Rachub is a small village of about 700 people in Dyffryn Ogwen (Ogwen Valley), Gwynedd, Wales, about half a mile away from the nearby, larger village of Bethesda.
Origins
The name Rachub is thought to have come from Yr Achub, which would roughly translates as The Saving or Safe place. The origin of this is the belief that when enemy forces were in the area the locals would flee to Rachub for safety (though the village itself did not exist then), although the story is probably a myth. Rachub was considered no more than a part of Llanllechid parish until the 19th century, when the slate industry expanded in the valley, and Rachub grew as a separate village.
Until then, the village consisted of a few houses and the Carmel chapel. Most of the area was farmland, used mostly for sheep. This has changed considerably over the last half a century, with farms giving way to housing.
Day to day life
Welsh is the major tongue of the village, although it is in decline. In 1991, 83% of residents spoke Welsh. In 2001, Gwynedd council had changed its local ward boundaries, so the figure today is unclear, but is certainly still over 75%. The higher part of the village, which goes up the Carneddau mountains, is more English-speaking, while the lower parts tend towards Welsh.
Most residents communte to work from the village (with very few having the opportunity not to do so), many to Bangor. The main gathering points include the local pub (The Royal Oak or Y Dderwen Frenhinol) and the local post office. Rachub is also home to Ysgol Llanllechid (a Welsh-language primary school), a bakery and has three chapels. Even so, it is generally considered to be a part of Bethesda rather that a separate entity. Villagers will haphazardly say that they are from either Rachub or Bethesda, depending on whichever one takes their fancy at the time.
Though not noted for much, perhaps Gruff Rhys, the Super Furry Animals' lead singer, is its most famous export. The Welsh-language band, Celt, are a very popular band in the Welsh music scene, and hail from the village. |
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