Date: Fri 25-Apr-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDREA

Quick Words:

Newtown-Wales-twin

Full Text:

Newtown Corresponds With A Twin Across The Pond

In Its Search For A Sister, Newtown, Wales Puts Newtown, Connecticut On The

List

B Y A NDREA Z IMMERMANN

You might be familiar with Newtown Trails Book I, II, and II , but have you

walked Newtown Town Trails One, Two, and Three? The latter are self-guided

tours through historic Newtown, Wales, the town with which Newtown,

Connecticut may eventually "twin."

As correspondence continues between local officials and Newtown, Wales, the

similarities and differences of the two locations become apparent.

In a response to a letter from First Selectman Bob Cascella, the town clerk of

Newtown, Wales, explained how they view "twinning" and where they are in the

process of selecting a sister town.

"I, for my part, am Chairman of our Town Twinning Committee and this Committee

is actively investigating several towns as a suitable twinning partner," wrote

Town Clerk Tony LeRiche in his letter of February 14. "It is envisaged that

any such twinning arrangement will involve regular visits on each side and

indeed grants are available from the EEC to assist such exchanges." Mr LeRiche

added that he did not believe grants would apply to twinning between towns in

Wales and the United States.

But the committee wants to continue to explore the possibilities of links that

would be "to our mutual benefit."

"Twinning with Newtown, Wales sounds like it would be a neat thing. We're

interested in the community on the other side of the Atlantic with the same

name as us," said Mr Cascella, who plans on sending more information to the

town clerk. "The possibilities of different things we can learn from each

other are endless. There are some [obvious] differences... but there are a lot

of similarities."

The two towns are about the same size in population. And when viewing the map

of Newtown, Wales, you might do a double-take. Newtown High School is on a

main route, three main roads lead into the town, a bridge was modified to

accommodate pedestrians, a river runs through town, and there is a golf course

- all mirroring what is found in our town.

Rail service in the Wales community still exists (although diminished), unlike

the passenger service here which ceased in 1936. The Welsh town has a museum,

art gallery, colleges, more than one industrial "estate," and community

center, which we do not.

The arts seem to be well supported. For example, in conjunction with The Arts

Council of Wales, CountryWorks in nearby Montgomery offers interest-free

credit on purchases of work by contemporary artists and craftspeople.

Outdoor recreation is promoted by tourism boards covering that area, as it is

in our area. And similarly, hiking, scenic train rides, camping, canoeing,

zoos, museums, and theater, international festivals, and other attractions are

located within 60 miles of the town. Five miles outside of Newtown, the

Gregynog Festival ("one of Britain's finest music festivals") is held in

Gregynog Hall set on 750 acres of gardens, meadows, and woodland. Quad

trekking (one-seater "four-wheeled Honda machines") is offered in Newtown as a

way visitors can see the Severn Valley and Montgomeryshire hills.

The many brochures sent to Mr Cascella would indicate their region has a more

active tourism board, said the first selectman. One brochure provides holiday

and travel information for disabled and disadvantaged people.

Although Newtown, Wales, does not have its own newspaper, Mr LeRiche was

interested by The Newtown Bee . "I can foresee that your newspaper may be an

ideal model for a future newspaper covering Newtown," he wrote.

Newtown's History

Both Newtowns have a rich history chronicling many changes. But the town in

Wales has a longer history, peppered with more upheaval and disaster.

In "A Brief History of Newtown," author Nixon Oliver wrote, "The old market

town of Newtown, formerly known as Llanfair yng Ngedewain ("St Mary's" in

Cedewain) is situated in a narrow part of the Severn Valley some 30 miles

upstream from Shrewsbury. Its early Welsh name was recorded in the taxation of

Pope Nicholas in 1291 but by 1535 it had become Newtown or Nova Villa. One

tradition states that it was so named because an older town was burned down,

another that it was to differentiate it from the older Roman town of Caersws

six miles to the west."

Evidence of invasion by both Romans and Normans still exists today. There is

speculation that layout of the streets in the main section of town was done by

the Normans, who had adopted such a grid pattern.

"In 1279 Edward I granted Newtown a Charter whereby it could hold fairs every

Tuesday. Although the Charter has long been lost, the Tuesday fair is still

held on the streets of the town and it was only in 1935 that the cattle market

was moved to a purpose-built Smithfield," reports Mr Oliver.

The oldest building in Newtown is the 13th-century parish of St Mary's on the

bank of Severn River, abandoned in 1847 when a new church was built outside of

the flood zone. Winter flooding continued, proving disastrous in 1960 and

1964, until flood defenses were completed in 1967.

The town seemed little changed until 1800 when the flannel industry took root.

"People moved into the town from far afield to meet the demand for hand loom

weavers, and the population began to grow rapidly. Houses and factories sprang

up all over town, and the characteristic three-storey terraces, with living

quarters on the ground-floor and weaving shops above, can still be seen in the

Penygloddfa area of the town. Living and working conditions were notoriously

bad at this time, both in the weaving shops and in the spinning, carding and

fulling mills. Unrest soon erupted, culminating in the Chartist riots of

Newtown and Llanidloes of 1839," wrote the historian.

Newtown's "most famous son" was social reformer Robert Owen, born in town in

1771 and from whom the Chartist movement derived much inspiration and theory.

In 1821, the Montgomeryshire Canal extended to Newtown and assisted merchants

in transporting their wares. But it was the railway, which came to Newtown in

the 1860s, that greatly facilitated the flannel industry. Sir Pryce

Pryce-Jones posted flannel goods to people all over the world, establishing

the first mail-order business.

The flannel industry waned in the early 1900s. "During the Second World War

Newtown was a base for army training regiments and factories engaged on war

work, which boosted the town's economy for a while, but the decline continued

after the war until the 1960s, and was matched by a decline in the rural

population as it became more and more difficult to earn a living by farming.

In 1967 the Newtown Development Corporation, later the Development Board for

Rural Wales, was established with the aim of reversing this trend: the town

population was targeted to double in ten years and then increase by natural

growth to around 13,000. Housing and industrial estates were built, and new

industries were encouraged to settle in town - including Laura Ashley Ltd.,

which paradoxically brought the textile industry back to Newtown - and more

recently a number of high-tech companies," wrote Mr Oliver.

Included in the information sent to Mr Cascella was a complete listing of the

businesses in Newtown, Wales.

Mr LeRiche requested six copies of our street plan, and suitable `tourist'

maps showing the location of Newtown which he will arrange to have displayed

at the travel agent's office in town.