Caernarfon shown within Gwynedd UA
(the
Welsh spelling is now normally used in preference to the
Anglicised forms, "Caernarvon" or "Carnarvon") is a
Royal Town in north-west
Wales . It has a dwindling population of 9,611 (2001 census).
Caernarfon is the traditional
County Town of the
Traditional County of
Caernarfonshire and was a
County Corporate in its own right. The town is best known for its great stone
Castle , built by
Edward I Of England and consequently sometimes seen as a symbol of English domination. Edward's architect,
James Of St. George , modelled the castle on the walls of
Constantinople - Edward being devoted to the
Crusade r cause. On higher ground on the outskirts of the town are the remains of an earlier occupation,
Segontium Roman Fort .
The population of Caernarfon is largely
Welsh-speaking (92% of the population reported some level of Welsh ability in the 2001 census) and the town is nowadays a rallying-point for the Welsh
Nationalist cause. In
1911 ,
David Lloyd George , then
Member Of Parliament for the borough, conceived the idea of holding the investiture of the new
Prince Of Wales at Caernarfon Castle, believing that this would help pacify nationalist opinion whilst arousing a more British patriotic feeling. The ceremony took place on
July 13 , with the royal family paying a rare visit to the principality, and the future King
Edward VIII was duly invested.
On
July 1 1969 , the investiture ceremony was again held at Caernarfon Castle, the recipient on this occasion being
Charles, Prince Of Wales . Despite nationalist threats and protests, the ceremony went ahead without incident, except that two members of the
Free Wales Army were blown up whilst trying to bomb a train the Prince was travelling on.
Caernarfon is also home to the regimental museum of the
Royal Welch Fusiliers (archaic English spelling of the word ''Welsh'').
Caernarfon Railway Station in St. Helen's Road is the northern terminus of the narrow gauge
Welsh Highland Railway .
Caernarfon hosted the
National Eisteddfod in
1862 ,
1894 ,
1906 ,
1921 ,
1935 ,
1959 and
1979 . Unofficial National Eisteddfod events were also held there in
1877 and
1880 .
Caernarfon residents are known colloquially as "Cofis" (pronounced as
IPA ). The word "Cofi" is also used locally in Caernarfon to describe the local
Dialect , which is a rather peculiar mixture of Welsh and English, swapping words and
Grammatical constructs somewhat haphazardly.
