Gwbert (), also known as Gwbert-on-Sea, is a cliff-top coastal village in
Y Ferwig
Y Ferwig (sometimes spelled ''Verwig'') is a small village and community about 2 to 3 miles from Cardigan, Wales.
Amenities
The village is made up of a parish church and a few houses. The community includes the villages of Penparc, Felinwynt ...
community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
,
Ceredigion
Ceredigion ( , , ) is a county in the west of Wales, corresponding to the historic county of Cardiganshire. During the second half of the first millennium Ceredigion was a minor kingdom. It has been administered as a county since 1282. Cere ...
, Wales. It lies at the most southerly coastal point of Ceredigion, on the eastern shore of the
Teifi
, name_etymology =
, image = File:Llyn Teifi - geograph.org.uk - 41773.jpg
, image_size =
, image_caption = Llyn Teifi, the source of the Teifi
, map =
, map_size =
, map_caption ...
estuary, from where there are views westwards over
Cardigan Bay
Cardigan Bay ( cy, Bae Ceredigion) is a large inlet of the Irish Sea, indenting the west coast of Wales between Bardsey Island, Gwynedd in the north, and Strumble Head, Pembrokeshire at its southern end. It is the largest bay in Wales.
Geograp ...
, and south-westwards to
Poppit Sands
Poppit (), is a small, dispersed settlement which lies on the southern side of the estuary of the River Teifi, near Cardigan, in northern Pembrokeshire, Wales.
It is primarily known for its popular sandy beach, called Poppit Sands () whic ...
and the headland of
Cemaes Head
Cemaes Head (formerly Cemais, and historically anglicised as Cemmaes, Kemmaes or Kemmes) (Welsh: ''Pen Cemaes'' or ''Trwyn Cemaes'') is a headland and nature reserve in north Pembrokeshire. It lies in the community of St Dogmaels, within the ...
, in neighbouring
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...
. It is reached by the B4548 road from the town of
Cardigan (Welsh: Aberteifi), away.
History
Gwbert as seen today essentially dates back only as far as the early 20th century, the most prominent buildings being the extensive Cliff Hotel and the smaller Gwbert Hotel. The settlement has an interesting history as a failed would-be resort, but despite its lack of facilities it is a popular holiday venue, being within easy reach of the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire coastlines, both rich in scenery and wildlife.
The
Ceredigion Coast Path
The Ceredigion Coast Path ( cy, Llwybr Arfordir Ceredigion) is a waymarked long distance footpath in the United Kingdom, on the coast of Ceredigion, Wales. It is in length, running along the coast of Cardigan Bay from Cardigan to ...
, a 60-mile (96 km) long-distance footpath, and part of the
Wales Coast Path
The Wales Coast Path ( cy, Llwybr Arfordir Cymru) is a designated long-distance trail which follows, or runs close to, the coastline of Wales.
Launched in 2012, the footpath is long and was heralded as the first dedicated coast path in the wor ...
, passes through Gwbert, making a marked detour inland north of the Cliff Hotel to avoid a dangerous cliff path.
[
]
Etymology
Before the area was populated at the end of the 19th century, it was often called ''The'' Gwbert.
The name ''Gwbert'' is thought to derive from a Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
* Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Fo ...
dedication (i.e. St Cubert), suggesting that a chapel may have existed here at one time. Gwbert, a wandering saint, is said to have landed here and sheltered in a cave. In fact Gwbert is among a group of five Saints (the others being Pedrog
Saint Petroc or Petrock ( lat-med, Petrocus; cy, Pedrog; french: link=no, Perreux; ) was a British prince and Christian saint.
Probably born in South Wales, he primarily ministered to the Britons of Devon (Dewnans) and Cornwall (Kernow) then ...
, Briog, Carannog
Saint Carantoc ( cy, Carannog; ga, Cairnech; br, Karanteg; la, Carantocus), also anglicized as Carantock, Carannog and by other spellings, was a 6th-century abbot, confessor, and saint in Wales and the West Country. He is credited with foundin ...
and Meugana) honoured in church dedications near the mouth of the river Teifi, and also in churches lying in close proximity to each other in mid-Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
, and then again in neighbouring churches in Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
.
