Settlement Association

[EbbwJunction1]

The Welsh Rugby Union (then called the Welsh Football Union - WFU) was formed at a meeting held at the Castle Hotel, Neath in 1881. Strangely the oldest rugby club in Wales, Neath RFC, are not recorded as being present, even though the meeting took place in the town. It is unknown if this was an oversight by the committee to record the presence of the club, or if Neath RFC actually did not attend. The fact that two of the main committee members of the South Wales Football Union, John Llewellyn and Sam Clark were Neath men, and the creation of the WFU disbanded their union, is generally accepted as the reason for the absence of a Neath representative. One of the clubs that were definitely at the meeting and became founder members
were Brecon RFC.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Ammanford in Carmarthenshire has also hosted the National Eisteddfod of Wales.

 

[Calthrop]

I learn to my surprise that there are numerically more habitual-and-regular Welsh-speakers in the southern part of Wales, than in the northern ditto. The north has a higher percentage of Welsh-speakers; but considerably more people live in the south. Welsh language use in south Wales, is particularly prominent in Carmarthenshire -- including a big proportion of the population of Ammanford. "Contrariwise": in Gwynedd -- overall the most Welsh-speaking part of the north -- Aberdyfi has unusually few Welsh-speakers (about 35% of the residents).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Aberdour in Fife also has a yacht club.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

Aberdour Shinty Club is the only senior Shinty Club in Fife, and play at Silversand Park; they were founded in 2001. The club plays in the South Division One, where one of their opponents are Kilmory Camanachd, who play at Macrae Park, Lochgilphead, Argyll.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Ardrishaig in Argyll and Bute also lies on the line of the Crinan Canal.

 

[EbbwJunction1]

The former Labour MP and Leader of the opposition John Smith MP QC was born at Baddarroch, Dalmally, Argyll on 13th September 1938. At the time of Smith's birth, his father was schoolmaster at Portnahaven, Islay; however, two years later he became the headmaster of the primary school at Ardrishaig, Argyll, which Smith went on to attend.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Rowardennan in Stirling County also lies on the line of the long-distance footpath known as the West Highland Way.

 

[Calthrop]

Some seven or eight miles south-east of Rowardennan, by a minor road along the eastern shore of Loch Lomond, is Balmaha; which settlement is the western limit of the short B837 road.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Kirkwall in Orkney also has a boatyard.

 

[Calthrop]

Kirkwall is twinned with a settlement in the far north of Italy; as is (stretching things perhaps a tiny bit) the County Borough of Neath / Port Talbot -- which for the purposes of the game, may we call just Neath? Kirkwall's "twin" is Moena; Neath etc.'s, is Udine.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Mold in Flintshire also has a church that is dedicated to St David.

 

[Calthrop]

Just west of Mold, in the foothills of the Clwydian Range, is Loggerheads Country Park: so called from its proximity to the "We Three Loggerheads" -- a former coaching inn dating from the 17th century. The inn owes its name to an angry dispute which, long ago, took place there between two locals; witnessed by a third; which became the subject of a painting by a local artist. Market Drayton, Shropshire, also has a pub called the Loggerheads -- have no indication of how this one's name, came to be.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Nantwich in Cheshire East also lies on the line of the Shropshire Union Canal.

 

[DerekC]

Droitwich also has brine springs.

 

[Calthrop]

Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, is also graced by an impressive mansion built in French chateau style. Droitwich has Chateau Impney; Waddesdon has Waddesdon Manor, former home of the Rothschild family.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Hathersage in Derbyshire also has a church that is dedicated to St Michael and All Angels.

 

[Calthrop]

Hathersage has a pub called The Scotsman's Pack Country Inn; Bristol has a similarly-named one, The Scotchman And His Pack. (What is it with the founders / namers of English pubs; and Caledonian gentlemen and their impedimenta?)

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Bodmin in Cornwall was also badly affected by the 14th century outbreak of the Black Death.

 

[Springs Branch]

From the early 19th to late 20th century, Bodmin was the county town of Cornwall, until its role as administrative and legal centre was overtaken by Truro.

Derby was also formerly county town of the eponymous Derbyshire - until local government reorganisation relocated Derbyshire's administrative HQ to Matlock.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Garstang in Lancashire also has a canoe club.

 

[Calthrop]

Banbury has a market cross; as has Garstang -- but without, so far as I know, the nursery rhyme to go with it.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Cropredy in Oxfordshire also lies on the line of the Oxford Canal.

 

[Calthrop]

Adwalton (Metropolitan Borough of Leeds) was also the site of an engagement in the English Civil War / War of 3 Kingdoms. The Royalists won at Adwalton; Cropredy was a "draw".

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Calverley in West Yorkshire was also once administered by the Morley Division of the Agbrigg and Morley Wapentake.

 

[DerekC]

Creetown, Dumfries, also has a chalybeate well.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Newton Stewart in Dumfries and Galloway also lies on the line of the River Cree.

 

[Calthrop]

Newton Stewart has an almost-namesake in Co. Tyrone: Newtownstewart.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Omagh in County Tyrone also lies on the line of the River Strule.

 

[Calthrop]

Omagh has been the county town of Tyrone since 1768. Previously to then, Dungannon had that role.