Carmarthen
Welsh: Caerfyrddin
Carmarthen shown within the United Kingdom
Population	13,148[1]
OS grid reference	SN415205
Principal area	Carmarthenshire
Ceremonial county	Dyfed
Constituent country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	CARMARTHEN
Postcode district	SA31-33
Dialling code	01267
Police	Dyfed-Powys
Fire	Mid and West Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
European Parliament	Wales
UK Parliament	Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
Welsh Assembly	Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire
List of places: UK • Wales • Carmarthenshire

Coordinates: 51°51′25″N 4°18′59″W / 51.856958, -4.316455

Carmarthen (Welsh Caerfyrddin - caer fort + Myrddin Moridunum, Merlin [origin disputed]) is the county town of Carmarthenshire, Wales. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Geography The county is bounded to the north by Ceredigion, to the east by Powys, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, to the south by the It is built on the River Towy and has a population of about 13,148 ^[2]

Carmarthen railway station is on the West Wales Line. The River Towy ( Welsh: Afon Tywi) is the longest river which entirely runs through Wales. Carmarthen railway station is the original station situated south of the river on the edge of Carmarthen. The route The cities towns and villages served by the route are listed below Carmarthen is served by rail links through to Cardiff via Swansea, as well as road links to the surrounding areas, and has a number of surviving heritage attractions including the Roman amphitheatre and the castle. Cardiff ( 'kɑːdɪf) is the Capital and the largest city and county in Wales. Swansea ( Abertawe "mouth of the Tawe " is a city and county in Wales. Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 An amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is an open-air venue for spectator sports concerts rallies or theatrical performances A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. The Gwili Railway, a section of the former railway line to Aberystwyth, has also been re-opened as a heritage railway for tourists. The Gwili Steam Railway (in Welsh, Rheilffordd Ager Y Gwili) operates a standard gauge preserved railway from Abergwili Junction (near Aberystwyth (Mouth of the River Ystwyth ˌæbəˈrɪstwɪθ Dialect: abɛrˈəstɔʏθ is a historic Market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within

Carmarthen has a large proportion of Welsh speakers, with the county of Carmarthenshire as a whole having the largest population of such by number (the largest Welsh-speaking population by proportion is in Gwynedd). Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Geography The county is bounded to the north by Ceredigion, to the east by Powys, Neath Port Talbot and Swansea, to the south by the History Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th Century when it was conquered and subjugated by England Although Carmarthen is on navigable water the harbour no longer sees commercial use, in part due to the treacherous approaches. Carmarthen is location of the headquarters of Dyfed-Powys Police, home to Trinity College Carmarthen - an associate higher education provider of the University of Wales as well as the West Wales General Hospital. Dyfed-Powys Police (Heddlu Dyfed Powys is the Territorial police force responsible for policing Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire (which Trinity College Carmarthen (Coleg y Drindod Caerfyrddin is a university college in Carmarthen, West Wales. The University of Wales ( Prifysgol Cymru in Welsh) is a confederal University founded in 1893. Carmarthenshire NHS Trust was an NHS Trust in Wales. The headquarters of the Trust was in the West Wales General Hospital in Glangwili, Carmarthen

Carmarthen is twinned with: Lesneven, Brittany, France Santa Marinella, Italy As Pontes, Galicia, Spain

Contents 1 History 1.1 Roman 1.2 Medieval 1.3 Early modern 1.4 18th century to present 2 Famous Citizens 3 Arthurian legend 4 Picton's monument 5 Sport 6 Gallery 7 Future plans 8 References 9 External links

History

Roman

Main article: Moridunum (Carmarthen)

