The name 'Betws' is generally thought to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon 'bed-hus' - a house of prayer, or oratory,[2][3] and means "chapel" in the Welsh language. Until the 19th century, when Ammanford developed extensively, Betws was the largest village in the area.[2]
Map of the Lordship of Gower, showing Betws (later detached), Kilvey (later added), and the Town and Franchise of Swansea. The language boundary - with English to the south - is shown as a dotted line.
Until the 13th century,[4] Betws was part of Gower, which is now known as the county of Swansea but the old commote border of the rivers Amman and Loughor moved south and Betws has since the Acts of Union been part of Welsh-speaking Carmarthenshire.[5]
Until 1817, when a road was built along the Amman valley, Betws was only accessible by roads crossing the mountain from Neath and Swansea. This inaccessibility is commemorated in a local saying, which refers to the division between Betws a'r Byd (Betws and the world). There was a sign on the Amman bridge to this effect: Betws this way, the rest of the world that way.
The people of Betws like to make the distinction between themselves and those over the river in Ammanford.
The road bridge between Betws and Ammanford on Park Street was completed in 1892 and rebuilt in 1990 by T Richard Jones (Betws) Ltd.[2] T. Richard Jones (Betws) Ltd. ('TRJ') is a major building contractor, originally based in the village but now located on the Ammanford side of the river.[6]
The land for Betws Park was given to Ammanford district Council by Lord Dynevor in 1903, but the council used it as a rubbish dump until the early 1930s. After this, it was properly developed by local volunteers as a park with tennis courts.[2] On 23 June 2007, a new 'Memorial and Sensory Garden' was opened in the park.
Memorial stone in Betws park. The plaque on the right reads "This peaceful garden is a living tribute to those who lost their lives in wars, mining accidents and other tragic incidents. THEIR MEMORY IS OUR HERITAGE."
Betws Park Workshops are a collection of industrial units rented by various businesses. The workshops were opened in 1991, having previously been a screw manufacturing factory (1970-1981) and a lightbulb factory (1983-1986).[2]
The parish church in the village is dedicated to St David. It dates to the 14th century but was renovated in 1872.[7][8]
Betws Primary School was built before 1846, extended in 1928 and refurbished in 1988.[2]
The Caemawr housing estate was built in 1947, and the Bwtrimawr estate in 1976.[2]
Ammanford No. 1 (1890-1925) and No. 2 (1891-1976) Collieries were at the north end of Betws.[2] The Tycoch nightclub now occupies some Ammanford No. 1 buildings.[9] Betws drift coal mine opened in 1976 and closed in 2003[10] and the land is being redeveloped as housing and industrial units, including LBS Builders Merchants.[11]
As of May 1, 2008, the Betws ward electorate was 1,450 and the County Councillor is Audrey Jones (Independent), replacing John Dorian Evans (Labour).[15]
Ammanford football club have a ground at Rice Street, Betws, which is currently being reconstructed.
Notable people
Harry Grindell Matthews (1880–1941), an English inventor who claimed to have invented a death ray; he had a laboratory on Betws mountain from 1934.[18]
^"GENUKI: Llandeilo Talybont - historic data". Archived from the original on 27 December 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2007. Article including Cowley Map of 1744, Kitchen Map of 1764, Carey Map of 1794 and Lewis Map 1833.
