Aberporth
| Aberporth | |
|---|---|
 Leaping Dolphin sculpture, in Aberporth | |
  Aberporth Location withinCeredigion | |
| Population | 2,374 (2011)[1] |
| OS grid reference | SN2549251448 |
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Cardigan |
| Postcode district | SA43 2 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
Aberporthis a seaside village,communityandelectoral wardinCeredigion,Wales.The population at the 2001 Census, was 2,485,[2]of whom 49 per cent could speak theWelsh language.At the 2011 Census, the population of the community was 2,374 and of the village 1241.[3]Aberporth's beaches have earnedBlue Flagstatus.[4]
Location
[edit]
Aberporth is on theCeredigion Coast Path,part of theWales Coast Path,at the southern end ofCardigan Bay,about 6 miles (10 km) northeast ofCardiganand 10 miles (16 km) southwest ofNew Quay.The Fishguard to Bangor Trunk Road (A487) is reached via the B4333 road in about 2 miles (3 km).
Etymology
[edit]The name Aberporth is first recorded in 1284, and is derived from theOld Welsh“aber” (mouth) and “porth” (port).[5]
History
[edit]In the 16th century, boats, nets and salt forpreservingwere brought in fromIreland.Aberporth became a subsidiary port of Cardigan. The landing point developed rapidly in the late 17th and early 18th centuries as local people began to take part in the maritime trade. It became a very active port; the northern of the two beaches extended into the river valley and provided a safe anchorage.Lime kilns,coal yards and warehouses were built on its south shore.[6]
Aberporth developed into a centre of theherringfishing industry in Wales. Drifting and netting were both employed, and at one time at least 20 full-time herringsmacks,a type oftraditional fishing boat,went to sea regularly. The industry continued until the beginning of theFirst World War,when fish stocks declined.[7]
Governance
[edit]Aberporth is the name of theelectoral wardwhich is coterminous with the community,[8]although before 1995 it was a ward ofDyfed County Counciland included the neighbouring communities ofPenbrynandY Ferwig.[9]Since 1995, the ward has elected one county councillor toCeredigion County Council.Independentcouncillor Gethin James represented the ward from 2004[10]until theMay 2017 electionwhen he was beaten byPlaid Cymrucandidate Gethin Davies.[11]
Aberporth is represented at the local level by 12 community councillors on Aberporth Community Council.[12]
Amenities
[edit]The small St Cynwyl'sAnglicanparish churchwas renovated in 1857, but has been decaying over the last few decades.[citation needed]
The village has two sandy beaches: Traeth y Dyffryn ( "valley beach" ), also known as Traeth y Llongau[13]( "ships beach" ), and Traeth Dolwen[14]Both have been awarded aBlue Flagseveral years running.[citation needed]Aberporth is a recreational fishing village in the summer and is also used by divers and boating people. Crab and lobster fishing continues on a small scale.
In 2006orcasand harbourporpoiseswere seen, but such sightings are rare. Even rarer was aturtleseen in 2005.Sunfishandbasking sharksare sometimes seen offshore in the summer. Bottle nose dolphins are a common sight offshore, by the MoD site from April each year.
Apart from tourism, the main local employer is theMinistry of Defenceat theQinetiqmissile range.ParcAberporthtechnology park hosts organisations involved in the sectors of defence,aerospaceand the technology ofUAVsknown as drones. ParcAberporth is linked with the research facilities atAberystwyth University.Aberporth Airport(ICAO:EGFA) is being developed as West Wales Airport[15]for domestic flights, and as a centre for the deployment of civil and military drones. The airport underwent major improvements in 2008, which extended the runway from 945 to 1,257 m (3,100 to 4,124 ft).
Education
[edit]Aberporth School, established in 1834, had 31 pupils in 1836. In 1854, a building for 110 pupils was built; average attendance in 1904 was 68. It was anational schoolproviding elementary education, in accordance with the teaching of theChurch of England,to the children of the poor. In 1926, it became a Church of England school.
In 1915, a council school was established.[16]
Ysgol Gymunedol Aberporth is the present-dayprimary schoolin Aberporth. There were 122 pupils on the roll in 2013. Only 12 per cent came from homes where Welsh was the main language (down from 16 per cent in 2007). It was in the A/B category according to the Local Education Authority's language policy in 2001, but by 2007, it had changed into a category A school, meaning thatWelshis now the main language of teaching there.[17]
Notable people
[edit]The Village is notable for producing fourWelsh Rugbyinternationals and oneBritish and Irish Lion:[18]
- Ricky Evans(born 1960), Welsh rugby union international, was born in Aberporth.
- Wayne Proctor(born 1972), Welsh rugby union international, raised in Aberporth.
- Paul Ringer(born 1948), Welsh rugby union international, raised in Aberporth.
- Brynmor Williams(born 1951), Welsh rugby union international and British and Irish Lion, was raised in Aberporth.
