(from the
Welsh ''Mouth of the Ystwyth'') is a historic
Market Town , and seaport of
Ceredigion (Cardiganshire),
Mid Wales .
It is situated near the
Confluence of the rivers
Ystwyth and
Rheidol , about midway down the length of
Cardigan Bay . Aberystwyth was a
Contributory Parliamentary Borough until the
Third Reform Act , which caused its representation to be merged into that of the county in
1885 .
In modern times Aberystwyth has become a Welsh educational centre. The population is around 12,000, but is swelled by an additional 8000 students associated with the
University Of Wales, Aberystwyth . The world's first department in international politics was established in Aberystwyth in
1919 .
The
Cambrian Line railway links Aberystwyth with
Shrewsbury , and the
Vale Of Rheidol Railway , which is operated by
Steam Locomotive s, can be taken to
Devil's Bridge . Aberystwyth is a major tourist centre and a cultural link between the north and south of
Wales . It has a
Pier and a fine sea-front which stretches from Constitution Hill at the north end of the Marine Terrace to the mouth of the harbour. Constitution Hill is scaled by the
Aberystwyth Electric Cliff Railway giving access to fine views and other attractions at the top.
Although the town is relatively modern, it contains a number of historic buildings, including the remains of the castle and the "imposing but fantastic structure" of the old buildings of the University College of Wales near the Castle Hill. The new campus lies to the east of the town.
The architecture is a mix of Gothic, Classical reival and Victorian, and the town is sometimes referred to as "the Oxford of Wales".
Much of the finest scenery in
Mid Wales lies within easy reach of Aberystwyth including the wilderness of the
Cambrian Mountains , whose valleys contain forests and meadows which have little changed in centuries. The town is generally regarded as the capital of Mid Wales, and several institutions have regional offices there. Perhaps the most important of the public bodies located in Aberystwyth is the
National Library Of Wales . The library also incorporates the
National Screen And Sound Archive Of Wales , one of six British regional film archives. The
Royal Commission On The Ancient And Historical Monuments Of Wales , which maintains and curates the
National Monuments Record Of Wales (NMRW), provides the public with information about the built heritage of Wales, available through
COFLEIN the online interactive mapping and database for the NMRW.
Aberystwyth is
Twinned with
Saint-Brieuc ,
France and
Kronberg Im Taunus , Germany.
The remains of an Iron Age fortress on
Pen Dinas , a hill overlooking Aberystwyth, indicate that the site was inhabited before 700 BCE. However the recorded history of Aberystwyth may be said to date from the building of a fortress on the present Castle Hill, in
1109 .
Edward I rebuilt
Strongbow's castle in
1277 , after its destruction by the Welsh. Between the years
1404 and
1408 Aberystwyth Castle was in the hands of
Owain Glyndŵr , but finally surrendered to Prince Harry (the future King
Henry V Of England ). Shortly after this the town was incorporated under the title of Ville de Lampadarn (the ancient name of the place being Llanbadarn Gaerog, or the fortified Llanbadarn, to distinguish it from
Llanbadarn Fawr , the village one mile inland). It is thus styled in a charter granted by
Henry VIII , but by
Elizabeth I's time the town was invariably termed
Aberystwyth in all documents. In
1647 the Parliamentarian troops razed the castle, so that its remains are now inconsiderable, though portions of three towers still exist.
The ) was founded in
1872 in this building. Aberystwyth was the first university institution to be established in Wales.
The
Vale Of Rheidol Railway narrow gauge line from Devil's Bridge was constructed in 1901 and 1902, intended to ship mineral traffic, primarily lead, from Devils Bridge down to Aberystwyth for trans-shipment. By the time it was finished the lead mines were in a deep downturn and it therefore came to rely largely on the tourist industry. The railway opened for passengers in December 1902.
On the night of Friday 14th January
1938 a storm with estimated wind speeds of up to 90mph struck the town. Most of the promenade was destroyed, along with 200ft of the pier. Most properties on the seafront were damaged, most severely on Victoria Terrace.
Cymdeithas Yr Iaith Gymraeg held their historic first protest in Aberystwyth, back in
1963 , and here also the first ever independent Welsh
Evangelical Church was established (see
Evangelical Movement Of Wales ).
Merched Y Wawr have their national headquarters in Aberystwyth.
Aberystwyth hosted the
National Eisteddfod in
1865 ,
1916 ,
1952 and
1992 .
On March 1, 2005, Aberystwyth was granted
Fairtrade Town status.
Within Wales Aberystwyth is known for its music scene which has produced successful bands and artists such as.
