Welcome to Llandrindod Wells

County Town of Powys

Croeso i Landrindod

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Exploring Llandrindod Today
(A Walk through our Town)

Visitors to Llandrindod Wells would like to tour the town and see for themselves how its unique Victorian atmosphere has been retained and adapted to meet the needs of the visitors today. As the railway station was the first sight that most Victorian visitors would have had of the town, and still is today for many visitors, it seems appropriate that this guided tour should start here. (The walk will take no more than 2 hours at a slow pace. A shorter walk can be found on the Heratage Tour page.)

Before leaving the southbound (Swansea) platform of the station, note the elegant Victorian canopy which formerly adorned the Pump House Hotel in Llandrindod Wells, and also the old London & North Western Railway signal box which has been restored as a museum at the southern end of the platform. There is a plaque on the southbound platform marking the spot where H.M. The queen first set foot in Wales following her accession to the Throne.
On the station forecourt, the spacious concourse is now used as a car park. In years gone by it would have echoed to the sound of carriages sent from the numerous private hotels in the town, and the porters on hand to help load and unload luggage. Now it is more likely to be the sound of the motor car or local taxis which wait here to pick up rail travelers or local shoppers.
Facing the station is a house set in its own private grounds, which was originally the Station Master's house. The former railway goods yard on the left is now the site of the large weekly outdoor market which is held every Friday and offers a wide range of products to complement the local shops. One of the two supermarkets in the town is situated directly opposite the market site.

Setting off up the graceful sweep of Station Crescent, the width and elegance of the streets of the town are immediately evident. There is a range of small shops and cafés on the right and the main Post Office buildings on the left. Constructed in the 1930s, the style of architecture of this building contrasts sharply with the Victorian and Edwardian buildings in the vicinity but is nonetheless attractive in its own right.

The main shopping area of the town is in Middleton Street, directly opposite the Post Office, and in this street you can obtain everything from a thimble to a music Centre.

Continuing up Station Crescent past the Post Office, the road makes a junction with Temple Street, which forms part of the main A483 road from Swansea to Manchester. Down the road to the left is Llandrindod Hospital, the British Legion and local Fire Station, but our tour takes us right, where there are shops on both sides of the road to the Zebra Crossing. On the left, just beyond the crossing, is the Town Hall, with its beautiful Memorial Gardens. The Town Hall was built originally as a doctor's house and later used for offices by Llandrindod Wells Urban District Council until local government re-organisation in 1974. It is now occupied by Llandrindod Wells Town Council and other local organisations. The Tourist lnformation Office and visitor Centre, which is open throughout the year, is also located in the Town Hall, with convenient parking available to the rear of the building in Beaufort Road. The Radnorshire Museum is in the Memorial Gardens and well worth a visit, with many items of local interest on display.

Directly opposite the Memorial Gardens is Temple Gardens, which have been recently landscaped to provide a spacious and attractive area to rest a while and soak up the unique atmosphere of the town. From the gardens can be seen our three largest hotels. The Commodore, The Glen Usk and The Metropole. The Victorian elegance of South Crescent. Lindens Walk and the Memorial Gardens, with the Cenotaph as its Centre, are to be seen to best effect from Temple Gardens. The Bandstand is used by the Llandrindod Wells Silver Band at various times throughout the year and also by visiting bands and choirs during Victorian Week, when the town is packed with visitors.

Returning to Temple Street, continue south past shops to the crossroads known locally as Five Ways. Directly opposite, on the corner, is the Grade 2* listed 'Tom Norton Building', formerly known as the Automobile Palace. Established in Llandrindod during the early years of this century it was at once one of the largest employers in the town. When it closed recently, the building was acquired by the Development Board for Rural Wales, and externally renovated to its former elegance. Internally, it is being adapted to provide accommodation for retail outlets and visitor attractions.

Turn left at Five Ways past the former Wesleyan Church and then almost immediately right up the hill towards Llandrindod lake. Take a moment to look back at the striking building adjacent to the church. This is Coleg Powys which offers a wide range of day, full-time courses and evening classes. It also houses a beauty therapy unit and fitness Centre. The building was originally the Ye Wells Hotel, until commandeered by the Army during the Second World War. Continuing up the hill the putting course is on the left and further up on the right an attractive and extensive childrens' play area, very popular with local children and visitors.

The play area is adjacent to Llandrindod lake which was built as a boating lake towards the end of the last century. The original boathouse can still be seen to the left of the lake, now converted into a private residence. The lake has always attracted visitors in great numbers and the Lakeside Café, which was recently completely rebuilt, provides light refreshments and full meal services in attractive surroundings, and affords its customers panoramic views of the lake and surrounding area. There is also a craft and confectionery shop beneath the cafe. The lake, popular with fishermen from all over England and Wales, has recently been drained and cleaned out, and new fish stocks are being introduced. There is an abundance of wild life to observe, with a wide variety of ducks, geese and swans. The island in the middle of the lake was for many years used by fishermen, but now provides an undisturbed habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife. The picnic area to the left of the Lake Café is popular in the summer, and behind this can be seen the Powys County Council offices, built on the site of the Pump House Hotel. Notice the striking sculpture of the Red Kite, a bird which is unique to this area of Mid Wales, on top of the building.

