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Ceredigion ( , , ) is a
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the west of
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Ceredigion is considered a centre of Welsh culture and just under half of the population can speak
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...
according to the 2011 Census. The county is mainly rural, with over of coastline and a mountainous hinterland. The numerous sandy beaches and the long-distance Ceredigion Coast Path provide views of Cardigan Bay. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, Cardiganshire had more industry than it does today; Cardigan was the commercial centre of the county;
lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut, ...
,
silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...
and
zinc Zinc is a chemical element with the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. Zinc is a slightly brittle metal at room temperature and has a shiny-greyish appearance when oxidation is removed. It is the first element in group 12 (IIB) of the periodi ...
were mined and Cardigan was the principal port of South Wales prior to the silting of its harbour. The economy became highly dependent on
dairy farming Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history t ...
and the rearing of livestock for the English market. During the 20th century, livestock farming became less profitable, and the county's population declined as people moved to the more prosperous parts of Wales or
emigrated Emigration is the act of leaving a resident country or place of residence with the intent to settle elsewhere (to permanently leave a country). Conversely, immigration describes the movement of people into one country from another (to permanentl ...
. However, there has been a population increase caused by elderly people moving to the county for retirement, and various government initiatives have encouraged tourism and other alternative sources of income. Ceredigion's population at the
2021 UK census The decennial 2021 censuses of England and Wales and of Northern Ireland took place on 21 March 2021, and the census of Scotland took place on 20 March 2022. The censuses were administered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in England an ...
was 71,500. Its largest town, Aberystwyth, is one of its two administrative centres, the other being
Aberaeron Aberaeron, previously anglicised as Aberayron, is a town, community, and electoral ward between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, in Ceredigion, Wales. Ceredigion County Council offices are in Aberaeron. The name of the town is Welsh for ''mouth o ...
, where
Ceredigion County Council Ceredigion County Council ( cy, Cyngor Sir Ceredigion) is the governing body for the county of Ceredigion, since 1996 one of the unitary authorities of Wales. The council's main offices are in Aberaeron. History The current council was create ...
meets. Aberystwyth houses Aberystwyth University, Bronglais Hospital and the National Library of Wales.
Lampeter Lampeter (; cy, Llanbedr Pont Steffan (formal); ''Llambed'' (colloquial)) is a town, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales, at the confluence of the Afon Dulas with the River Teifi. It is the third largest urban area in Ceredigio ...
is home to part of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. The area is administered by Ceredigion County Council.


