Caernarvon

Coordinates: 53°08′N 4°16′W / 53.14°N 4.27°W / 53.14; -4.27

Caernarfon
The town of Caernarfon from Caernarfon Castle
Caernarfon  Caernarfon shown within Wales
Population	9,611
OS grid reference	SH485625
- London	247.1mi
Community	Caernarfon
Principal area	Gwynedd
Ceremonial county	Gwynedd
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CAERNARFON
Postcode district	LL55
Dialling code	01286
Police	North Wales
Fire	North Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
EU Parliament	Wales
UK Parliament	Caernarfon
List of places: UK • Wales • Gwynedd

Caernarfon (the original Welsh spelling is now almost always used in preference to the anglicised forms, "Caernarvon" or "Carnarvon") is a royal town in Gwynedd, northwest Wales.

The name comes from Welsh Caer yn Arfon = "castle in Arfon", referring to the Roman fort named Segontium. Arfon means "[region] opposite Anglesey". In Welsh it is pronounced [kaɨrˈnarvɔn], but it tends to be /kərˈnɑrvən/ in English.

History

Caernarfon is the traditional county town of the historic county of Caernarfonshire. 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, may well have modelled the castle on the walls of Constantinople, possibly being aware of the alternative Welsh name Caer Gystennin; in addition, Edward was a supporter of the Crusader cause. On higher ground on the outskirts of the town are the remains of an earlier occupation, the Segontium Roman Fort.

Caernarfon was constituted a borough in 1284 by charter of Edward I. The charter, which was confirmed on a number of occasions, appointed the mayor of the borough Constable of the Castle ex officio.^[1] The former municipal borough was designated a royal borough in 1963. The borough was abolished by the Local Government Act 1972 in 1974, and the status of "royal town" was granted to the community which succeeded it.^[2]

Toponymy

Caernarfon in 1610.

In the year 1221 a charter granted to the canons of Penmon priory, in Anglesey, by Llywelyn the Great, refers to Kaerinarfon [2], and Brut y Tywysogion uses the forms Kaerenarvon and Caerenarvon. ^[3] An early alternative name was Caer Seiont. It is called Caer Aber Sei(o)n(t) ("the fort on the estuary of the river Seiont") in the medieval Welsh tale Breuddwyd Macsen ("Macsen's Dream"), and was also known as Caer Gystennin ("The Castle of Constantin") ^[4]

Demography

Demographically the population of Caernarfon is the most Welsh-speaking community in all of Wales. 86.1% of the population could speak the Welsh language in the United Kingdom Census 2001, with the largest majority of Welsh speakers in the 10-14 age group, where 97.7% could speak it fluently. The town is nowadays a rallying-point for the Welsh nationalist cause. Its population, with nearby Y Felinheli and Penygroes is about 14,000.

Caernarfon residents are known colloquially as "Cofis" (sg. /ˈkɒvi/). The word "Cofi" is also used locally in Caernarfon to describe the local Welsh dialect, notable for a number of words not in use elsewhere.

Investitures

In 1911, David Lloyd George, then Member of Parliament for Caernarfon boroughs, which included various towns from Llŷn to Conwy, agreed to the Royal Family's idea of holding the investiture of the new Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle. The ceremony took place on 13 July, with the royal family paying a rare visit to Wales, and the future King Edward VIII was duly invested.

On 1 July 1969 the investiture ceremony was again held at Caernarfon Castle, the recipient on this occasion being Charles, Prince of Wales. The ceremony itself went ahead without incident despite nationalist threats and protests which culminated in the death of two members of Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru (Welsh Defence Movement), Alwyn Jones and George Taylor, who were killed when their bomb - intended for the railway line at Abergele in order to stop the British Royal Train - exploded prematurely. The bomb campaign (one in Abergele, two in Caernarfon and finally one on Llandudno Pier was organised by the leader of Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru John Jenkins. He was later arrested after a tip off and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.

Caernarfon is also home to the regimental museum of the Royal Welch Fusiliers (archaic English spelling of the word Welsh).

Architecture

One of the oldest buildings in the town is The Market Hall, which is situated on Hole In The Wall street, or Stryd Twll Yn Wal as it is referred to most often.

