Harlech

The exact derivation of the name Harlech is unclear. Some, mostly older sources, derive it from Arddlech, i.e. {{lang|cy|ardd}} (high) + {{lang|cy|llech}} (rock),"Notices Illustrative of Cambrian History and Antiquities", The New Monthly Magazine, Volume 10 – p. 307, 1818.The Celtic Review: Volumes 9–10, Donald MacKinnon, E. C. Carmichael Watson, 1975. referring to the prominent crag on which the castle stands. Recent sources prefer a simpler derivation from the two Welsh words {{lang|cy|hardd}} (fair/fine) and llech (slate/rock).{{cite book |first=Anthony David |last=Mills |title=Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names |location=Oxford |publisher=OUP |date=1991}}

As late as the 19th century, some texts referred to Harddlech and Harddlech Castle.The History of the Princes, the Lords Marcher, and the Ancient Nobility of Powys Fadog, and the Ancient Lords of Arwystli, Cedewen, and Meirionydd :Volume 6, Jacob Youde William Lloyd, 1887.The Poetical Works of Lewis Glyn Cothi: A celebrated bard, p. 21, Lewis Glyn Cothi, 1837. This name appears in the mid-19th century translation of the Mabinogion: "And one afternoon he was at Harddlech in Ardudwy, at a court of his. And they were seated upon the rock of Harddlech overlooking the sea." Contemporary documents from the time of the Mabinogion do not mention Harlech, referring only to Llywelyn building his castle "at Ardudwy".{{cite book |first=Thomas |last=Jones |title=Brut y Tywysogion/Chronicle of the Princes, Red Book of Hergest |location=Cardiff |publisher=University of Wales Press |date=1955}}

In 2007, a Lockheed P-38 Lightning (a World War II-era fighter aircraft) was rediscovered on Harlech beach. It has been described as "one of the most important WWII finds in recent history." The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR) expressed an interest in salvaging the wreck of the U.S. Army Air Forces plane, known as the Maid of Harlech.[http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2010/05/08/charity-hopes-to-lift-world-war-ii-fighter-plane-from-sea-91466-26402409/ Charity hopes to lift World War II fighter plane from sea] WalesOnline, 8 May 2010

However, in August 2019, Cadw, the Welsh government's historic environment service, gave the remains scheduled status, making it the first legally designated military aircraft crash site in the UK to be protected for its historic and archaeological interest.[https://cadw.gov.wales/about-us/news/harlech-p-38-scheduled-its-historic-importance-and-future-protection Harlech P-38 now a Scheduled Monument] Cadw, 11 Nov 2019. The site is also controlled under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. The aircraft came down in September 1942 when it was on a gunnery practice mission. The pilot was Second Lt Robert F Elliott, 24, of Rich Square, North Carolina, survived the crash, only to be reported missing in action a few months later.{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/nov/12/ww2-wreck-of-fighter-plane-off-welsh-coast-gets-protected-status |title=WW2 wreck of fighter plane off Welsh coast gets protected status |last=Morris |first=Steven |date=12 November 2019 |work=The Guardian |access-date=12 November 2019 |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

An electoral ward in the same name existed including Talsarnau community. The ward population at the 2011 census was 1,997.{{Cite web |url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/harlech-w05000072#sthash.x9Sv3e1b.dpbs |title=Ward population 2011 |access-date=16 May 2015}} From the 2022 Gwynedd Council election the ward was increased in size to include Llanbedr and Llanfair, renamed Harlech a Llanbedr and the representation increased to 2 county councillors.{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2021/1223/schedule |title=The County of Gwynedd (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 |website=legislation.gov.uk |publisher=The National Archives |date=1 November 2021 |accessdate=19 December 2024 }}

Harlech railway station is a stop on the Cambrian Coast Line. Services run between {{rws|Pwllheli}} and {{rws|Machynlleth}}, operated by Transport for Wales.{{Cite web |title=Timetables |work=Transport for Wales |date=May 2023 |access-date=10 October 2023 |url= https://tfw.wales/service-status/timetables |quote=}}

