Bethesda grew around the slate and stone quarrying industries; the largest of the local quarries is the Penrhyn Quarry. At its peak, the town was one of the most important slate centres anywhere and was famous for exporting its purple slate all over the world.

Bethesda was the site of a three-year strike led by the North Wales Quarrymen's Union from 1900. This led to the creation of the nearby village of Tregarth built by the quarry owners, which housed the families of those workers who had not been on strike.

Most of the town is to the east and north east of the A5 road with housing packed onto the hillside in irregular rows. This was due to the A5 marking the border between Lord Penrhyn's land, and the freehold land. This can still be seen in the layout of the current high street, where all the public houses are found on one side of the road.

Tyfodd Bethesda oherwydd y diwydiant cloddio am lechi a charreg;  Chwarel Penrhyn ydy’r fwyaf o'r chwareli lleol.  Ar ei hanterth, roedd y dref yn un o’r canolfannau llechi pwysicaf yn unlle, yn enwog am allforio’r llechi porffor ar draws y byd.

Ym Methesda y cafwyd streic am dair blynedd yn 1900, streic a arweiniwyd gan Undeb Chwarelwyr Gogledd Cymru.  Un o ganlyniadau hyn oedd creu pentref cyfagos Tregarth gan berchnogion y chwarel, er mwyn cartrefu teuluoedd y gweithwyr oedd heb streicio.

Saif y dref gan mwyaf i’r dwyrain a’r gogledd o’r A5, ac mae’r tai yn cofleidio’r llechweddi mewn rhesi afreolaidd.  Y rheswm am hyn ydy fod y ffordd ar y ffin rhwng y tir oedd yn perthyn i Arglwydd Penrhyn, a’r tir rhydd-ddaliol.  Mae hyn yn dal yn amlwg o gynllun y stryd fawr bresennol, lle gwelir fod y tafarnau i gyd ar un ochr i’r ffordd. 

Welcome to Bethesda

Croeso i Fethesda