Ammanford
Welsh: Rhydaman
Ammanford shown within the United Kingdom
Population	5,299 (2001 census)
OS grid reference	SN625125
Principal area	Carmarthenshire
Ceremonial county	Dyfed
Constituent country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	AMMANFORD
Postcode district	SA18
Dialling code	01269
Police	Dyfed-Powys
Fire	Mid and West Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
European Parliament	Wales
UK Parliament	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
Welsh Assembly	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr
List of places: UK • Wales • Carmarthenshire

Coordinates: 51°48′00″N 3°55′59″W / 51.8, -3.933 Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (600x800, 11 KB) Summary Description: A blank map of the United Kingdom, with country outline and coastline; contact the author for help with modifications or add-ons Source: Reference map provided by Demis Mapper 6 Date: 2006-21-06 Author: User... Image File history File links Red_pog2. ... The British national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Great Britain, different from using latitude or longitude. ... For local government purposes, Wales is divided into 22 unitary authorities. ... Carmarthenshire (Welsh: ) is a one of thirteen historic counties and a principal area in Wales. ... The Preserved counties of Wales are the current areas used in Wales for ceremonial purposes such as Lieutenancy. ... Dyfed was one of the ancient kingdoms (or principalities) of Wales prior to the Norman Conquest. ... // Constituent country is a phrase used, often by official institutions, in contexts in which a historical, currently non-legally officially recognised country makes up a part of a larger entity or grouping. ... This article is about the country. ... This is an alphabetical list of the sovereign states of the world, including both de jure and de facto independent states. ... A post town is a required part of all UK postal addresses. ... UK postal codes are known as postcodes. ... The SA postcode area, also known as the Swansea postcode area[2], is a group of postal districts around Aberaeron, Ammanford, Boncath, Burry Port, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Clarbeston Road, Clynderwen, Crymych, Ferryside, Fishguard, Glogue, Goodwick, Haverfordwest, Kidwelly, Kilgetty, Lampeter, Llanarth, Llandeilo, Llandovery, Llandysul, Llanelli, Llanfyrnach, Llangadog, Llanwrda, Llanybydder, Milford Haven, Narberth... +44 redirects here. ... There are a number of policing agencies in the United Kingdom. ... Dyfed-Powys Police (Welsh: ) is the Home Office police force responsible for policing Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire (which make up Dyfed), and Powys in Wales. ... A Fire Appliance belonging to the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service The fire service in the United Kingdom has undergone dramatic changes since the beginning of the 21st century, a process that has been propelled by a devolution of central government powers, new legislation and a change to operational... The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (Welsh Gwasanaeth Tân ac Achub Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru) is the fire and rescue service covering the Welsh principal areas of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Swansea. ... The Welsh Ambulance Service (also called the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust or Ymddiriedolaeth GIG Gwasanaethau Ambiwlans Cymru) was established on April 1, 1998 and has 2,500 staff providing ambulance and related services to the 2. ... This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2004 to 2009 session, ordered by name. ... Wales is a constituency of the European Parliament. ... The United Kingdom House of Commons is made up of Members of Parliament (MPs). ... Carmathen East and Dinefwr is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The National Assembly for Wales (NAW or NAfW) (Welsh: ) is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. ... Carmarthen East and Dinefwr is a constituency of the National Assembly for Wales. ... List of cities in the United Kingdom List of towns in Wales Lists of places within principal areas List of places in Anglesey List of places in Blaenau Gwent List of places in Bridgend List of places in Caerphilly List of places in Cardiff List of places in Carmarthenshire List... This is a list of cities, towns and villages in the principal area of Carmarthenshire, Wales. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Ammanford (Welsh: Rhydaman) is the third largest town in the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales with a population 5,299 according to the United Kingdom Census 2001. Ammanford town is the main shopping centre for many villages in the surrounding area. Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ... Ronda, Spain Main street in Bastrop, Texas, United States, a small town A town is a community of people ranging from a few hundred to several thousands, although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan areas. ... A county is generally a sub-unit of regional self-government within a sovereign jurisdiction. ... Carmarthenshire (Welsh: ) is a one of thirteen historic counties and a principal area in Wales. ... This article is about the country. ... UK Census 2001 logo A nationwide census, commonly known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 29 April 2001. ... Shopping is the examining of goods or services from retailers with intent to purchase. ... Masouleh village, Gilan Province, Iran. ...