History

Ceredigion has been inhabited since prehistoric times. A total of 170 hill forts and enclosures have been identified across the county and there are many standing stones dating back to the
Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
. Around the time of the Roman invasion of Britain, the area was between the realms of the Demetae and Ordovices. The Sarn Helen
road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types o ...
ran through the territory, with forts at Bremia and Loventium protecting gold mines near present-day
Llanddewi Brefi Llanddewi Brefi () is a village, parish and community of approximately 500 people in Ceredigion, Wales. In the sixth century, Saint David (in Welsh, ''Dewi Sant''), the patron saint of Wales, held the Synod of Brefi here and it has borne h ...
. Following the Roman withdrawal, Irish raids and invasions were repulsed, supposedly by the forces under a
northerner Northerner may refer to: * A person from a Northern Region from a State, Province, or Country; For Example: ** Someone from Northern England ** Someone from the Northern United States * Translation of Beifangren "北方人", endonym for someone fro ...
named
Cunedda Cunedda ap Edern, also called Cunedda ''Wledig'' ( 5th century), was an important early Welsh leader, and the progenitor of the Royal dynasty of Gwynedd, one of the very oldest of western Europe. Name The name ''Cunedda'' (spelled ''Cuneda ...
. The 9th-century '' History of the Britons'' attributed to Nennius records that Cunedda's son Ceredig settled the area around the Teifi in the 5th century.Davies, John, ''A History of Wales The territory supposedly remained a minor kingdom under his dynasty until its extinction upon the drowning of Gwgon ap Meurig , after which it was administered by Rhodri Mawr of Gwynedd before passing to his son
Cadell Cadell or Cadel is an old Welsh personal name derived from the Latin Catullus. As a surname, it derives from the Welsh patronymic "ap Cadell". Notable people with the name include: Given name Middle Ages * Cadell Ddyrnllwg, King of Powys c.447� ...
, whose son Hywel Dda inherited its neighbouring kingdom Dyfed and established the realm of
Deheubarth Deheubarth (; lit. "Right-hand Part", thus "the South") was a regional name for the realms of south Wales, particularly as opposed to Gwynedd (Latin: ''Venedotia''). It is now used as a shorthand for the various realms united under the House o ...
. Records are highly obscure; some historians believe that Hyfaidd ap Bledrig, the Dyfed ruler, may have annexed Ceredigion before his heirs lost it to Hywel through war. Many pilgrims passed through Cardiganshire on their way to St Davids. Some came by sea and made use of the churches at
Mwnt A scanning tunneling microscopy image of a single-walled carbon nanotube Rotating single-walled zigzag carbon nanotube A carbon nanotube (CNT) is a tube made of carbon with diameters typically measured in nanometers. ''Single-wall carbon nan ...
and
Penbryn Penbryn () is a small coastal village and community in Ceredigion, Wales, about from Cardigan. History Corbalengi Stone Standing in a field between Penbryn and Tresaith (grid reference SN28905137) is the 6th century Corbalengi Stone. Thi ...
, while others came by land seeking hospitality at such places as Strata Florida Abbey. Both the abbey and Llanbadarn Fawr were important monastic sites of scholarship and education. Place names including ''ysbyty'' denote their association with pilgrims. In 1282,
Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a va ...
conquered the principality of Wales and divided the area into counties. One of thirteen traditional counties in Wales, Cardiganshire is also a
vice-county A vice-county (vice county or biological vice-county) is a geographical division of the British Isles used for the purposes of biological recording and other scientific data-gathering. It is sometimes called a Watsonian vice-county as vice-cou ...
. Cardiganshire was split into the five hundreds of Genau'r-Glyn, Ilar, Moyddyn, Penarth and Troedyraur.
Pen-y-wenallt Pen-y-wenallt is a hamlet in Ceredigion (formerly Cardiganshire), Wales. Pen-y-wenallt lies halfway between Cenarth and Pont Ceri, bordering on Carmarthenshire, and is a constituent of the Parish of Llandygwydd.
was home to 17th century theologian and author,
Theophilus Evans Theophilus Evans (February 1693 – 11 September 1767) was a Welsh clergyman and historian. Life Evans' father was from Pen-y-wenallt and he was christened in the church in Llandygwydd in Cardiganshire in 1693. Evans served curacies in Breckno ...
. In the 18th century there was an evangelical revival of Christianity, and
nonconformism Nonconformity or nonconformism may refer to: Culture and society * Insubordination, the act of willfully disobeying an order of one's superior *Dissent, a sentiment or philosophy of non-agreement or opposition to a prevailing idea or entity ** ...
became established in the county as charismatic preachers like Daniel Rowland of Llangeitho attracted large congregations. Every community built its own chapel or meeting house, and Cardiganshire became one of the centres of
Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...
in Wales; the Aeron Valley was at the centre of the revival. Cardigan was one of the major ports of southern Wales until its harbour silted in the mid-19th century. The
Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was the transition to new manufacturing processes in Great Britain, continental Europe, and the United States, that occurred during the period from around 1760 to about 1820–1840. This transition included going f ...
passed by, not much affecting the area. In the uplands, wheeled vehicles were rare in the 18th century, and horses and sleds were still being used for transport. On the coast, herrings and corn were traded across the Irish Sea. In the 19th century, many of the rural poor emigrated to the New World from Cardigan, between five and six thousand leaving the town between 1790 and 1860. Aberystwyth became the main centre for the export of
lead Lead is a chemical element with the symbol Pb (from the Latin ) and atomic number 82. It is a heavy metal that is denser than most common materials. Lead is soft and malleable, and also has a relatively low melting point. When freshly cut, ...
and Aberaeron and Newquay did brisk coastal trade. The building of the railway from Shrewsbury in the 1860s encouraged visitors, and hotels sprang up in the town to accommodate them. This area of the county of Dyfed became a district of Wales under the name Ceredigion in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, and since 1996, has formed the county of Ceredigion. According to the 2011 census, Ceredigion has the third highest proportion of
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...
speakers in the population at 47.3%; only Gwynedd and the Isle of Anglesey have a higher proportion.