Although ''Gwbert'' is not recorded, by name, as a settlement in medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
documentation, Towyn Farm — on the northern edge of the adjoining dunes — was recorded as a late medieval gentry house/settlement, owned by Gwilym ap Einon, constable of Cardigan Castle
Cardigan Castle ( cy, Castell Aberteifi) is a castle overlooking the River Teifi in Cardigan, Ceredigion, Wales. It is a Grade I listed building. The castle dates from the late 11th-century, though was rebuilt in 1244. Castle Green House was b ...
, in 1326.[Cambria.org website](_blank)
Retrieved 28 September 2011
The name "Pant-y-Gilbert" appears on maps of 1697, and both this and "Gwbert" had been used by 1748. The spelling "Goobert" appears on an 1838 map.[''The place-names of Cardiganshire, Volume 1'' (2004) by Iwan Wmffre]
Population
In 1833 the population of the whole Ferwig parish was 439.
The 1851 census recorded 378 inhabitants.
In 2001 the rural
In general, a rural area or a countryside is a geographic area that is located outside towns and cities. Typical rural areas have a low population density and small settlements. Agricultural areas and areas with forestry typically are describ ...
community
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, tow ...
of Y Ferwig
Y Ferwig (sometimes spelled ''Verwig'') is a small village and community about 2 to 3 miles from Cardigan, Wales.
Amenities
The village is made up of a parish church and a few houses. The community includes the villages of Penparc, Felinwynt ...
(which extends south-east of the A487, and of which Gwbert comprises only some 15 per cent in area) had a population of 1,177. Of these:
*63.1 per cent spoke, read and/or wrote Welsh.
*31.4 per cent were aged 45–64, and 22.17 per cent aged 65 or over.
*The mean
There are several kinds of mean in mathematics, especially in statistics. Each mean serves to summarize a given group of data, often to better understand the overall value (magnitude and sign) of a given data set.
For a data set, the ''arithme ...
age of the whole population was 44.3, the median
In statistics and probability theory, the median is the value separating the higher half from the lower half of a data sample, a population, or a probability distribution. For a data set, it may be thought of as "the middle" value. The basic fe ...
age being 47.0.
*40 per cent were economically active.
*22.4 per cent reported having a limiting long-term illness.
Although Gwbert and Ferwig are only one mile apart (and share a common Community Council) their demographics and environments are very different. Ferwig is a long-established agricultural area, characterised by little change to the indigenous population, or to their lifestyles. Gwbert has only existed for little more than 120 years, and is considerably more diverse. Since inception it has been predominantly a community of well-funded incomers from many areas of Wales and beyond, permanent and temporary. The vibrant tourist and sporting facilities encourage out-of-town visitors; the residents of the caravan park and hotels more than double the population for much of the year, and additional diversity is created by international staff within the hospitality sector. The dominant language is English.
The main settlement of Gwbert today comprises some 60 residential properties, mostly located on Coronation Drive, Towyn Farm, and Evelyn Terrace, a number of which are not owner-occupied, but are leased out for holiday use. There are approximately 70 residential caravans on the Patch Caravan Park, usable from March–October. There are close to 100 bedrooms within the two main hotels.
Employment in Gwbert is provided by the Cliff Hotel, the Gwbert Hotel, Cardigan Golf Club, and Cardigan Island Farm Park. Many of these workers travel in from nearby areas, notably from Cardigan, which also provides an additional source of employment for Gwbert's small working population.
Facilities
Gwbert has no shop, church or school. The nearest churches are at Y Ferwig, some away, both being built before any development at Gwbert. The nearest shops and schools are in Cardigan.
Gwbert incorporates the adjacent Towyn Burrows (also called Towyn Warren), much of which is now home to Cardigan Golf Club.