Weather station
[edit]TheMet Officehas aweather stationat Aberporth.[19]It is one of the 22 coastal locations whose reports are included in theBBC Shipping Forecast.Data goes back to 1941.[20]
Typically, less than three days of the year reach 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or above,[21]the warmest of which will on average be 26.8 °C (80.2 °F).[22]The highest temperature recorded at Aberporth was 32.7 °C (90.9 °F) during July 2006.[23]On average 15.2 nights a year report air frost and the coldest night of the year will fall to −5.9 °C (21.4 °F).[24]The lowest recorded temperature was −9.9 °C (14.2 °F), during January 1963.[25]
Rainfall averages some 927 mm a year, with at least 1 mm falling on 151/152 days.
| Climate data for Aberporth 133m asl, 1991-2020, Extremes 1960- | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 13.4 (56.1) |
15.2 (59.4) |
21.0 (69.8) |
25.6 (78.1) |
26.6 (79.9) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.7 (90.9) |
31.5 (88.7) |
25.2 (77.4) |
22.0 (71.6) |
17.0 (62.6) |
14.1 (57.4) |
32.7 (90.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 7.8 (46.0) |
7.9 (46.2) |
9.4 (48.9) |
11.6 (52.9) |
14.3 (57.7) |
16.7 (62.1) |
18.3 (64.9) |
18.3 (64.9) |
16.7 (62.1) |
13.6 (56.5) |
10.5 (50.9) |
8.5 (47.3) |
12.8 (55.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 3.4 (38.1) |
3.3 (37.9) |
4.2 (39.6) |
5.7 (42.3) |
8.2 (46.8) |
10.7 (51.3) |
12.5 (54.5) |
12.7 (54.9) |
11.2 (52.2) |
8.9 (48.0) |
6.2 (43.2) |
4.1 (39.4) |
7.6 (45.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −9.9 (14.2) |
−7.5 (18.5) |
−6.6 (20.1) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
0.1 (32.2) |
1.7 (35.1) |
5.6 (42.1) |
5.5 (41.9) |
3.3 (37.9) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−5.0 (23.0) |
−6.0 (21.2) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
| Averageprecipitationmm (inches) | 90.1 (3.55) |
67.4 (2.65) |
57.2 (2.25) |
54.2 (2.13) |
54.7 (2.15) |
60.4 (2.38) |
66.5 (2.62) |
75.4 (2.97) |
70.6 (2.78) |
107.0 (4.21) |
117.2 (4.61) |
106.5 (4.19) |
927.1 (36.50) |
| Average rainy days | 15.3 | 11.8 | 11.3 | 11.1 | 10.3 | 9.6 | 10.7 | 11.6 | 12.1 | 15.0 | 17.2 | 16.2 | 152.1 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 62.4 | 82.4 | 132.4 | 180.9 | 222.8 | 216.1 | 202.2 | 179.6 | 148.7 | 103.9 | 61.9 | 50.9 | 1,644.2 |
| Source 1:Met Office[26] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Meteoclimat[27] | |||||||||||||
References
[edit]- ^"Community and Ward population 2011".Retrieved10 May2015.
- ^Office for National Statistics:Census 2001: Parish Headcounts: Ceredigion
- ^UK Census(2011)."Local Area Report – Aberporth built-up area (1119885732)".Nomis.Office for National Statistics.Retrieved13 February2019.
- ^Blue Flag beaches in WalesArchived1 May 2012 at theWayback MachineRetrieved 18 December 2011
- ^Field, John (1980).Place-names of Great Britain and Ireland.Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles. p. 21.ISBN0389201545.OCLC6964610.
- ^Jenkins, J. Geraint.Ceredigion: Interpreting an Ancient County.Gwasg Careg Gwalch (2005) p. 51.
- ^Jenkins, J. Geraint.Ceredigion: Interpreting an Ancient County.Gwasg Careg Gwalch (2005) p. 52.
- ^"Election maps".Ordnance Survey.Retrieved20 November2018.
- ^The County of Dyfed (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1988.Statutory Instruments. 1988.Retrieved20 November2018.
{{cite book}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^"Ceredigion County Council Election Results 1995-2012"(PDF).The Elections Centre.Retrieved19 November2018.
- ^"Ceredigion County Council Election 2017: The Results".Cambrian News.5 May 2017.Retrieved19 November2018.
- ^"Council".Aberporth Community Council.Retrieved19 November2018.
- ^"Tresaith ac Aberporth: Taith gerdded ar hyd yr arfordir a'r cefn gwlad"(PDF).Darganfod Ceredigion.2001.Retrieved30 May2018.
- ^"Aberporth".Darganfod Ceredigion.Retrieved30 May2018.
- ^"West Wales Airport Aberporth - Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Centre - West Wales Airport".West Wales Airport Aberporth.
- ^"Ref:Aberporth".Ceredigion Archives – School Records.Ceredigion County Council.Archivedfrom the original on 24 July 2011.Retrieved9 June2011.
- ^EduBase details for 400607
- ^Thomas, Simon."This is Brynmor Williams at 70, the Welshman who's actually beaten the All Blacks and got punched in the face for it".WalesOnline.Retrieved31 October2021.
- ^"Office stations".Archived fromthe originalon 18 October 2011.
- ^Met Office – Aberporth data.
- ^">1971-2000 average >25c days".Retrieved26 September2011.
- ^">1971–2000 average warmest day".Retrieved26 September2011.
- ^"2006 Maximum".Archived fromthe originalon 29 June 2011.Retrieved26 September2011.
- ^"MOYENNES 1991/2020".climate-datas-weather.dynalias.org.Archived fromthe originalon 6 February 2021.Retrieved1 June2021.
- ^">1963 Minimum".Retrieved26 September2011.
- ^"Aberporth 1971–2000 averages".Met Office.Archived fromthe originalon 19 October 2011.Retrieved26 September2011.
- ^"Météo climat stats | Moyennes 1991/2020 / Données Météorologiques Gratuites".6 February 2021. Archived fromthe originalon 6 February 2021.Retrieved1 June2021.
External links
[edit]
- www.geograph.co.uk: photos of Aberporth and surrounding area
- Information on the Ceredigion Tourism website
- History of sounding rocket launches from Aberporth facility 1959-1972
- grid referenceSN260514