Geography

Ceredigion is a coastal county, bordered by Cardigan Bay to the west, Gwynedd to the north, Powys to the east, Carmarthenshire to the south and Pembrokeshire to the south-west. Its area is . In 2010 the population was 76,938, making it the second most sparsely populated county in Wales. The main settlements are
Aberaeron Aberaeron, previously anglicised as Aberayron, is a town, community, and electoral ward between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, in Ceredigion, Wales. Ceredigion County Council offices are in Aberaeron. The name of the town is Welsh for ''mouth o ...
,
Aberporth Aberporth is a seaside village, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales. The population at the 2001 Census, was 2,485, of whom 49 per cent could speak the Welsh language. At the 2011 Census, the population of the community was 2,374 ...
, Aberystwyth, Borth, Cardigan,
Lampeter Lampeter (; cy, Llanbedr Pont Steffan (formal); ''Llambed'' (colloquial)) is a town, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales, at the confluence of the Afon Dulas with the River Teifi. It is the third largest urban area in Ceredigio ...
, Llanarth,
Llanddewi Brefi Llanddewi Brefi () is a village, parish and community of approximately 500 people in Ceredigion, Wales. In the sixth century, Saint David (in Welsh, ''Dewi Sant''), the patron saint of Wales, held the Synod of Brefi here and it has borne h ...
, Llandysul, Llanilar, Llanrhystud, Llanon, New Quay, and Tregaron. The largest of these are Aberystwyth and Cardigan. The Cambrian Mountains cover much of the east of the county; this large area forms part of the
desert of Wales The Desert of Wales, or Green Desert of Wales, is an area in central Wales, so called because of its lack of roads and towns and its inaccessibility. The term was coined by English travel writers in the nineteenth century and has no equivalent i ...
. In the south and west, the surface is less elevated. The highest point is
Pumlumon Pumlumon (historically anglicised in various ways including ''Plynlimon,'' Plinlimon and Plinlimmon) is the highest point of the Cambrian Mountains in Wales (taking a restricted definition of the Cambrian Mountains, excluding Snowdonia, ...
at , other Marilyns include Pen y Garn and Llan Ddu Fawr. On the slopes of Pumlumon five rivers have their sources: the Severn, the Wye, the Dulas, the Llyfnant and the Rheidol, the last of which meets the Afon Mynach in a plunge at the Devil's Bridge chasm. The largest river is the River Teifi which forms the border with Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire for part of its length. The towns of Lampeter, Llandysul, Newcastle Emlyn and Cardigan are all in the Teifi Valley, and each has communities on each side of the river, in different counties. Other significant rivers include the River Aeron which has its estuary at
Aberaeron Aberaeron, previously anglicised as Aberayron, is a town, community, and electoral ward between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, in Ceredigion, Wales. Ceredigion County Council offices are in Aberaeron. The name of the town is Welsh for ''mouth o ...
, and the River Ystwyth and the River Rheidol both of which reach the sea in Aberystwyth harbour. Ceredigion's of coastline has sandy beaches. In 2011 Ceredigion's beaches were awarded five Blue Flag Awards, four
Green Coast Award Keep Wales Tidy is a Welsh national voluntary environmental charity which works towards achieving "a clean, safe and tidy Wales". It works in partnership with Local Authorities, schools and community groups, and organisations such as Waste Awaren ...
s, and fourteen
Seaside Award Keep Wales Tidy is a Welsh national voluntary environmental charity which works towards achieving "a clean, safe and tidy Wales". It works in partnership with Local Authorities, schools and community groups, and organisations such as Waste Awaren ...
s. Ceredigion is one of only two places in the United Kingdom with a permanent presence of bottlenose dolphins. Another member of the fauna is the red kite; these may be seen in various localities in the county, but at the Red Kite Feeding Centre near Tregaron, they are fed each day, and large numbers congregate along with hungry crows and other birds. Between 1991 and 2003 Ceredigion had the largest population growth of any county in Wales, with a 19.5% increase. Tourism and agriculture, chiefly hill farming, are the most important industries. In addition, two
universities A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United State ...
are within the county boundaries: Aberystwyth University and the Lampeter campus of the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David. The Welsh Plant Breeding Station is near Aberystwyth and linked to the University. The National Library of Wales, founded in 1907, is also in Aberystwyth. Ceredigion is an extremely rural county; the largest town, Aberystwyth, has fewer than 15,000 permanent residents and the remainder of the population of the county is scattered over 150 small towns, villages and hamlets. According to the 2011 UK census the population of Ceredigion was around 75,900. By the time the
2021 UK census The decennial 2021 censuses of England and Wales and of Northern Ireland took place on 21 March 2021, and the census of Scotland took place on 20 March 2022. The censuses were administered by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in England an ...
was taken this had fallen by 5.8% to 71,500. The county has no large commercial areas. The nearest substantial settlements are located at least 1 hour 45 minutes drive away. Approximate road distances from Ceredigion's largest town, Aberystwyth, are: Swansea, to the south; Shrewsbury, to the east, in the
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
county of
Shropshire Shropshire (; alternatively Salop; abbreviated in print only as Shrops; demonym Salopian ) is a landlocked historic county in the West Midlands region of England. It is bordered by Wales to the west and the English counties of Cheshire to ...
; and
Wrexham Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...
, to the northeast. The capital,
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...
, is over from most parts of the county. Although Ceredigion and Gwynedd share a boundary, it is not possible to travel directly between the two by land as all road and rail links avoid the Dyfi estuary and pass through Dyfi Junction or Machynlleth in Powys.