There is a very limited bus service which runs primarily to/from Cardigan. The nearest railway station (Cardigan's station closed in 1963) is at Fishguard
Fishguard ( cy, Abergwaun, meaning "Mouth of the River Gwaun") is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, Wales, with a population of 3,419 in 2011; the community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5,407. Modern Fishguard consists of two pa ...
, some away.
Despite the presence of hotels, and the nearby caravan park and boatyard at Patch, the impact of the tourist industry on the landscape is not great.
Promotion of the "watering hole"
In the 1880s the small inn at Gwbert was known as the "Gwbert Watering Hole".["Gwbert Watering Hole's early links with golf (part 1)" – newspaper article](_blank)
Retrieved 28 September 2011 The proposal that Gwbert should be a major seaside resort "to challenge Brighton and Scarborough" was first made in 1886, following the opening of the Whitland and Cardigan Railway
The Whitland & Cardigan Railway was a long branch line in West Wales. It was built in two stages, at first as the Whitland and Taf Vale Railway from the South Wales Main Line at Whitland to the quarries at Glogue. It opened in 1873, at first onl ...
to nearby Cardigan, a line which was taken over that same year by the Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a British railway company that linked London with the southwest, west and West Midlands of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament on 31 August 1835 and ran ...
. In 1888 the local Corporation met regarding the leases of the new proposed Villa residences, and in 1889 The ''Cardigan & Tivyside Advertiser'' was reporting on "Cardigan's 'New Brighton'", with Mr C.E.D. Morgan-Richardson, a Cardigan solicitor and businessman, named to head a company to develop the old Gwbert Inn property through the purchase of 96 acres of land, and with capital of £20,000. In addition to the considerable development of the Gwbert Inn, a row of villa boarding houses were to be built along what became Evelyn's Terrace. (Morgan-Richardson was later to become mayor of Cardigan.)["Antiquarian Notes", from The Cardigan and Tivy-side Advertiser, 1894](_blank)
Retrieved 28 September 2011
In July 1889 the local paper wrote of Gwbert: "Surrounded on two sides by the sea, its rocky boundaries are fringed by golden sands, conveniently approached, abounding with charming nooks for the privacy of bathing without machines, while the magnificent scenery of the opposite, or Pembrokeshire coast, including its bold rocky headlands, glistening sands, snug homesteads &c., form a picture not easily rivalled." There was even talk of the construction of a landing jetty.
Journalist Ebenezer Rees, writing in 1894, referred to Gwbert as "Cardigan's famous and favourite watering place"
In 1897 a new road to Gwbert was built to open up the area;[Ceredigion County Council – library resources](_blank)
Retrieved 28 September 2011 this road initially ran from the Cliff Hotel to Patch (where Cardigan Boating Club is located) but it was many years before it reached its original intended destination, namely Nant-y-Ferwig Bridge. In construction of the new road, parts of the old road ceased to be used, though it can still be traced. Some eleven of the Carn Meini (Preseli Hills
The Preseli Hills or, as they are known locally and historically, Preseli Mountains, (Welsh: ''Mynyddoedd y Preseli / Y Preselau'' , ) is a range of hills in western Wales, mostly within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
The range stret ...
) stones have now been utilised as gateposts on the eastern side of the old road, three south of the Gwbert road, and eight to the north. Seven others can be seen straddling a lane leading to Stepside Farm.
''Kelly's Directory of South Wales'' (1895) stated: "Gwbert, a small place on the coast in this parish, on the east side of the estuary of the Teifi, is now rising into favour as a watering place." The adjacent Cardigan & Tivyside Golf Club opened in this year.
In ''The Rivers of Great Britain'' (1897) Charles Edwardes wrote: "If you wish to see Teifi, or Tivy, quite to its end, it is worth while to go north another three miles, to Gwbert-on-the-Sea, a distinctly primitive and pleasing watering-place, facing Kemmaes Head, with the mile and a half of Teifi's mouth (at its widest) intervening."