When Britannia was a Roman province, Carmarthen was the civitas capital of the Demetae tribe, known as Moridunum (meaning sea fort). Lesneven (Lesneven is a commune in Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France. Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Santa Marinella is a Comune (municipality in the Province of Rome in the Italian region Lazio, located about 60 km northwest of Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest As Pontes de García Rodríguez is a municipality in Ferrolterra, in North-western Spain, in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Moridunum (or almost certainly Moridunum Demetarum) was a Roman fort and Town in the Roman province of Britannia. Roman Britain refers to those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and 410 In Ancient Rome, a province (Latin provincia, pl provinciae) was the basic and until the Tetrarchy (circa In the history of the Roman empire, civitas (pl civitates mainly referred to the condition of Roman Citizenship It was also used to describe a type of settlement The Demetae were a Celtic people of Iron Age Britain who inhabited modern Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire in south-west Wales This is a list of Celtic tribes and associated Celtic peoples with their geographical localization Carmarthen is possibly the oldest town in Wales and was recorded by Ptolemy and in the Antonine Itinerary. A town is a type of settlement ranging from a few to several thousand (occasionally hundreds of thousands inhabitants although it may be applied loosely even to huge metropolitan Claudius Ptolemaeus ( Greek: Klaúdios Ptolemaîos; after 83 &ndash ca The Antonine Itinerary (in Latin: Antonini Itinerarium) is a register of the stations and distances along the various roads of the Roman empire, containing The Roman fort is believed to date from AD75-77. The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military Note Sometimes the ' 70s is used as shorthand for the 1970s, the 1870s, or other such decades in other centuries Events and A coin hoard was found nearby in 2006 [1]. main - title Coin keywords numismatics coin review In Archaeology, a Hoard is a collection of artifacts purposely buried in the ground Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Near the fort is one of seven surviving Roman amphitheatres in the United Kingdom. An amphitheatre (alternatively amphitheater) is an open-air venue for spectator sports concerts rallies or theatrical performances The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located It was excavated in 1968. Year 1968 ( MCMLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The arena itself is 46 by 27 meters; the circumference of the cavea seating area is 92 by 67 meters. In Roman times the cavea were the subterranean cells in which wild animals were confined before the combats in the Roman arena or amphitheatre ^[3]

The name became Carmarthen (Caerfyrddin in Welsh). Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Someone may have treated the name as meaning "Royal residence of a man called Myrddin". In the Welsh language, caer means "fortress" "fort" or "citadel"/"castle" The Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network ( MERLIN) is an Interferometer array of Radio telescopes spread across England and the

Medieval

The strategic importance of Carmarthen was such that the Norman William fitz Baldwin built a castle probably around 1094. The Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. A castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. The existing castle site is known to have been used since 1105. The castle was destroyed by Llywelyn the Great in 1215. Genealogy and early life Llywelyn was born about 1173 the son of Iorwerth ap Owain and the grandson of Owain Gwynedd, who had been ruler of Gwynedd until his death In 1223 the castle was rebuilt and permission was received to wall the town (a murage). Carmarthen was probably the first medieval walled town in Wales. See also List of cities with defensive walls A defensive wall is a Fortification used to defend a city or settlement from potential aggressors In 1405 the town was taken and the castle was sacked by Owain Glyndŵr. Owain Glyndŵr (pronounced 'owain glin'dwr or Owain Glyn Dŵr, Anglicised by Shakespeare into Owen Glendower (c The famous Black Book of Carmarthen, written around 1250, is associated with the town's Priory of St John the Evangelist and Teulyddog. The Black Book of Carmarthen (Welsh Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin) is thought to be the earliest surviving Manuscript written entirely or substantially in Welsh

During the Black Death of 1347-49 the plague was brought to Carmarthen via the thriving river trade^[4]. The Black Death, or the Black Plague, was one of the deadliest Pandemics in human history widely thought to have been caused by a bacterium named Yersinia The Black death 'destroy'd' and devastated villages such as Llanllwch. Llanllwch Carmarthen Wales is a small hamlet that's around two miles west from the historical town of Carmarthen. Local historians place the plague pit, the site for mass burial of the dead, to be the graveyard that adjoins the 'Maes-yr-Ysgol' and 'Llys Model' housing at the rear of St Catherine Street.

