Gourt Home::Gourt :: Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire (), also known as Carnarvonshire, is a maritime traditional county of Wales.
Geography
The county is bounded to the north by the Irish Sea, to the east by Denbighshire, to the south by Cardigan Bay and Merionethshire, and to the west by Caernarfon Bay and the Menai Strait, which separates it from Anglesey. It has an area of 1,462 km² and a population of 128,000. The surface is mountainous. A large part of the Snowdonia National Park lies in the county including Yr Wyddfa, the highest mountain in Wales at 1,085 m. The Lleyn Peninsula is less mountaineous and contains many bays and sandy beaches. Bardsey Island is a major site for nesting seabirds. The River Conwy runs north along the eastern boundary.
Principal towns are Bangor, Betws-y-Coed, Caernarfon, Conwy, Llandudno, Porthmadog and Pwllheli. Sheep rearing and tourism are the main industries, the coast being much developed for the latter.
The county was originally created under the terms of the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284 and included the Cantrefi of:
and the Commote of:
Caernarfonshire has a detached coastal portion near the town of Llandulas that lies locally in Denbighshire. This has been omitted from the map opposite, and is shown as being part of Denbighshire.
Places of interest
- Bardsey Island ();
- Caernarfon Castle ();
- Conwy Castle ();
- Cricceith Castle ();
- Great Orme Tramway ();
- Gwydir Castle, nr. Llanrwst ();
- Penrhyn Castle ();
- Swallow Falls, Betws-y-Coed ();
- Snowdon Mountain Railway, Llanberis ();
- Ty Mawr Wybrnant ().
Government
For administrative purposes, the county is divided between the unitary authorities of Gwynedd to the west and Conwy to the east. Its own county council, established in 1889 was abolished in 1974.
See also
"Caernarfonshire"