Fairbourne

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Fairbourne
Fairbourne 01 2022.jpg
Fairbourne viewed from Golwen slate quarry
Gwynedd UK location map.svg
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Fairbourne
Location within Gwynedd
Population1,031 
OS grid reference SH614130
Community
Principal area
Preserved county
Country Wales
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town FAIRBOURNE
Postcode district LL38
Dialling code 01341
Police North Wales
Fire North Wales
Ambulance Welsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Gwynedd
52°41′49″N4°03′11″W / 52.697°N 4.053°W / 52.697; -4.053

Fairbourne is a seaside village in Gwynedd, Wales. Located on the coast of Barmouth Bay in Arthog community, to the south of the estuary of the River Mawddach, it is surrounded by Snowdonia National Park. It is in an area that had been listed by Gwynedd Council for managed retreat due to rising sea levels. [1]

Contents

History

Fairbourne is part of the historic county of Meirionnydd. The area was originally salt marshes and slightly higher grazing lands. Before development began in the mid-19th century, there were three farms on the land. [2] The coastal area was originally known as Morfa Henddol, while the promontory outcrop now occupied by the Fairbourne Hotel was called Ynysfaig.

Circa 1865, Solomon Andrews, a Welsh entrepreneur, purchased the promontory. Over the next few years, he built a seawall for tidal protection and several houses. To facilitate this, he built a 2 ft (610 mm) gauge horse-drawn tramway from the main railway to the site in order to bring in building materials. [3] In 1916, the tramway was converted to a 15 in (381 mm) gauge steam railway. [4] The wealthy flour-maker Sir Arthur McDougall had been looking for a country estate but when he discovered this area, he soon conceived of it as a seaside resort. In July 1895, Arthur McDougall purchased a substantial acreage from land speculators, which he enlarged by additional lots the following year. He then immediately hired a builder to begin the development of a model seaside resort.

Unusually for Gwynedd county, the village has no official Welsh-language name. Unlike most of Gwynedd, where Welsh is the majority language, English is the predominant language in Fairbourne with most of its inhabitants coming from or descended from those who came from England. [5]

Sea level rise management

Fairbourne had been identified as unsustainable to defend, given predicted sea level rise. [6] [7] The best estimate was that the area would be abandoned between 2052 and 2062. This was based on a rise in critical sea level of 0.5 metres (1.6 ft). [8] However, based on current rates of sea level rise it would take 100 to 200 years from 2014 to reach 0.5 metres. [9] There was an intent to maintain defences of the village for a period of only 40 years from 2014. This policy of managed retreat was strongly opposed by local residents. [10] [11] [7]

In November 2021, government officials declared that by 2052, it would no longer be safe/sustainable to live in the viilage. [12] This has been disputed by a number of research reports. [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18]

In 2021 a survey was carried out by Arthog Community Council to obtain the views of Fairbourne residents to the proposed plans for the village. There was a feeling by residents that their concerns were being ignored, and that Fairbourne was being selected for decommissioning without adequate justification. [19] "Having attended the multi-agency meeting in the village hall, residents are 'stone walled', not listened to, and told what to do without our views being considered." "It has been stressed at public meetings and acknowledged by Natural Resources Wales that local knowledge is important. Is Gwynedd Council just relying on consultants with computers?"

In March 2022, the issue of Fairbourne was raised in the Welsh Senedd by Mabon ap Gwynfor AS: "The west of Wales shoreline management plan is based on work done 10 years ago. Now, since then, of course, a great deal of work has been done on coastal flood defences, which changes the forecast for communities such as Fairbourne, but the plans haven't changed to reflect this work... There is room to doubt the modelling of Natural Resources Wales, which is based on inadequate data and old software." [20]

In May 2022, Arthog Community Council approved a motion to reject the plans by Gwynedd Council to decommission Fairbourne village, citing various failings in the decision-making process. [21]