Early modern

Following the Acts of Union Carmarthen became the judicial headquarters of the Court of Great Sessions for south-west Wales. The Courts of Quarter Sessions or Quarter Sessions were periodic courts held in each County and County borough in England and Wales until ^[5] In the 16th and 17th centuries the dominant business of Carmarthen was still agriculture and related trades including woolen manufacture. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture Woollen ( American English: woolen) is the name of a Yarn and Cloth usually made from Wool. Carmarthen was made a county corporate by charter of James I in 1604. A county corporate or corporate county was a form of Local government in England, Ireland and Wales. James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James The charter decreed that Carmarthen should be known as the 'Town of the County of Carmarthen' and should have two sheriffs. SHERIFF is a telecom fraud detection and management system originally developed by BT and MCI. This was reduced to one sheriff in 1835, and the (now largely ceremonial) post continues to this day. Year 1835 ( MDCCCXXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common

Both the Priory and the Friary were abandoned during the dissolution of the monasteries in the reign of Henry VIII, the land being return to monarchy. Henry VIII (28 June 1491 &ndash 28 January 1547 was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of Likewise the chapels of St Catherine and St Barbara were lost, the church of St Peter's being the main religious establishment to survive this era.

During the Marian persecutions of the 1550s Bishop Ferrar of St David's was burnt at the stake in the market square - now Nott Square. The Marian Persecutions refers to the persecutions of Religious Reformers Protestants and other Dissenters for their beliefs during the reign of Mary I of England Robert Ferrar (born in King Henry VII 's reign - 30 March 1555 was a Bishop of St David's in Wales and Protestant Martyr. A Protestant martyr, his life and death are recorded in John Foxe's famous book of martyrs.

18th century to present

In the mid 18th century the iron and coal trades became much more important although Carmarthen never developed ironworks on the scale of Dowlais or Merthyr Tydfil. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 The Dowlais Ironworks was a major Ironworks and Steelworks located at Dowlais near Merthyr Tydfil, in Wales. Merthyr Tydfil today Government The current Borough boundaries date back to 1974 when the former county borough of Merthyr Tydfil expanded slightly to cover Carmarthen hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1867, 1911 and 1974 although, at least in the case of the 1974 Eisteddfod, the Maes was at Abergwili. The National Eisteddfod of Wales ( Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru) is the most important of several Eisteddfodau that are held annually mostly in Wales. Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Year 1911 ( MCMXI) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Abergwili is a Village in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, lying near to the junction of River Towy and Afon Gwili It is known for

The Boy's Grammar school was founded in 1587 on the site that is now occupied by the old hospital in Priory Street. A grammar school is one of several different types of School in the history of education in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries This school moved in the 1840s to Priory Row before relocatiing to Richmond Terrace. Events and trends Technology First use of General anesthesia in an operation by Crawford Long. It was here at the turn of the century that a local travelling circus was given permission to bury one of their elephants after it fell sick and died:the elephant's final resting place is under what was the school rugby pitch.

During World War II prisoner of war camps were situated in Johnstown (where the Davies Estate now stands) and at Glangwilli - the POW huts being utilised as part of the hospital at its inception. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including

Famous Citizens

• The architect John Nash. John Nash ( 18 January 1752 – 13 May 1835) was an English Architect responsible for much of the layout of Regency
• The screenwriter and director Daniel Mulloy. Daniel Mulloy ( 24 March 1977) is a British Screenwriter and Film director.
• The drummer John Weathers. John Patrick 'Pugwash' Weathers (born February 7, 1947) is a drummer best known for playing with the innovative Progressive rock band Gentle Giant
• The musician Nik Turner
• The snooker pro Matthew Stevens. Nik Turner (born Nicholas Turner 28 August 1940, in Oxford, Oxfordshire) is a British musician best known as a founding member of Matthew Stevens (born 11 September 1977, Carmarthen Wales) is a Welsh professional Snooker player
• The Perrier Best Newcomer-nominated comedian Rhod Gilbert. Rhod Gilbert (b 18 October, 1968) is a Welsh Comedian who was nominated in 2005 for the Perrier Best Newcomer Award
• Wales Rugby captain, Stephen Jones. Stephen Michael Jones (born 8 December 1977 in Aberystwyth) is a Welsh Rugby union footballer who plays at for Llanelli
• Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge from 1989 to 1996, Professor Sir David Glyndwr Tudor Williams. Sir David Glyndwr Tudor Williams, QC, DL, is a Barrister and was the first full-time Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, 1989-1996
• The writer Byron Rogers
• The archaeozoologist Dorothea Bate

