Builth Wells

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Builth Wells
Welsh: Llanfair ym Muallt
Population 2,352 (2001 census)
OS grid reference SO035505
Principal area Powys
Ceremonial county Powys
Constituent country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town BUILTH WELLS
Postcode district LD2
Dialling code 01982
Police Dyfed-Powys
Fire Mid and West Wales
Ambulance Welsh
UK Parliament Brecon & Radnorshire
European Parliament Wales
List of places: UKWalesPowys
Coordinates: 52°08′N 3°25′W / 52.14, -3.41

Builth Wells (Welsh: Llanfair ym Muallt) is a town in the modern day Welsh county of Powys, in what was the historic county of Brecknockshire, mid Wales, lying on the River Wye in the Welsh or upper section of the Wye Valley.

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[edit] History

It was probably at Cilmeri - a village close to Builth Wells - that Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Ein Llew Olaf was ambushed and killed as he tried to rally the men of the Lordship of Builth in December 1282.

[edit] Royal Welsh Show

Builth Wells grew as a traditional Welsh market town and later a spa, and is well known nationally as the location of the Royal Welsh Showground, home to the Royal Welsh Show (although the showground is actually over the river Wye in Llanelwedd, Radnorshire).

[edit] Communications

The town is served by Builth Road railway station on the Heart of Wales Line, which is located just over a mile to the north, having lost its more central railway station on the Mid Wales Railway in the 1960s under the Beeching axe. One of the main Wales north-south trunk roads, the A483 passes the town, using that former railway route. A dedicated cycle route linking the town with Swansea (NCR 43) has been proposed and a 13 mile section of the route from Swansea has already been developed.

Image:Welsh-black-bull-builth-wells-2.jpg
Welsh Black bull bronze at Builth Wells

[edit] Builth Castle

Builth Castle was built under King Edward I, the construction taking nearly five years in the 1270's.

Owain Glyndwr's forces attacked Builth Castle [1]when it was in the charge of John Oldcastle during the rebellion of Owain Glyndwr and it was repaired in 1409, the bill being £400.

[edit] Unique Post Box

Builth Wells has the distinction of having one of the very few post boxes in the United Kingdom bearing the cypher of King Edward VIII, the uncrowned king whose abdication in 1936 caused a constitutional crisis.br:Llanfair-ym-Muallt cy:Llanfair-ym-Muallt de:Builth Wells fr:Llanfair-ym-Muallt it:Builth Wells no:Builth Wells

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