Local bus services are operated by Lloyds Coaches, with services to Porthmadog and Barmouth.{{Cite web |title=Harlech Bus Services |work=Bus Times |date=2023 |access-date=10 October 2023 |url= https://bustimes.org/localities/harlech |quote=}}

The town contains Ffordd Pen Llech, a street down the rock spur to the north of the castle. It is the steepest signed, public paved road in the United Kingdom{{Cite web |title=50 Quirky Bike Rides > 28 Ffordd Pen Llech|url=http://www.bike99.com/28.html |publisher=Eye Books |access-date=15 October 2013 |first=Rob |last=Ainsley |date=June 2008}}{{Cite web |title=Around the network – Facts and figures |url=http://www.roadsuk.com/network/facts/ |publisher=Roads UK |access-date=16 October 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019045617/http://www.roadsuk.com/network/facts/ |archive-date=19 October 2013 }} and one of the steepest in the world.{{refn|group=nb|More details can be seen in the 'In traditional and popular culture' section below}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/394473/dunedin-s-baldwin-st-loses-battle-for-steepest-street-to-welsh-town |title=Dunedin's Baldwin St loses battle for steepest street to Welsh town |author= |date=16 July 2019 |website=Radio New Zealand |access-date=16 July 2019}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-48992331|work=BBC News |title=Harlech street takes record as steepest in the world |date=16 July 2019}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2019/7/welsh-town-claims-title-for-worlds-steepest-street-582452 |title=Welsh town claims record title for world's steepest street |date=16 July 2019 |website=Guinness World Records |first=Connie |last=Suggitt |language=en-GB |access-date=16 July 2019}}

Ysgol Ardudwy is the county secondary school for children aged 11–16. Ysgol Tanycastell is the town's primary school for children aged 3–11. Wales's only long-term adult residential college, Coleg Harlech, also known as the "college of second chance", existed in the town from 1927 to 2017. It was renowned for its mixed classical and brutalist architecture.{{cite web |title=Shock at closure of historic college site |url=http://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/article.cfm?id=111912&headline=Shock+at+closure+of+historic+college+site§ionIs=news&searchyear=2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808153839/http://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/article.cfm?id=111912&headline=Shock+at+closure+of+historic+college+site§ionIs=news&searchyear=2017 |archive-date=8 August 2017 |access-date=8 August 2017}}{{Cite web |last=Harwood |first=Elain |date=2022-11-08 |title=Elain Harwood turns to Brutalist Britain |url=https://www.ribaj.com/culture/elain-harwood-british-brutalism-book-stirling-neylan-colwyn-foulkes |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=www.ribaj.com |language=en}} Harlech's library, previously run by Gwynedd Council, also closed in 2017.{{Cite web |date=June 2017 |title=Resident's anger at closure of 'much-loved library' |url=https://www.cambrian-news.co.uk/news/residents-anger-at-closure-of-much-loved-library-94245}} Harlech's Old Library Institute runs as Harlech Hwb, offering cost-of-living support and click-and-collect library books from Gwynedd Libraries.{{Cite web |date=2021-05-28 |title=Click and collect library link to launch in Harlech |url=https://www.northwaleschronicle.co.uk/news/19335070.click-collect-library-link-launched-harlech/ |access-date=2024-07-09 |website=North Wales Chronicle |language=en}}

The 2011 census recorded 1,762 usual residents. The village is fairly Anglicised, with 48% of residents having been born in Wales and 46.9% born in England. Correspondingly, only 42.6% reported having a Welsh national identity.{{Cite web |title=Custom report - Nomis - Official Census and Labour Market Statistics |url=https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/localarea?compare=W37000162 |access-date=2022-11-04 |website=www.nomisweb.co.uk}}

Harlech has a beach backed with sand dunes and the Royal Saint David's Golf Club, which hosted its fifth British Ladies Amateur in 2009. The Rhinogydd (or Rhinogs) range of mountains rises to the east.

