Llanymynech facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Llanymynech |
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 Llanymynech viewed from nearby Llanymynech Hill |
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 Llanymynech
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| Population | 1,675 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | SJ266209 |
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| Unitary authority |
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| Ceremonial county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Llanymynech |
| Postcode district | SY22 6 |
| Dialling code | 01691 |
| Police | West Mercia |
| Fire | Shropshire |
| Ambulance | West Midlands |
| EU Parliament | West Midlands |
| UK Parliament |
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| Llanymynech | |
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Llanymynech
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| OS grid reference | SJ266209 |
| Community |
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| Principal area | |
| Ceremonial county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament |
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| Welsh Assembly |
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Llanymynech is a village that sits right on the border between Wales and England. It's located about 9 miles (14 km) north of the Welsh town of Welshpool. The name "Llanymynech" comes from the Welsh language and means "Llan of the Monks," which refers to a church or holy place.
The village is built along the River Vyrnwy, and the Montgomery Canal also runs through it. What makes Llanymynech special is how the border divides it. The main street has buildings on the east (English) side, and the border often runs right along their front. This means the eastern part of the village is in England, and the western part is in Wales.
Even the Church of England church, St Agatha, is just inside England, but the whole village belongs to its church area. There was even a pub called the Lion where the border went right through it! It had two bars in England and one in Wales. Long ago, Welsh counties had rules about drinking in pubs on Sundays. When the Welsh side of the pub was "dry" (no Sunday drinking), people could still drink in the English bars! Today, some pubs are fully in England, and one is fully in Wales.
Just north of Llanymynech is a place called Pant. Further north is the English market town of Oswestry. The combined area of Llanymynech and Pant had about 1,675 people living there in 2011.
Contents
History of Llanymynech
Llanymynech Hill is a very old mining site in Wales. People were mining copper here as early as the Bronze Age, using it to make tools and weapons. On top of the hill, there's a huge Iron Age hillfort that covers a large area. This hillfort likely protected the copper mines and housed the workers.
The early miners used a method called "fire-setting" to break rocks. Later, the Romans expanded the mines. Many old mine shafts were once visible on the hill. The main entrance to the mine is still called the Ogof. Archaeologists have found Roman items inside, including bones, burials, and a collection of silver coins from the 1st and 2nd centuries. These coins are now kept at the National Museum of Wales. The mine was probably stopped around 200 AD.
Later, during Anglo-Saxon times, Offa's Dyke was built. This ancient earth wall, created between 430 and 652 AD, is believed to run through Llanymynech's main street. The west wall of St Agatha's churchyard might even be built on part of the dyke. Today, the Offa's Dyke Path, a long-distance walking trail, goes through the village.
When the Normans arrived, Llanymynech was part of the Marcher Lord lands, which were border areas. A castle called Carreghofa Castle was built around 1101 by the Earl of Shrewsbury. It was likely built to protect the valuable copper and lead mines on Llanymynech Hill. Because it was on the border, the castle was often fought over by the English and Welsh. In 1187, a Welsh prince named Owain Fychan captured it but was later murdered there.
In 1194, the English took the castle back to restart the silver mining on Llanymynech Hill. King Richard I needed money for his ransom, and silver from this mine was hoped to help. However, not much silver was found, only a small amount. The castle was later destroyed in the 1230s, and its stones were used for other buildings. Very little of the castle remains today.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the two parts of Llanymynech had different rules. This was because Wales and England set their own laws for travel and businesses.
How Llanymynech is Governed
The border between England and Wales runs right through Llanymynech, often following the A483 road. This means that the village has both English and Welsh services for almost everything! For example:
- Dyfed-Powys Police looks after the Welsh side.
- West Mercia Police covers the English side.
- Powys County Council handles things like waste collection on the Welsh side.
- Shropshire Council does the same on the English side.
The English part of the village is in the area called Llanymynech and Pant. This area had a population of 3,988 people in 2011. The Welsh part of the village is in the community of Carreghofa in Powys. In 2011, about 323 people lived on the Welsh side of the village, and 29% of them could speak, read, and write Welsh.
Interesting Features of Llanymynech
Llanymynech Hill is now home to the Llanymynech Golf Club. Its 18-hole golf course is unique because it's the only one in Europe that crosses a country border, with holes in both England and Wales!
The village also has one of only three Hoffmann kilns left in the British Isles, and it's the only one with a chimney. A Hoffmann kiln is a special type of oven used to burn lime, which is used in building and farming. The area around the kiln is now a special Llanymynech Heritage Area.
The old limestone quarry that supplied the kiln is now the Shropshire Wildlife Trust's Llanymynech Rocks Nature Reserve. Its tall cliffs are a popular spot for rock climbers.
Transport in Llanymynech
Because of its limestone and other minerals, Llanymynech became an important place for transport.
First, a branch of the Ellesmere Canal arrived, connecting to the Montgomery Canal. Today, the canal through Llanymynech is separate from other parts, but about 800 meters of it can still be used by boats.
Later, railways came to the village. The main line of the Oswestry and Newtown Railway arrived in 1860. Another railway, the Llanfyllin branch, was built in 1863 to help move minerals, competing with the canal.
Another railway, the Potteries, Shrewsbury and North Wales Railway, also connected to Llanymynech. Over time, some railway lines closed down. The main railway line from Whitchurch to Welshpool, which passed through Llanymynech, closed in 1965.
Even though no trains run through Llanymynech anymore, groups like the Cambrian Heritage Railways are planning to bring heritage railways back to the area.
The A483 is the main road that goes through the center of Llanymynech. A new bypass road for the village was announced in 2020.
Notable people
- John Evans (1756–1846), a surgeon and mapmaker.
- Richard Roberts (1789–1864), an engineer and inventor known for his work on textile machines.
- William Edward Evans (1801–1869), a church leader and naturalist who worked in Llanymynech.
- Alfred Payne (1849–1927), a first-class cricketer.
- Kate Williams Evans (1866–1961), a suffragette who fought for women's right to vote.
Llanymynech Football Club
A football club was first formed in Llanymynech way back in May 1858. The club was later reformed in November 1879.
Llanymynech F.C. was started again in 2011. They currently play in Salop Leisure League 1, which they joined in 2022. The team plays its home games at Station Road, which is on the English side of the village. Their kit includes red shirts, red shorts, and white and red striped socks.
See also
In Spanish: Llanymynech para niños
