Aberporth

File:Aberporth Beach - geograph.org.uk - 300972.jpg

File:Aberporth NLW3363811.jpg

Aberporth is on the Ceredigion Coast Path, part of the Wales Coast Path, at the southern end of Cardigan Bay, about {{convert|6|mi|0}} northeast of Cardigan and {{convert|10|mi}} southwest of New Quay. The Fishguard to Bangor Trunk Road (A487) is reached via the B4333 road in about {{convert|2|mi|0}}.

The name Aberporth is first recorded in 1284, and is derived from the Old Welsh “aber” (mouth) and “porth” (port).{{Cite book|title=Place-names of Great Britain and Ireland|last=Field|first=John|date=1980|publisher=David & Charles|isbn=0389201545|location=Newton Abbot, Devon|oclc=6964610|page=21}}

In the 16th century, boats, nets and salt for preserving were brought in from Ireland. Aberporth became a subsidiary port of Cardigan. The landing point developed rapidly in the late 17th and early 18th centuries as local people began to take part in the maritime trade. It became a very active port; the northern of the two beaches extended into the river valley and provided a safe anchorage. Lime kilns, coal yards and warehouses were built on its south shore.

Aberporth developed into a centre of the herring fishing industry in Wales. Drifting and netting were both employed, and at one time at least 20 full-time herring smacks, a type of traditional fishing boat, went to sea regularly. The industry continued until the beginning of the First World War, when fish stocks declined.

Aberporth is the name of the electoral ward which is coterminous with the community,{{cite web |url=https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/election-maps/gb/ |title=Election maps |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=20 November 2018}} although before 1995 it was a ward of Dyfed County Council and included the neighbouring communities of Penbryn and Y Ferwig.{{cite book |title=The County of Dyfed (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1988 |date=1988 |publisher=Statutory Instruments |website=legislation.gov.uk |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1988/2266/schedules/made?view=plain |access-date=20 November 2018}} Since 1995, the ward has elected one county councillor to Ceredigion County Council. Independent councillor Gethin James represented the ward from 2004{{cite web |url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Ceredigion-1995-2012.pdf |title=Ceredigion County Council Election Results 1995-2012 |publisher=The Elections Centre |access-date=19 November 2018}} until the May 2017 election when he was beaten by Plaid Cymru candidate Gethin Davies.{{cite news |url=http://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/article.cfm?id=114283&headline=Ceredigion%20County%20Council%20Election%202017:%20The%20Results§ionIs=news&searchyear=2017 |title=Ceredigion County Council Election 2017: The Results |work=Cambrian News |date=5 May 2017 |access-date=19 November 2018 }}

Aberporth is represented at the local level by 12 community councillors on Aberporth Community Council.{{cite web |url=http://www.aberporthcommunitycouncil.gov.uk/Aberporth-CC/Default-7176.aspx |title=Council |publisher=Aberporth Community Council |access-date=19 November 2018}}

The small St Cynwyl's Anglican parish church was renovated in 1857, but has been decaying over the last few decades.{{Citation needed|date=January 2019}}

The village has two sandy beaches: Traeth y Dyffryn ("valley beach"), also known as Traeth y Llongau{{Cite web |url=http://www.discoverceredigion.co.uk/CCCLocationLibrary/PDF/Aberporth-Tresaith.pdf |title=Tresaith ac Aberporth: Taith gerdded ar hyd yr arfordir a'r cefn gwlad |date=2001 |website=Darganfod Ceredigion |access-date=30 May 2018}} ("ships beach"), and Traeth Dolwen{{Cite web| url=http://www.discoverceredigion.co.uk/Cymraeg/ble/TrefiaPhentrefi/Pages/Aberporth.aspx |title=Aberporth |website=Darganfod Ceredigion |access-date=30 May 2018}} Both have been awarded a Blue Flag several years running.{{Citation needed|date=March 2022}} Aberporth is a recreational fishing village in the summer and is also used by divers and boating people. Crab and lobster fishing continues on a small scale.

In 2006 orcas and harbour porpoises were seen, but such sightings are rare. Even rarer was a turtle seen in 2005. Sunfish and basking sharks are sometimes seen offshore in the summer. Bottle nose dolphins are a common sight offshore, by the MoD site from April each year.

Apart from tourism, the main local employer is the Ministry of Defence at the Qinetiq missile range. ParcAberporth technology park hosts organisations involved in the sectors of defence, aerospace and the technology of UAVs known as drones. ParcAberporth is linked with the research facilities at Aberystwyth University. Aberporth Airport {{Airport codes||EGFA}} is being developed as West Wales Airport{{Cite web|url=https://www.flyuav.co.uk/|title=West Wales Airport Aberporth - Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Centre - West Wales Airport|website=West Wales Airport Aberporth}} for domestic flights, and as a centre for the deployment of civil and military drones. The airport underwent major improvements in 2008, which extended the runway from {{Convert|945|to|1257|m|abbr=on|0}}.

