Brechfa

Brechfa
Brechfa
Brechfa shown within Carmarthenshire
OS grid reference SN525303
Community
Principal area
Ceremonial county
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town CARMARTHEN
Postcode district SA32
Police Dyfed-Powys
Fire Mid and West Wales
Ambulance Welsh
EU Parliament Wales
UK Parliament
Welsh Assembly
Website https://web.archive.org/web/20070627171207/http://www.brechfa.info/

Brechfa is a village is situated between Llandeilo and Carmarthen in the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales.[1][2] The village has existed since the 6th century.[3]

History

In the 1840s, Brechfa featured in the Rebecca Riots when rioters destroyed tollgates on the local turnpike road.[4] During the 1930s Great Depression, unemployed men were set to work on the Forestry Commission land, breaking ground, building tracks, and undertaking other heavy labour. The men lived in a work camp in Brechfa, which was one of a number of Instructional Centres run by the Ministry of Labour.

Location and amenities

Brechfa village is set in countryside [5] at the top of the Cothi Valley. The village has a bridge which links both sides of the village together as well as being located by the Brechfa Forest.

St. Teilo's Church is based in the middle of the Brechfa and replaced the former church building in 1893. The stone from the former church building was used to build the current church hall which is situated directly opposite St. Teilo's Church.[6]

The Bryn Stores Community Store is a co-operative has been set up to run the village shop,[7] which featured in an article in the Daily Telegraph Magazine in 2007.[8] The village was chosen as a special stage in the British Rally from 2006 to 2008.

The Forest Arms, the public house located in the centre of Brechfa, featuring open fires, food and drink and car parking to the front and rear. The pub was closed between 2006 and 2014, and has re-opened in April 2014.[9]

Leisure & Recreation

Brechfa Forest is a mixture of ancient forest and managed woodlands containing mountain bike trails as well as promoted walks and rides, at the top of the Cothi Valley. The managed woodlands of the forest is managed by Natural Resources Wales.[10]

The village is the site of Brechfa Mountain Biking which have a number of free car parks with picnic and BBQ facilities. In Byrgwm car park there is The Shed café for those riding the Raven or Derwen Trails.[11]

Brechfa Forest provides 17,300 acres of open access for horse riders, who can use any of the tracks within the forest. A number of bridleways and byways run across the farmland and common land surrounding the forest to enable equestrian visitors to enjoy a variety of rides.[12]

The River Cothi is the largest tributary of the River Tywi in south Wales. It is noted for its trout and sea trout (sewin) fishing and for salmon. The Cothi valley runs through the Brechfa Forest joining the Tywi (or Towy if you prefer the English spelling) a few miles south of Brechfa.[13]

Brechfa was chosen as a special stage in the British Rally from 2006 to 2008.

Brechfa FM

Pupils of Bro Myrddin Welsh Comprehensive School, Carmarthen have launched an on demand podcast website on the bebo network called Brechfa FM. The comedy radio station portrays the Brechfa residents as very isolated people who have no contact with "outside world" places such as Carmarthen. The radio station has become popular among local bebo network users.
Brechfa Radio Podcast Site

Notable residents\former residents

References

  1. ↑ 2001 Census
  2. ↑ Community Web-Site Archived 27 June 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ A History of Carmarthenshire Lloyd, Sir J: For The Society (Cardiff) 1935 & 1939, Vol I From Prehistoric Times to the Act of Union (1536)
  4. ↑ Rebecca Riots Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ Walks around Brecha
  6. ↑ "Brechfa Church Homepage". www.cothi-churches.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-12-11.
  7. ↑ Winner of A Welsh Oscar, Newyddion Cymuned 25 May 2007
  8. ↑ Saturday 31 March 2007
  9. ↑ "The Forest Arms - Pub, Restaurant & Accommodation in Brechfa, Wales". www.forestarms.com. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  10. ↑ Scenic tour Archived 4 April 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ "Brechfa - Mountain Bike Wales". Mountain Bike Wales. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  12. ↑ "Riding in Brechfa Forest". www.visitbrechfaforest.com. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
  13. ↑ "Fishing near Brechfa Forest". www.visitbrechfaforest.com. Retrieved 2016-12-18.
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