Barmouth

Coordinates: 52°43′19″N 4°03′18″W / 52.722°N 4.055°W / 52.722; -4.055
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Barmouth
Barmouth, from across the Mawddach estuary
Barmouth is located in Gwynedd
Barmouth
Barmouth
Location within Gwynedd
Population2,522 
OS grid referenceSH613158
Community
  • Barmouth
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townBARMOUTH
Postcode districtLL42
Dialling code01341
PoliceNorth Wales
FireNorth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
Dwyfor Meirionnydd
List of places
UK
Wales
Gwynedd
52°43′19″N 4°03′18″W / 52.722°N 4.055°W / 52.722; -4.055

Barmouth (

colloquial)) 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.[1] Located in the historic county of Merionethshire, the Welsh form of the name is derived from aber (estuary) and the river's name, Mawddach.[2] The English form of the name is a corruption of the earlier Welsh form Abermawdd.[3][4] The community includes the villages of Llanaber, Cutiau and Caerdeon
.

History

"Finally, when we left the southern bank and crawled to the opposite side over the bridge, almost a mile long and supported on mighty posts of oak, on our right the river bed, inundated by the sea at high tide and looking like a mountain lake, on our left Barmouth bay stretching to the bright horizon, I felt so joyful that I often scarcely knew where to look first... To the south-west the terrain lay open in a wide semi-circle, so that from the forecourt of the house you had a view of the full length of the estuary from Dolgellau to Barmouth, while these places themselves were excluded from the panorama, which was almost devoid of human habitations, by a rocky outcrop on one side and a laurel-grown hill on the other. Only on the far side of the river could the little village of Arthog be seen - in certain atmospheric conditions, said Austerlitz, you might have thought it an eternity away - infinitesimally small, with the shadow of Cadair Idris rising behind it to a height of almost three thousand feet above the shimmering sea."

—Austerlitz , page 113-114

The town grew around the

medieval Tŷ Gwyn tower house, the 19th century Tŷ Crwn roundhouse prison and St John's Church
.

William Wordsworth, a visitor to Barmouth in the 19th century, described it thus: "With a fine sea view in front, the mountains behind, the glorious estuary running eight miles [13 km] inland, and Cadair Idris within compass of a day's walk, Barmouth can always hold its own against any rival."[5]

Dinas Oleu (Citadel of Light), which is located east of the town on the adjoining hillside,[1] was the first tract of land to be donated to the National Trust.[6] Panorama Walk, to the east of the town, was developed as a coastal footpath in the Victorian era to contribute to the town's attractions for visitors. The walk is designated at Grade II on the Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales.[7] On the route of the walk stands the Glan-y-Mawddach estate. Originally a Regency villa, the house, which is listed at Grade II,[8] was extended in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and an important garden laid out which is designated at Grade II* on the Cadw/ICOMOS register.[9]

Barmouth features prominently in the novel Austerlitz by Max Sebald. The town is featured in an idyllic light, with the narrator visiting several times during his childhood [see box].

In January 2014, two trains were stranded at Barmouth after severe winter storms destroyed the sea wall at nearby Llanaber.[10]

Transport

Barmouth station

The town is served by

Wolverhampton.[11]

Connections for southbound services to

cycle path and walkway that uses the old trackbed
.

Local bus services are provided by Lloyds Coaches and link the town with nearby destinations such as Harlech, Tan-y-Bwlch, Porthmadog and Dolgellau. Cross-country bus services are available to Wrexham via Bala, Corwen and Llangollen, as part of the Welsh Government funded TrawsCymru network.[12]

The Barmouth Ferry sails from Barmouth to Penrhyn Point, where it connects with the narrow-gauge Fairbourne Railway for the village of Fairbourne. The town has a RNLI lifeboat station, which includes a visitors' centre with shop and viewing gallery.[13]

Sport

The nearest

Three Peaks yacht race.[16]

Notable people

Gallery

  • Barmouth, with Cader Idris in the background, 1865
    Barmouth, with Cader Idris in the background, 1865
  • The town in the 1890s
    The town in the 1890s
  • Barmouth Sands by William Collins, 1835, Guildhall Gallery, London
    Barmouth Sands by William Collins, 1835, Guildhall Gallery, London

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 978-0-319-26222-1
    .
  2. ISBN 0-304-35385-X
    .
  3. ^ "BBC - BBC - Cymru - Y ddylanwad mae'r iaith Saesneg wedi ei gael ar leoedd yng Nghymru". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  4. ^ Mills, A. (2003). Oxford Dictionary of British Place-Names. Oxford University Press.
  5. ^ "Heritage Trail". Barmouth, Wales. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  6. ^ "Dinas Oleu Walk, Barmouth". National Trust. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  7. National Historic Assets of Wales
    . Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  8. National Historic Assets of Wales
    . Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  9. National Historic Assets of Wales
    . Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Road trip for storm-hit Barmouth marooned trains". BBC News. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  11. ^ "Timetables". Transport for Wales. May 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Stops in Barmouth". Bus Times. 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  13. ^ "RNLI: Barmouth". Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  14. ^ Dolgellau Old Grammarians Archived 5 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine from Pitchero.com, retrieved 11 March 2015
  15. ^ WalesDirectory.co.uk retrieved 11 March 2015
  16. ^ "Three Peaks Yacht Race". threepeaksyachtrace.co.uk. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  17. ^ "Titanic: Grandson tells of officer Harold Lowe who returned for survivors". BBC News. 14 April 2012. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  18. ^ Howell, Denis (5 November 2009). "Barmouth to Fort William Three Peaks Yacht Race Prize Giving". yachtsandyachting.com. Retrieved 10 September 2016.
  19. ^ Etherington-Smith, Meredith (18 August 1992). "Obituary: Tommy Nutter". The Independent. London. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
  20. ^ "Barmouth actress Charlie Brooks to star in 18-week theatre stage tour". Daily Post. 9 December 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2016.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Barmouth.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Barmouth.
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