Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for CARDIGANSHIRE

CARDIGANSHIRE, a maritime county of South Wales; bounded on the west by Cardigan bay; on the north by Merioneth; on the north-east by Montgomery; on the east by Radnor and Brecon; on the south by Carmarthen and Pembroke. Its length, north-eastward, is 45 miles; its greatest breadth is 35 miles; its circumference is about 150 miles; and its area is 443,387 acres. It is the most primitive and the wildest county of South Wales. The coast, for the most part, is low and rather tame. The interior, except in three valleys, has little level land; includes vast sweeping ranges of hills; and is largely mountainous. The south-western portion may, comparatively speaking, be called low country; while the north-eastern is high, and culminates in Plinlimmon. Some parts contain grand scenery, in varieties of the picturesque; but the upland parts, generally, exhibit a dreary sameness. The river Dyfi goes to the sea on the northern boundary; the river Teifi goes to the sea on the southern boundary; and the Rheidol, the Ystwith, the Mynach, the Ayron, the Dothie, the Pyscottwr, the Claerwen, the Elan, the Berwyn, the Gwyrai, the Lery, and other streams water the interior. Lakes are numerous; but none of them are large. Rocks of the lower silurian series occupy the entire area. Metal mines, of high celebrity, yielding great wealth, were worked in the 16th century; were, for a long time, almost wholly abandoned; and have, of late years, been partially resumed. Lead, zinc, and silver ores are the chief; and copper ore also is found. Slate, for roofs and floors, is worked.

The soil, in much of the valleys, is peat or vegetable mould; in the vales among the uplands, chiefly stiff clay, with mixture of light loam; on the higher grounds of the lowland tracts, generally a light sandy loam, from four to twelve inches deep; and on the uplands, for the most part, a coarse, shallow, barren detritus. About one-half of the entire area is waste. Tolerably good farming is practised in the valleys of the Teifi and the Ayron, and in some other parts; but the husbandry elsewhere is rude and unimproved. Lime is brought from Pembroke, and much used as a manure; but sea-weed and peat-ashes also are much used. Barley and oats are the chief crops; while wheat, rye, pease, beans, potatoes, and turnips also are raised. The arable farms may average about 150 acres. Farm-buildings have begun to be improved; but the cottages are miserable. Butter and pork are produced for the market. The cattle are a small hardy black breed; the sheep also are small, but have begun to be improved by crosses with the Southdowns, the Leicesters, and the Dorsets; and the horses seldom exceed fourteen hands in height, but are strong and hardy. Ancient woods were extensive, but have been nearly all swept away. Oak, ash, and alder are native trees; and some large plantations of larch have been made. The only manufactures of any note are woollens and gloves for local use. The Llanelly railway and the Carmarthen and Cardigan railway give facilities to the southeastern and the southern borders; the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast railway gives facilities to the northern districts; and a railway partly in progress in 1869, partly then in operation, in connection with the Central Wales system, from Llanidloes to the neighbourhood of Newcastle-Emlyn, is of value to the central districts. Good roads connect the towns, and traverse much of the interior.

The county contains sixty-five parishes; and is divided into the boroughs of Cardigan and Aberystwith, and the hundreds of Geneur, Ilar, Moyddyn, Pennarth, and Troedyrawr. The registration county excludes 11,264 acres to Montgomery; includes 162,760 acres of Carmarthen and Pembroke; measures 594,883 acres; and is divided into the districts of Cardigan, Newcastle-Emlyn, Lampeter, Aberayron, Aberystwith, and Tregaron. The market-towns are Cardigan, Aberystwith, Lampeter, Tregaron, and part of Newcastle-Emlyn. The chief seats are Gogerthan, Nanteos, Peterwell, Crosswood, Blaenhant, Coedmore, Hafod, Mabus, Allt-yr-Odyn, Llanina, Tyglyn, and Llanerchayron. Real property in 1815, £145,933; in 1843, £205,328; in 1851, £216,855; in 1860, £226,552. The county is governed by a lord-lieutenant, a high sheriff, and about forty-five magistrates. It is in the South Wales judicial circuit, and the Home military district. The assizes are held at Cardigan; and quarter sessions at Aberayron. The police force, in 1864, consisted of 35 men, at a cost of £2,553; the crimes committed were 40; the depredators and suspected persons at large were 113; and the houses of bad character, 47. One member is sent to parliament for the county; and one for the boroughs of Cardigan, Aberystwith, Lampeter, and Adpar. The electors for the county in 1868 were 3,520. The county is in the diocese of St. David's: and, with parts of adjoining counties, forms an archdeaconry. Pop. in 1801, 42,956; in 1821, 57,784; in 1841, 68,766; in 1861, 72,245. Inhabited houses, 15,754; uninhabited, 529; building, 105.

The territory now forming Cardiganshire was anciently part of Dimetia. It had an important station of the Romans, called Loventium, at Llanio-isan; and was nominally included in their Britannia Secunda. The Danes harassed it in 987 and 1071. The Normans came into it in 1092, but were driven out in 1097. Henry I. granted it to the Strongbows; Henry II. restored it to Prince Rhys; and Edward I., in 1284, on the overthrow of the last Llewelyn, united it to England. Druidical monuments occur at Yspytty-Cynvyn, Alltgoch near Lampeter, Carrog near Llanllwchairn, and in other places. The Roman road, called Sarn-Helen, went through Loventium toward Penalt and Carnarvon. British fortifications stood at Cardigan, Aberystwith, Ystradmeiric, Lampeter, Llanrhysted, Kilcennin, Dinerth, Aberenion, Castell-Gwal, Castell-Flemish, Moyddyn, Penweddie, Aberayron, and a number of other places. A famous Abbey stood at Strata-Florida, now Ystrad-flur, on the Roman way; and monastic houses stood at Cardigan, Llanrhysted, Lampeter, and Llandewi-Brefi.


(John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72))

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a maritime county of South Wales"   (ADL Feature Type: "countries, 2nd order divisions")
Administrative units: Cardiganshire AncC
Place: Cardiganshire

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