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Welcome
Bala is located at the
head of Llyn Tegid, its famous lake. It is an ideal location for touring
both North and Mid Wales. The town has a range of interesting shops, inns,
restaurants and a historical Town Walk. Bala is a historic market town and
resides within the boundaries of Snowdonia National Park (designated an area
of outstanding natural beauty). It is also within a one hour drive of the
coastal regions and attractions. The area is famous for water-sport
activities which centre around the lake and nearby rivers. Visiting the lake
and seeing the amazing range of water craft is well worth the effort.
Fishing is plentiful as are walking, cycling and other activities. A
miniature steam railway is well worth the ride and accommodation offers
value for money all year round.
Street Layout
The street layout, set up
by Roger de Mortimer from Chirk Castle in the 14th Century (See history
below), is marked out in square courts. Stryt Fawr, the main street, is wide
and has shops along its length - it is where the original markets were held.
Two side lanes, Arenig Street and Plase Street were attached to the old
Tomen. This being 'Tomen y Bala' a typical large Norman castle mound or "motte"
which was located at one end of the town and is now accessible as a public
garden. This is worth visiting as from the summit you can see wonderful
views of Llyn Tegid (Lake Bala) and the mountains beyond
The Lake
The 'lake of the five
parishes' Llyn Tegid is over four miles long and a mile wide at its widest
and is the largest natural lake in Wales. It is home to a unique fish called
the Gwyniad, considered to be a form of Herring and apparently a relic of
the ice-age. Arrangements have been made to ensure its survival should there
be a crisis in Llyn Tegid incidentally!
The lake's name comes from 'Tegid Foel' a character in the 'Mabinogi', a
series of Welsh stories and legends from around the 6th Century in King
Arthur's time.
History
Bala, a town steeped in
history, was founded by Royal Charter around 1310 by Roger de Mortimer in
order to tame the rebellious locals in the Penllyn District - Penllyn means
'top' or 'head' of the lake. It is interesting to note how these rebellious
'Quakers' came to be in the area. It was during Cromwell's interregnum (an
interval when normal Government is suspended) that a Puritan priest from
Wrexham named Morgan Llwyd, (Better know as 'Morgan Llwyd o Wynedd') became
famous as author of prose and verse in both Welsh and English. He lived in Cynfal Fawr near Ffestiniog and during his journeys between his home and
Wrexham would travel through Penllyn. He began preaching at a place known as
Bodwenni (a large house between Bala and Llandderfel) and built up . a
following in Penllyn.
His sermons stressed the importance of listening to the " light within ", "
conscience " and the " canals God had lighted in men's souls etc". His death
at the at the early age of 40 in 1659 was untimely and his congregation at
Bodwenni found the teaching of the Quakers, with their faith in the " inner
light " to be the natural faith to turn to after his death. Morgan Llwyd o
Wynedd had a number of disciples and one 'John ap John', a native of Penycae
near Rhiwabon (Ruabon) near Wrexham became the apostle of the Quakers in
Wales. He was often found succouring the Quakers in Penllyn. This history
moves on to link with early American history when several of these oppressed
Quakers left the area of Bala & Penllyn to make a new life in America.
A local story goes that in 1804 a lady by the name of Mary Jones walked bare
foot from Llanfihangel-y-Pennant to Bala to collect a Bible - a journey of
over 50 miles there and back. A famous local, Thomas Charles, had none left
and took pity on Mary and gave her his own. Thomas Charles had helped to
start the 'British and Foreign Bible Society' > Indeed, his grandson, David
Charles, founded Coleg Y Bala in 1837. Another local, Michael D Jones, in
1865 sent out groups of Welsh people to Patagonia in South America where
they eventually settled the area and to this day it retains its Welsh
culture, connections and , language.
It is quite fascinating to consider this small town in Wales has influenced
life in such far off places.
Local Industry
Many people in Bala made
their living as 'knitters'. Nearly everyone knitted socks and gained their
income by selling them in the popular market. Indeed their 'knitters market' helped make the name of Bala become well known further afield.
Today, industry is more varied with a decline in traditional farming and
craftwork being replaced with more modern occupations such as tourism.
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