All’s well in Wells This elegant town in the heart of Powys has attracted day trippers and permanent residents for centuries thanks to its spa waters, picture-postcard looks and idyllic setting used as billets, while refugees and wounded soldiers were also accommodated in the town. In the postwar era Llandrindod DID YOU suffered a similar KNOW? It’s twinned depression to the with two other rest of the country, spa towns, Bad losing much of its Rappenau and industry. Becoming Contrexéville the administrative centre for Powys boosted the economy Y Gwalia, which opened as a hotel in 1902, is now a municipal building with an influx of new employment in the 1970s and it has seen landrindod Wells – sometimes known steady improvement since – in fact, the town locally as simply “Dod” – is the centre was voted the happiest in Wales in 2017. of the Powys region and an important spot Perhaps this can be partly attributed for the area. It was first established as a spa to the town’s readiness to embrace the town in the 19th century when the apparent era in which it flourished – its Victorian healing qualities of the local spring waters heyday. Many local landmarks still proudly attracted visitors to the area resulting in an showcase the Llandrindod Wells of economic boom, leading to the building yesteryear: the Metropole and Glen Usk of Llandrindod Hall luxury hotel. hotels, the Albert Hall theatre, Llandrindod Its appeal dipped after a while but this railway station (built in 1865) and the was reversed when the Heart of Wales county council building adjacent to it. railway made Llandrindod accessible from The town’s inhabitants also relive its south Wales, the Midlands and northwest former glories in an annual Victorian Festival England. Visitors arrived from May to that has grown to become one the largest of September to take the waters at the Rock its kind in the UK. Many locals celebrate by Park and Pump House Hotel, while being dressing in Victorian, Edwardian or other entertained by orchestras. Hotels, restaurants antique costumes, and many of the town’s and shops sprang up, and the economy shops and businesses dress their windows boomed. In the 1870s, an ornamental lake or otherwise join in the spirit of the event. was formed by draining marshland near the Pump House, and tourists also enjoyed golf, Strong spirit horse racing and air shows beside the river. Llandrindod Wells continues to thrive Harder times despite challenging times thanks to the strength of its community spirit. The town During the First and Second World Wars, many hotels and boarding houses were has no fewer than 100 community groups
responsible for everything from green spaces to theatrics, and they all pull together to create a packed calendar of local events – festivals, summer carnivals, firework displays, raft races, singalongs and talent nights, as well as all manner of Christmas fun. Llandrindod is also the location of the National Cycle Museum, which has around 250 cycles of all vintages demonstrating the development of the bicycle through the ages. At the lake, where there were once deckchairs and Victorian ladies, there is a huge metal dragon sculpture spouting water, model boats and pedalos in the summer. There’s no doubt Llandrindod Wells will continue to draw on its past to create a strong future for many generations to come.
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The lake’s impressive dragon sculpture THINGS TO SEE AND DO Llandrindod Wells Lake Park LD1 6BL, 01597 822 600 The National Cycle Museum The Automobile Palace, Temple Street, Llandrindod Wells LD1 5DL www.cyclemuseum.org.uk, 01597 825531 The Radnorshire Museum Temple Street, Llandrindod Wells LD1 5DL 01597 824513
24 SHIRE MAGAZINE | November/December 2021
Town Visits Llandrindod Wells NovDec 2021 FINAL.indd 40
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