Aberporth School, established in 1834, had 31 pupils in 1836. In 1854, a building for 110 pupils was built; average attendance in 1904 was 68. It was a national school providing elementary education, in accordance with the teaching of the Church of England, to the children of the poor. In 1926, it became a Church of England school.

In 1915, a council school was established.{{Cite web |title=Ref:Aberporth |work=Ceredigion Archives – School Records |publisher=Ceredigion County Council |url=http://archifdy-ceredigion.org.uk/sched/schools-a_1.html&open_str=,m28 |access-date=9 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724091519/http://archifdy-ceredigion.org.uk/sched/schools-a_1.html%26open_str%3D%2Cm28 |archive-date=24 July 2011 |url-status = live}}

Ysgol Gymunedol Aberporth is the present-day primary school in Aberporth. There were 122 pupils on the roll in 2013. Only 12 per cent came from homes where Welsh was the main language (down from 16 per cent in 2007). It was in the A/B category according to the Local Education Authority's language policy in 2001, but by 2007, it had changed into a category A school, meaning that Welsh is now the main language of teaching there.{{EduBase|400607}}

The Village is notable for producing four Welsh Rugby internationals and one British and Irish Lion:{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Simon |title=This is Brynmor Williams at 70, the Welshman who's actually beaten the All Blacks and got punched in the face for it |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/brynmor-williams-wales-lions-rugby-21986041 |website=WalesOnline |access-date=31 October 2021}}

• Ricky Evans (born 1960), Welsh rugby union international, was born in Aberporth.
• Wayne Proctor (born 1972), Welsh rugby union international, raised in Aberporth.
• Paul Ringer (born 1948), Welsh rugby union international, raised in Aberporth.
• Brynmor Williams (born 1951), Welsh rugby union international and British and Irish Lion, was raised in Aberporth.

The Met Office has a weather station at Aberporth.{{Cite web|url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/stationdata/Met|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018084753/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/stationdata/|url-status=dead|title=Office stations|archivedate=18 October 2011}} It is one of the 22 coastal locations whose reports are included in the BBC Shipping Forecast. Data goes back to 1941.[http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/stationdata/aberporthdata.txt Met Office – Aberporth data].

Typically, less than three days of the year reach {{convert|25.1|C|F}} or above,{{cite web

|url=http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=SU&stationid=1810

|title=>1971-2000 average >25c days |access-date=26 September 2011}} the warmest of which will on average be {{convert|26.8|C|F}}.{{cite web |url= http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/calcdetail.php?seasonid=0&periodid=1971-2000&indexid=TXx&stationid=1810 |title=>1971–2000 average warmest day|access-date=26 September 2011}} The highest temperature recorded at Aberporth was {{convert|32.7|C|F}} during July 2006.{{cite web |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/july2006/MaxTemp1907Points_jpeg.JPG |title=2006 Maximum |access-date=26 September 2011 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629215609/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/interesting/july2006/MaxTemp1907Points_jpeg.JPG |archive-date=29 June 2011 }} On average 15.2 nights a year report air frost and the coldest night of the year will fall to {{convert|-5.9|C|F}}.{{Cite web|title=MOYENNES 1991/2020|url=http://climate-datas-weather.dynalias.org/listenormale-1991-2020-1-p183.php#ss|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206023248/http://climate-datas-weather.dynalias.org/listenormale-1991-2020-1-p183.php|archive-date=February 6, 2021|access-date=June 1, 2021|website=climate-datas-weather.dynalias.org}} The lowest recorded temperature was {{convert|-9.9|C|F}}, during January 1963.{{cite web |url= http://eca.knmi.nl/utils/monitordetail.php?seasonid=7&year=1963&indexid=TNn&stationid=1810 |title=>1963 Minimum |access-date=26 September 2011}}

Rainfall averages some 927 mm a year, with at least 1 mm falling on 151/152 days.