In November 2022, Huw Williams of Gwynedd Council stated: "The Fairbourne Moving Forward Project Board has been aware of the negative impact on the community as a consequence of the mention of 'decommissioning' Fairbourne in '2054' by the press and other stakeholders"...."There are no current plans to decommission the village". [22] [23] An email to Arthog Community Council from Mr Williams from July 2022 also contains the line: "No public body – let alone Gwynedd Council – is intending to destroy Fairbourne." [18]

In May 2023, Welsh Government Climate Change minister Julie James was asked about the future of the village. She was adamant that the village had not been written off. She said: "We have made no decision on the future of Fairbourne, I want to make that clear." [24]

Arnall and Hilson (2023) investigated the political conflict which had developed between residents of Fairbourne and Gwynedd Council. They concluded: "The paper highlights the need for improved dialogue...This is potentially one way to minimise the present-day harms resulting from the projected effects of sea level rise and to imagine more open-ended, hopeful futures for affected coastal communities." [25]

Attractions

Beach

The beach is a two-mile stretch of sand, backed by a steep storm beach of pebbles which is as high as the sea defences in some places. At the northern end the beach joins the Mawddach Estuary, while at the southern end of the beach is squeezed between sheer cliffs and the sea. The beach is a venue for people exercising their dogs, however, during the summer months there is a dog ban enforced on the central area. There is access to the beach for those visitors with prams and/or wheelchairs. The beach is fronted by tank traps known as "Dragon's Teeth" dating from the Second World War. The beach regularly meets the European Blue Flag criteria.

Railway and Ferry

The Fairbourne Railway has provided a link from the village to Penrhyn Point for over a century. It runs regular passenger services between April and October.

The Barmouth Ferry sails from the seaward end of the Fairbourne Railway to Barmouth/Abermaw.

Transport

Fairbourne railway station is served by the Cambrian Coast Railway, which runs from Machynlleth to Pwllheli and is operated by Transport for Wales.

Lloyds Coaches also operate a regular bus service to Dolgellau and Tywyn.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snowdonia</span> Mountainous region and national park in north Wales

Snowdonia, or Eryri, is a mountainous region and national park in northwestern Wales. It contains all 15 mountains in Wales over 3000 feet high, including the country's highest, Snowdon, which is 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) tall. These peaks are all part of the Snowdon, Glyderau, and Carneddau ranges in the north of the region. The shorter Moelwynion and Moel Hebog ranges lie immediately to the south.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Merionethshire</span> Historic county of Wales

Merionethshire or Merioneth is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barmouth</span> Seaside town in Gwynedd, Wales

Barmouth is a seaside town and community in the county of Gwynedd, north-west Wales; it lies on the estuary of the Afon Mawddach and Cardigan Bay. Located in the historic county of Merionethshire, the Welsh form of the name is derived from aber (estuary) and the river's name, Mawddach. The English form of the name is a corruption of the earlier Welsh form Abermawdd. The community includes the villages of Llanaber, Cutiau and Caerdeon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cardigan Bay</span> Bay in Wales

Cardigan Bay is a large inlet of the Irish Sea, indenting the west coast of Wales between Bardsey Island, Gwynedd in the north, and Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire at its southern end. It is the largest bay in Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aberdyfi</span> Village and community in Gwynedd, Wales

Aberdyfi, also known as Aberdovey, is a village and community in Gwynedd, Wales, located on the northern side of the estuary of the River Dyfi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mid Wales</span> Geographic region of Wales

Mid Wales or Central Wales is a region of Wales, encompassing its midlands, in-between North Wales and South Wales. The Mid Wales Regional Committee of the Senedd covered the unitary authority areas of Ceredigion and Powys and the area of Gwynedd that had previously been the district of Meirionnydd. A similar definition is used by the BBC. The Wales Spatial Plan defines a region known as "Central Wales" which covers Ceredigion and Powys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cambrian Line</span> Railway line in Wales, and in Shropshire, England

