Fishguard
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|---|---|
 Lower Fishguard | |
  Fishguard Location withinPembrokeshire | |
| Population | 3,400 (2021 census) |
| OS grid reference | SM955375 |
| Community | |
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | FISHGUARD |
| Postcode district | SA65 |
| Dialling code | 01348 |
| Police | Dyfed-Powys |
| Fire | Mid and West Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
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Fishguard (Welsh:Abergwaun, meaning "Mouth of theRiver Gwaun") is a coastaltown inPembrokeshire,Wales, with a population of 3,400 (rounded to the nearest 100) as of the2021 census.[1] Modern Fishguard consists of two parts, Lower Fishguard and the "Main Town". Fishguard andGoodwick are twin towns with a joint Town Council.
Lower Fishguard is believed to be the site of the original hamlet from which modern Fishguard has grown. It is in a deep valley where the River Gwaun meets the sea, hence the Welsh name for Fishguard. It is a typical fishing village with a short tidal quay. The settlement stretches along the north slope of the valley.
The main town contains the parish church, the High Street and most of the modern development, and lies upon the hill to the south of Lower Fishguard, to which it is joined by a steep and winding road. The west part of the town that faces Goodwick grew in the first decade of the 20th century with the development ofFishguard Harbour.
The English name Fishguard derives fromOld NorseFiskigarðr meaning "fish catching enclosure",[2] cognate with Modern Englishfish +yard. In Welsh,Abergwaun means "the mouth of theRiver Gwaun", the name of the river referring to the high, wet, level ground of a marsh or moor.[3][4]
Fishguard is within the historic Welshcantref ofCemais, and part of the Welsh province ofDyfed, within the historic Principality ofDeheubarth.[5] The coasts of Wales were subject to Norse raids during theViking Age, and in the latter part of the 10th century Norse trading posts and settlements emerged within Dyfed, with Fishguard established sometime between 950 and 1000 AD.[5]
In 1078 Goodwick Moor, was the scene of a bloody battle in which Rhys, son of Owain ap Edwyn, was defeated and slain by Trahaearn ap Caradog (Brut y Tywysogion) in the Battle of Pwllgwdg,
The English place name indicates that there may have been a Scandinavian trading post, although no evidence has been found.[6] However, the V-shaped stone structures of ancient fish traps can still be seen at low tide on both sides of the bay, and it is believed these were the foundations for wooden fences that would trap the fish as the tide went out. Other examples can be found around the country, and they probably date from Saxon times, though similar devices have been in use since Neolithic times.
CalledFiscard until the turn of the 19th century when the name was Anglicised, Fishguard was amarcherborough and in 1603 was described as one of five Pembrokeshire boroughs overseen by aportreeve.[7] TheNorman settlement lay along what is now High Street between the church at its north end and the remains of a Normanmotte at its south end.
In 1912,Denys Corbett Wilson made the first flight between Britain and Ireland. Starting his journey from Hendon aerodrome on 17 April 1912, he eventually landed in Goodwick on 21 April having made a few unscheduled stops along the way. He then set off from a field near Harbour Village at 5:47 on 22 April and crash-landed 100 minutes later in Crane near Enniscorthy in County Wexford.
Lower Fishguard developed as aherring fishery and port, trading with Ireland,Bristol andLiverpool. In the late 18th century it had 50 coasting vessels, and exportedoats and salt herring.[8] In 1779, the port was raided by theprivateerBlack Prince,[9] which bombarded the town when the payment of a £1,000 ransom was refused. As a result, Fishguard Fort was completed in 1781, overlooking Lower Fishguard.[10] The port declined in the latter half of the 19th century.
Fishguard's ancient Royal Oak public house was the site of the signing of surrender after theBattle of Fishguard. This brief campaign, on 22–24 February 1797, is the most recent landing on British soil by a hostile foreign force, and thus is often referred to as the "last invasion of mainland Britain". A force of 1,400 French soldiers landed near Fishguard but surrendered two days later.[11]
A 19th-century vicar of Fishguard, the Rev. Samuel Fenton MA, wrote the bookThe History of Pembrokeshire.[12]
The ancient Parliamentary Borough of Fishguard was contributory to the Borough ofHaverfordwest. During theSecond World War, the Fishguard Bay Hotel was Station IXc ofSpecial Operations Executive wheresubmersibles were tested in Fishguard Bay.
