a population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of some 1,000 people of which around 70% would consider the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
as their first language.
The village is the birthplace of a number of local luminaries such as the late Sir Ifor Williams
Ifor Williams
Sir Ifor Williams was a Welsh scholar who laid the foundations for the academic study of Old Welsh, particularly early Welsh poetry....
, the late Ifor Bowen Griffith, the late T. Gwynn Jones and actor John Ogwen
John Ogwen
John Ogwen is a Welsh actor.Best known to British audiences for his starring role in the 1978 drama series Hawkmoor, and appearances in the television series The District Nurse and the Doctor Who serial Revelation of the Daleks, Ogwen has been a stalwart of Welsh language television and film since...
. Tregarth is also home to sculptress Ann Catrin Evans
Amenities
Tregarth has its own primary school, public housePublic 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...
(Pant yr Ardd), chapel (Shiloh), parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
(Santes Fair, St Mary's) and community centre which is the venue for many village activities such as Ysgol Feithrin (nursery school), Youth Club, Clwb yr Henoed (Senior Citizens Club) and Snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
Club.
Owing to Bethesda's industrial heritage, Tregarth has two railway lines running through its centre, one The Bethesda Branch (London and North Western Railway
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
) which was closed in 1963 and the other The Narrow Gauge Penrhyn Quarry Railway
Penrhyn Quarry Railway
The Penrhyn Quarry Railway first opened in 1798 as the Llandegai Tramway; it became the Penrhyn Railway in 1801 although on a different route. Constructed to transport slate from Lord Penrhyn's slate quarries at Bethesda to Port Penrhyn at Bangor, Wales. The railway was around six miles long...
Line which was used to transport slate from the Penrhyn Quarries to Port Penrhyn
Port Penrhyn
Port Penrhyn is a harbour located just east of Bangor in north Wales at the mouth of the River Cegin. It was formerly of great importance as the main port for the export of slate from the Penrhyn Quarry, the largest slate quarry in the world at the end of the nineteenth century...
and was closed in 1962. These lines have since been converted to cycle paths as part of Sustrans
Sustrans
Sustrans is a British charity to promote sustainable transport. The charity is currently working on a number of practical projects to encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport, to give people the choice of "travelling in ways that benefit their health and the environment"...
Lôn Las Cymru cycle route 5 and take the cyclist on a journey from the Nant Ffrancon Pass
Nant Ffrancon Pass
The Nant Ffrancon Pass in Snowdonia, North Wales, is the long steady climb of the A5 road between Bethesda, Gwynedd, and Llyn Ogwen in Conwy. The summit at is at Pont Wern-gof, about one-third of a mile beyond the eastern end of Llyn Ogwen. From here the road descends through Nant y Benglog to...
winding through Tregarth down along the River Cegin towards Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
and Port Penrhyn
Port Penrhyn
Port Penrhyn is a harbour located just east of Bangor in north Wales at the mouth of the River Cegin. It was formerly of great importance as the main port for the export of slate from the Penrhyn Quarry, the largest slate quarry in the world at the end of the nineteenth century...
. An hourly bus service into the town is provided by both Arriva Buses Wales
Arriva Buses Wales
Arriva Buses Wales is a division of Arriva that operates bus services in north Wales. It has its origins in the former Crosville Motor Services. Arriva Buses Wales has approximately 700 employees. The company's official name is Arriva Cymru Ltd.-History:...
and Padarn Bus
Padarn Bus
Padarn Bus is a bus company based in Llanberis, Gwynedd, Wales. It operates a fleet of around 40 buses on 18 routes in North Wales. Many of its vehicles and routes were acquired when it merged with larger company KMP.-History:...
.
The Moelyci Environmental Centre (Canolfan Amgylcheddol Moelyci) can also be found in Tregarth which is a community based centre that specialises in the practice and teaching of sustainability
Sustainability
Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
. The centre runs many open days and activities and welcomes visitors.