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Belan

Belan maps

Historic maps of Belan and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis.   View all Belan maps

Belan photos

We have no photos of Belan, although we do have photos of these nearby places:

Hodder River| Welshpool| Berriew| Montgomery| Chirbury| Llandyssil| Abermule| Meifod| Middletown| Pont Robert

Belan area books

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Belan books
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Memories of Belan

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Powys memories

THE TRAIN THAT CROSSED THE STREET

Church Street c1955
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From my childhood in Welshpool in the 1940s and 50s I have fond memories of the little steam train which crossed over Church Street, originally on a daily basis then later on Mondays only, carrying livestock from farms in the Llanfair Caereinion area to and from the Smithfield Market in Welshpool. My grandfather was one of the engine drivers who drove the train and often when I came out of Berriew Road School at lunchtime I would hear the train whistle and would run as fast as I could so that I would be in time to see it cross the road. The fireman would get down from the footplate and open the gate on the Vicarage side of the street, then he would stand in the road with a red flag while the driver shunted the train into the roadway. The fireman would then open the gate on the other side (next to Barclays Bakery), the train would shunt off the road along the line and the fireman would... Read more

Childhood in Welshpool

St Mary's Church c1960
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I was born & spent my childhood in Welshpool. St Mary's was our Parish Church, it has beautiful stained glass windows which always fascinated me as a child. I was christened and confirmed in this Church and later in May 1965 my husband and I were married there by the Curate, the Reverand Michael Butler. I remember that it was a sunny day but there was a stiff breeze so, instead of having our Wedding photographs taken on the Church steps (which are just out of sight below the entrance porch in the picture) we had to move to the Red Bank entrance steps just outside Grace Evans' Cottage for most of the photographs, because my wedding veil kept blowing up in the air! We walked to our wedding reception which was held in the Church House on Church Bank, just opposite the church. I left Welshpool when I married but have fond childhood memories of a lovely little town. Patricia.

Fishing by The Bridge

The Bridge c1965
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This picture brings back fond memories of my childhood, I remember fishing in the pool just under these trees, I caught my first pike and perch there and I was only 11 yrs old. There used to be a beach just next to the pool and I remember other older fishermen, fishing there, casting across the river and landing 6-8lb chub, I never did manage to get one of those. Lucky for me, I have relatives who live in Welshpool, so every summer I would visit for 4-5 weeks. I used to live in Coventry. I now live in Canada but still visit every year. I know the bridge was damaged in a flood and last time I looked the pool and beach were gone, the weir is still there and so are my memories.

The Rope Swing at The Leighton Bridge

The Bridge c1965
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I remember spending many a summer swimming at this spot. Then they seemed to be long hot summers but maybe that's the memory loss of an older man. I noticed that the rope was stiil hanging from the tree which was used to swing out into the river. This would have been in the mid 1950s and so much has changed. Still they can't take away the memories of childhood

My Grandad Humphreys (Thomas John)1875-1965

Grandad Humphreys, he was a carpenter making and restoring the Lockgates on the Montgomery Canal. Born in Welshpool 1875-1965. I remember the little trains running across Church Street as a boy of 8 years old and spent many happy hours visiting the Livestock market and as Grandad lived at Rosegarth ,Greenfields it was very easy to visit.
My mother Rosa Selina Humphreys born and bred up in Welshpool 1904-1988 was a twin of sisters. Grandads old premises he used still exist at the side of the canal in Welshpool on the left hand side walking from Mill Road towards Severn Road bridge near where the Old Dairy house is, not dairy any more,just a home.The Humphreys family consisted of four girls and 5 boys. Grandads sister Auntie Louisa to me lived with him when "Rosegarth" was built,circa 1950-52. Previous to this Grandad lived at 9 Greenfields ,opposite Rosegarth as now.I still return to Welshpool at least once a year I have many fond memories. Auntie Louisa was a very able... Read more

My Uncle Clem Built The Lychgate

The Lychgate c1955
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My Uncle Clem built the Lychgate, he was a carpenter who later lived at Cefn Caled Kerry. He was the son of Harry Griffiths, tailor and famous choirmaster from Bettws who lived at Pentre Lifior Cottage. My cousin Ray still lives in Newtown.

Glansevern Lodge

My gran, Mrs Evans, used to live at Glansevern Lodge, a loveley old sandstone building with trees all around it, and big rhododenderon bushes. It was a long wallk from the pump we used to get water from up to the house. We used to have an old outside toilet 20 yards from the house, which was very cold to get to in winter. At the rear was a smallholding and a sheep dip on the back lane past the river and on up to the hall.
At the front of the house we had lawns, and in the summer we had picnics. Passing motorist would often stop and ask if we did teas.
The front lane led up to Glansevern where I would play aroung the lake (the house is now open to the public).
I went shopping for my gran along the river lane under the Cuckoo Bridge  which holds the canal above past Berriew Football Club where I once saw Stanley Matthews play for Stoke... Read more

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