Fishguard & Goodwick Golf Club was founded in 1921 and closed in the 1960s.[13]
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There are two tiers of local government covering Fishguard, atcommunity (town) andcounty level:Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council andPembrokeshire County Council. The town council is based atFishguard Town Hall in Market Square.[14]
Fishguard was anancient parish. When parish and district councils were established in 1894, the parish of Fishguard was included in theHaverfordwest Rural District. In 1906 it was decided to create anurban district covering Fishguard, making it independent from the Haverfordwest Rural District Council. The whole parish of Fishguard was considered too large to be an urban district and so it was split into two parishes: Fishguard North covering the main built up area, to be governed by Fishguard Urban District Council, and Fishguard South which stayed in the Haverfordwest Rural District. These changes took effect on 1 April 1907.[15] The first meeting of Fishguard Urban District Council was held on 8 April 1907 at the Town Hall, when John Robertson Richards, aConservative, was appointed the first chairman of the council.[16][17]
The urban district was enlarged in 1934 to include neighbouringGoodwick, becomingFishguard and Goodwick Urban District.[18] Fishguard and Goodwick Urban District was abolished under theLocal Government Act 1972, with the area becoming part of the district ofPreseli Pembrokeshire on 1 April 1974. A community covering the former urban district was established at the same time, with its council taking the name Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council.[19][20] Preseli Pembrokeshire was abolished in 1996 to become part of a re-established Pembrokeshire.
The town is situated at the back of a north facing bay known as Fishguard Bay (Welsh:Bae Abergwaun) which offers protection from waves generated by prevailing westerly winds. It has a relatively mild climate due to its coastal position. The winds coming from the west or south-west have a determining influence ontemperature andprecipitation. There is an islet in Fishguard Bay,Needle Rock which reaches 131 feet (40 metres).
Wildlife around Fishguard is rich with a wide variety of colourful wild flowers and sea mammals including thegrey seal,porpoises anddolphins. The local birdlife includeEurasian curlew,common redshank andsanderling regularly foraging in the lower Fishguard Harbour andEuropean stonechat,great cormorant andnorthern fulmar can be seen from the coastal path.
According to the2021 census, Fishguard had a population of roughly 3,400, 29.6% of the population being able to speak Welsh.[1] This compares with 39.8% in 2001, 58.9% in 1951 and 90.3% in 1901.
The population breaks down as follows:[1]
| Age Distribution | Fishguard | Pembrokeshire |
| 0–4 years | 4.3% | 4.5% |
| 5–14 years | 10.2% | 11.3% |
| 15–19 years | 4.6% | 5.1% |
| 20–44 years | 22.4% | 25.2% |
| 45–64 years | 26.6% | 27.7% |
| 65+ years | 31.7% | 26.3% |
The largest ethnic group in Fishguard is White, making up 97.7% of the population, the county average. The second largest ethnic group is Asian/Asian British who make up 0.9% of the population, also the county average. The largest religious group is Christian with 47.3% of the population, lower than the county average of 48.8%. The second largest religious group is No religion with 43.2% of the population, roughly the county average.[1]
Outside Fishguard there is a stone monument commemorating the signing of the Peace Treaty after thelast invasion of Britain in 1797. Women dressed in Welsh costume are said to have startled the invaders. The 19th-century parish church of St Mary's contains a memorial stone to the heroineJemima Nicholas, who helped repel the French invasion. There is also a Bi-Centenary memorial stone monument in West Street, Fishguard to commemorate the invasion. A tapestry was created in 1997 to commemorate the invasion and is on display to the public inFishguard Town Hall.[21]
There are more than 80listed buildings in and around the town.[22]
Fishguard hashotels and is the main shopping town of North Pembrokeshire with a market in the town hall on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Fishguard has aRound Table doing community work including running the Fishguard & Goodwick Carnival and the Fishguard Autumn Festival.
The Gwaun Lodge of theRoyal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes, is a charitable organisation within the community who host sponsored events and other community works throughout the year.
Fishguard has a 180-seat cinema/theatre calledTheatr Gwaun which provides a venue for film, music and live theatre and hosted theNational Eisteddfod in 1936 and 1986.
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Fishguard is the terminus ofthe London to Fishguard Trunk Road (A40). A regularferry operated byStena Line leaves forRosslare inIreland from the port of Fishguard Harbour,Goodwick. Following theBrexit withdrawal agreement, freight traffic from Rosslare fell by 50% in January 2021.[23]
Rail services are operated byTransport for Wales Rail fromFishguard Harbour andFishguard and Goodwick railway stations on theWest Wales line toSwansea andCardiff. Through trains to London were withdrawn in 2004.
Starting in 1909 the fast Cunard liners from New York began anchoring at Fishguard to allow passengers to take a Great Western train to London, saving a few hours compared to Liverpool.[24]
Lower Fishguard was used as "Llareggub" in the film ofDylan Thomas'sUnder Milk Wood, starringRichard Burton,Elizabeth Taylor andPeter O'Toole. Many local people were involved in the production of this film as background characters. The filmMoby Dick (starringGregory Peck) was filmed there in 1955.
Fishguard and Goodwick Chamber of Trade and Tourism is a business support group.
Fishguard istwinned withLoctudy inBrittany, France.
The County of Pembroke (Fishguard Urban District) Confirmation Order 1907
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