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Croeso - Aberarth - Welcome

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This site operates on a nil budget and gets nil services. I am experimenting with a simple aberarth chat page ongeocities Aberarth but you will have to use your back button to get back here.


Check "What's On" for an interesting History Society meeting 6th May 2008.

Aberarth is a village of some 250 people,situated towards the southern end of Cardigan Bay between Aberystwyth and Cardigan. The only "amenity"is a small community hall where the sewing circle, womens guild, youth club, art class and various annual events are held. We had a part time post office but computerisation killed it off. The beach is stony and the sea can be wild.

The Village is changing-see 2004 Year of change and we've got broadband now!!

West Wales is a great place to be for those who want a quality life. It is not for those who seek their fortune. There are probably more working people and families with children now in Aberarth than at any time in the previous 60 years. What's on & Info.is about current events. A lot of the rest is history! We even now have our own history society - Cymdeithas Hanes Llanddewi Aberarth History Society meeting bi-monthly on the second Tuesday evening of the month.

The village has attracted retirees for the last two hundred years. Most of the bigger houses built in Victorian times were for retiring sea captains. One who did not retire here reminisces about old times here. Many of these houses face away from the sea; their owners had seen enough of the sea! Now it is holiday makers and those who went away as teenagers to earn their fortune elsewhere who decide to settle here.

Aberarth has existed since ancient times. When the Normans came they found a castle a little way up the river valley and took it over but it had existed for less than 100 violent years.
In the 12th century it was the seaport through which the Cistercian monks imported "Bath Stone" from Bristol for the building of Strata Florida Abbey on land granted to them by The Lord Rhys.

The Cistercians were great farmers and had a corn mill in Aberarth, the descendant of which has had conservation work done.They also are reputed to have extended the fish traps or goreddi, granted to them by Rhys ap Gruffydd in 1184, which can still be seen at low tide.

Llanddewi Aberarth Church on the hill about half a mile to the south is reputedly on the site of a 9th century church. It has a Norman tower but the rest was rebuilt in 1860.
Aberarth was a great shipbuilding village before 1850, and here is fascinating description of the history of shipbuilding at Aberarth written by Henry Jones of Glenview, Aberarth.

 It had eight Pubs now it has none.But it has some interesting people including a woodcarver who makes miniature lovespoons,some artists, and a shoemaker who makes Shandals and the surf is great at times.

A mile or so up the Arth Valley was the home of a reputed witch - mentioned in Reader's Digest "Folklore Myths and Legends of Britain"as the witch of Pennant- a nearby village.

Less exciting but perhaps more useful - we have our own tax accountant specialising in small business' income tax problems - Rod Pritchard and Partners.

In September 2003 we had an exhibition of over 200 old photographs dated from about 1890 to recently. Now available on CD(about 150 MBytes of .jpg files) details by e-mail from roy.carpenter or Post from R Carpenter, 2 Water St, Aberarth. SA46 0LN. Price £5.00 post paid in aid of Village Hall funds

I have recently been taken to task over "uncalled for comments" at the end of Capt. Lampshire-Jones reminiscenes.
In the sectionOld Times I include the remarks as given to me and leave the reader to draw their own conclusions.

An aerial view of the lower village in summer.

Aerial view in summer

A red Kite hovering over the village.

A red kite hovering over Afon Arth

In the 1930s the only 5 breeding pairs of Red Kite in all Britain were here. Now there are about 200 pairs. Peregrine falcon, chough and stonechat are amongst other less common birds found here.

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For more details about these pages and their content please E-Mail Roy Carpenter at maureenroy@btinternet.com  
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Last update 18th January 2008

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