Gwynedd

Last updated

Gwynedd
County
Criccieth - geograph.org.uk - 4513705.jpg
The castle and beach at Criccieth
Coat of arms of Gwynedd Council.png
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
Welsh: Cadernid Gwynedd, lit.  'the strength of Gwynedd'
Gwynedd UK location map.svg
Gwynedd shown within Wales
Coordinates: 52°50′N3°55′W / 52.833°N 3.917°W / 52.833; -3.917
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country Wales
Incorporated 1 April 1996
Administrative HQ Council Offices, Caernarfon
Government
[1]
 • Type Principal council
 • Body Gwynedd Council
 •  Control Plaid Cymru
 •  MPs
2 MPs
 •  MSs
2 MSs
+8 regional members
(Mid and West + North)
Area
[2]
 • Total979 sq mi (2,535 km2)
 • Rank 2nd
Population
 (2022) [2]
 • Total117,591
 • Rank 14th
 • Density120/sq mi (46/km2)
Welsh language (2021)
[3]
 • Speakers64.4%
 • Rank 1st
Time zone UTC+0 (GMT)
 • Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
ISO 3166 code GB-GWN
GSS code W06000002
Website gwynedd.llyw.cymru
Snowdon massif from Capel Curig Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) from Capel Curig.jpg
Snowdon massif from Capel Curig
View of Tremadog Bay Gwynedd fields.jpg
View of Tremadog Bay

Gwynedd (Welsh: [ˈɡwɨnɛð] ) is a county in the north-west of Wales. It borders Anglesey across the Menai Strait to the north, Conwy, Denbighshire, and Powys to the east, Ceredigion over the Dyfi estuary to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The city of Bangor is the largest settlement, and the administrative centre is Caernarfon. The preserved county of Gwynedd, which is used for ceremonial purposes, includes the Isle of Anglesey.

Contents

Gwynedd is the second largest county in Wales but sparsely populated, with an area of 979 square miles (2,540 km2) and a population of 117,400. After Bangor (18,322), the largest settlements are Caernarfon (9,852), Bethesda (4,735), and Pwllheli (4,076). The county has the highest percentage of Welsh speakers in Wales, at 64.4%, and is considered a heartland of the language. [4]

The geography of Gwynedd is mountainous, with a long coastline to the west. Much of the county is covered by Snowdonia National Park (Eryri), which contains Wales's highest mountain, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa; 3,560 feet, 1,090 m). To the west, the Llŷn Peninsula is flatter and renowned for its scenic coastline, part of which is protected by the Llŷn AONB. Gwynedd also contains several of Wales's largest lakes and reservoirs, including the largest, Bala Lake (Llyn Tegid).

The area which is now the county has played a prominent part in the history of Wales. It formed part of the core of the Kingdom of Gwynedd and the native Principality of Wales, which under the House of Aberffraw remained independent from the Kingdom of England until Edward I's conquest between 1277 and 1283. Edward built the castles at Caernarfon and Harlech, which form part of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Site. During the Industrial Revolution the slate industry rapidly developed; in the late nineteenth century the neighbouring Penrhyn and Dinorwic quarries were the largest in the world, and the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales is now a World Heritage Site. Gwynedd covers the majority of the historic counties of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire.

Etymology

In the past, historians such as J. E. Lloyd assumed that the Celtic source of the word Gwynedd meant 'collection of tribes' – the same root as the Irish fine, meaning 'tribe'. [5] Further, a connection is recognised between the name and the Irish Féni, an early ethnonym for the Irish themselves, related to fían, 'company of hunting and fighting men, company of warriors under a leader'. Perhaps *u̯en-, u̯enə ('strive, hope, wish') is the Indo-European stem. The Irish settled in NW Wales, and in Dyfed, at the end of the Roman era. Venedotia was the Latin form, and in Penmachno there is a memorial stone from c. AD 500 which reads: Cantiori Hic Iacit Venedotis ('Here lies Cantiorix, citizen of Gwynedd'). [5] The name was retained by the Brythons when the kingdom of Gwynedd was formed in the 5th century, and it remained until the invasion of Edward I. This historical name was revived when the new county was formed in 1974.