In ''Walks and Wanderings in County Cardigan'' (1902) E.R.H.Turner described Gwbert as "a spot on the coast marked by a hotel and a few villas, but sufficiently near to Cardigan to be a favourite pleasure resort." The article continued: "It stands at the mouth of the Teivi estuary on the top of the most romantic cliffs and coves. There are many nooks for bathing, but the possibilities of the place are by no means developed. A new road has been formed across the dunes and along the Teivi shore back to Cardigan town, and possesses the advantage of charming views of the Pembrokeshire hills and cliffs."
The following year the local newspaper reported on the progress of Gwbert as a residential centre, reporting again in 1906 on the "bright look to the development of the resort". In 1910 it carried an article entitled "Gwbert on Sea, where is it and what is it?"
''The Encyclopædia Britannica'' of 1911 also acknowledged the growth: "In modern times several small watering-places have sprung up on the coast, notably at Borth, New Quay, Tresaith, Aberporth and Gwbert."
Growth, whilst clearly recognised, was limited, and ''The English Illustrated Magazine'' (vol 39, 1908) wrote "Amongst these laces worthy of attentionmay be mentioned Gwbert-on-Sea — where satisfactory bathing is to be obtained. Perched on the brown cliffs which domionate the dancing waves, the little village has, up till now, almost remained undiscovered."
Despite, however, the developers' ambitious plans for growth, along with much publicity and promotion in journals and books of the period, a lack of appropriate accommodation and a derth of facilities meant that relatively little came about, and Gwbert never grew to be anything larger than a very minor resort.
In 1911 Gwbert held grand pre-Coronation
A coronation is the act of placement or bestowal of a coronation crown, crown upon a monarch's head. The term also generally refers not only to the physical crowning but to the whole ceremony wherein the act of crowning occurs, along with the ...
festivities for King George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...
.
The Cliff Hotel
Central to the Gwbert development plan was the extension to the old Gwbert Inn, opened in July 1890 by Mrs Evelyn Morgan-Richardson, wife of the developer. As a present for performing this ceremony she was presented with a "massive silver key" supplied by a Cardigan jeweller. The status of the inn was raised to that of a hotel, at this time being known as the Gwbert Hotel. A promotional book, published by the Great Western Railway in 1907, declared ''"The Gwbert Hotel, the only one, is situate in its own grounds of 101 acres on the lofty cliffs by the mouth of the river Teifi, facing the Atlantic. An ideal spot for those who seek complete rest, bracing air, and country life with all its glorious advantages."'' However, in May 1906 the hotel was totally destroyed by fire.
After rebuilding and considerable extension it re-opened in April 1909 as the new Cliff Hotel (the name "Gwbert Hotel" being later used by another hotel), and the golf links was set out to additionally attract visitors. (The Cardigan and Tivyside Golf Club on the adjacent burrows had "died a natural death" by this time, through lack of patronage.) Early publicity postcards from the hotel proclaimed : "The Bishop of Bangor writes of Gwbert – 'This is one of the most charming spots I ever visited.'"
The Cliff Hotel was sold to new owners in April 1913, and more recently it has again been extended and refurbished with the addition of more rooms and a new spa and leisure complex.
The coastline
The coastline around Gwbert is part of Ceredigion Heritage Coast, a protected area running from Gwbert northwards to Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...
. It has been designated a Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and ap ...
.
The Ceredigion Coast Path at this point runs northwards through Patch and Gwbert, on towards and beyond Mwnt, but it does not follow the coastline itself. The official route currently runs eastwards to Y Ferwig, thence northwards to the coastline at Mwnt
A scanning tunneling microscopy image of a single-walled carbon nanotube
Rotating single-walled zigzag carbon nanotube
A carbon nanotube (CNT) is a tube made of carbon with diameters typically measured in nanometers.
''Single-wall carbon nan ...
. An alternative route, heading north from Cardigan Island Farm Park to reach the coastline much sooner, is currently under dispute, with alleged dangerous cliff sections. South of Gwbert, at St Dogmaels
St Dogmaels ( cy, Llandudoch) is a village, parish and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales, on the estuary of the River Teifi, a mile downstream from the town of Cardigan in neighbouring Ceredigion. A little to the north of the village, fur ...
