Builth Wells
Builth Wells is a market town and area in the county of Powys and historical region of Brecknockshire (Breconshire), mid Wales, existing at the assemblage of rivers Wye and Irfon, in the Welsh (or upper) part of the Wye Valley. It has a population of 2,568. Most of the town's buildings, including the 1876 Market Hall, were built from rock from Llanelwedd Quarry. Much of the dealing with and various other clothed stone used in the construction of the Elan Valley dams was additionally quarried below. The quarry generated the first occurrence of laumontite in Wales. The quarry is presently run by Hanson Aggregates. Builth is a historical anglicization of the Old Welsh Buellt/Buallt which integrates bu be, similar to some Middle English orthography), suggesting "ox" with gellt (later gwellt), suggesting "lea or leas"; the exact same form is used regardless of gender of the pet. The town added "Wells" in the 19th century when its springs were advertised as a visitor attraction. Its modern-day Welsh name Llanfair-ym-Muallt indicates "Saint Mary in Ox Leas".