The old court buildings, replaced in 2009 by a new complex on Llanberis Road, are situated inside the castle walls, next door to the Anglesey Arms Hotel and to the Gwynedd County Council Buildings in Pendeitch. They are very grand buildings, especially the outside of the Magistrate Court as it has adopted a gothic architecture style of decoration. The old buildings were adjoining what used to be Caernarfon gaol, which has closed since about the early 1900s, and now been turned into further Council Offices.

There are many old public houses serving the town, including The Four Alls, The Anglesey Arms Hotel, The Castle Hotel, The Crown, Morgan Lloyd, Pen Deitch and The Twthill Vaults. The oldest public house in Caernarfon is the Black Boy Inn, which remained in the same family for over 40 years until sold in 2003 to a local independent family business. The pub has stood inside the walls of Caernarfon castle since the 1500s, and many ghosts have been sighted within the building.

Present day

Caernarfon has a small harbour, and a Blue Flag beach at Victoria Harbour. The location of the town creates a lovely view across the Afon Menai towards the south of Anglesey.

Focal point Y Maes or 'Castle Square' in English was refurbished in 2009, causing much controversy when a historical feature of the town was taken down; namely a very old oak tree, situated outside the HSBC bank. Re-opened in July 2009 by the local politician and Heritage Minister of Wales, Alun Ffred Jones AM, the use of beautiful local slate is very prominent in the new Maes.

There is a small hospital in the town, 'Ysbyty Eryri'. The nearest regional large hospital is Ysbyty Gwynedd, in Bangor.

Gwynedd County Council's head offices are situated in the town. The local court serves the town and the rest of North West Wales, and in 2009 moved to a multi-million pound court complex on Llanberis Road.

Previously, Caernarfon had been chosen as the location of a new prison. HMP Caernarfon would have held up to 800 adult males when constructed, and would have taken prisoners from all over the North Wales area. However, in September 2009 the UK Government withdrew plans to construct the prison.^[5]

The town is twinned with Landerneau in Britanny.

Education

There are four primary schools in Caernarfon - Ysgol yr Hendre being the largest. The others are Ysgol y Gelli, Ysgol Santes Helen and Ysgol Maesincla. The single secondary school serving Caernarfon and the surrounding areas - Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen - currently educates between 900 and 1000 pupils from ages 11 to 18. There is also a school for children with special needs in the town, Ysgol Pendalar, which serves all of Arfon.

Transport

Caernarfon was at one time an important port, exporting slate from or Dyffryn Nantlle quarries.

Caernarvon railway station served the town from 1852 to 1970; it is now the site of the Morrisons supermarket. The site served as the terminus of the Bangor and Carnarvon Railway, and an end-on junction with the Carnarvonshire Railway and the Carnarvon and Llanberis Railway. All three companies were operated by and absorbed into the London and North Western Railway by 1871.

The route of the line southwards passed through a tunnel under central Caernarfon that was converted in 1995 for road traffic. The new Caernarfon railway station in St. Helen's Road is the northern terminus of the narrow gauge Welsh Highland Railway.

Caernarfon Airport is 4.5 miles (7.2 km) to the south west, and offers pleasure flights and an aviation museum.

Sport

Caernarfon Town F.C. is a football team, who play at The Oval, in the Cymru Alliance. Their home ground is The Oval.

There is a very successful rugby union club, Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon, who play in the Division One North League. Their home ground is Y Morfa.

Culture

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.

In 1955, Caernarfon was in the running for the title of Capital of Wales on historical grounds. But the town's campaign was heavily defeated in a ballot of Welsh local authorities, with 11 votes compared to Cardiff's 136. Cardiff therefore became Wales' first official capital city.

See also

• Caernarfon (UK Parliament constituency)
• George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon
• Caernarfon Town F.C.
• Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon Rugby Club

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Caernarfon

• Official Website
• Caernarfon Travel Guide Wiki Travel
• Encyclopaedia Britannica Caernarfon
• Visit to Caernarfon
• www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Caernarfon and surrounding area
• Doc Fictoria Caernarfon
• Black Boy Inn Caernarfon
• Celtica Caernarfon

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