, the Coast Path links to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path ( cy, Llwybr Arfordir Sir Benfro), often called the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, is a designated National Trail in Pembrokeshire, southwest Wales. Established in 1970, it is a long-distance walking route, mostly at ...
.
The sandy area of Towyn Burrows, which comprises much of Gwbert, was caused by strong onshore winds following the last ice age, which left deposits of Irish Sea glacial till
image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
, now overshadowed by the extensive dunes.
Gwbert beach (at Patch, south of the hamlet) is the nearest beach to Cardigan, is south-west facing, and is sandy. Despite early 20th-century promotion, the tide here can drastically change the shape of the beach, and swimming can be dangerous. Rather than a family beach, it has a reputation for sailing, sea-fishing and extreme sports.
Although Gwbert hamlet has a cliff-top location, it is possible to get down to the sea by Craig-y-Gwbert, below the Cliff Hotel. Steps cut into the rock allow access to Cowley beach and a neighbouring enclosed small bay.
There are also accessible beaches below the Cliff Hotel with steps leading down one beach, known to locals as Evelyn's Beach, presumably after Mrs Morgan Richards. There is also a sandy cove, again known locally as Morgan's Beach, and below the hotel are Flat Rock and The Point.
In 1977 concerns were expressed about erosion along the coastline between Cardigan and Gwbert, notably at Patch, where the road was only 45 feet from the top of the eroding boulder clay
Boulder clay is an unsorted agglomeration of clastic sediment that is unstratified and structureless and contains gravel of various sizes, shapes, and compositions distributed at random in a fine-grained matrix. The fine-grained matrix consists ...
cliffs. In the early 1990s, following further erosion at Pen-Yr-Ergyd, remedial work was undertaken, whereby six groyne
A groyne (in the U.S. groin) is a rigid hydraulic structure built perpendicularly from an ocean shore (in coastal engineering) or a river bank, interrupting water flow and limiting the movement of sediment. It is usually made out of wood, concre ...
s consisting of rock mounds were constructed. The scheme cost Ceredigion County Council some £151,000, half of this coming from the European Regional Development Fund
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is one of the European Structural and Investment Funds allocated by the European Union. Its purpose is to transfer money from richer regions (not countries), and invest it in the infrastructure and se ...
.
The coastline around Gwbert is rugged — particularly from Patch headland northward — and in 1922 the trawler ''Princess Mary'' was lost on the coast here. A decade later, in 1934, the 7,000-ton liner ''Herefordshire'' ran aground on Cardigan Island while being towed to the breaker's yard; the four men aboard were rescued through the use of rocket life-saving equipment that was kept at Gwbert.
Today on the cliff edge there is a Coastguard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
lookout post, part of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is an executive agency of the United Kingdom that responsible for implementing British and international maritime law and safety policy. It works to prevent the loss of lives at sea and to prevent marine ...
Emergency Response. The original station was formed in 1878 (there was another on the other side of the estuary, at Penrhyn Castle) and comprised a building 20 ft long, 12 ft wide and 9 ft high. The rescue teams were under the control of coastguards, and were made up of local volunteers. Known as
Board of Trade Rocket Life Saving Apparatus Stations (and marked on maps as "Rocket Stations"), each was equipped with ropes, lifebelts, rockets and buoys, and the equipment was carried in a horse-drawn waggon.
Today an RNLI
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is the largest charity that saves lives at sea around the coasts of the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, as well as on some inland waterways. It i ...
lifeboat operates from nearby Poppit Sands, the centre being visible across the estuary from Gwbert.
Teifi Boating Club (''Clwb Cychod Teifi'') is based at The Patch, Gwbert, on the estuary road towards Cardigan.
Wildlife
The coastal landscape at Gwbert is home to a great variety of sea-life, birds, butterflies and wild flowers.