Following the road around the lake, large expanses of deciduous woodland rise up to the Golf Club, with the clubhouse visible on the skyline. There cannot be many more dramatic settings for a golf course and by turning left up the steep hill at the far side of the lake, past the Hall farm and Old Parish Church (a lovely walk for the more energetic but easily accessible by car) the visitor is rewarded with breathtaking views over the town and beyond this the rolling hills of Radnorshire and to the south the Brecon Beacons.

Turning right at the junction for the golf links road, continue over the brow of the hill to Grosvenor Road and the Ridgebourne. This is one of the oldest areas of the town, and a cluster of shops provides a range of goods and services. Turn right at the bottom of this hill into Temple Street, where the wide streets and the solid but elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings give a sense of space and permanence. Continue along Temple Street to Five Ways, this time turn left past shops and up Spa Road to Holy Trinity Church, which dominates this part of the town and has been a Centre of active worship since 1871.

Turn left for the Pavilion and Radnorshire Indoor Bowling Centre. The Grand Pavilion, as it was then known, was built in 1911, and for many years served as the local cinema, conference Centre and venue for large dances and social functions. It has been extensively refurbished in recent years, and is now establishing itself as the premier conference Centre in Mid Wales, whilst still able to cater for local entertainment and dances. The indoor Bowling Centre is adjacent to the Pavilion and although only a few years old has become a Mecca for bowling tournaments and visitors wishing to use the excellent facilities. The local tennis club also has three courts near the bowling Centre. These facilities provide visitors with sport for fine or foul weather all the year round.

Returning to the Church, turn left to the Commodore Hotel, where there is a fine view of Middleton Street looking towards the Post Office at the end. Continue over the railway bridge bear left into Park Crescent, which has small shops on the left and Christ Church and flats on the right. This leads down towards the Rock Park, where an ornate iron archway beckons visitors to sample its many delights. This entrance provides pedestrian access only. With a little imagination it is possible to picture how it would have been 100 years ago, when visitors queued early in the morning to take the waters which were so efficacious and said to cure most of the ailments of the day (a lengthy course of treatment was recommended, to ensure that visitors stayed as long as possible!). The large red building at the park entrance is the Gwalia, a former hotel built at the height of Llandrindod's popularity as a Spa town. The cream of society stayed here, perhaps the most famous being David Lloyd George. This hotel, along with most hotels in the town, was commandeered by the Army during the Second World War, and then found a new use as the administrative Centre for Radnorshire County Council until local government re-organisation in 1974. It is still used. The Rock Park is easily reached by car, using the road which goes down the hill to the left of the Gwalia. Continue left into the Rock Park, over the newly rebuilt bridge, to the former pump room. The interior of the pump room has been tastefully restored as a restaurant and for people to sample the waters for which the town became famous. There are exciting plans to create a hydrotherapy Centre where the baths were previously situated. It is worth spending a little time wandering around the maze of paths in the Rock Park, and perhaps reflect upon how it must have appeared one hundred years ago with Victorian gentlefolk strolling through the park, the ladies with their parasols and long, elegant skirts, and the men in morning suit and top hat. If you venture into Llandrindod during Victorian Week, your imagination will become reality, as many visitors and local people re-create the elegance of an era long gone.

Now follow the road past the pump room restaurant, complementary medicine and heritage Centre to the international outdoor bowling greens in a peaceful and beautiful part of the park. There is a new clubhouse overlooking the three flat greens and the club continues the tradition of top class bowling with which Llandrindod Wells has been associated for very many years. The town itself has produced many bowlers up to national and international standard, and a thriving young membership should see this record continue into the future.

Retrace your steps back to the Gwalia to High Street, with Christ Church flats on your right. This was, until the turn of the century, the main shopping area of Llandrindod and the Post Office was at Cadwallader, the large building on the corner of Park Crescent and Park Terrace. The Market Hall also stood in High Street until destroyed by fire in the 1950s. There were many shops along High Street and Park Crescent. Continue along High Street, with the railway line and car park on the right. The new Baptist Chapel is on the left in Dyffryn Road, replacing the much larger building demolished in 1994. You will see the Magistrates Court and Police Station in front of you. Down the lane just beyond the Police Station is the residential 16th century Llanerch Inn, perhaps the oldest surviving building in the town, which provides a selection of bar meals and real ales. The footbridge on the right over the railway line leads back into the town.