Government

Between 1889 and 1974, the county was governed by Cardiganshire County Council, which took over the local government functions of the quarter sessions. The county council was abolished in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, with the area becoming the lower-tier district of Ceredigion within in the larger county of Dyfed. Further local government reform under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 saw the area become a unitary authority on 1 April 1996. The 1994 act specified that the reformed council was to have both a Welsh and an English name: Sir Aberteifi / Cardiganshire. Before the new arrangements came into force the incoming council resolved to change the name to Ceredigion in both languages. The government agreed the change of name, which took effect on 2 April 1996, one day after the new authority formally came into being. A
referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a Direct democracy, direct vote by the Constituency, electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a Representative democr ...
was held on 20 May 2004 on whether to have a directly elected mayor for the county, which would have been the first in Wales. The Llais Ceredigion political initiative had been formed with this aim, but the proposal was rejected.


Economy

Farming has traditionally been the basis of Cardiganshire's economy, with dairying and stock-rearing being the main occupations. Before the first railway was built in 1866, the stock used to be herded over the mountains to England, where
Rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...
, Northampton and London were important destinations. At one time there was a sizeable mining industry in Cardiganshire, but the reserves of lead, silver and zinc became unprofitable to mine by the early 20th century. Shipping was also important in the county, with coal and lime being imported in coastal vessels, and mineral ores and oak bark for tanning being exported.
Shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to bef ...
was an important industry: most of Wales' sailing vessels were built in Cardiganshire. Cardiganshire had a substantial population in the early modern period, but this declined during the 19th century as wider social and economic developments affected all aspects of Cardiganshire life. Traditional industries were in decline, agriculture was in decline and it was becoming increasingly difficult for a still-rising population to earn a living within their native parishes and communities. By the first half of the 20th century, falling livestock prices and greater international competition made farming unprofitable. Many residents of Cardiganshire moved to other parts of South Wales, where there were better employment opportunities, and many more emigrated to the United States, Canada, Patagonia and Australia. Furthermore, the owners of the great landed estates, who had for so long dominated the politics of the county, were in many cases heavily in debt. This led to the loss of landowner influence in the running of the county; this became very apparent at the first elections to the Cardiganshire County Council in 1889. By the second half of the 20th century, the population was increasing again. More retired people were arriving to make their home in the tranquil surroundings, and after the Beacham Commission in the 1960s, the British government realised that the rural way of life in parts of Wales was in crisis, and started to react. Through government initiatives and local actions, opportunities in tourism, rural crafts, specialist food shops, farmers' markets and added-value food products began to emerge. However, in 2011, at 3.1%, Ceredigion still had one of the highest proportions of its population working in agriculture, forestry and fishing, close behind such other places as Orkney and Shetland. Exposed, marginal land is also used for wind farms: Cefn Croes Wind Farm near Devil's Bridge has 39 turbines and a nominal capacity of 58.5 MW. Farm incomes have been in decline over the years; and, as well as being a European Objective I area, in 2001 Ceredigion was designated a regional "Tourist growth area" by the Wales Tourist Board. There is little industry other than farming, so tourism plays an important part in the county's economy. Visitors stay in hotels, guest houses and homes offering bed-and-breakfast, self-catering cottages, caravans and camp sites; they spend money in local shops, dine in local establishments and visit the county's many attractions. Ceredigion prides itself on offering an unspoilt natural landscape, and Aberystwyth claims to be the capital of Welsh culture.