{{Weather box

| location = Aberporth 133m asl, 1991-2020, Extremes 1960-

| metric first = Yes

| single line = Yes

| Jan record high C = 13.4

| Feb record high C = 15.2

| Mar record high C = 21.0

| Apr record high C = 25.6

| May record high C = 26.6

| Jun record high C = 31.5

| Jul record high C = 32.7

| Aug record high C = 31.5

| Sep record high C = 25.2

| Oct record high C = 22.0

| Nov record high C = 17.0

| Dec record high C = 14.1

| year record high C = 32.7

| Jan high C = 7.8

| Feb high C = 7.9

| Mar high C = 9.4

| Apr high C = 11.6

| May high C = 14.3

| Jun high C = 16.7

| Jul high C = 18.3

| Aug high C = 18.3

| Sep high C = 16.7

| Oct high C = 13.6

| Nov high C = 10.5

| Dec high C = 8.5

| year high C = 12.8

| Jan low C = 3.4

| Feb low C = 3.3

| Mar low C = 4.2

| Apr low C = 5.7

| May low C = 8.2

| Jun low C = 10.7

| Jul low C = 12.5

| Aug low C = 12.7

| Sep low C = 11.2

| Oct low C = 8.9

| Nov low C = 6.2

| Dec low C = 4.1

| year low C = 7.6

| Jan record low C = -9.9

| Feb record low C = -7.5

| Mar record low C = -6.6

| Apr record low C = -2.0

| May record low C = 0.1

| Jun record low C = 1.7

| Jul record low C = 5.6

| Aug record low C = 5.5

| Sep record low C = 3.3

| Oct record low C = -0.9

| Nov record low C = -5.0

| Dec record low C = -6.0

| year record low C = -9.9

| precipitation colour = green

| Jan precipitation mm = 90.1

| Feb precipitation mm = 67.4

| Mar precipitation mm = 57.2

| Apr precipitation mm = 54.2

| May precipitation mm = 54.7

| Jun precipitation mm = 60.4

| Jul precipitation mm = 66.5

| Aug precipitation mm = 75.4

| Sep precipitation mm = 70.6

| Oct precipitation mm = 107.0

| Nov precipitation mm = 117.2

| Dec precipitation mm = 106.5

| year precipitation mm = 927.1

| unit rain days = 1.0 mm

| Jan rain days = 15.3

| Feb rain days = 11.8

| Mar rain days = 11.3

| Apr rain days = 11.1

| May rain days = 10.3

| Jun rain days = 9.6

| Jul rain days = 10.7

| Aug rain days = 11.6

| Sep rain days = 12.1

| Oct rain days = 15.0

| Nov rain days = 17.2

| Dec rain days = 16.2

| year rain days = 152.1

| Jan sun = 62.4

| Feb sun = 82.4

| Mar sun = 132.4

| Apr sun = 180.9

| May sun = 222.8

| Jun sun = 216.1

| Jul sun = 202.2

| Aug sun = 179.6

| Sep sun = 148.7

| Oct sun = 103.9

| Nov sun = 61.9

| Dec sun = 50.9

| year sun = 1644.2

| source 1 = Met Office{{cite web |url=http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/sites/aberporth.html |title=Aberporth 1971–2000 averages| access-date=26 September 2011 |publisher=Met Office |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111019065008/http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/averages/19712000/sites/aberporth.html |archive-date=19 October 2011}}

| source 2 = Meteoclimat {{Cite web|date=2021-02-06|title=Météo climat stats {{!}} Moyennes 1991/2020 / Données Météorologiques Gratuites|url=http://climate-datas-weather.dynalias.org/listenormale-1991-2020-1-p183.php#ss|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210206023248/http://climate-datas-weather.dynalias.org/listenormale-1991-2020-1-p183.php|archive-date=February 6, 2021|access-date=2021-06-01}}

| date = Jan 2021

| source =

}}

{{reflist|30em|refs=

[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/viewFullDataset.do;jsessionid=ac1f930c30d5b0975d9516744e64bcdae8b9d547c691?instanceSelection=03070&productId=779&$ph=60_61&datasetInstanceId=3070&startColumn=1&numberOfColumns=4&containerAreaId=790566 Office for National Statistics: Census 2001: Parish Headcounts: Ceredigion]Jenkins, J. Geraint. Ceredigion: Interpreting an Ancient County. Gwasg Careg Gwalch (2005) p. 51.Jenkins, J. Geraint. Ceredigion: Interpreting an Ancient County. Gwasg Careg Gwalch (2005) p. 52.

}}

{{Commons category}}

{{wikivoyage|Aberporth}}

• [https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=2875089 www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Aberporth and surrounding area]
• [http://tourism.ceredigion.gov.uk/saesneg/aberporth.htm Information on the Ceredigion Tourism website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050126091010/http://www.astronautix.com/sites/abeporth.htm History of sounding rocket launches from Aberporth facility 1959-1972]
• {{gbmapping|SN260514}}

{{Ceredigion}}

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Category:Coast of Ceredigion

Category:Communities in Ceredigion

Category:Villages in Ceredigion

Category:Wards of Ceredigion

Category:Wards of Dyfed