, (
Pronounced ), known locally as '''Port''', is a small
Coast al
Town located in
Gwynedd , in north-west
Wales , traditionally part of
Caernarfonshire . It has a population of 4,187 (2001 census).
Porthmadog came into existence after
William Madocks built a long
Seawall , called the Cob, to reclaim a large amount of land from the sea for
Agricultural use. The town was called Portmadoc until
1974 , when it was renamed to the equivalent
Welsh spelling and pronunciation. Though its name likely derives from Madocks, many locals claim the town is really called after Ynys Madoc (Madoc Island) in the
Glaslyn Estuary and its famous resident
Madog Ap Owain Gwynedd , a prince who, according to legend, travelled to the
Americas 300 years
Before Columbus .
Located on the
Irish Sea coast, Porthmadog has a small
Harbour where
Ship s used to load with
Slate carried on the many local narrow gauge railways that terminated there. These included the
Croesor Tramway ,
Ffestiniog Railway ,
Gorseddau Tramway , and
Welsh Highland Railway . In the second half of the
19th Century Porthmadog was a flourishing port. A number of
Shipbuilder s were active here at this time, and were particularly well-known for the three-masted
Schooners known as the "Western Ocean Yachts". Porthmadog's role as a commercial port was effectively ended by the First World War.
Today, Porthmadog has
Termini for the
Ffestiniog Railway at the south of the town, and for the
Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog), on the old main line sidings. In 2009 the rebuilt
Welsh Highland Railway from
Caernarfon and
Rhyd Ddu will be reopened via
Beddgelert to Porthmadog and will start operating services to the Ffestiniog Railway's
Porthmadog Harbour Railway Station with through trains running from Caernarfon to
Blaenau Ffestiniog . Porthmadog also has a station on the
Standard Gauge Cambrian Coast Line .
Near Porthmadog is
Portmeirion , where the
1960s Television Series ''
The Prisoner '' was filmed.
Porthmadog hosted the
National Eisteddfod in
1987 .
