Question: What is the Smallest Town in Britain?
I've heard that a place called Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales is the smallest town in Britain. What makes it a town? And and what will I find when I get there?
Answer: Llanwrtyd in Powys, Mid-Wales, is officially the smallest town in Britain. With a population of 700, it's not the smallest settlement - there are villages and hamlets much smaller. What makes it a town is its ancient charter and its town council form of government. In all likelihood it was a market town for its region. Traditionally, places granted permission by the king or the local lords to hold regularly scheduled markets received a charter which conferred "town" status upon them.
Why Would I Be Interested in Such a Small Town?
Llanwrtyd Wells is the sort of place where pub conversations turn into some very weird and wacky events. Located between the Cambrian Mountains and the Brecon Beacons, Llanwrtyd Wells is a center for mountain biking and walking vacations. Britain's smallest town also hosts some of Britain's most bizarre sports events:What Else is There?
This tiny town has more than its fair share of good pubs and restaurants. Among its highly regarded pubs, The Neuadd Arms has its own microbrewery. The Carlton Riverside restaurant was Automobile Association (AA) Wales Restaurant of the Year 2007/8. The local, independent Tourist Office has more information about events, pubs, restaurants and places to stay. And, there's even an Internet Coffee Shop cum art gallery.How do I say Llanwrtyd Wells?
That Welsh "ll" is tricky but I am pleased to say that I've just learned how to say it. The opening "Ll" sounds a bit like "chy" if you think of the "ch" in the German word "Ich". The letter "w" in Welsh usually sounds like "u". So all together, Llanwrtyd is pronounced CHYAN' urr ted.But, why struggle with my poor attempt. Those clever boffins at the BBC have put together a great list of most of the important and difficult place names as active audio files. Click on "How do I say" and you'll be pronouncing Welsh like a native in no time...well, sort of.