History

Gwynedd (red) as a county split into its districts from 1974 to 1996 when it also included the isle of Anglesey and the District of Aberconwy. Districts Gwynedd 1974-96 Wales.svg
Gwynedd (red) as a county split into its districts from 1974 to 1996 when it also included the isle of Anglesey and the District of Aberconwy.
The preserved county of Gwynedd used for lieutenancy purposes, covering all of the modern county of the same name and the Isle of Anglesey. Gwynedd Preserved County in Wales.svg
The preserved county of Gwynedd used for lieutenancy purposes, covering all of the modern county of the same name and the Isle of Anglesey.

Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th century, when it was conquered by England. The modern Gwynedd was one of eight Welsh counties created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the entirety of the historic counties of Anglesey and Caernarfonshire, and all of Merionethshire apart from Edeirnion Rural District (which went to Clwyd); and also a few parishes of Denbighshire: Llanrwst, Llansanffraid Glan Conwy, Eglwysbach, Llanddoged, Llanrwst and Tir Ifan.

The county was divided into five districts: Aberconwy, Arfon, Dwyfor, Meirionnydd and Anglesey.

The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 abolished the 1974 county (and the five districts) on 1 April 1996, and its area was divided: the Isle of Anglesey became an independent unitary authority, and Aberconwy (which included the former Denbighshire parishes) passed to the new Conwy County Borough. The remainder of the county was constituted as a principal area, with the name Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire, as it covers most of the areas of those two historic counties. As one of its first actions, the Council renamed itself Gwynedd on 2 April 1996. The present Gwynedd local government area is governed by Gwynedd Council. As a unitary authority, the modern entity no longer has any districts, but Arfon, Dwyfor and Meirionnydd remain as area committees.

The pre-1996 boundaries were retained as a preserved county for a few purposes such as the Lieutenancy. In 2003, the boundary with Clwyd was adjusted to match the modern local government boundary, so that the preserved county now covers the two local government areas of Gwynedd and Anglesey. Conwy county borough is now entirely within Clwyd.

A Gwynedd Constabulary was formed in 1950 by the merger of the Anglesey, Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire forces. A further amalgamation took place in the 1960s when Gwynedd Constabulary was merged with the Flintshire and Denbighshire county forces, retaining the name Gwynedd. In one proposal for local government reform in Wales, Gwynedd had been proposed as a name for a local authority covering all of north Wales, but the scheme as enacted divided this area between Gwynedd and Clwyd. To prevent confusion, the Gwynedd Constabulary was therefore renamed the North Wales Police.

The Snowdonia National Park was formed in 1951. After the 1974 local authority reorganisation, the park fell entirely within the boundaries of Gwynedd, and was run as a department of Gwynedd County Council. After the 1996 local government reorganisation, part of the park fell under Conwy County Borough, and the park's administration separated from the Gwynedd council. Gwynedd Council still appoints nine of the eighteen members of the Snowdonia National Park Authority; Conwy County Borough Council appoints three; and the Welsh Government appoints the remaining six.

There has been considerable inwards migration to Gwynedd, particularly from England. According to the 2021 census, 66.6% of residents had been born in Wales whilst 27.1% were born in England. [6]

Economy

The county has a mixed economy. An important part of the economy is based on tourism: many visitors are attracted by the many beaches and the mountains. A significant part of the county lies within the Snowdonia National Park, which extends from the north coast down to the district of Meirionnydd in the south. But tourism provides seasonal employment and thus there is a shortage of jobs in the winter.

Agriculture is less important than in the past, especially in terms of the number of people who earn their living on the land, but it remains an important element of the economy.

The most important of the traditional industries is the slate industry, but these days only a small percentage of workers earn their living in the slate quarries.

Industries which have developed more recently include TV and sound studios: the record company Sain has its HQ in the county.

The education sector is also very important for the local economy, including Bangor University and Further Education colleges, Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor and Coleg Menai, both now part of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai .

Welsh speakers

The proportion of respondents in the 2011 census who said they could speak Welsh. Welsh speakers in the 2011 census.png
The proportion of respondents in the 2011 census who said they could speak Welsh.

