Welshpool
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Welshpool | |
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| Population | 6,269 (2001) |
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| OS grid reference | |
| Principal area | Powys |
| Ceremonial county | Powys |
| Constituent country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | WELSHPOOL |
| Postcode district | SY21 |
| Dial code | 01938 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Montgomeryshire |
| European Parliament | Wales |
| List of places: UK • Wales • Powys | |
Welshpool (Welsh: Y Trallwng) is a town in Powys, Wales, only 4 miles (6 km) from the border with England. It has a population of 6,269 (2001 census).
Welshpool is a low-lying town upon the River Severn. The Welsh name Y Trallwng literally means 'the marshy or sinking land'. In English it was initially known as Poole but changed to Welshpool to distinguish it from Poole in Dorset.
Welshpool contains much Georgian architecture. Just south of the town is Powis Castle.
Welshpool served briefly as the capital of Powys Wenwynwyn after its prince was forced to flee the traditional royal site at Mathrafal in 1212. After 1284 Powys Wenwynwyn ceased to exist.
Welshpool is served by the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth Cambrian Line of Arriva Trains Wales. The town is also the starting point of the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway, a narrow-gauge heritage railway popular with tourists. The semi-disused Montgomery Canal also runs through Welshpool. To the south of the town is the Welshpool aerodrome, now known as Mid-Wales Airport.
Its local football club is Welshpool Town F.C..
Welshpool's Town Hall clock face is illuminated in green on some faces and nobody knows why.[citation needed]
[edit] Miscellaneous
Hedgehog crisps were credited as being invented in Welshpool.
Indeed they were by Mr Lewis who ran The Vaults pub, based on Welshpool's High Street, on the site that is now the One Stop Convenience Store. He went on to market the product nationally and set up a factory in the town becoming a millionaire. It was sold to the groups controlling Benson crisps. Mr Lewis later lost his fortune and became the French teacher at community college bishop's castle in the local high school before retiring to France.[citation needed]
[edit] External links
- Welshpool.com - town website
- Welshpoolbc.co.uk - Welshpool Bapist Church
- Welshpool Rugby Club- Website of Welshpool Rugby Club, who compete in the Welsh National League
- www.twighlightzone.com - Welshpool's computer services and support company who installed the Welshpool Wireless Broadband Hotspot on the High Street using BTOpenzone
- The River Severn Tales of the River Severn
| Towns on the River Severn, UK | edit | |
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Heading downstream: Llanidloes | Newtown | Welshpool | Shrewsbury | Bridgnorth |
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| Settlements on the River Severn from its source to Llandrinio (heading downstream) | edit | |
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Llanidloes | Llandinam | Caersws | Newtown | Llanwchaiarn | Abermule | Welshpool | Buttington | Llandrinio |
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