Arthurian legend

According to some variants of the Arthurian legend Merlin was born in a cave outside Carmarthen, with many noting that Merlin may be an anglicised form of Myrddin. Byron Rogers is a Welsh journalist essayist and biographer In August 2007 the University of Edinburgh awarded him the James Tait Black Memorial Prize Zooarchaeology, also known as Archaeozoology, is the study of Animal Remains from archaeological sites. Dorothea Minola Alice Bate FGS ( 8 November 1878 – 13 January 1951) also known as Dorothy Bate, was a British King Arthur is a legendary British leader who according to medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against the Saxon invaders The Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network ( MERLIN) is an Interferometer array of Radio telescopes spread across England and the Anglicisation or anglicization (see -ise vs -ize) is a process of conversion of verbal or written elements of any other language into a more comprehensible English Historians generally disagree with this interpretation of the name, preferring that Myrddin is a corruption of the Roman name, but the story is popular. Many areas surrounding Carmarthen still allude to this, such as the nearby Bryn Myrddin (Merlin's Hill).

Legend also had it that when a particular tree called 'Merlin's Oak' fell it would be the downfall of the town as well. Merlin's Oak is a famous Oak Tree that once stood on the corner of Oak Lane and Priory Street in Carmarthen, Wales. In order to stop this the tree was dug up when it died and pieces are now in the museum. The occasional flooding of the appropriately-named Water Street has been attributed to ongoing redevelopment of the area.

The Black Book of Carmarthen includes poems with references to Myrddin (Ymddiddan Myrddin a Thaliesin) and possibly to Arthur (Pa ŵr yw'r Porthor?). The Black Book of Carmarthen (Welsh Llyfr Du Caerfyrddin) is thought to be the earliest surviving Manuscript written entirely or substantially in Welsh The interpretation of these is difficult because the Arthur legend was already known by this time, and many details of the modern form of the legend had been described by Geoffrey of Monmouth before the book was written. Geoffrey of Monmouth ( Gruffudd ap Arthur or Sieffre o Fynwy) (c In addition some of the stories appear to have been moved into Wales at some point before their recording in the book.

Picton's monument

The original monument , erected in 1828 stood at the west end of the town, and was erected in memory of the gallant Sir Thomas Picton, who died in the Battle of Waterloo. The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Picton GCB (August 1758 &ndash 18 June 1815) was a British Army officer from Wales In the Battle of Waterloo (Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo Belgium It was about 75 foot high, and was similar to Trajan's pillar in Rome. Marcus Ulpius Nerva Traianus, commonly known as Trajan ( September 18 53 &ndash August 9 117) was a Roman Emperor who Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2 The pillar stoods on a square pedestal, with a small door on the east side, which fronts the town, where the monument was ascended by a flight of steps. Over the door, in large characters, was the name, PICTON; and above this is a relief showing part of the field of battle, with the hero falling from his horse, from the mortal wound which he received. Over this, in large letters, is inscribed WATERLOO. On the west end is represented the Battle of Badajoz (1812), Picton scaling the walls with a few men, and attacked by the besieged. In the Battle of Badajoz ( March 16 - April 6, 1812) an Anglo - Portuguese army under the Earl of Wellington, besieged Above this is the word BADAJOS. On the south side of the pedestal is the following inscription:—

Sir THOMAS PICTON,

Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of the

Bath,

Of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword,

and of other foreign Orders;

Lieutenant-General in the British Army, and

Member of Parliament for the Borough of

Pembroke,

Born at Poyston, in Pembrokeshire, in August,

1758;

Died at Waterloo on the 18th of June, 1815,

Gloriously fighting for his country and the

liberties of Europe.