Gwynedd has the highest proportion of people in Wales who can speak Welsh. According to the 2021 census, 64.4% of the population aged three and over stated that they could speak Welsh, [7] while 64.4% noted that they could speak Welsh in the 2011 census. [8]

It is estimated that 83% of the county's Welsh-speakers are fluent, the highest percentage of all counties in Wales. [9] The age group with the highest proportion of Welsh speakers in Gwynedd were those between ages 5 and 15, of whom 92.3% stated that they could speak Welsh in 2011. [9]

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Gwynedd declined between 1991 and 2001, [10] from 72.1% to 68.7%, even though the proportion of Welsh speakers in Wales as a whole increased during that decade to 20.5%. [10]

The Annual Population Survey estimated that as of March 2023, 77.0% of those in Gwynedd aged three years and above could speak Welsh.

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

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

Caernarfon is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales. It has a population of 9,852. It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the island of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is 8.6 miles (13.8 km) to the north-east, while Snowdonia (Eryri) fringes Caernarfon to the east and south-east.

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

Until 1974, Caernarfonshire, sometimes spelled Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire, was an administrative county in the north-west of Wales, later classed as one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales.

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

Until 1974, Merionethshire or Merioneth was an administrative county in the north-west of Wales, later classed as one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Conwy County Borough</span> County borough in Wales

Conwy County Borough is a county borough in the north of Wales. It borders Gwynedd to the west and south and Denbighshire to the east. The largest settlement is Colwyn Bay, and Conwy is the administrative centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meirionnydd</span> Region of Wales

Meirionnydd is a coastal and mountainous region of Wales. It has been a kingdom, a cantref, a district and, as Merionethshire, a county. It is currently a committee area within the county Gwynedd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denbighshire</span> County in Wales

Denbighshire is a county in the north-east of Wales. It borders the Irish Sea to the north, Flintshire to the east, Wrexham to the southeast, Powys to the south, and Gwynedd and Conwy to the west. Rhyl is the largest town, and Ruthin is the administrative centre. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denbighshire (historic)</span> Historic county in Wales

Until 1974, Denbighshire, or the County of Denbigh, was an administrative county in the north of Wales, later classed as one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales. It was a maritime county, that was bounded to the north by the Irish Sea, to the east by Flintshire, Cheshire and Shropshire, to the south by Montgomeryshire and Merionethshire, and to the west by Caernarfonshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clwyd</span> Preserved county of Wales

Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east corner of the country; it is named after the River Clwyd, which runs through the area. To the north lies the Irish Sea, with the English ceremonial counties of Cheshire to the east and Shropshire to the south-east. Powys and Gwynedd lie to the south and west respectively. Clwyd also shares a maritime boundary with Merseyside along the River Dee. Between 1974 and 1996, a slightly different area had a county council, with local government functions shared with six district councils. In 1996, Clwyd was abolished, and the new principal areas of Conwy County Borough, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham County Borough were created; under this reorganisation, "Clwyd" became a preserved county, with the name being retained for certain ceremonial functions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Betws-y-Coed</span> Village and community in Conwy, Wales

Betws-y-Coed is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. It is now a very popular visitor destination in the Snowdonia National Park. The population of the community as of the 2021 census was 476, a decline on the previous census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Llanrwst</span> Welsh market town

Llanrwst is a market town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy, in Conwy County Borough, Wales, and the historic county of Denbighshire. It developed around the wool trade and became known also for the making of harps and clocks. Today, less than one mile from the edge of Snowdonia, its main pursuit is tourism. Notable buildings include almshouses, two 17th-century chapels, and the Parish Church of St Grwst, which holds the stone coffin of Llywelyn the Great. The 2011 census gave it a population of 3,323.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Wales</span> Geographic region in Wales

North Wales is a region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia National Park and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, known for its mountains, waterfalls and trails, wholly within the region. Its population is concentrated in the north-east and northern coastal areas, with significant Welsh-speaking populations in its western and rural areas. North Wales is imprecisely defined, lacking any exact definition or administrative structure. It is commonly defined administratively as its six most northern principal areas, but other definitions exist, with Montgomeryshire historically considered to be part of the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">District of Aberconwy</span> Former district of Gwynedd, Wales

