Aberporth History
Aberporth history, archaeology and antiquities. Is a town in Ceredigion, West Wales. Situated close the Cardigan Bay coastline, between Gwbert and New Quay.
Table of Contents
1. Local History
2. Journal Index
3. Illustrations and Old Pictures
4. Schools and Education
5. Industry and Trades
6. Ships, Shipbuilding and Martime History
7. Churches, Chapels and Religion
8. Location Map
9. Topography
10. Gallery
11. References
12. Links
| History of Aberporth |
|---|
 Sketch of Aberporth church |
| County: Ceredigion Community: Aberporth Traditional County: Cardiganshire Map Reference SN25SE Grid Reference SN2575351393 |
| Medieval Parish Cantref: Is Aeron Commote: Is Coed |
| Ecclesiastical Parish: Aberporth, Acres: 2270.018 Parish Hundred: Troedyraur |
| Electoral Ward: Aberporth |
| Listed Buildings: Aberporth Scheduled Monuments: Aberporth |
 History of Aberporth |
Since 1909 the Ceredigion Historical Society has published articles written about the archaeology, antiquities and history of Ceredigion, many of these articles printed within the Ceredigion Journal, are about the history of Aberporth.
The society has also produced three county volumes, under the name of the Cardiganshire County History series, these knowledgeable, learned, comprehensive and scholary publications record the history of prehistoric, early and modern Cardiganshire.
1. Local History
Scheduled Monuments in Aberporth, Ceredigion.
Scheduled monuments (also known as scheduled ancient monuments, or SAMs) are sites of archaeological importance with specific legal protection against damage or development.
- Aberporth Range Simulated Ship Firing Platform
- Airfield Perimeter Defences at Blaenannerch
- Blaenannerch Round Barrow
- Blaenporth Mound and Bailey Castle
2. Journal Index
- anghydffurfiaeth, iv:96,97,99,108,l 10
- corn mill, vi:97
- emigration
- see Aber-porth: ymfudo
- Hen Gapel, x:418-19
- herring industry, vi:121; ix:l 12-13
- iforiaid, iii:28
- ivorites
- see Aber-porth: iforiaid
- methodism
- see Aber-porth : methodistiaeth gynnar
- methodistiaeth gynnar, v:6,10,13
- nonconformity
- see Aber-porth: anghydffurfiaeth
- offloading cargo on the open beach at, vii:295
- population figures, 1801-51, vi:391
- population trend, vii:259
- schools
- dissenting school in 1847, ii:139
- salary of schoolmaster, ii:151
- shipbuilding, ix:122
- trade in the seventeenth century, iii:234
- ymfudo, ii:167
3. Illustrations and Old Pictures
4. Schools and Education
- schools
- dissenting school in 1847, ii:139
- salary of schoolmaster, ii:151
5. Industry and Trades
- corn mill, vi:97
- herring industry, vi:121; ix:l 12-13
6. Ships, Shipbuilding and Martime History
- herring industry, vi:121; ix:l 12-13
- offloading cargo on the open beach at, vii:295
- shipbuilding, ix:122
- trade in the seventeenth century, iii:234
7. Churches, Chapels and Religion
- Hen Gapel, x:418-19
- methodism
- see Aber-porth : methodistiaeth gynnar
- methodistiaeth gynnar, v:6,10,13
- nonconformity
- see Aber-porth: anghydffurfiaeth
8. Location Map
9. A Topographical Dictionary of Wales
Originally published by: Samuel Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (London, Fourth edition, 1849)
ABERPORTH (ABER-PORTH), a parish, in the union of Cardigan, lower division of the hundred of Troedyraur, county of Cardigan, South Wales, 6 miles (N. E.) from Cardigan; containing 496 inhabitants. This place is pleasantly situated on the shore of Cardigan bay, in a cove near the mouth of the river Howny, forming a commodious though small port, which is a creek to the port of Cardigan. A brisk trade is carried on in limestone, culm, and coal, with Milford, Swansea, and Liverpool, employing numerous sloops and seamen, porters, and lime-burners: the herring-fishery in the bay also gives occupation to a great number of hands, and during the season imparts an appearance of activity and bustle to the village; but the fishing for turbot, cod, and mackerel, is scarcely worth pursuing. Aberporth is resorted to in summer for sea-bathing. In the vicinity is Cribach Road, which affords good shelter for vessels, and was much frequented by the French, during former wars with that people. The parish is bounded on the north by the sea, on the east by Blaenporth, on the south by Tremaen, and on the west by Verwic. It consists of two hamlets, the rectorial hamlet and that of Llanannerch. Of the latter the tithes are impropriate in the family of Currie, who pay annually to the rector one mark at Easter; it includes the manors of Mortimer îs Syrwen and Mortimer îs Coed. In the hamlet of Llanannerch, according to tradition, was anciently a chapel; but not the slightest vestiges of it now remain.