Having honourably fulfilled, on behalf of the

public, various duties in various climates:

And having achieved the highest military renown

in the Spanish Peninsula,

He thrice received the unanimous thanks of

Parliament,

And a Monument erected by the British nation

in St. Paul's Cathedral

Commemorates his death and services,

His grateful countrymen, to perpetuate past and

incite to future exertions,

Have raised this column, under the auspices of

his Majesty, King George the Fourth,

To the memory of a hero and a Welshman.

The plan and design of this Monument was given

by our countryman, John Nash, Esq. F. R. S.

Architect to the King.

The ornaments were executed by

E. H. Bailey, Esq. R. A.

And the whole was erected by Mr. Daniel

Mainwaring, of the town of Carmarthen,

In the year 1826 and 1827.

On the north side was the translation of the above in Welsh; and on the top of the pedestal, on each side of the square, were trophies. The top of the column was also square, and on each side were imitative cannons. The statue of the hero surmounts the whole, wrapped in a cloak, and supported by a baluster, round which are emblems of spears.

However, within a few years this monument had fallen into a dilapidated state. The bas-reliefs which had been sculpted by Edward Hodges Baily were 'unable to withstand Carmarthen's inclement weather', as Joyce and Victor Lodwick put it (see 'The Story of Carmarthen' p. Edward Hodges Baily RA FRS ( March 10, 1788 - May 22, 1867) - (sometimes misspelled Bailey) was an English sculptor 391). Although the sculptor made replacements, they were never put up, and the entire monument was taken down in 1846. The replacement sculptures lay neglected and forgotten in Johnstown until the 1970s, when they were rescued and transferred to the Museum.

The monument we now see was designed by the architect Frances Fowler and the foundation stone was laid in 1847. Year 1847 ( MDCCCXLVII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common This monument, too, has had its troubles. In 1984, the top section was declared to be unsafe and was taken down, and in 1988 the whole monument was rebuilt stone by stone on new stronger foundations. Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar)

The monument still stands on its commanding position at the top of Picton. Despite Picton's military prowess there was another side to his character. In his day he was known as a merchant of slaves and slaveowner. He was also known as a cruel torturer and the word 'Pictoning' derives from him. Many local people feel the monument to him at Picton Terrace should be removed and something more consistent with 21st century values be put in its place. Also to be noted, there is an eliphant buried under the monument.

Sport

Speedway racing was staged in the early 2000s at a track built on the Showgrounds on the western outskirts of the town. The team raced in the Conference League. More notably, the town has it's own football (soccer) team: Carmarthen Town F.C. and two rugby union teams - Carmarthen Quins and Carmarthen Athletic. Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a Team sport played between two teams of eleven players and is widely considered Carmarthen Town AFC is a football team playing in the Welsh Premier League. Overview See also Playing rugby union A rugby union match lasts for 80 minutes (plus stoppage time with a short Carmarthen Quins Rugby Football Club are one of two Welsh Rugby union clubs based in Carmarthen in West Wales, the other being Carmarthen Carmarthen Athletic Rugby Football Club are one of two Welsh Rugby union clubs based in Carmarthen in West Wales The town also boasts two golf courses. A golf course consists of a series of holes each consisting of a Teeing ground, Fairway, rough and other hazards and a green with a pin and cup all designed for

Gallery

Snowy day in Carmarthen

Roman amphitheatre at Carmarthen

A map of Carmarthen from 1952

Future plans

The former cattle mart in the heart of the town is undergoing regeneration. The development will include a new multi-screen cinema, Debenhams department store, market hall, restaurants and a multi-storey car park. Debenhams plc ( is a British -based retailer operating under a Department Store format in the UK and franchise stores in other countries A department store is a Retail establishment which specializes in selling a wide range of products without a single predominant merchandise line. ^[6]

References

External links

• Carmarthen FC
• Carmarthen Castle
• Photos of Carmarthen
• Trinity College Carmarthen
• The Town of Carmarthen - information site
• Virtual Carmarthen - online guide to the county
• BBC Carmarthen website
• Aerial photograph of Carmarthen
• www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Carmarthen and surrounding area

---

© 2009 citizendia.org; parts available under the terms of GNU Free Documentation License, from http://en.wikipedia.org
Dapyx Software network: MP3 Explorer | Ebook Manager | Zenithic