| Cardigan | |
| Welsh: Aberteifi | |
Cardigan High Street |
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Cardigan
Cardigan shown within Ceredigion |
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| Population | 4,203 [1] |
|---|---|
| OS grid reference | SN175465 |
| Principal area | Ceredigion |
| Ceremonial county | Dyfed |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | CARDIGAN |
| Postcode district | SA43 |
| Dialling code | 01239 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| EU Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Ceredigion |
| Welsh Assembly | Ceredigion |
| List of places: UK • Wales • Ceredigion | |
Cardigan (Welsh: Aberteifi) is a town in the county of Ceredigion in Mid Wales. It lies on the estuary of the River Teifi at the point where Ceredigion meets Pembrokeshire. It was the county town of the pre-1974 county of Cardiganshire. It is the second largest town in Ceredigion. The town's population was 4,203 inhabitants in 2001.[2] It is a significant regional administrative centre for West Wales, harbouring a hospital, college, a modern arts centre (with two-screen cinema) and a currently under-used nineteenth century guildhall together with a theatre and good shopping facilities. Cardigan is twinned with Brioude, France. The current Mayor, 2011-2012, is Cllr. Catrin Miles.
In 2006 and 2008 the town undertook a co-ordinated programme of building works restoring many of the facades of the town centre shops in a sympathetic style. The quayside has been rebuilt with a new civic area and landing stage.
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Cardigan is an anglicization of the Welsh name Ceredigion meaning "Ceredig's land." The city's Welsh name Aberteifi means "Teifi estuary."
Whereas in English, "Cardigan" used to refer to both the town and the county, in Welsh, "Ceredigion" only refers to the county.
The town is strategically placed on the banks of the River Teifi. The castle was built by Robert Montgomery in 1093 after the Norman army had conquered Ceredigion. A walled settlement developed around the castle and after much unrest and violence over the years, the Norman invaders were defeated. The Lord Rhys instituted the very first eisteddfod in the more peaceful times of 1176. Competitors came from all over Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland to compete for chairs in music and poetry. In 1199 the town received its first charter and was an important trade centre. A weekly market was established in 1227 and continues to this day.[3]
Until the 16th century, Cardigan was a small, walled town with some river traffic. By the passing of the Laws in Wales Acts 1535–1542, Wales was annexed to England. This brought political stability, piracy was suppressed and maritime trade increased. The herring fishery developed and by the beginning of the 18th century, there was a large merchant fleet. Exports included herring and salmon, slate, bark for tanning, corn and ale. Imports included oranges, manufactured goods, building materials and coal. Industries that developed included shipbuilding, brickworks, a foundry, ropemakers and sailmakers.[3]
In the 18th and early 19th century, Cardigan was the most important seaport in South Wales. In 1815 it possessed 314 ships with a total tonnage of 12,554 tons. This was seven times as many vessels as Cardiff and three times as many as Swansea.[4] It had a thriving shipbuilding industry, with over 200 vessels being built here and downstream in the village of Llandudoch.[3]
Rural industries and craftsmen were an important part of life in a country town. Information recorded in Trade Directories show that in 1830, there were in Cardigan:[3]
Thirteen boot makers, three bakers, one corn miller, four blacksmiths, seven carpenters, two coopers, six tailors, five dressmakers and milliners, two straw hat makers, two weavers, three curriers, three saddlers, two whitesmiths (tinsmiths), four glaziers, five maltsters, two printers, two tanners and one stonemason.
The river silted up and larger vessels could no longer reach the port, which had largely become inactive by the early part of the 20th century. Plans for dredging have come to nothing over the years.
Cardigan Railway Station, the terminus of the Great Western Railway line from Whitland, was closed under the Beeching Axe in 1963.[5]
Much of Cardigan's history from pre-Norman times to the present day is on display at the Heritage Centre, located in an 18th century warehouse at Teifi Wharf, and managed by Cardigan's historic society, Hanes Aberteifi.[6]
In 1176 Cardigan Castle became the site of the first competitive Eisteddfod. Cardigan also hosted the National Eisteddfod of Wales in 1942 and 1976. The castle was for many years in private hands and as a result became run down and derelict. The town council itself showed little interest in saving it. However a group of volunteers, and the local Catholic Priest (Saemus Cunane), working separately did raise its profile. Ceredigion County Council finally bought it in 2003.
