Aberystwyth, a popular resort and university centre, is one of Wales's many fine Victorian towns.
Introduction
The brightly painted Victorian and Edwardian buildings on the seafront of Aberystwyth line a wide and welcoming promenade inlaid with marble where visitors can sit and soak up the sun. Aberystwyth's harbour was once one of the busiest in Wales. It has now been converted into a charming marina.
Here, the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol feed into it, the Rheidol being the steepest river in Britain! The town sits between hills and beaches with many historical attractions nearby. Castle ruins stand in pleasant park gardens. Also the remains of an Iron Age fort and a monument to Wellington peer down from the surrounding hillsides.
The location of Aberystwyth on the west coast makes it the centre of local rural life and as a result it has many facilities and attractions. These include the two beaches and pier.Aberystwyth is also blessed by the temperate Gulf Stream, which adds to the sense of warm welcome you will receive here. Indeed, bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoise have been known to dance around the bay, along with grey seals from the Irish Sea.
The National Library of Wales is situated in Aberystwyth and is acknowledged as the principle centre for researching Welsh genealogy. If you want to research the history of your own family this is a fantastic place to start. It also houses some of the greatest literary and cartographic treasures of Wales and other Celtic nations.
History
Aberystwyth was originally set up as a Norman stronghold, to assist in overpowering the local population. The people of Aberystwyth however, went on to develop the town into Wales's second busiest port through fishing and transporting ore. The town was also once a mining community in the procuring of silver and lead, and now thrives with its tourism trade and university population.
The fort on Pen Dinas hilltop stands as a reminder of the Iron Age settlers that were once in Aberystwyth. Aberystwyth Castle was built on the orders of Edward I in 1277. This is one of several fearsome castles built at that time, which include Flint, Rhuddlan and Builth Castles to restrain the Welsh. It was damaged and then rebuilt in 1282, and endured an assault by Prince Owain Glyndwr who captured it in 1404.
The castle's defences were later surmounted by Oliver Cromwell's army in the Civil War and blown up in 1649.Aberystwyth Castle is still a great place to visit with the family today, and recent finds can be viewed in the Ceredigion Museum, Terrace Road, Aberystwyth.
General Area
Other cultural attractions in the town include the Ceredigion Museum and the Aberystwyth Arts Centre – the largest in Wales If you're visiting the area take a ride on the Vale of Rheidol Railway from Aberystwyth to the wonderful falls of Devil's Bridge. This narrow gauge railway climbs over 600 feet and is an ideal way to see the surrounding area.
The United Kingdom’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
A registered charity: 209131 (England and Wales) SC037733 (Scotland)
Our privacy and copyright statements.
Our commitment to freedom of information. Double-click for pop-up dictionary.
Open the original version of this page.
Usablenet Assistive is a UsableNet product. Usablenet Assistive Main Page.