Leisure

The National Library of Wales is at Aberystwyth and there is information on local history at the Ceredigion Museum. There is a technical museum
Internal Fire – Museum of Power The Internal Fire Museum of Power is a museum of internal combustion engines in West Wales. The museum's collection is mostly of larger stationary diesel engines, as used for generating sets and pumping stations. The museum is located at Tan-y- ...
, which is at Tan-y-groes near the coast road. Stately homes in the county open to the public include the Hafod Estate and
Llanerchaeron Llanerchaeron, known as "Llanayron House" to its nineteenth-century occupants, is a grade I listed mansion on the River Aeron, designed and built in 1795 by John Nash for Major (later Colonel) William Lewis as a model, self-sufficient farm comp ...
. It is home to the Aberystwyth Arts Centre. The county is rich in archaeological remains such as forts, earthworks and standing stones. Historic sites that can be accessed include Aberystwyth Castle and
Cardigan Castle Cardigan Castle ( cy, Castell Aberteifi) is a castle overlooking the River Teifi in Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales. It is a Grade I listed building. The castle dates from the late 11th-century, though was rebuilt in 1244. Castle Green House was b ...
, as well as Strata Florida Abbey. Other visitor attractions include the
Cwmystwyth Mines Cwmystwyth mines are located in Cwmystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales and exploited a part of the Central Wales Orefield. Mining heritage Cwm Ystwyth is considered the most important non-ferrous metal mining site in Wales providing a premier example ...
, Devil's Bridge, the Bwlch Nant yr Arian Forest Visitor Centre,
Elvis Rock The Elvis Rock is a rock alongside the A44 in Powys, Wales, near its border with Ceredigion. It is one of the most well known pieces of graffiti in Wales, with the word "ELVIS" written on it. The rock is located beside the main trunk road thro ...
,
Cors Caron Cors Caron is a raised bog in Ceredigion, Wales. Cors is the Welsh word for "bog". Cors Caron covers an area of approximately .The Ramsar site is 874 ha. Cors Caron represents the most intact surviving example of a raised bog landscape in the Un ...
(Tregaron bog), the Vale of Rheidol Railway, Aberystwyth Cliff Railway. Leisure activities available in the county include beach activities, rambling, cycling, sea fishing, canoeing, sailing and horse riding. Many of the towns and villages along the coast have small harbours and facilities for sailing, dolphin watching and other maritime activities. The Ceredigion Coast Path from Cardigan to Ynyslas runs about along the coast with spectacular scenery. It can conveniently be divided into seven sections. When Dylan Thomas lived in New Quay and Talsarn, he frequented Aberaeron and Lampeter. The
Dylan Thomas Trail The Dylan Thomas Trail ( cy, Llwybr Dylan Thomas) runs through places associated with the poet Dylan Thomas in Ceredigion, west Wales. It was officially opened by Aeronwy Thomas, Dylan's daughter, in July 2003. It also featured in the celebrat ...
links places associated with him. The Welsh Government's Visit Wales website describes the River Teifi as "one of the major game rivers of Wales," although there has been concern that salmon stocks are in decline. There are a series of rapids near Llandysul where canoeing, kayaking and white water rafting take place. The county's main football team, Aberystwyth Town in the Cymru Premier, play their home matches at Park Avenue Stadium. Cardigan Town Football Club, also known as the "Magpies", play in Division 1 of the Ceredigion League.