According to the 2001 census, 75.88% of the population are competent in the Welsh language, compared to roughly 55% in Carmarthenshire as a whole and 21.8% in Wales as a whole. Welsh redirects here, and this article describes the Welsh language. ...

Ammanford is twinned with Breuillet, Essonne. Sign denoting twin towns of Neckarsulm, Germany Town twinning is a concept whereby towns or cities in geographically and politically distinct areas are paired with the goal of fostering human contact and cultural links. ... Breuillet is a small city and commune of the Essonne département, located between Arpajon and Dourdan. ...

History

Ammanford took its current name on November 20, 1880. The community that existed then and now known as Ammanford dates back to around the early 1800s. At that time the main highways went through the area, not to it. The north-south road from Llandeilo and Llandybïe went to Betws, and the east-west road from the Amman Valley went to Penybanc and Tycroes, and further afield, both converging at a crossroads (now Ammanford Square). This in turn led to the development of coaching or staging inns and taverns catering for the needs of the traveller. The area eventually became identified by the name of one of these hostelries - Cross Inn. is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Llandeilo is a town in Carmarthenshire, west Wales, situated at the crossing of the River Tywi by the A483 on an elegant stone bridge. ... Betws in Carmarthenshire is not to be confused with Betws-y-Coed in Caernarvonshire. ... Tycroes is a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales. ... A crossroads (the word rarely appears in singular) is a road junction, where two or more roads meet (there are three or more arms). ... Inns are establishments where travellers can procure food, drink, and lodging. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

The community of Cross Inn centred on the activity of the cross road, along with a small group of low-grade cottages sited in the vicinity of Carregaman Isaf which became known as Pentrefacas. Betws was a larger hamlet with the parish church - St David's - as its focal point. All the area to the west of the River Amman fell within the parish of Llandybïe. 19th century Cottages in the small hamlet of Crafton, Buckinghamshire For other uses, see Cottage (disambiguation). ... A hamlet is (usually — see below) a small settlement, too small or unimportant to be considered a village. ... For the architectural structure, see Church (building). ...

The Industrial Revolution created a demand for coal, an essential source of power to operate the boilers of steam engines. Coal attracted investment which led to various companies, one of which was the Llanelly Railway and Dock Company, building an elaborate transport system of railways. The first railway was opened in 1840, linking Llanelli with Ammanford, reaching Brynamman by 1842 and later extending northwards to Llandeilo and beyond. (See Ammanford railway station). A Watt steam engine, the steam engine that propelled the Industrial Revolution in Britain and the world. ... Coal Example chemical structure of coal Coal is a fossil fuel formed in ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. ... // The term steam engine may also refer to an entire railroad steam locomotive. ... The Llanelly Railway was a Welsh railway system that became the basis of the present Heart of Wales Line. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... For the parliamentary constituency of Llanelli, see Llanelli (UK Parliament constituency) For the Llanelli Rural area, see Llanelli Rural Llanelli (English: ), the largest town in the county of Carmarthenshire and West Wales, sits on the Burry estuary on the west Wales coast, approximately 13 miles west of the city of... Brynamman is a village sitting on the south facing side of the Black Mountain, part of the Brecon Beacons National Park. ... Llandeilo is a town in Carmarthenshire, west Wales, situated at the crossing of the River Tywi by the A483 on an elegant stone bridge. ... Ammanford railway station, formerly known as Tir-y-dail and Duffryn Halt, serves the town of Ammanford, South Wales. ...