The parish contains, according to a survey taken in 1839, an area of 2100 acres, of which 1300 are in the rectorial, and 800 in the impropriate, hamlet, the former comprehending 400 acres of arable land, 100 of meadow, and 800 of pasture; and the latter, 250 acres of arable, 50 of meadow, and 500 of pasture. The soil consists partly of loam and clay, partly of gravel and peat, and, when manured with lime, seasand, and dung, yields barley inferior to none on this coast. It is also tolerably productive of oats, but the wheat crops are very indifferent. The lands are destitute of large trees, but are ornamented in several places with clusters of oak, ash, sycamore, and alder; the surface for the most part is hilly, with a few vales intersected by rapid streams, the principal of these being the river Howny, which separates the parish on the east from that of Blaenporth. The rocks on the coast are very precipitous, and afford retreats for numerous foxes and other animals prejudicial to the farmer; the sea abounds with porpoises and seacalves. A lofty hill in the parish commands fine views of Cardigan bay, and the mountains of Snowdon, Cader Idris, and Plinlimmon, the prospect on a clear day extending a considerable distance beyond the Irish coast. The estate of Plâs, belonging to the family of Morgan, has a mansion of great antiquity, built in the form of a cross; this demesne, as well as that of Pennarissa, formerly exhibited some fine timber, which has given place to a few ornamental plantations. The other seats are, Penralt, erected in the year 1813, a mansion in the Elizabethan style; and Penmar, which has been modernised by Dr. Jones.
The living is a discharged rectory, rated in the king’s books at £5. 13. 9., and endowed with £200 royal bounty, and £800 parliamentary grant; patron, the Bishop of St. David’s: the rectorial tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £104. 13. 4., and the impropriate for one of £57. 6. 8. The church, dedicated to St. Cynwyl, is a small plain structure of great antiquity, situated on an eminence about one mile from the village, and commanding a beautiful view of the sea. It consists of a nave and chancel, separated by a pointed arch, and measures in length forty-six feet and a half, in breadth twentytwo, and in height thirty, exclusively of the steeple, which is fifteen feet higher. The font is a square basin, placed on a round pillar; the sacramental cup is highly ornamented, but has neither date nor inscription. There are places of worship for congregations of Calvinistic Methodists at Aberporth and Blaenannerch, with a Sunday school for adults and children held in each of them.
10. Gallery
Some ideas to share your Stories below!
Have a memory and your not sure what to write? We have made it easy with some prompts and ideas, just think about this place and the importance its had in your life and ask yourself:
- What are my personal memories of living here?
- How has it developed and shops changed over the years?
- Do you have a story about the beach, community, its people and history?
- Tell us how it feels, seeing photographs and images of this place again?
- Tell us your favourite memories about this place?
The aim of the Ceredigion Historical Society is to preserve, record and promote the study of the archaeology, antiquities and history of Ceredigion. That objective has remained the same since the foundation of the Society in 1909, though its name was changed from Ceredigion Antiquarian Society to the Ceredigion Historical Society in 2002.
11. References
- Aberporth map (Header): Reproduced under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC-BY-NC-SA) licence with the permission of the National Library of Scotland.
- View: Aberporth Historic Mapping
12. External links
- Coflein, discover the archaeology, historic buildings, monuments and history of Aberporth, Ceredigion
- Historic Place Names, learn about the field names and house names in the community of Aberporth
- A Pint of History, read about the history of Ceredigion pub’s, inn’s and local taverns of Aberporth
- People’s Collection Wales, share your stories, memories and photographs of Aberporth
A very interesting read. Both my paternal grandparents originated in Aberporth. My grandfather was descended from Hezekiah Thomas, Dolwen, and my grandmother from the Ty Mawr, Morgan and Thomas families. I am bi racial and don’t speak Welsh. I have some interesting family photos and this read has helped. Thank you.
DEATH PORTENTS.
Among the most important of the superstitions of Wales are the death portents and omens; and this is perhaps more or less true of every country. About a generation or two ago, there were to be found almost in every parish some old people who could tell before hand when a death was going to lake place; and even in the present day we hear of an old man or an old woman, here and there, possessing, or supposed to possess, an insight of this kind into the future.
(p201)
“SINGING HEARD TWELVE MONTHS BEFORE DEATH.
A woman at Aberporth, informed me that she had heard a “Toili” singing:
“Gwyn fyd v rhai trwy ffydd,
Sy’n myn’d o blith y byw.”
Three weeks before the death of her aunt.
Mr. John Llewelyn, Rhos-y-Gwydr, somewhere on the borders of Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, when he went to the door of Rhydwilym Chapel one evening, he was surprised when he listened, to hear his own voice preaching a funeral sermon.”
From ‘Folk-Lore of West and Mid-Wales’ by J. Ceredig Davies (1911).