Bottlenose dolphin
Bottlenose dolphins are aquatic mammals in the genus ''Tursiops.'' They are common, cosmopolitan members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Molecular studies show the genus definitively contains two species: the common ...
s and porpoise
Porpoises are a group of fully aquatic marine mammals, all of which are classified under the family Phocoenidae, parvorder Odontoceti (toothed whales). Although similar in appearance to dolphins, they are more closely related to narwhals an ...
s can often be seen swimming in the bay, as can grey seal
The grey seal (''Halichoerus grypus'') is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. In Latin Halichoerus grypus means "hook-nosed sea pig". It is a large seal of the family Phocidae, which are commonly referred to as "true seals" or " ...
s from the neighbouring Cardigan Island
Cardigan Island ( cy, Ynys Aberteifi) is an uninhabited island north of Cardigan, Ceredigion, south-west Wales. It reaches a height of a.s.l., and in area.
Lying in the estuary of the River Teifi, it is known for having a small colony of grey ...
colony. Cardigan Bay has a resident population of over 100 bottlenose dolphins (some estimates exceed 200), which are most frequently seen off southern Ceredigion between Gwbert and Aberaeron
Aberaeron, previously anglicised as Aberayron, is a town, community, and electoral ward between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, in Ceredigion, Wales. Ceredigion County Council offices are in Aberaeron. The name of the town is Welsh for ''mouth of the ...
. (This is Europe's largest resident population of bottlenose dolphins, the UK's only other one being in the Moray Firth
The Moray Firth (; Scottish Gaelic: ''An Cuan Moireach'', ''Linne Mhoireibh'' or ''Caolas Mhoireibh'') is a roughly triangular inlet (or firth) of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotl ...
, Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
.)
Seals also live in the network of caves below Gwbert's Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park, where they can often be seen basking on the rocks, notably on Carreg Lydan (''Wide Rock'').[CardiganIsland.net](_blank)
Retrieved 28 September 2011
In recent years visiting basking sharks, sun fish, and even orcas
The orca or killer whale (''Orcinus orca'') is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family, of which it is the largest member. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Orcinus'' and is recognizable by its black-and-white pat ...
, minke and humpback whale
The humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae'') is a species of baleen whale. It is a rorqual (a member of the family Balaenopteridae) and is the only species in the genus ''Megaptera''. Adults range in length from and weigh up to . The hump ...
s have been spotted. In September 1979 a 24-foot whale was found washed up dead at the foot of the rocks by Clunyrynys Farm, Gwbert. On inspection of the carcass, a scientific officer found a rare 15-spined sea stickleback
The sticklebacks are a family of ray-finned fishes, the Gasterosteidae which have a Holarctic distribution in fresh, brackish and marine waters. They were thought to be related to the pipefish and seahorses but are now thought to be more closel ...
feeding on it.
Chough
There are two species of passerine birds commonly called chough ( ) that constitute the genus ''Pyrrhocorax'' of the Corvidae (crow) family of birds. These are the red-billed chough (''Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax''), and the Alpine chough (or yellow- ...
s live in holes in the cliffs, and the coast at Gwbert is also home to gannet
Gannets are seabirds comprising the genus ''Morus'' in the family Sulidae, closely related to boobies.
Gannets are large white birds with yellowish heads; black-tipped wings; and long bills. Northern gannets are the largest seabirds in the Nor ...
, razorbill
The razorbill, razor-billed auk, or lesser auk (''Alca torda'') is a colonial seabird and the only extant member of the genus '' Alca'' of the family Alcidae, the auks. It is the closest living relative of the extinct great auk (''Pinguinis impe ...
, guillemot
Guillemot is the common name for several species of seabird in the Alcidae or auk family (part of the order Charadriiformes). In British use, the term comprises two genera: ''Uria'' and ''Cepphus''. In North America the ''Uria'' species are c ...
, Manx shearwater
The Manx shearwater (''Puffinus puffinus'') is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an ...
