Dyfed(Welsh pronunciation:[ˈdəvɛd]) is apreserved countyin southwesternWales.It is a mostly rural area with a coastline on the Irish Sea and the Bristol Channel.
| Dyfed | |
|---|---|
 Dyfed shown as a preserved county since 2003 | |
| Area | |
| • 1974 | 5,766 km2 |
| • 2022 | 5,774 km2(1st) |
| Population | |
| • 1971 | 316,369 |
| • 1992 | 351,100 (estimate) |
| • 2022 | 385,094[1](5th) |
| History | |
| • Origin | Kingdom of Dyfed |
| • Created | 1974 |
| • Abolished | 1996 |
| • Succeeded by | Carmarthenshire,Ceredigion,Pembrokeshire Preserved county of Dyfed |
| Status | Non-metropolitan county (1974–1996) Preserved county (1996–) |
| Government | Dyfed County Council |
| •HQ | County Hall,Carmarthen |
 | |
Between 1974 and 1996, Dyfed was also the name of the area's county council and the name remains in use for certain ceremonial and other purposes.
Etymology
editThe name Dyfed is an ancient one, appearing in theMabinogionwith a history predating that work. It is derived fromDemetae(theIron Agetribe that inhabited the area), with this tribal name deriving from aCelticelement related to theWelsh languageworddefaid(sheep) as well as theCommon Brittonicworddefod(wealth, property or riches).[2][3]This suggests that the area that became Dyfed was noted for the cultivation of sheep from ancient times, and that this was associated with great wealth.[4]The name persisted in thepost-RomanKingdom of Dyfed(clearly a continuation of this pre-Romanetymon) and even survived theNorman conquest of Walesand the introduction of theShire system,withThomas Morgannoting that the Welsh inhabitants ofPembrokeshirestill referred to the area asDyfedin the nineteenth century.[5]
History
editDyfed is apreserved countyofWales.It was originally created as an administrative county council on 1 April 1974 under the terms of theLocal Government Act 1972,and covered approximately the same geographic extent as the ancient Principality ofDeheubarth,although excluding theGower Peninsulaand the area west of theRiver Tawe.
Dyfed County Council was abolished on 1 April 1996, when the threehistoric countieswere reinstated for administrative purposes with Cardiganshire being renamedCeredigionon the following day. The name "Dyfed" remains used for some ceremonial and administrative purposes.
| Administrative county 1889–1974 |
Local government districts 1974–1996 |
|---|---|
| Cardiganshire | Ceredigion |
| Carmarthenshire | Carmarthen,Dinefwr,Llanelli |
| Pembrokeshire | Preseli(renamed to Preseli Pembrokeshire in 1987),South Pembrokeshire |
Headquarters
editThe administrative headquarters ofDyfed County CouncilwasCarmarthen,whilst the largest settlement wasLlanelli.Other significant centres of population includedHaverfordwest,Milford HavenandAberystwyth.[6]
Continued use of name
editThe name Dyfed was retained for such purely ceremonial purposes as the Lord Lieutenancy and in the name of some regional bodies such asDyfed–Powys Police,Dyfed Telecom,[7]and Dyfed Digital,[8]but some databases, including that of theRoyal Mail,continued its use at least until 2008, causing confusion in online commerce.[9]
Geography
editDyfed has a long coast on the Irish Sea to the west and theBristol Channelto the south. It is bounded by the preserved counties ofGwyneddto the north,Powysto the east andWest Glamorganto the southeast.
Ceredigion,the northernmost part of Dyfed, has a narrow coastal strip and theCambrian Mountainscover much of the east of the county. The highest point isPlynlimonat 752 metres (2,467 ft),[10]on the slopes of which five rivers have their sources: theSevern,theWye,theDulas,theLlyfnantand theRheidol,the first two of which flow eastwards into England and the last three of which flow westwards to the Irish Sea. Further south in Ceredigion the land is less mountainous, and theRiver Teififorms the border with Carmarthenshire for part of its length.[11]
Carmarthenshire, the southeastern part of Dyfed, is mostly hilly, except for the river valleys and coastal strip.Fforest FawrandBlack Mountainextend into the east of Carmarthenshire and theCambrian Mountainsinto the north. The highest point in Carmarthenshire isFan Foel,781 metres (2,562 ft),[12]on the border with Powys. TheRiver Towyis the largest river and drains into the Bristol Channel, as do theRiver Loughor,theRiver Gwendraethand theRiver Taf.Carmarthenshire has a long coastline which is deeply cut by the estuaries of the Loughor, Gwendraeth, Tywi and Taf. The south coast has many fishing villages and sandy beaches and the eastern part aroundLlanelliandBurry Portis more industrial.[11]
Pembrokeshire, the southwestern part of Dyfed, juts out into the Irish Sea and has a long, much indented, coastline. It does not have the mountains found in other parts of Dyfed but much of the interior is still hilly. In the north are thePreseli Hills(Mynydd Preseli), a wide stretch of highmoorland.The highest point in the Preseli Hills isFoel Cwmcerwynat 536 metres (1,759 ft),[13]and this is the highest point in Pembrokeshire. The largest river is theRiver Cleddauwhich has two main branches which join to form the Daugleddau estuary, which forms the important harbour of Milford Haven which enters the sea at the southwestern corner of the county. The areas around the River Cleddau are mainly level, low-lying land with many inlets and creeks. The coastline of Pembrokeshire has cliffs in places, and numerousbaysand sandy beaches.[11]The county contains thePembrokeshire Coast National Park,which contains the 186-mile walking trail, thePembrokeshire Coast Path.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Mid-2022 population estimates by Lieutenancy areas (as at 1997) for England and Wales".Office for National Statistics.24 May 2024.Retrieved31 May2024.
- ^Baxter, William. "Quasi regio ovibus pascendis apt".Cambrian Register.2:61–65.
- ^Baxter, Mr (1832)."The Cambrian Quarterly Magazine and Celtic Reportage".The Cambrian Quarterly Magazine and Celtic Reportage.4:401.
- ^Southey, Thomas (1832)."Observations addressed to the Wool Growers of Australia and Tasmania respecting Improvements in the Breed of Sheep preparing and assorting Wools & c also on the Introduction of other laniferous lanigerous Animals suited to their Climate and Localities and recommended for their Adoption By Thomas Southey Wool Broker 2d edit London Redford and Robins London Road Southwark 1831".Cambrian and Caledonian Quarterly Magazine and Celtic Repertory.4.proprietors: 401–402.
- ^Morgan, Thomas (1887).Handbook of the Origin of Place-names in Wales and Monmouthshire.H.W. Southey. p. 29.
- ^"Dyfed County Council Records".Carmarthenshire Archive Service. Archived fromthe originalon 23 May 2012.Retrieved1 May2016.
- ^"Local Government (Wales) Act 1994".The National Archives.legislation,gov.uk.Retrieved1 May2016.
- ^"Company Information for Dyfed Digital LTD.. Registered as 14861401".
- ^Clark, Rhodri (6 February 2008)."1996 passed by for databases that still believe there's a Dyfed".Wales online.Retrieved19 January2019.
- ^"Maps".
- ^abcPhilip's (1994).Atlas of the World.Reed International. pp. 16–17.ISBN0-540-05831-9.
- ^"Maps".
- ^"Maps".
- ^"Pembrokeshire Coast Path".Nationaltrail.co.uk. Archived fromthe originalon 17 August 2013.Retrieved1 May2016.