Lampeter

Lampeter
Welsh: Llanbedr Pont Steffan
Lampeter  Lampeter shown within Ceredigion
Population	2,970 (2011)[1]
OS grid reference	SN578478
Principal area	Ceredigion
Ceremonial county	Dyfed
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LAMPETER
Postcode district	SA48
Dialling code	01570
Police	Dyfed-Powys
Fire	Mid and West Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
EU Parliament	Wales
UK Parliament	Ceredigion
Welsh Assembly	Ceredigion
List of places UK Wales Ceredigion

Coordinates: 52°07′13″N 4°04′56″W / 52.1202°N 4.0821°W / 52.1202; -4.0821

Lampeter (Welsh: Llanbedr Pont Steffan or, more informally, Llambed) is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas. It is the third largest urban area in Ceredigion after Aberystwyth and Cardigan.

Demography

At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894,^[2] increasing to 2,970 at the 2011 Census. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in the United Kingdom. The university adds approximately 1,000 people.

History

The Norman castle of Pont Steffan (Stephen's Bridge in English) occupying a strategic position beside the River Teifi was destroyed in 1187 after it had been conquered by Owain Gwynedd. The remains of the castle later became the foundations for C. R. Cockerell's college building and still form part of the university campus.

Cardiganshire was one of the royal counties established by Edward I after the defeat of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf) at Cilmeri in 1282, when Lampeter fell under direct Royal Control. This, however, had little effect on the town and the Welsh language and culture continued to thrive. The first Borough Charter was granted in 1284 to Rhys ap Meredydd who was given the right to hold a weekly market. As many as eight fairs were also held each year under successive charters.^[3] One of these was the Dalis Horse Fair.

The town was ruled by a local aristocracy who lived in elegant mansions, including Brynhywel, Maesyfelin and the Lloyd baronets of Peterwell. As magistrates, they handed out the severest of penalties to offenders. The fairs and markets had become rowdy occasions characterised by violence and drunkenness and the stocks and whipping post in front of the town hall were frequently put to use in the 18th century.^[3]

The town developed the crafts, services and industries to cater for the needs of the rural area. There were several woollen mills, one of which in the mid-18th century was already producing the complex double-woven tapestry cloth later to become associated with the Welsh woollen industry. There were also blacksmiths, a leather tannery, carpenters, saddlers, bootmakers and hatters. The town was one of the main centres on the Welsh Drovers' road for the dispatch of cattle and sheep on foot to the markets of south east England. The large number of inns point to the town's importance as a rural centre and have names such as the Nag's Head, the Drovers and the Three Horseshoes.^[4]

Lampeter's war memorial was unveiled in September 1921. It was sculpted by Sir William Goscombe John.

University

The University of Wales, Trinity Saint David formerly St.David's College, St. David's University College of the University of Wales, then University of Wales, Lampeter, now UWTSD, was founded in 1822 by Bishop Burgess of St David's Cathedral to provide training for those wishing to join the Anglican priesthood, or lead a principled lay life following a classical education in a Welsh degree granting college. In 1852 it was granted a charter to award the BD degree and in 1865 another charter enabled it to confer BA degrees in liberal arts.^[4] Its central building, based on an Oxbridge quadrangle was designed by Charles Robert Cockerell. Lampeter was a constituent part of the University of Wales from the early 1970s until 2008, when the original charter was used to reform higher education in West Wales with the integration of Trinity College Carmarthen, further education colleges in Cardigan and LLanelli, and the technical college known as Swansea Metropolitan into the University of Wales Trinity St. David's.

The university's rugby team was Wales' first, having been formed in 1850 by Rowland Williams after he brought the game from Cambridge.

Sport

Lampeter has a strong sporting community, which also serves to smaller settlements nearby, such as Cwmann and Llanybydder. Many sports are played in the town, with rugby union being the most popular. This is largely because Lampeter fielded the first rugby union team in Wales. The sport is believed to have arrived in the late 1840s, meaning the town has a very long tie and history with the sport. The town is represented by Lampeter Town Rugby from under 7s to under 16s and youth at junior levels, and at senior levels by both the 1st XV and by a 2nd XV, named Lampeter Saints. The popularity of the game can be seen when playing, especially during 1st XV or youth games, with large crowds gathering on Saturday afternoons.

Many other sports are played in the town, including association football, with the town being represented by a football team, their pitch being directly next to the main pitch of Lampeter Rugby club. The football team has junior teams as well as a 1st and 2nd team. The town is served by a leisure centre, which has a gym, a main hall and modern Tennis facilities. The town has a swimming pool and also has a bowling green.

Culture

Lampeter hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1984. It was at this Eisteddfod that the farmers union pledged its support to the striking miners of the '84-'85 strike and thus, for the first time ever, brought the agricultural and industrial sides of Wales together as one. Because of this, the Lampeter Eisteddfod is considered to have been one of the most important in recent Welsh history.

Lampeter's local Eisteddfod, Eisteddfod Rhys Thomas James Pantyfedwen, is held annually over the August bank holiday.^[5] It is particularly noteworthy for its competition for singers under the age of 30, colloquially known as Llais Llwyfan Llambed ('the voice of Lampeter's stage').^[6]

It was also from Lampeter, in 1968, that William Julian Cayo-Evans first marched his paramilitary nationalist 'Free Wales Army'.

Lampeter and its surroundings are home to a theatre (Theatr Felin-fach at Felinfach), a museum and a number of locally owned shops rather than national chain stores.

