Carmarthen

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Carmarthenshire :: Carmarthen

Carmarthen (Welsh Caerfyrddin - caer fort + Myrddin Moridunum, Merlin (origin disputed)) is the county town of Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is on the River Tywi and has a population of about 20,000.

History

Roman

When Britannia was a Roman province, Carmarthen was the civitas known as Moridunum (meaning sea fort) of the Celtic tribe known as the Demetae. Carmarthen is possibly the oldest town in Wales and was recorded by Ptolemy and in the Antonine Itinerary. The Roman fort can be seen still and is believed to date from AD75-77.

Near the fort is Maridunum Demetarum, one of 7 surviving Roman amphitheatres in the United Kingdom. It was excavated in 1968. The arena itself is 46 by 27 meters; the circumference of the cavea seating area is 92 by 67 meters.^*

The name became Carmarthen (Caer Fyrddin) in Welsh. Someone may have treated the name as meaning "Royal residence of a man called Myrddin".

A coin hoard was found nearby in 2006 ^*.

Medieval

The strategic importance of Carmarthen was such that the Norman William fitz Baldwin built a castle probably around 1094. The existing castle site is known to have been used since 1105. The castle was destroyed by Llywelyn the Great in 1215. In 1223 the castle was rebuilt and permission was received to wall the town (a murage). Carmarthen was probably the first mediaeval walled town in Wales. In 1405 the town was taken and the castle was sacked by Owain Glyndŵr.

The famous Black book of Carmarthen, written around 1250AD, is associated with the town's Priory of St. John the Evangelist and Teulyddog.

Early Modern

In the 16th and 17th centuries the dominant business of Carmarthen was still agriculture and related trades including woollen manufacture.

Carmarthen was made a county corporate by charter of James I in 1604. The charter decreed that Carmarthen should be known as the 'Town of the County of Carmarthen' and should have two sheriffs. This was reduced to one sheriff in 1835, and the (now largely ceremonial) post continues to this day.

18th century to present

In the mid 18th century the iron and coal trades became much more important although Carmarthen never developed ironworks on the scale of Dowlais or Merthyr Tydfil.

Carmarthen hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1867, 1911 and 1974 although, at least in the case of the 1974 Eisteddfod, the Maes was at Abergwili.

Famous Citizens

The architect John Nash.
The sculptor Roger Moss.
The snooker pro Matthew Stevens.
The Perrier-nominated comedian Rhod Gilbert.

Arthurian Legend

According to some variants of the Arthurian legend Merlin was born in a cave outside Carmarthen, with many noting that Merlin may be an anglicised form of Myrddin. Historians generally disagree with this interpretation of the name, preferring that Myrddin is a corruption of the Roman name, but the story is popular. Many areas surrounding Carmarthen still allude to this, such as the nearby Bryn Myrddin (Merlin's Hill).

Legend also had it that when a particular tree called 'Merlin's Oak' fell it would be the downfall of the town as well. In order to stop this the tree was dug up when it died and pieces are now in the museum. The occasional flooding of the appropriately-named Water Street has been attributed to ongoing redevelopment of the area.

The Black book of Carmarthen includes poems with references to Myrddin (Ymddiddan Myrddin a Thaliesin) and possibly to Arthur (Pa ŵr yw'r Porthor?). The interpretation of these is difficult because the Arthur legend was already known by this time, and many details of the modern form of the legend had been described by Geoffrey of Monmouth before the book was written. In addition some of the stories appear to have been moved into Wales at some point before their recording in the book.

Picton's monument

This stands at the west end of the town, and was erected in memory of the gallant Sir Thomas Picton, who died in the Battle of Waterloo. It is about 30 feet high, and is, particularly the shaft and architrave, similar to Trajan's pillar in Rome. It is constructed of black marble. The pillar stands on a square pedestal, with a small door on the east side, which fronts the town, where the monument is ascended by a flight of steps. Over the door, in large characters, is the name, PICTON; and above this is a relief showing part of the field of battle, with the hero falling from his horse, from the mortal wound which he received. Over this, in large letters, is inscribed WATERLOO. On the west end is represented the siege of Badajos, Picton scaling the walls with a few men, and attacked by the besieged. Above this is the word BADAJOS. On the south side of the pedestal is the following inscription:—

Sir THOMAS PICTON,

Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of the

Bath,

Of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword,

and of other foreign Orders;

Lieutenant-General in the British Army, and

Member of Parliament for the Borough of

Pembroke,

Born at Poyston, in Pembrokeshire, in August,

1758;

Died at Waterloo on the 18th of June, 1815,

Gloriously fighting for his country and the

liberties of Europe.

Having honourably fulfilled, on behalf of the

public, various duties in various climates:

And having achieved the highest military renown

in the Spanish Peninsula,

He thrice received the unanimous thanks of

Parliament,

And a Monument erected by the British nation

in St. Paul's Cathedral

Commemorates his death and services,

His grateful countrymen, to perpetuate past and

incite to future exertions,

Have raised this column, under the auspices of

his Majesty, King George the Fourth,

To the memory of a hero and a Welshman.

The plan and design of this Monument was given

by our countryman, John Nash, Esq. F.R.S.

Architect to the King.

The ornaments were executed by

E.H. Bailey, Esq. R.A.

And the whole was erected by Mr. Daniel

Mainwaring, of the town of Carmarthen,

In the year 1826 and 1827.

On the north side is the translation of the above in Welsh; and on the top of the pedestal, on each side of the square, are trophies. The top of the column is also square, and on each side are imitative cannons. The statue of the hero surmounts the whole. He is wrapped in a cloak, and is supported by a baluster, round which are emblems of spears.

Carmarthen today

Modern day Carmarthen is a midsized town of around 20,000 people. It is served by rail links through Swansea to Cardiff. Carmarthen has a large amount of surviving history including the Roman amphitheatre (Carmarthen was known as Maridunum Demetarum by the Romans), and the castle. The Gwili Railway, a section of the former railway line to Aberystwyth, has been re-opened as a heritage railway for tourists. Carmarthen is the site of Trinity College Carmarthen. It also accommodates the headquarters of Dyfed-Powys Police.

Carmarthen has a large proportion of Welsh speakers, with the county of Carmarthenshire as a whole boasting the largest population of such by number (the largest Welsh-speaking population by proportion is in Gwynedd). Although Carmarthen is on navigable water the harbour sees no commercial use, in part due to the treacherous approaches.

Carmarthen is twinned with Lesneven, France, Santa Marinella, Italy and As Pontes, Spain.

External links

Carmarthenshire | Towns in Carmarthenshire | Arthurian legend | Welsh county towns | Roman towns in Wales

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