, black-headed gull
The black-headed gull (''Chroicocephalus ridibundus'') is a small gull that breeds in much of the Palearctic including Europe and also in coastal eastern Canada. Most of the population is migratory and winters further south, but some birds res ...
and fulmar
The fulmars are tubenosed seabirds of the family Procellariidae. The family consists of two extant species and two extinct fossil species from the Miocene.
Fulmars superficially resemble gulls, but are readily distinguished by their flight on ...
. On the land other frequently spotted birds are birds of prey such as red kite
The red kite (''Milvus milvus'') is a medium-large bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. The species currently breeds in the Western Palearctic region o ...
, buzzard
Buzzard is the common name of several species of birds of prey.
''Buteo'' species
* Archer's buzzard (''Buteo archeri'')
* Augur buzzard (''Buteo augur'')
* Broad-winged hawk (''Buteo platypterus'')
* Common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'')
* Eastern ...
, peregrine falcon
The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (Bird of prey, raptor) in the family (biology), family Falco ...
, kestrel
The term kestrel (from french: crécerelle, derivative from , i.e. ratchet) is the common name given to several species of predatory birds from the falcon genus ''Falco''. Kestrels are most easily distinguished by their typical hunting behaviour ...
s and sparrowhawk
Sparrowhawk (sometimes sparrow hawk) may refer to several species of small hawk in the genus ''Accipiter''. "Sparrow-hawk" or sparhawk originally referred to ''Accipiter nisus'', now called "Eurasian" or "northern" sparrowhawk to distinguish it f ...
s. Skylark
''Alauda'' is a genus of larks found across much of Europe, Asia and in the mountains of north Africa, and one of the species (the Raso lark) endemic to the islet of Raso in the Cape Verde Islands. Further, at least two additional species are ...
s are also a regular sight.
At low tide a variety of wading birds can be seen in the estuary.
During the summer months of June to September many hundreds of Canada geese
The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...
can daily be seen heading northwards over Gwbert towards the Dyfi estuary marshes, returning each evening. These feral geese reside in the Teifi estuary and valley up as far as Newcastle Emlyn
Newcastle Emlyn ( cy, Castellnewydd Emlyn) is a town on the River Teifi, straddling the counties of Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire in West Wales. It is also a community entirely within Carmarthenshire, bordered by those of Llangeler and Cenarth ...
. They also graze on Cardigan Island, and the pond at Gwbert's Cardigan Island Farm Park also attracts geese (the farm has 3 tame geese) where, on some days, there will be a flock of over 100 Canada geese. Wild shelduck
The shelducks, most species of which are found in the genus ''Tadorna'' (except for the Radjah shelduck, which is now found in its own monotypic genus ''Radjah''), are a group of large birds in the Tadorninae subfamily of the Anatidae, the biologi ...
s, teal
alt=American teal duck (male), Green-winged teal (male)
Teal is a greenish-blue colour. Its name comes from that of a bird — the Eurasian teal (''Anas crecca'') — which presents a similarly coloured stripe on its head. The word is ofte ...
, and mallard
The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...
also nest at the farm.
Boat trips to see the wildlife off the Gwbert coast run from the Teifi Boating Club jetty at Gwbert, as well as from Poppit Sands, and Cardigan.
Climate
As with the rest of the British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...
, Gwbert experiences a maritime climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
with cool summers and mild winters. The nearest official Met Office
The Meteorological Office, abbreviated as the Met Office, is the United Kingdom's national weather service. It is an executive agency and trading fund of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and is led by CEO Penelope E ...
weather station
A weather station is a facility, either on land or sea, with instruments and equipment for measuring atmospheric conditions to provide information for weather forecasts and to study the weather and climate. The measurements taken include tempera ...
for which online records are available is at Aberporth
Aberporth is a seaside village, community and electoral ward in Ceredigion, Wales. The population at the 2001 Census, was 2,485, of whom 49 per cent could speak the Welsh language. At the 2011 Census, the population of the community was 2,374 a ...
, which is 5.7 miles (9.1 km) ENE of Gwbert, and has a similar coastal aspect.