Dylan Thomas' links with Lampeter and nearby Talsarn, where he lived, have been documented.^[7] During the Second World War, he and Caitlin lived at Plas Gelli, a secluded mansion just outside Talsarn. The Dylan Thomas Trail links Talsarn and Lampeter with the other places in Ceredigion associated with the poet, such as Aberaeron and New Quay.

Transport

Transport in Lampeter was greatly improved with the opening of the railway in 1866 which linked the town to both Carmarthen and Aberystwyth, as well as the seaside resort of Aberaeron (although this branch was only opened in 1911). After the nationalisation of the railways, the passenger service to Aberaeron ceased in 1951. Passenger trains on the main line to Carmarthen and Aberystwyth continued until December 1964, when the track was badly damaged by flooding south of Aberystwyth and through trains were suspended. A service between Carmarthen and Tregaron continued until February 1965 but this was the era of the "Beeching Axe" and it took little political persuasion to decide that the cost of repairs would be unjustified and all remaining passenger services were withdrawn. Milk trains continued to the processing factories at Pont Llanio until 1970 and Felinfach until 1973. The line was eventually lifted in 1975. However, the section of the old line between Bronwydd Arms and Danycoed Halt still exists and is used by the Gwili Railway, a steam railway preservation society which operates a regular timetable during summer months. Local residents have been campaigning for the return of the railway to Lampeter but much of the trackbed to Carmarthen has been given over to other developments over several decades; bridges etc. have been dismantled and the cost would be prohibitive given the relatively small populations the line would serve.

Regular bus services operate through the town, connecting Lampeter to the larger towns of Aberystwyth, Carmarthen and Swansea. Two buses a day continue beyond Swansea providing a through service to Cardiff. The local bus services are a lifeline to many people of the town, especially students of the town's university.

Twinned towns

Lampeter is twinned with:

• Saint-Germain-sur-Moine, France^[8]

References

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Lampeter.

• Town website
• Tourist information
• Aerial photograph of Lampeter
• Photos of Lampeter and the surrounding area

Ceredigion
Principal settlements	Aberaeron Aberystwyth Cardigan Lampeter Llandysul New Quay Tregaron
Communities	Aberaeron Aberporth Aberystwyth Beulah Blaenrheidol Borth Cardigan Ceulanamaesmawr Ciliau Aeron Dyffryn Arth Faenor Y Ferwig Geneu'r Glyn Henfynyw Lampeter Llanarth Llanbadarn Fawr Llanddewi Brefi Llandyfriog Llandysiliogogo Llandysul Llanfair Clydogau Llanfarian Llanfihangel Ystrad Llangeitho Llangoedmor Llangrannog Llangwyryfon Llangybi Llangynfelyn Llanilar Llanllwchaiarn Llanrhystyd Llansantffraid Llanwenog Llanwnnen Lledrod Melindwr Nantcwnlle New Quay Penbryn Pontarfynach Tirymynach Trawsgoed Trefeurig Tregaron Troedyraur Ysbyty Ystwyth Ysgubor-y-coed Ystrad Fflur Ystrad Meurig
Towns and villages	Aberarth Aberbanc Aberffrwd Aberlerry Abermagwr Aber-meurig Aberporth Alltyblacca Betws Ifan Beulah Blaencelyn Borth Bow Street Bryngwyn Caemorgan Caerwedros Capel Bangor Capel Dewi Ciliau Aeron Comins Coch Cribyn Cwmann Cwmystwyth Devil's Bridge Dôl-y-bont Eisteddfa Gurig Eglwys Fach Elerch Ffostrasol Furnace Glandyfi Gorsgoch Gwbert Llanarth Llanbadarn Fawr Llanddewi Brefi Llandre (Llanfihangel Genau'r Glyn) Llandyfriog Llandygwydd Llanerchaeron Llanfarian Llanfihangel-y-Creuddyn Llanfihangel Ystrad Llangeitho Llangoedmor Llangrannog Llangybi Llangynfelyn Llanilar Llanon Llanrhystud Llansantffraid Llanwenog Llanwnnen Llechryd Lledrod Lovesgrove Melindwr Mwnt Oakford Penbryn Pennant Penparc Penparcau Penrhyn-coch Penuwch Peny-y-garn Ponterwyd Pontrhydfendigaid Pontrhydygroes Pont-Siân Rhydowen Rhydypennau Salem Silian Taigwynion Talgarreg Talsarn Tal-y-bont Trefeurig Tregaron Tresaith Tre-Taliesin Tre'r Ddôl Troed y Rhiw Troedyraur Upper Borth Waunfawr Y Faenor Y Ferwig Ynyslas Ysbyty Ystwyth Ystrad Aeron Ystrad Meurig Ystumtuen
Universities and colleges	Aberystwyth University Coleg Ceredigion University of Wales Trinity Saint David
Rivers	Aeron Arth Brenig Clarach Dulas Leri Llyfnant Mynach Rheidol Teifi Wyre Ystwyth
Castles	Aberdyfi Aberystwyth Cardigan Castell Gwallter Dinerth Lampeter Castle
Islands	Ynys Aberteifi (Cardigan Island) Ynys Lochtyn
Topics	Parliamentary constituencies Places Schools SSSIs Scheduled Monuments Country houses Grade I listed buildings Grade II* listed buildings Lord Lieutenants High Sheriffs Museums