"In 1981, while in the process of purchasing "Victoria Wells", the second biggest Spa Complex in the town, which in 1974 became a "Mountain Holiday Centre", I found a very informative 1902 visitors guide book in a second hand bookshop in Liverpool.

After collecting pictures and other memorabilia for some 23 years, in 2004 it was suggested by a town resident that I should write a small history book. This I did, selling hundreds of copies which were sent out all over the world, mainly to ex town residents or their descendants. (As a strictly non profit making venture).

Now retired, I have compiled all 27 years of my history collection into one A4 200 page publication, with hundreds of pictures.

Apart from the religious beginnings, with the local parish church being built around 1250 AD, the "Spa Era" really began in 1537 with the building of a small public house known as the Dol-y-coed.

Within the grounds, there had long been known, "A Well", called Ffnonon Drewllyd or the Stinking well by local people. The "Smell" was caused by sulphur gasses bubbling up through this magical mineral water from far below the ground.

It rose to the surface at the rate of 4500 gallons per day, and even in the driest summers it has never slowed up. Those brave enough to drink the water were cured of all manner of diseases.

In 1732, the local parish vicar, who was suffering from a severe skin complaint and having been given only a short time to live by his doctor, was directed to the well by a resident of the area. He bathed in, and drank the water for some weeks, eventually becoming completely cured and lived to a good age of 76. He published his experience in church chronicles, and other media in London, in and around 1738.

People began to flock to the tiny hamlet of Pont-rhyd-y-fferau, Pont being bridge, Rhyd being ford, and Fferau being a fetlock or ankle "The bridge by the ford where the water is only ankle deep". The bridge itself, was reputed to to be of a very rickety wooden construction, was notorious in its own right, and was rebuilt several times.

By 1843, although the "Hamlet" was over-run by visitors seeking a cure for their ills, it still only consisted of 10 houses of any substance, one of these being the Dol-y-coed hotel, 3 small thatched cottages, a smithy and a tiny chapel.The parish church, St David's, was situated some 2 miles away at a place called "Llanwrtyd Without". The total population at this time was recorded at 33.

In 1850, a local vicar, known as "Kilsby", stood in front of his congregation and in a well remembered "Fire and Brimstone" fashion complained bitterly about "The Welshmen's lack of enterprise in developing the area".

A new stone bridge was built in 1853 and houses began to spring up in all directions, all being guest houses to accommodate the hundreds of visitors who were coming to "Take the Waters".

The railway came in 1868, which had been delayed for 3 years due to complications during the construction of a 1000yd long tunnel through the "Sugar Loaf Mountain", which was only a few miles from the station. (The station was in fact built in 1865). A massive viaduct with 18 arches was also needed on the other side of the tunnel, to connect the line to Llandovery. At its peak, 18 trains per day passed each other each way through the station, offloading visitors by the hundreds.

1897, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, saw new "Wells" discovered, and the opening of a new complex called "Victoria Wells". 1903 saw a massive hotel with its own boating lake constructed, "The Abernant Hotel", and in 1922 another "Well" was discovered, known as Henfron. The Dol-y-coed had grown vastly by this time, sporting large "Well houses" and recreational facilities of all kinds.

The "Hamlet", now known as Llanwrtyd Wells was bulging at the seams. Chapels of huge proportions and of every denomination were built, and although St David's had seen extensive renovations in 1861, a new church (St James) had to be built within Llanwrtyd Wells itself. (1896). In the short space of time, 1853 to 1903, the once tiny hamlet of Pont-rhyd-y-fferau had become the place to be for health treatment and recreation.

Unfortunately, with the coming of the National Health Service in the 1940's, the town went into a steep decline, From the 30 shops evident during the "Spa Years",only one remains today.

Most boarding houses are now purely residential, and employment has dropped to a very low level. The train service has now been slashed to one carriage, 4 times per day, although this still is "The Heart of Wales Line", but visitors come mainly by road. Various energetic attempts have been made to revitalise the town, but today it remains a shadow of its former self.

Maybe one day the "Magical Waters" of Llanwrtyd Wells will rise again, and restore this place to what it deserves to be?"