Transport

The
Cambrian Line The Cambrian Line ( cy, Llinell y Cambrian), also known as the Cambrian Main Line ( cy, Prif Linell y Cambrian) and Cambrian Coast Line ( cy, Llinell Arfordir y Cambrian), is a railway line that runs from Shrewsbury, England, westwards to Abe ...
provides mainline railway services between Aberystwyth, Shrewsbury and
Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England. It is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper, 2.92 million in the We ...
where passengers can join services for London and elsewhere. Passengers can change at Dovey Junction railway station for trains along the Cambrian Coast Line to Pwllheli. There are no motorways in Ceredigion, the nearest is the western end of the M4 motorway at Pont Abraham near
Pontarddulais Pontarddulais (), also known as Pontardulais (), is both a community and a town in Swansea, Wales. It is northwest of the city centre. The Pontarddulais ward is part of the City and County of Swansea. Pontarddulais adjoins the village of Hend ...
in Carmarthenshire. The Fishguard to Bangor trunk road, the A487, travels in a northeast direction following the coast from Cardigan to New Quay, through
Aberaeron Aberaeron, previously anglicised as Aberayron, is a town, community, and electoral ward between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, in Ceredigion, Wales. Ceredigion County Council offices are in Aberaeron. The name of the town is Welsh for ''mouth o ...
and Aberystwyth. The A44 travels eastwards from Aberystwyth to
Llangurig Llangurig is both a village and a community in Montgomeryshire, Powys, Wales. The population was 723 in the 2011 UK Census. The community includes the hamlet of Cwmbelan. The River Wye, the A470 and the A44 trunk roads pass through Llangurig, ...
before turning south then east through
Rhayader Rhayader (; cy, Rhaeadr Gwy; ) is a market town and community in Powys, Wales, within the historic county of Radnorshire. The town is from the source of the River Wye on Plynlimon, the highest point of the Cambrian Mountains, and is located ...
, Leominster and
Worcester Worcester may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Worcester, England, a city and the county town of Worcestershire in England ** Worcester (UK Parliament constituency), an area represented by a Member of Parliament * Worcester Park, London, Engla ...
. There are local bus services between the main centres of population, and long distance services between Aberystwyth and
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...
via
Aberaeron Aberaeron, previously anglicised as Aberayron, is a town, community, and electoral ward between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, in Ceredigion, Wales. Ceredigion County Council offices are in Aberaeron. The name of the town is Welsh for ''mouth o ...
and
Lampeter Lampeter (; cy, Llanbedr Pont Steffan (formal); ''Llambed'' (colloquial)) is a town, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales, at the confluence of the Afon Dulas with the River Teifi. It is the third largest urban area in Ceredigio ...
. A bus service known as "Bwcabus" operates in the south of the county offering customised transport for rural dwellers. TrawsCymru T1 service runs between Aberystwyth and Carmarthen with runs through Aberaeron and Lampeter.
Aberporth Airport Aberporth Airport ( cy, Maes Awyr Aber-porth) is situated southwest of Aberporth, Ceredigion, Wales. The airport is being developed as West Wales Airport for domestic flights. It is also developing as a centre for the deployment of civil and m ...
, southeast of
Aberporth Aberporth is a seaside village, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales. The population at the 2001 Census, was 2,485, of whom 49 per cent could speak the Welsh language. At the 2011 Census, the population of the community was 2,374 ...
, is being developed as West Wales Airport for domestic flights within Wales and the rest of the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
. The airport is also developing as a centre for the deployment of civil and military
unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board. UAVs are a component of an unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which includes adding a ground-based controll ...
s (UAVs), also known as 'drones'. The airport underwent major improvements in 2008 which extended the length of the runway from .


See also

* Seisyllwg * List of Lord Lieutenants of Cardiganshire * List of Custodes Rotulorum of Cardiganshire * List of High Sheriffs of Cardiganshire * List of Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Ceredigion * List of schools in Ceredigion * List of MPs for the Ceredigion (formerly Cardiganshire) constituency *
Centre points of the United Kingdom There has long been debate over the exact location of the geographical centre of the United Kingdom, and its constituent countries, due to the complexity and method of the calculation, such as whether to include offshore islands, and the fact tha ...
* Cuisine of Ceredigion


Library

Ceredigion Library has a collection of oral history interviews with people from Ceredigion during the 1960s and 1970s. The recordings were archived, digitised, catalogued and made available during the
Unlocking Our Sound Heritage 'Unlocking Our Sound Heritage' (UOSH) is a UK-wide project that aims to preserve, digitise and provide public access to a large part of the nation's sound heritage. The UOSH project forms part of the core programme 'Save Our Sounds' led by the Br ...
project at the National Library of Wales.


Notes


References

* * * {{authority control Counties of Wales Principal areas of Wales 1282 establishments in Europe History of Ceredigion Historic counties of Wales 13th-century establishments in Wales