The Cambrian Line, sometimes split into the Cambrian Main Line and Cambrian Coast Line for its branches, is a railway line that runs from Shrewsbury, England, westwards to Aberystwyth and Pwllheli in Wales. Passenger train services are operated by Transport for Wales Rail between the western terminals of Pwllheli, in Gwynedd, and Aberystwyth, in Ceredigion, and the eastern terminal at Shrewsbury, Shropshire, as part of the Wales & Borders franchise. The railway line is widely regarded as scenic, as it passes through the Cambrian Mountains in central Wales, and along the coast of Cardigan Bay in Snowdonia National Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairbourne Railway</span> Welsh miniature railway

The Fairbourne Railway is a 12+1⁄4 in gauge miniature railway running for 2 miles (3.2 km) from the village of Fairbourne on the Mid-Wales coast, alongside the beach to the end of a peninsula at Barmouth Ferry railway station, where there is a connection with the Barmouth Ferry across the Mawddach estuary to the seaside resort of Barmouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barmouth Bridge</span> Railway bridge across the Mawddach estuary

Barmouth Bridge, or Barmouth Viaduct is a Grade II* listed single-track wooden railway viaduct across the estuary of the River Mawddach near Barmouth, Wales. It is 900 yards (820 m) long and carries the Cambrian Line. It is the longest timber viaduct in Wales and one of the oldest in regular use in Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barmouth railway station</span> Railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

Barmouth railway station serves the seaside town of Barmouth in Gwynedd, Wales. The station is on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Harlech, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Tywyn, Aberdovey, Machynlleth and Shrewsbury. Between Morfa Mawddach and Barmouth the railway crosses the Afon Mawddach on the Barmouth Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morfa Mawddach railway station</span> Railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

Morfa Mawddach railway station is an unstaffed station located on the outskirts of the village of Arthog in Gwynedd, Wales, on the Cambrian Coast line between Machynlleth and Pwllheli. Built by the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast Railway in 1865, it was formerly the junction station for the Ruabon to Barmouth Line. Since the closure of the Ruabon to Barmouth line in 1965, it remains open, as a minor station on the Cambrian Line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fairbourne railway station</span> Railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

Fairbourne railway station serves the village of Fairbourne in Gwynedd, Wales. It is an unstaffed station on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Barmouth, Harlech, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Tywyn, Aberdovey, Machynlleth and Shrewsbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llwyngwril railway station</span> Railway station in Gwynedd, Wales

Llwyngwril railway station serves the village of Llwyngwril in Gwynedd, Wales. The station is an unstaffed halt on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Barmouth, Harlech, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Tywyn, Aberdovey, Machynlleth and Shrewsbury. Trains stop on request.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthog</span> Village in Gwynedd, Wales

Arthog is a village, post town and community in the Meirionnydd area in Gwynedd, north Wales including the villages of Fairbourne and Friog. It is located on the A493, approximately 8 miles (13 km) west of Dolgellau, and had a population of 1,010 in 2001, increasing slightly to 1,031 at the 2011 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barmouth Ferry</span>

The Barmouth Ferry provides a passenger service across the River Mawddach in Gwynedd county, north Wales. There are currently two ferry operators on the harbour. The service usually operates from April to October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dyffryn Ardudwy</span> Human settlement in Wales

Dyffryn Ardudwy is a village, community and electoral ward in the Ardudwy area of Gwynedd, Wales. It comprises several small, almost conjoined, villages including Coed Ystumgwern, Llanenddwyn, Llanddwywe, Talybont and Dyffryn Ardudwy. It is situated on the main A496 coast road between Harlech and Barmouth. The ward had a population of 1,540 according to the 2011 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llanfachreth</span> Human settlement in Wales

Llanfachreth is a settlement approximately three miles north-east of Dolgellau, Gwynedd, in the community of Brithdir and Llanfachreth within the historic boundaries of Merionethshire, Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llwyngwril</span> Human settlement in Wales

Llwyngwril is a coastal village, in Llangelynnin community, two miles north of the village of Llangelynnin and eleven miles south-west of Dolgellau. It is in the county of Merionethshire, Wales, although currently administered as part of the unitary authority of Gwynedd. The railway and road run along the coast and the village is sandwiched between the hills and the sea. The population according to the 2011 census was 526, with 56.7% of the population born in England, making it very Anglicised.

