Bethlehem

Bethlehem
Carmarthenshire
The old Post Office, Bethlehem
Location
Grid reference:	SN685255
Location:	51°54’45"N, 3°54’48"W
Data
Post town:	Llandeilo
Postcode:	SA19
Dialling code:	01558
Local Government
Council:	Carmarthenshire
Parliamentary constituency:	Carmarthen East and Dinefwr

Bethlehem is a tiny farming village in Carmarthenshire, lying in the Tywi Valley north-east of Llandeilo and south-west of Llangadog but on the opposite side of the river from the busy A40 London to Haverfordwest road.

The centre of the village is approximately in front of the six houses opposite the village hall, with other houses, the Primary School, and a former Post Office scattered up and down the hill. The Nonconformist chapel after which the village was named is on a side road that follows the western edge of the Brecon Beacons.

Location and History

Bethlehem is overlooked by Carn Goch, a significant Iron Age hillfort with great heaps of stones remaining from the original ramparts. Bethlehem is around six miles from Dinefwr castle, capital of the pre-Norman Deheubarth kingdom and around six miles from the important and majestic Carreg Cennen castle that arose later.

Etymology

William Morgan translated the Bible into the Welsh language in 1588, and translated the Aramaic name for Christ's birthplace into the name we are familiar with. The village chapel was given the same name. Previously known as Dyffryn Ceidrich (valley of Ceidrich), the village came to be known by the name of the chapel, probably during the great Methodist revival in Wales of the 19th century.

Events

Every year, the village hosts a traditional Christmas market. A major attraction is to post Christmas cards from the village to get a Bethlehem postmark, a practice that first gained national attention in about 1965.

Woodland path north of Bethlehem

Outside links

• William Morgan translates "Y Beible"

References

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Bethlehem)