Harlech has a Scout hut, which acts as a base for outdoor recreational activities.{{cite web |url=https://www.scouts.org.uk/groups/10015733?loc=Harlech&slug=1st-Harlech |title=1st Harlech |publisher=The Scout Association |access-date=20 February 2024}}

• A street in Harlech, Ffordd Pen Llech, was recognised in 2019 by Guinness World Records as the steepest residential street in the world with a gradient of 1:2.67 (37.45%); however, Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand, was then recognised with a gradient of 1:2.86 (35%). The steepness was determined by measuring consistently on the lower side of the street – the left or right, whichever was lower. It was later decided that measuring consistently in the middle of the street would be more accurate. This gave Baldwin Street a gradient of 34.8% and Ffordd Pen Llech one of 28.6%, so the title returned to Baldwin Street.{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/apr/08/welsh-road-loses-title-of-worlds-steepest-after-new-zealand-rivals-appeal |title=Welsh street loses world's steepest title after New Zealand rival's appeal|date=8 April 2020 |first=Steven |last=Morris |newspaper=The Guardian |language=en-GB|access-date=8 April 2020}}
• In the second branch of the Mabinogi ("Branwen, Daughter of Llŷr"), Harlech is the seat of Bendigeidfran, Branwen's brother and king of the Isle of the Mighty.{{cite book |first=Patrick K. |last=Ford |title=The Mabinogi and other Medieval Welsh Tales |location=Berkeley |publisher=University of California Press |date=1977 |pages=57–72}}
• The song Men of Harlech is traditionally said to describe events during the seven-year siege of the castle in 1461–1468.{{cite book |title=The Oxford Companion to British History |location=Oxford |publisher=OUP |date=1997 |page=454}}{{cite book |first=Matthew |last=Bennett |title=The Hutchinson Dictionary of Ancient & Medieval Warfare |date=2001 |publisher=Hodder and Stoughton}}
• ITV Wales & West was formerly known as HTV/Harlech Television after its founder Lord Harlech.

In birth order:This is a list of people with a Wikipedia page who were born, bred, long resident and/or died in Harlech.

• Owain Glyndŵr ({{circa|1359|1415}}), Welsh Rebellion leader, was the last Welshman to claim the title Prince of Wales.
• Ellis Wynne (1671 in Lasynys Fawr – 1734), Welsh-language author and clergyman
• Alfred Perceval Graves (1846–1931), poet, bard and songwriter. He and a large family, including his son the poet Robert Graves, spent summers at Erinfa, a large house north-east of Harlech.{{cite book |author-link=Richard Perceval Graves |first=Richard P. |last=Graves |title=Robert Graves: The Assault Heroic 1895–1926 |page=67 |publisher=Macmillan}}
• George Davison (1854–1930), photographer
• Margaret More (1903–1966), composer, was born here.
• Elinor Lyon (1921–2008), children's writer, retired here in 1975 with her schoolteacher husband.Introduction by Elinor Lyon, The House in Hiding, Fidra Books, Edinburgh, 2006, p. v.
• David Gwilym Morris Roberts (1925–2020), civil engineer, was born here.
• Mari Strachan (born 1945), novelist and librarian, attended secondary school here.
• Philip Pullman (born 1946), children's novelist, attended secondary school here.

File:Harlech Castle Half Mast HMQM.jpg|Harlech Castle with flags at half mast after the death of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother in 2002

File:SDJ Harlech Castle Gatehouse.jpg|Harlech Castle gatehouse

File:Harlech Statue The Two Kings.jpg|The Two Kings (sculptor Ivor Robert-Jones, 1984) near Harlech Castle, Wales. Bendigeidfran carries the body of his nephew Gwern.

File:Harlech-Low tide at Harlech.jpg|Harlech Beach at low tide

File:Harlech College and castle.jpg|Harlech College with Harlech Castle in background

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• Morfa Harlech sand dunes
• Harlech Castle
• St David's Hotel
• Lord Harlech
• HTV – Harlech Television

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• [https://web.archive.org/web/20181002011709/http://www.secretsnowdonia.co.uk/ Harlech Tourism Association]
• [https://www.geograph.org.uk/search.php?i=3490569 geograph.co.uk] – photos of Harlech and surrounding area

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Category:Towns in Gwynedd

Category:Aviation accidents and incidents locations in Wales