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.

Life-sized bronze bull in Builth Wells. picture by Darren Wyn Rees.

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. Builth first emerged in post-roman times, along with Powys.

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).

Llanelwedd (home to the famous Royal Welsh Show) is a village on the outskirts of Builth Wells.

Transport

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.

Sport and leisure
Builth Wells is home to local rugby union team Builth Wells RFC also known as 'The Bulls'.

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 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.

Rare 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.

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Builth Wells
Sunday, 14 December 2008
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...

© 2012 - Wales Link

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