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Aberystwyth - History |
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There has been a settlement within the modern Aberystwyth town since the early Iron Age. There are still signs of this to this day as the hill that dominates the town, Pen-Dinas, apart from the Duke of Wellington monument that sits on its crest, shows the outlines of an Iron Age fort.
The
town has grown since the late 19th century as a holiday resort
and rural service centre and is the headquarters of many regional services
of western Wales. This
century saw remarkable changes as well as growth. At first the town's
important centres were Bridge Street (high-class housing) and Great
Darkgate Street and Pier Streets with shops and commerce. Aberystwyth today has become a thriving site for learning, shopping and culture and yet still tightly grasps the true rural spirit that it always had. |
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The
coastal town of Aberystwyth is located in the historic county of
Cardiganshire, Wales, where the River Rheidol flows into Cardigan Bay. The
name Aberystwyth means "Mouth of the Ystwyth" which now seems
odd as the Rhiedol River flows through the town and the river Ystwyth only
empties into the harbour. But originally the water coursed its way into
the old village that sprang up along its banks.
The
medieval walled town grew around the castle erected by the Normans (1277)
on a rocky headland. The town spread northward along the coast, especially
after the coming of railways. The port, now virtually unused, once handled
coastal, Irish, and even transatlantic shipping and served as the outlet
for the once-flourishing Cardiganshire lead mines.
The north side
of the harbour had busy shipyards. The port collapsed after the arrival of
the railway, and Aberystwyth turned its back on the harbour. Great
Darkgate Street retained its commercial importance, but trade and commerce
grew in Terrace Road and Chalybeate Street at the expense of the Old Town,
and there was a general shift of activity into the New Town area.