Coal could not be mined without manpower, and so an influx of workers began. People needed houses, services, entertainment, and schools. Within a relatively short period of time, what was once a quiet and tranquil agricultural community changed to a bustling town, hungry to absorb the land of old established farmsteads. The population increased explosively, with many of the migrants and their families coming from English language-speaking areas of Wales as well as from England, Scotland and Ireland. House at Cúcuta, Colombia A house is a building typically lived in by one or more people. ... A stilt-walker entertaining shoppers at a shopping centre in Swindon, England Entertainment is an activity designed to give pleasure or relaxation to an audience (although in the case of a computer game the audience may be only one person). ... Students in Rome, Italy. ... Bales of hay on a farm near Ames, Iowa A farm is the basic unit in agriculture. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the country. ...

Naming

This rapid growth appeared to have been the reason for changing the name of the village, as there was already another village in Carmarthenshire called Cross Inn. Prominent citizens convened a public meeting with a view to changing the name, and there was overwhelming support for the proposal, especially amongst the strong representation of church and chapel members who perhaps resented the hamlet bearing the name of a public house. Another consideration appears to be that the largest chapel in the village was then known as Cross Inn Chapel: a conflict of ideals, to say the least. There is still an engraved stone in the grounds of the chapel, now called Gellimanwydd or the Christian Temple, bearing its original name. Ammanford (Welsh: Rhydaman) is the fourth largest town in the county of Carmarthenshire, Wales with a population 5,299 according to the 2001 census. ... The word citizen may refer to: A person with a citizenship Citizen Watch Co. ... A chapel is a private church, usually small and often attached to a larger institution such as a college, a hospital, a palace, or a prison. ... Pub redirects here. ... Hercules fighting the Centaurs , engraving by Sebald Beham Engraving is the practice of incising a design onto a hard, usually flat surface, by cutting grooves into it. ...

On the October 1, 1880, this article appeared in the local newspaper: is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For Wikipedia guidelines, see Wikipedia:What is an article. ...

"It has been proposed to call CROSS INN, which is in the parish of Llandybïe, in the County of Carmarthen, from this time forth, after the Right Hon. Baron, who owns the place, Dynevor.

"By adopting a new name, it is hoped to get rid of all previous annoyances, and also, that the other Cross Inn may benefit by the change."

From later press reports, it seems that there was by no means unanimity in the selection of the new name. Several public meetings followed and eventually it was decided to refer the choice of a new name to a group of prominent local dignitaries.

On 20 November, the nominated committee met at the Ivorites Hall (on Hall Street, which took its name from this building). After a long discussion it was proposed by Mr. A. A. Morris of Wernolau, and seconded by Mr. W. Jones of the Cross Inn Hotel, that from this time forth, the village should be known as Ammanford. The proposal was accepted unanimously, there being no other name before the meeting. After the vote was taken, the chairman of the meeting, Watkin Hezekiah Williams (Watcyn Wyn), a local schoolmaster, could not resist announcing that 'Cross Inn' had finally been 'crossed out'. A committee is a (relatively) small group that can serve one of several functions: Governance: in organizations too large for all the members to participate in decisions affecting the organization as a whole, a committee (such as a Board of Directors) is given the power to make decisions. ... Voting is a method of decision making wherein a group such as a meeting or an electorate attempts to gauge its opinion—usually as a final step following discussions or debates. ... A Chairman is the presiding officer of a meeting, organization, committee, or other deliberative body. ...

Tragic events

A high profile killing took place in Ammanford on 12 August 1991. 15-year-old Simon McBride drowned his sister Rebecca (aged six) in a local pond, where she was found the next day. He was found guilty of her manslaughter at Swansea Crown Court on 24 March 1992 and sentenced to be detained for life. [1] In January 1997, McBride, who was by now 20 years old and still in custody, caused outrage by urging members of the public to send him information about the Aberfan disaster of 1966, which he was researching. His father, however, urged members of the public not to feed his son's "obsession" with killing. [2] is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ... (Redirected from 13 August) August 13 is the 225th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (226th in leap years), with 140 days remaining. ... For other places with the same name, see Swansea (disambiguation). ... Crown Court and County Court in Oxford. ... is the 83rd day of the year (84th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime, nominally for the entire remaining life of the prisoner, but in fact for a period which varies between jurisdictions: many countries have a maximum possible period of time (usually 50 years) a prisoner may be incarcerated, or require the... The Aberfan disaster occurred on Friday, October 21, 1966, at 9:15am. ...