The Barmouth Junction and Arthog Tramway operated a 3 ft narrow gauge tramway service in Arthog between 1899 and 1903.

References

  1. ↑ Thomas, Rhidian (11 February 2014). "Sea level threat to force retreat of communities in Wales". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 February 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
  2. ↑ "Fairbourne, a potted history". Bill Hyde. 2013. Archived from the original on 10 August 2013.
  3. ↑ Reader's Digest Association (1979). The Past all around us: an illustrated guide to the ruins, relics, monuments, castles, cathedrals, historic buildings, and industrial landmarks of Britain. Reader's Digest Association. p. 150. OCLC   220770889.
  4. ↑ Billing, Joanna (2003). The Hidden Places of Wales. Aldermaston, Berkshire, England: Travel Publishing Ltd. p. 147. ISBN   978-1-904434-07-8. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  5. ↑ Wall, Tom (18 May 2019). "'This is a wake-up call': the villagers who could be Britain's first climate refugees". The Guardian . Archived from the original on 18 May 2019.
  6. ↑ Wall, Tom (18 May 2019). "'This is a wake-up call': the villagers who could be Britain's first climate refugees". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077. Archived from the original on 18 May 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2020– via www.theguardian.com.
  7. 1 2 Gerretsen, Isabelle (9 May 2022). "The UK 'climate refugees' who won't leave". BBC Future Planet. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
  8. ↑ Page, Thomas (9 June 2019). "Sea level rise could make climate refugees of UK village". CNN. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  9. ↑ "Climate change: UK sea level rise speeding up - Met Office". BBC News. 28 July 2022. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  10. ↑ "Welsh village to sue government over 'alarmist' rising sea level claim". The Telegraph . 11 February 2016. Archived from the original on 11 February 2016.
  11. ↑ Harries, Robert (26 May 2019). "The Welsh village being abandoned to the sea because of climate change". Wales Onlline. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019.
  12. ↑ "The 'doomed' UK village to be abandoned to the sea". NZ Herald. Archived from the original on 12 November 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  13. ↑ "Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM): Fairbourne Going Forward" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Fairbourne: modelling future risk of groundwater flooding" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  15. ↑ "Stability of the Ro Wen shingle spit, Fairbourne" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  16. ↑ "Investigating the protection of Fairbourne village from flooding" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2022. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  17. ↑ "Fairbourne – Demolition of a whole village is a massive overreaction to a solvable problem". www.grahamhall.org. Archived from the original on 3 December 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  18. 1 2 "Fairbourne: Authorities dismiss alternative plan for flood-threatened village". 14 June 2023. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  19. ↑ Arthog Archived 16 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine cyngorarthogcouncil.cymru
  20. ↑ "Cyfarfod Llawn 15/03/2022". Archived from the original on 9 November 2022. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
  21. ↑ Motion to reject the plans Archived 8 September 2022 at the Wayback Machine cyngorarthogcouncil.cymru May 2022
  22. ↑ Newsletter 20 November 2022 Archived 8 November 2022 at the Wayback Machine grahamhall.org
  23. ↑ Fairbourne Cambrian Archived 15 January 2023 at the Wayback Machine grahamhall.org
  24. ↑ "'No decision' made on future of North Wales village on climate frontline". 28 May 2023. Archived from the original on 20 June 2023. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
  25. ↑ Arnall, A., & Hilson, C. (2023). Climate change imaginaries: Representing and contesting sea level rise in Fairbourne, North Wales. Political Geography, 102, 102839.
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