Cardigan Island lies just 200 metres offshore near the village of Gwbert. The village of Moylegrove is also nearby.
Cardigan is predominantly a Welsh language speaking community. At the last census more than 69% of the residents were recorded as being able to speak or understand spoken Welsh with 45% able to speak, read and write in the language.[7] In 1176 and again 800 years later the National Eisteddfod was held in the town. In 2003 the community together with the Welsh Language Board set up a language action plan designed to provide opportunities for people of all ages to get together to speak Welsh. The county council, Twf, Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin, the Urdd, Cardigan town council, the local Young Farmers, Menter Aberteifi and the Board are working together in pursuit of its objectives.
As with the rest of the British Isles, Cardigan experiences a maritime climate with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest official Met Office weather station for which online records are available is at Aberporth,[8] about 6 miles east north east.
Typically, less than 3 days[9] of the year will reach 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or above, the warmest of which should rise to 26.8 °C (80.2 °F)[10] - The highest temperature recorded at Aberporth was 32.7 °C (90.9 °F), during July 2006.[11] On average 18.3 nights will report air frost and the coldest night of the year should fall to −4.5 °C (23.9 °F).[12] The lowest recorded temperature was −9.9 °C (14.2 °F), during January 1963[13]
Rainfall averages around 870mm a year, with at least 1mm falling on 143.5 days.
| Climate data for Aberporth 133m asl, 1971-2000, Extremes 1960- (Weather Station 6 Miles ENE of Cardigan) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.4 (56.1) |
15.2 (59.4) |
21.0 (69.8) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.6 (79.9) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.7 (90.9) |
31.5 (88.7) |
25.2 (77.4) |
22.0 (71.6) |
17.0 (62.6) |
14.1 (57.4) |
32.7 (90.9) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 7.3 (45.1) |
7.3 (45.1) |
8.7 (47.7) |
10.6 (51.1) |
13.7 (56.7) |
15.9 (60.6) |
18.0 (64.4) |
18.1 (64.6) |
16.1 (61.0) |
13.2 (55.8) |
10.0 (50.0) |
8.3 (46.9) |
12.3 (54.1) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 2.9 (37.2) |
2.6 (36.7) |
3.8 (38.8) |
4.9 (40.8) |
7.5 (45.5) |
10.0 (50.0) |
12.2 (54.0) |
12.3 (54.1) |
10.7 (51.3) |
8.4 (47.1) |
5.6 (42.1) |
3.9 (39.0) |
7.1 (44.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −9.9 (14.2) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
−2 (28.4) |
0.1 (32.2) |
1.7 (35.1) |
5.6 (42.1) |
5.5 (41.9) |
3.3 (37.9) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−5 (23.0) |
−6 (21.2) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 88.5 (3.484) |
62.7 (2.469) |
63.7 (2.508) |
50.7 (1.996) |
48.2 (1.898) |
61.1 (2.406) |
49.2 (1.937) |
68.2 (2.685) |
75.7 (2.98) |
104.2 (4.102) |
98.3 (3.87) |
99.2 (3.906) |
870.2 (34.26) |
| Sunshine hours | 54.6 | 74.0 | 109.7 | 168.6 | 213.6 | 190.5 | 198.7 | 184.8 | 141.0 | 100.1 | 63.3 | 45.6 | 1,544.5 |
| Source: Met Office[14] | |||||||||||||
Cardigan is also the site of Our Lady of Cardigan, a Roman Catholic shrine, also known as the shrine to Our Lady of the Taper. In pre-English Reformation times it was known for a statue of the Virgin Mary, who held a candle whose flame never extinguished.
| Preceding station | Historical railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cilgerran | Great Western Railway Whitland & Cardigan Railway |
Terminus | ||