Twentieth Century

Ammanford was an important location as the 1904-1905 Welsh Revival unfolded. The 1904–1905 Welsh Revival was the largest full scale Christian Revival of Wales of the 20th century. ...

The Ammanford Anthracite Strike was a riot at Ammanford in 1925 during a strike by anthracite miners who took control of the town by force and violence for 10 days. 200 Glamorgan police were ambushed by strikers at Pontamman Bridge during the so-called 'Battle of Ammanford'.^[1] Anthracite coal Anthracite (Greek Ανθρακίτης, literally a form of coal, from Anthrax [Άνθραξ], coal) is a hard, compact variety of mineral coal that has a high luster. ...

There have also been other high profile killings in Ammanford in the last year - 2 in the community of Pantyffynnon Pantyffynnon is a small village in Carmarthenshire, located several miles south of Ammanford, and several miles east of Tycroes. ...

Ammanford hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1922 and 1970. The Eisteddfod (literally sitting) is a Welsh festival of literature, music, and song. ...

Recent developments

On July 4, 2002, Ammanford was granted Fairtrade Town status. This status was renewed by the Fairtrade Foundation on December 27, 2003. is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Fairtrade Town is a status awarded by the Fairtrade Foundation in the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, describing an area which is committed to the promotion of Fairtrade-labelled goods. ... The Fairtrade Foundation is a charity which promotes the sale of Fairtrade-labelled products in the United Kingdom. ...

The Old Lloyds Bank situated on the main square in Ammanford has been converted into an Education Centre that the Amman Valley Enterprise now own.

Famous people from Ammanford

• Neil Hamilton - the ex-Tory MP who lost his seat after a cash-for-questions row in 1997.
• John Rhys-Davies - actor starring in Sliders, the Indiana Jones films and The Lord of the Rings film trilogy (as Gimli).
• Alex Worth - Professional poker player who has featured in tournaments all over the world, including recent success in Las Vegas.

Mostyn Neil Hamilton (born March 9, 1949) is a former barrister, teacher and Conservative Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. ... The Conservative Party, officially though less commonly known as the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a political party in the United Kingdom. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... John Rhys-Davies (born May 5, 1944) is an English actor best known for his supporting roles as the charismatic Arab excavator Sallah in the Indiana Jones films, and the dwarf Gimli in The Lord of the Rings trilogy (in which he also voiced the towering Ent, Treebeard). ... For other possible meanings, see Slider (disambiguation). ... This article is about the fictional character. ... This article is about the Peter Jackson films. ... Gimli is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth legendarium, featured in The Lord of the Rings. ... For the domestic fireplace tool, see fireplace poker. ... For further information, see Las Vegas metropolitan area and Las Vegas Strip. ...

Famous bands from Ammanford

• Jarcrew - Now-defunct eletronica-punk-funk band.
• Tracey Curtis - singer-songwriter.
• Rick Smith - Electronic/Rock Band Underworld

Jarcrew, circa 2003 at the Pop Factory in Porth, Wales. ... Underworld is the principal name under which British electronic music duo Karl Hyde and Rick Smith have recorded since the late 1980s. ...

Sport

A motorcycle speedway long track meeting, one of the few held in the UK, was staged at Ammanford. Speedway has multiple meanings: An alternative name for a race track Speedway, Indiana, home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway The gas station chain Speedway SuperAmerica Motorcycle speedway, a form of motorcycle racing The name of a |Scottish pop rock group who hit the UK charts in 2003. ...

References

1. ^ Ammanford Anthracite Strike 1925 Mal Davies

External links

• Ammanford Town Council website
• Ammanford Community Newspaper (Welsh)
• Unofficial Town website
• Parish website
• Ammanford Bible Church
• Ammanford Evangelical Church (Eglwys Efengylaidd Rhydaman)
• South Wales Guardian Newspaper
• Ammanford Website
• Ammanford Junior School
• Ammanford Nursery School
• Ammanford Welsh School (Ysgol Gymraeg Rhydaman)
• Amman Valley Enterprise
• Ammanford The Fountain Church

References