Five Roads, as the name suggests, is a settlement that developed around the meeting of five roads - Heol Hen; Heol Rehoboth; Heol Horeb and the B4309 (which runs south to west through the village). Heol Rehoboth is named after Rehoboth Welsh Independent chapel (NPRN 6617), about a mile south west of the village. Similarly, Heol Horeb is named after Horeb Baptist church (NPRN 6461) and its associated village, about half a mile north east of the village centre. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd editions of the 25inch OS maps, published in 1880, 1906 and 1915, show that the village once had two public houses - Morning Star and Five Roads Inn; a post office and a school.
In the twenty-first century, the post office remains. The school has relocated nearer the centre of the village, and now educated approximately eighty pupils aged three to eleven through the medium of Welsh. In 2017, plans were unveiled to build 'a larger school building on land surrounding the existing site which would cater for 120 pupils, with additional nursery provision, helping to meet the demand for Welsh language education in the area,' although work is not due to start until 2019.
The Morning Star has closed, and the Five Roads Inn has been renamed 'The Stag.' It seems that this name echoes that of the original name of the public house, because 'The Stag is famous as the meeting place of the Rebecca Rioters who gathered here to plan raids in 1843, under its previous name of The Stag and Pheasant. The Rioters took exception to the high taxation of the tollgates and the rural poverty it caused. Dressed as women their nightly raids destroyed gates and the toll houses across Wales.'
There are two other businesses in Five Roads - The Slate Works, who are 'designers/makers of fine lettering and designs in Welsh slate,' and the Tiny Works Brewery, a microbrewery which 'aims to forge American style beers with a Welsh twist.'
Sources: modern and historic OS maps; google street view; www.slate-workshop.co.uk; thestagfiveroads.co.uk; www.tinworksbrewery.co.uk; Estyn report for Five Roads primary school, published in May 2011; West Wales Chronicle article: 'plans revealed for Five Roads school' published 28th May 2015; Wales Online article: 'Plans unveiled for primary school hoping to meet demand of Welsh education in the area' published 14th November 2017
M. Ryder, RCAHMW, 29th November 2018.
