Betws Garmon

Betws Garmon is a community and small hamlet outside Waunfawr and near Beddgelert in Gwynedd, Wales. It has a population of 249.[1]

Betws Garmon
Footbridge at Betws Garmon
Betws Garmon is located in Gwynedd
Betws Garmon
Betws Garmon
Location within Gwynedd
Population249 (2011)
OS grid referenceSH535575
Community
  • Betws Garmon
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCAERNARFON
Postcode districtLL54
Dialling code01286
PoliceNorth Wales
FireNorth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament

The summit of Snowdon lies within the community boundaries. Bryn Gloch has the newly reopened narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway passing alongside it. The hamlet of Rhyd-Ddu is in the community.

Over the road from Bryn Gloch there is a parish church. Along the mountain extensive slate workings can be seen.

Betws Garmon also has a park near it. Near the station there is a road which leads to Rhosgadfan. Up that road there is a footpath that leads to Y Fron. A river that flows through the hamlet is called Afon Gwyrfai.

Site of Welsh Highland Railway station to be built at Betws Garmon, 1999

There was a folk tale concerning the family of Pellings, who lived at Betws Garmon until the 19th century. It was said that they were descended from a man and a fairy named Penelope. Penelope lived happily with her human husband until she was accidentally touched with a piece of iron, whereupon she disappeared forever.[2]

Etymology

The first part of the name of the village comes from the Middle English word bedhus, meaning "prayer house", which became betws in Welsh.[3]

Demographics

Betws Garmon's population was 249, according to the 2011 census;[4] a 15.28% increase since the 216 people noted in 2001.[5]

The 2011 census showed 54.8% of the population could speak Welsh, a rise from 45.0% in 2001.[6]

Nearly half of the population was born in England. [7]

References
  1. Office for National Statistics : Neighbourhood Statistics : Census 2001 : Gwynedd Archived 22 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Ash, Russell (1973). Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain. Reader's Digest Association Limited. p. 382. ISBN 9780340165973.
  3. Welsh Place Names Dictionary
  4. "Area: Betws Garmon (Parish)". Office for National Statistics. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  5. "Area: Betws Garmon (Parish)". Office for National Statistics. 18 November 2004. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  6. "2011 Census results by Community". Welsh Language Commissioner. 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  7. "Custom report - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics".
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