The Borough of Aberconwy was a local government district with borough status from 1974 to 1996, being one of five districts in the county of Gwynedd, north-west Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">District of Arfon</span> Former district of Gwynedd, Wales

The Borough of Arfon was local government district with borough status from 1974 to 1996, being one of five districts in the county of Gwynedd, north-west Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwyfor</span> Former district of Gwynedd, Wales

Dwyfor was one of the five local government districts of Gwynedd, Wales from 1974 to 1996, covering the Llŷn peninsula. Its council was based in Pwllheli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arfon (UK Parliament constituency)</span> UK Parliamentary constituency, 2010–2024

Arfon was a constituency in Wales represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament at Westminster. Although it is relatively large by geographical area, the constituency is a predominantly urban rather than rural seat, with the majority of the population living in the two towns of Bethesda and Caernarfon, as well as in the city of Bangor, on which the constituency is based. "Arfon" is a historical name for the area, meaning "facing Anglesey"; it is also the name of the former district council. This seat was created by the Welsh Boundary Commission in time for the 2010 general election; it replaced the old seat of Caernarfon. Bangor was in the old seat of Conwy. The same boundaries were used for the Arfon Welsh Assembly constituency in the 2007 Welsh Assembly election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dwyfor Meirionnydd (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2010 onwards

Dwyfor Meirionnydd is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, held by Liz Saville Roberts of Plaid Cymru. The seat is bordered to the north by Bangor Abercony, to the south by Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, and to the east by Clwyd East. Until 2024, the seat shared the same boundaries with the Dwyfor Meirionnydd Welsh Assembly constituency, the latter of which still uses the borders established for the 2007 Welsh Assembly election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gwynedd Council</span> Local government authority in north-west Wales

Gwynedd Council, which calls itself by its Welsh name Cyngor Gwynedd, is the governing body for the county of Gwynedd, one of the principal areas of Wales. The council administrates internally using the Welsh language.

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai (GLlM) is an umbrella organisation overseeing the operation of three member colleges in North Wales: Coleg Llandrillo, Coleg Menai and Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North West Wales</span> Area of Wales

North West Wales is an area or region of Wales, commonly defined as a grouping of the principal areas of Conwy County Borough, Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey in the north-west of the country. These principal areas make up the entire preserved county of Gwynedd, and parts of Clwyd. It is bordered by Denbighshire, in North East Wales to the east, Powys, and Ceredigion in Mid Wales to the south, and the Irish sea to the north and west. It is the more mountainous, rural, and sparsely populated part of the north Wales geographic region.

References

  1. ↑ "Council". Gwynedd Council. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022". Office for National Statistics . 26 March 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  3. ↑ "How life has changed in Gwynedd: Census 2021". Office for National Statistics. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
  4. ↑ "How life has changed in Gwynedd: Census 2021". sveltekit-prerender. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  5. 1 2 Bedwyr Lewis Jones. Enwau (Llyfrau Llafar Gwlad) (Llanrwst, Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 1991), p. 5–6.
  6. ↑ "How life has changed in Gwynedd: Census 2021". Office for National Statistics. 19 January 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "How life has changed in Gwynedd: Census 2021". sveltekit-prerender. Retrieved 3 August 2023.{{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  8. ↑ "Welsh speakers by local authority and broader age groups, 2001 and 2011 census". StatsWales. Welsh Government. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Anglesey & Gwynedd Joint Local Development Plan Topic Paper 10: Welsh Language & Culture" (PDF). Gwynedd County Council. February 2015. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
  10. 1 2 "Census shows Welsh language rise". BBC News Online . 14 February 2003. Retrieved 12 April 2007.
  11. ↑ Russell, Bertrand (2005). Andrew G. Bone (ed.). The Collected Papers of Bertrand Russell Volume 29: Détente Or Destruction, 1955-57. Abingdon: Routledge. p. iii. ISBN   978-0415-3583-78.
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