Newtown was the birthplace of Robert Owen in 1771, whose house stood on the present site of the HSBC Bank.[4] The town has a theatre, Theatr Hafren,[5] and a public gallery, Oriel Davies, displaying contemporary arts and crafts.[6] It is the largest town in Powys and Mid Wales.
Etymology
The ancient parish and commote are named Cedewain, and Newtown was home to a Llan dedicated to St Mary. As such, the first recorded name for the town was Llanfair-yng-Nghedewain.[7]
Both the modern English name "Newtown" and its Latin variant "Nova Villa" first appear in the thirteenth century following the Norman invasion of Wales. Robert Owen stated that the name was adopted to distinguish the town from the older centre of Norman power in Powys, at Caersws.[8]
The ancient Welsh name continued in use until the modern era. Tudor Owen, noted that the modern Welsh name, appears with the definite article as Y Drênewydd. Owen stated that this was influenced by Newtown's status as one of only two New towns in Wales proposed by John Silkin in 1949.[9][10]
History
Foundation
During the early medieval period a hamlet named Llanfair-yng-Nghedewain lay within the area that is now Newtown.[11] Its original Welsh name is derived from being situated near a River Severn ford below the Long Bridge and close to the church of St Mary in Bettws Cedewain.[12]
The area came to the attention of the English Crown in the 13th century when Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales, created a new administrative centre (Welsh: cantref) at Dolforwyn Castle near Abermule following the Treaty of Montgomery between himself and Henry III. Llywelyn had the castle built to consolidate the land he had been given according to the treaty. However, it was not long after the death of Henry III in 1272 that tension arose with the English at their outpost of Montgomery Castle in the Welsh Marches. This led Edward I to seize and capture Dolforwyn Castle in 1277. He then granted Llywelyn's lands to the powerful Marcher Lord, Roger Mortimer, who transferred the administration of the cantref of Cedewain and the commote of Ceri from Dolforwyn Castle to a new settlement he planned to build further down the valley at Newtown. The town's market charter was granted in 1279.[13][14]
The town grew in the 18th and 19th centuries around the textile and flannel industry, stimulated by completion of the Montgomeryshire Canal. In 1838, the town saw Wales's first Chartist demonstration.
The Cambrian Mills, opened in 1856, were the first steam-driven mills in Newtown.[15] The mills stood beside the canal terminus on the east bank of the Severn.[16] They expanded to become the largest of the Welsh woollen mills.[15] However, by the end of the 19th century the Newtown mills were no longer competitive with those in the north of England.[15] There was a disastrous fire in 1910 and another in 1912, after which the Cambrian Mills were not rebuilt.[16] Thereafter Newtown was no longer an important centre of the woollen industry and many workers moved elsewhere.[17] Newtown hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1965. In 1967, the town was designated a new town. It saw a large population growth as firms and people settled, changing its ruralmarket town character.
Population
The population of Newtown in 2001 was 10,780, and increased to 11,347 in 2011. The census of 2021 recorded 11,362 people.[2]
The two parishes of Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn were governed by a single local board from 1866.[19] Such local boards became urban district councils under the Local Government Act 1894, and the Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Urban District Council went on to govern the town from 1894 until 1974.[20] In 1974 all urban districts were abolished under the Local Government Act 1972, with most of Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Urban District Council's functions passing to Montgomeryshire District Council. At the same time a community was established covering the area of the former urban district, with its council taking the name Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council.[21] Further local government reorganisation took place across Wales in 1996, when Montgomeryshire District Council was abolished and its functions passed to Powys County Council.[22]
The Town Council has 16 elected members serving five-year terms, and employs a staff of about ten.[23] It deals mainly with green spaces and public facilities, and as a representative voice for Newtown. The Council Chair or Mayor, elected by the councillors, has been Councillor John Byrne since May 2022.
Built by Pryce Pryce-Jones, the Pryce Jones Royal Welsh Warehouse remains the tallest building in Newtown. The two towering structures housed the world's first mail order service depot.[25]
Bear Lanes, the town's main shopping centre, has a Tudor-style entrance. The building was once a hotel, The Bear, which contributes to the centre's appearance today.
The Robert Owen Museum is on the ground floor of the council offices in Brisco House, Broad Street.[26] A statue of Robert Owen was erected in 1956 in a park off Shortbridge Street and Gas Street. A replica of this was later erected in Manchester.[27]
The Free Library building designed by the architect Frank Shayler of Shrewsbury was built in 1902. The Baptist Chapel, dating from 1881, is a fine example of nonconformist architecture from that period. The Back Lane drill hall was completed in 1897.[28]
Local bus services in and around the town are operated by local, privately owned companies: Tanat Valley Coaches, Minsterley Motors, and Owen's Travelmaster. Newtown has one National Express bus per day in each direction, to Aberystwyth and to London. Newtown has one TrawsCymru route to Cardiff and a TrawsCymru Connect to Machynlleth and to Wrexham. Two major roads meet at Newtown: the A483 from Swansea to Chester and the A489 from Machynlleth to Craven Arms. The bypass to the south of Newtown opened on 14 February 2019, having been planned since 1949.[32]
The Montgomery Canal terminated in Newtown. After its closure in 1944, the Newtown section was sold for building land, but it gave its name to Canal Road and Lower Canal Road.