Typically, less than three days of the year will reach or above, the warmest of which should rise to The highest temperature recorded was in July 2006. On average 18.3 nights will report air frost and the coldest night of the year should fall to . The lowest recorded temperature was , during January 1963.
Rainfall averages around 870 mm a year, with at least 1 mm falling on 143.5 days.
A detailed daily weather forecast for Gwbert, including sea temperature, can be found her
Historical remains
Craig y Gwbert, on the cliff edge near the Cliff Hotel, comprises the remains of a well-defended coastal promontory Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age (Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age (Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostly appl ...
fort, but no associated field systems The study of field systems (collections of fields) in landscape history is concerned with the size, shape and orientation of a number of fields. These are often adjacent, but may be separated by a later feature.
Field systems by region Czech Republ ...
have been found. It is only accessible via a narrow neck of land, and defended by a substantial earthen bank, measuring 2.5m in height and 40m in length. The entrance is a small gap through this bank. Today there are remains of lime pits within this area, together with a Grade 2 listed lime kiln
A lime kiln is a kiln used for the calcination of limestone (calcium carbonate) to produce the form of lime (material), lime called quicklime (calcium oxide). The chemical equation for this chemical reaction, reaction is
:Calcium carbonate, Ca ...
, and the Cliff Hotel's nine-hole golf course makes use of the promontory.
In the mid-1970s a sand-covered medieval rubbish pit (3 m diameter and 1.5 m deep) was excavated in the eroding cliff-section in Coronation Drive, south-west of the present village of Gwbert. Some medieval leather shoes were recovered, as were 75 items of pottery, which has given its name to "Gwbert Ware", a variation of Dyfed Gravel-Tempered Ware, this being very gravelly without much glaze. Examples of these 13th-century pieces can be seen in Cardigan Heritage Centre. Images are available online. Other finds in the pit included animal bones including an ox scapula and a stone axe found in the loose. Excavation also revealed earlier plough soil and cattle hoof prints under the sand.
Notable residents
The Rev. Caleb Morris (1800–1865), a native of Pembrokeshire who was educated at Cardigan, then moved to London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
in 1838 as an ordained minister, where he acquired a reputation as an eloquent and powerful speaker, and one of the leading lights of the London pulpit. During periods of physical weakness he would return to Wales to recover, but continued ill health forced him to retire early. He lived the last year of his life at Gwbert, where he died at The Lodge on 26 July 1865.['' The Evangelical Magazine and Missionary Chronicle'', Volume 7, 1865, Jackson, Walford and Hodder, London, 1865.]
Gallery
File:Coastline near Gwbert - geograph.org.uk - 743127.jpg, The coastline by Craig y Gwbert
File:Sandy cove north of Gwbert - geograph.org.uk - 743174.jpg, A sandy cove near Gwbert
File:Sunset at Gwbert - geograph.org.uk - 196753.jpg, A sunset from Gwbert
File:Gwbert coastline - geograph.org.uk - 743165.jpg, Gwbert's rocky coastline
File:Fishing Boat off Gwbert - geograph.org.uk - 197027.jpg, Fishing boat off Gwbert
File:Cardigan Golf Club - the clubhouse.jpg, The golf-course clubhouse at Gwbert
File:Cardigan Golf Club 8th hole - geograph.org.uk - 743162.jpg, The 8th hole on Craig y Gwbert
File:Cliff scenery at Gwbert.jpg, The coastline at Gwbert - looking towards Cardigan Island
See also
*, a village in Cornwall
Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
also associated with the saint.
Notes
References
External links
www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Gwbert and surrounding area
Gallery of old Gwbert photos from Ceredigion County Council
Cardigan Island Coastal Farm Park
Panoramic view from the cliff path at Gwbert
Forces of Nature – Gwbert beach guide
Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve
Old Francis Frith photos of Gwbert
*
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Beaches of Ceredigion
Coast of Ceredigion
Communities in Ceredigion
Villages in Ceredigion