Places to see in ( Rhayader - UK )
Places to see in ( Rhayader - UK )
Rhayader is a market town and community in Powys, Wales. Rhayader is the first town on the banks of the River Wye, 20 miles from its source on the Plynlimon range of the Cambrian Mountains. The town is one of the principal centres of population in the historic county of Radnorshire.
Rhayader is situated roughly midway between North and south Wales on the A470, 13 miles north of Builth Wells and 30 miles east of Aberystwyth on the 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. 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.
Rhayader has always 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. 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.
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 1839–1842, with no less 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.
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 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.
The station on the Mid Wales Railway line that served the town was closed on 31 December 1962. The nearest station is now at Crossgates on the Heart of Wales Line, though connections are usually made at the more accessible Llandrindod railway station a similar distance away. An extensive 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, Cardiff and further afield.
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 amount 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.
( Rhayader - UK ) is well know as a tourist destination because of the variety of places you can enjoy while you are visiting the city of Rhayader . Through a series of videos we will try to show you recommended places to visit in Rhayader - UK
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