Newtown A.F.C. is Newtown's association football club, and a founding member of the Welsh Premier League in 1992. The club was founded in 1875 as Newtown White Stars and won the Welsh FA Cup in 1879 and 1895.[34] It also entered the qualifying stages of the UEFA Cup on three occasions. The club plays at Latham Park. This has a capacity of 5,000 (1,750 seated) and a full UEFA licence, allowing under-21 international games and European games to be played. In 2007, another 250-seat stand was built next to the media gantry. Further developments are planned.[35]
Newtown RFC is the town's rugby union club, established in 1925. It currently fields first, second, third, youth and junior teams.[36]
Newtown has facilities for lawn bowls,[37] cricket,[38] golf,[39] /Club Site and for tennis.[40] A basketball club, the Newtown Titans was set up in 2005, before being reconstituted as Mid-Wales Basketball Club in 2009.[41]
Education
The Newtown schools are Ysgol Robert Owen (special needs), Ysgol Calon y Dderwen (4–11), Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd (4–11), St Mary's (4–11), Penygloddfa (4–11), Maesyrhandir (4-11), Treowen (4–11), and Newtown High School and Sixth Form (11–18). The last recently received an outstanding Estyn inspection report in October 2015, praising many features, including teacher/sixth-form pupil relations and school support for a wide range of post-16 vocational and academic subjects. As of 2011, it was proposed that Newtown High School, along with several other schools in Powys, should merge with another county high school, as part of Powys County Council's secondary school and post-16 modernisation programme.[42]
Related Research Articles
Powys is a county and preserved county in Wales. It borders Gwynedd, Denbighshire, and Wrexham to the north; the English ceremonial counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire to the east; Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil, Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Neath Port Talbot to the south; and Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion to the west. The largest settlement is Newtown, and the administrative centre is Llandrindod Wells.
Montgomeryshire was one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales. It was named after its county town, Montgomery, which in turn was named after one of William the Conqueror's main counsellors, Roger de Montgomerie, who was the 1st Earl of Shrewsbury.
Welshpool is a market town and community in Powys, Wales, historically in the county of Montgomeryshire. The town is four miles from the Wales–England border and low-lying on the River Severn. The community, which also includes Cloddiau and Pool Quay, has a population of 6,664, with the town having 5,948. There are many examples of Georgian architecture within the town. Powis Castle is located to the north.
Llanidloes is a town and community on the A470 and B4518 roads in Powys, within the historic county boundaries of Montgomeryshire, Wales. The population in 2011 was 2,929, of whom 15% could speak Welsh. It is the third largest settlement in Montgomeryshire, after Newtown and Welshpool.
Abermule is a village lying on the River Severn 6 km northeast of Newtown in Powys, mid Wales. The A483 Swansea to Chester trunk road, the Cambrian Line railway, connecting Aberystwyth to Shrewsbury, and the Montgomery Canal, close to the river, all pass through Abermule. The village had a population of 900 as of the 2011 census.
Dolforwyn Castle is a Welsh medieval castle above the village of Abermule, Powys. The fortification was established by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Gwynedd in the late 13th century. It is sited on a wooded ridge commanding excellent views of the upper Severn Valley.
The District of Montgomeryshire or Montgomery was one of three local government districts of the county of Powys, Wales, from 1974 until 1996. The district had an identical area to the previous administrative county of Montgomeryshire. The district was abolished in 1996, with Powys County Council taking over its functions.
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Llanmerewig is a historic parish in Powys, Wales, in the historic county of Montgomeryshire, and is situated between Newtown and Welshpool. The church and small village stand on high ground, which overlooks the river Severn, and is close to Abermule; part of which lies within the parish. The river Severn forms the North Western boundary of the parish and the Eastern boundary is the river Mule, which cuts through a steep gorge, before entering the Severn at Abermule. The historic parish covered 1,023 acres.
Penarth is a timber-framed house set back from the A483 road near to Newtown, Wales, close to the banks of the river Severn. It is within the parish of Llanllwchaiarn, within the historic county of Montgomeryshire, which now forms part of Powys. It is amongst the best examples of the ‘‘Severn Valley’’ timber-framed houses. The Penarth vineyard stands within the grounds of the house.
Cedewain was a medieval cantref in the Kingdom of Powys. It possibly consisted of the commotes (cymydau) of Cynan, Hafren and Uwch Hanes. Other sources give the commotes as Cedewain, Eginlle and Ceri.
St Llwchaiarn's church, Llanllwchaiarn was the parish church of Llanllwchaiarn, now within the community of Newtown with Llanllwchaiarn and lies within the historic county of Montgomeryshire in Powys. The church occupies a position on rising ground overlooking the river Severn and is to the north east of Newtown. The present church was rebuilt in 1816. In 2011 the medieval carved screen, originally from St Mary's church in Newtown, was re-positioned in Llanllwchaiarn church
Mochdre is a small village in the community of Mochdre with Penstrowed, in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales.
Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn is a local government community in mid Powys, Wales. It includes the town of Newtown and the small neighbouring village of Llanllwchaiarn. At the time of the 2011 census the population of the community was 11,357. The community council is called Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council, often abbreviated to Newtown Town Council.
Newtown Central was the name of a county electoral ward in the town of Newtown, Powys, Wales. It remains as a community ward to Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council.
Newtown West is the name of an electoral ward in the community of Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn, Powys, Wales.
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