Arfon (District)
| Arfon Principal Area | |
|---|---|
|
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| Administrative headquarters | Caernarfon |
| surface | km² |
| Residents | 56647 (2001) |
| Welsh speakers | |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-GWN |
| ONS code | |
| Website | |
Arfon was one of the five districts of County Gwynedd ( Wales ) from 1974 to 1996. In the Middle Ages Arfon was a cantref of the Kingdom of Gwynedd.
etymology
The name Arfon is derived from the Cymrian ar and fon , which means "opposite Anglesey " - Môn is the Welsh name of Anglesey ( mutation from môn to fôn ). This name of the area has been in use since the early Middle Ages, Cantref Arfon was already the name of this administrative unit of the former kingdom of Gwynedd and the geocultural name has survived to this day. Arfon is also a common Welsh given name.
Political structure
By the Local Government Act 1972 , this district was formed on April 1, 1974 from parts of the county of Caernarfonshire , namely from the boroughs of Bangor , Caernarfon and Bethesda , the counties of Ogwen and Gwyrfai (but without the parishes of Beddgelert and Clynnog ). On April 1, 1996, when Gwynedd was back to the Unitary Authority , the district division was ended. Today Arfon is a borough .
Cantref Arfon
The medieval Cantref of Arfon was the nucleus of the kingdom of Gwynedd. It was later incorporated into the new county of Caernarfonshire. The Cantref Anglesey ( Ynys Môn ) lay in the north, the Cantref Arllechwedd in the east, Eifionydd in the south and Pen Llŷn in the west, separated by the Strait of the Menai Strait . Since Arfon jointly controlled Menai Strait with Anglesey, it was an important strategic power factor.
The Cantref Arfon is very diverse in its geography, fertile land and fertile pastures on the banks of the Menai and in the valleys, forests on the slopes of the mountains in the south, which include the highest mountains in Wales, such as Snowdon and Tryfan .
During the Iron Age and the Roman Era , the land was inhabited by the Ordovic tribe. The Roman fort of Segontium (today Caernarfon) and the Dinorwig hill castle, as well as Dolbadarn Castle (both near the village of Llanberis ) were important defensive structures. Ecclesiastical centers were in Bangor, where the bishops of Bangor resided, and in Clynnog Fawr , which ruled large parts of Anglesey.
Ioan Arfon
The Welsh poet, critic and geologist John Owen Griffith (* 1828, † 1881) was known by the Cymrian poet name Ioan Arfon , he also acted as arbiter of the national Eisteddfod (festival of literature, music and song in Wales). He died on November 22, 1881 at the age of 53.
mythology
In the "Fourth Branch of Mabinogi" ( Math fab Mathonwy , "Math, the son of Mathonwys") the virgin Goewin is the foot holder of King Math of Gwynedd. She is Pebin's daughter from Dôl Bebin in Arfon and is portrayed as the most beautiful girl of her time. Because of Gilfaethwy's love for her and Gwydyon's deceit , a war with Pryderi breaks out and Maths falls out with his nephews. The court of King Math was Caer Dathyl, that of Arianrhod Caer Arianrhod; Llew Llaw Gyffes flees to the Nantlle Valley as an eagle after the Goronwy murder attempt . All of these places are in Cantref Arfon.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ GRIFFITH, JOHN OWEN (Ioan Arfon, from 1828 to 1881). In: Welsh Biography Online.