Bethlehem, Carmarthenshire facts for kids

The former post office in Bethlehem in 2005

Bethlehem is a very small farming village located in Carmarthenshire, a county in Wales. It sits in the beautiful Tywi Valley, a bit northeast of Llandeilo and southwest of Llangadog. The village is on the opposite side of the river from the busy A40 road, which connects London to Haverfordwest.

The heart of Bethlehem village is near the six houses across from the village hall. Other homes, the Primary School, and an old Post Office are spread out along the hill. The Nonconformist chapel, which gave the village its name, is found on a side road that runs along the western edge of the Brecon Beacons mountains.

Where is Bethlehem and What's its Story?

Bethlehem village is overlooked by a large hill called Carn Goch. This hill is home to an important Iron Age hillfort. You can still see huge piles of stones there, which are what's left of the old walls that once protected the fort.

Bethlehem is about 6 miles (10 km) away from Dinefwr Castle. This castle was once the main stronghold of the Deheubarth kingdom before the Normans arrived in Wales. It's also about 6 miles (10 km) from the impressive Carreg Cennen castle, which was built later.

In 1996, the alternative rock band Strangelove lived in a house just outside Bethlehem. They wrote their third and final album there. The band's singer, Patrick Duff, even wrote some of their songs while sitting on the stones at the top of Carn Goch. He also became good friends with the village's postmaster at the time.

How Did Bethlehem Get Its Name?

The name "Bethlehem" comes from the Bible. In 1588, William Morgan translated the Bible into the Welsh language. He translated the Aramaic name for Christ's birthplace into the name we know today.

The village chapel was then given this same name. Before this, the village was known as Dyffryn Ceidrich, which means "valley of Ceidrich." The village likely started being called Bethlehem because of the chapel, especially during the big Welsh Methodist revival in Wales during the 1800s.

Special Events in Bethlehem

Every year, Bethlehem hosts a traditional Christmas market. A very popular activity is sending Christmas cards from the village. People love to do this to get a special "Bethlehem" postmark on their cards. This tradition first became well-known across the country around 1965.

Images for kids

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  The former post office in Bethlehem in 2005