Bangor, Gwynedd

Bangor
Cityandcommunity
View of the city from Porth Penrhynin 2019
Coat of arms
Bangor Location within Gwynedd
Area	2.5 sq mi (6.5 km2)
Population	15,100 (Census 2021)
•Density	6,040/sq mi (2,330/km2)
Demonym	Bangorian
OS grid reference	SH 580722
•Cardiff	127 mi (204 km)SSE
•London	207 mi (333 km)SE
Community	Bangor
Principal area	Gwynedd
Preserved county	Gwynedd
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	BANGOR
Postcode district	LL57
Dialling code	01248
Police	North Wales
Fire	North Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
UK Parliament	Bangor Aberconwy
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament	Arfon
Website	bangorcitycouncil.gov.wales
List of places UK Wales Gwynedd 53°13′41″N4°07′41″W / 53.228°N 4.128°W /53.228; -4.128 Community map

Bangor(/ˈbæŋɡər,-ɡɔːr/;^[1][2]Welsh:[ˈbaŋɡɔr]^ⓘ) is acathedral cityandcommunityinGwynedd,North Wales. It is the oldest city in Wales.Historicallypart ofCaernarfonshire, it had a population of 15,100 at the2021 census.^[3][4]Landmarks includeBangor Cathedral,Bangor UniversityandGarth Pier. TheBritanniaandMenai Suspensionbridges connect the city to theIsle of Anglesey.

The origins of the city date back to the founding of a monastic establishment on the site ofBangor Cathedralby theCelticsaintDeiniolin the early 6th century AD.'Bangor'itself is anold Welshword for a wattled enclosure,^[5]such as the one that originally surrounded the cathedral site. The present cathedral is a somewhat more recent building and has been extensively modified throughout the centuries. While the building itself is not the oldest, and certainly not the biggest, thebishopricof Bangor is one of the oldest in the UK.

In 973,Iago, ruler of theKingdom of Gwynedd, was usurped byHywel, and requested help fromEdgar, King of England, to restore his position. Edgar, with an army went to Bangor, and encouraged both Iago and Hywel to share the leadership of the realm. Asserting overall control however, Edgar confirmed liberties and endowments of theBishop of Bangor, granting land and gifts. From 1284 until the 15th century, Bangor bishops were granted several charters permitting them to hold fairs^[6]and govern the settlement, later ones also confirming them asLord of the Manor.^[7]

Bangor remained a small settlement until the start of the 18th century, when a political desire to enhance communications between England and Ireland via theLondon-Holyhead-Dublincorridor saw it designated as a post town in 1718.^[7]Growth was spurred by slate mining at nearbyBethesda, beginning in the 1770s byRichard Pennant, becoming one of the largest slate quarries in the world. The route between London and Holyhead was much improved byThomas Telfordbuilding theA5 road, which runs through the centre of the city and over theMenai Suspension Bridgewhich was also completed by him in 1826.Bangor railway stationopened in 1848.

Aparliamentary boroughwas created in 1832 for Bangor, becoming a contributingCaernarfon out boroughas its status grew due to further industry such as shipbuilding^[8]as well as travel, not just from Telford's road, but through tourism mainly from Liverpool viasteamboat.^[9]It was also anancient boroughfrom earlier privileges granted to Bangor in medieval times,^[10]butan 1835 government reportinvestigatingmunicipal corporationsconcluded that this status was defunct and in name only.^[11]The borough wasreformed in 1883into amunicipal borough.

Friars Schoolwas founded as a freegrammar schoolin 1557, and the University College of North Wales (nowBangor University) was founded in 1884. In 1877, the formerHMSCliobecame a school ship, moored on the Menai Strait at Bangor, and had 260 pupils. Closed after the end of hostilities ofWorld War I, she was sold for scrap and broken up in 1919.

InWorld War II, parts of theBBCevacuated to Bangor during the worst of theBlitz.^[12]The BBC continue to maintain facilities in the city (seeMedia).

Bangor has been unique outside of England in using the title of 'city' by ancient prescriptive right,^[13]due to its long-standing cathedral and past privileges having been granted making it a borough.^[10]Although by the early 1800s the city had avestryoverseeing the few remaining local duties, later government surveys of boroughs had established Bangor'scity corporationhad become extinct. Instead, the parliamentary borough (consitutency) of Bangor was made alocal board districtin 1850, with an elected local board to govern the city.^[14]Over time the local board gained more powers for managing local affairs. By the 1870s these too were seen to be ineffective and enough local interest stimulated a desire to obtain a charter of incorporation, which was duly granted in 1883, re-establishing a municipal body.^[15][16]This helped to preserve its ancient status; in 1927 a government list was drawn up detailingwhich settlements were cities, with Bangor being included as the only medieval Welsh city with extant rights.^[17]In 1974 the borough was abolished. However, city status was reaffirmed by the Queen to the newly createdcommunity councilarea with newletters patentafter local government reorganisation.^[18]By means of various measures, it is also one of the smallest cities in the UK. Using 2011 statistics, comparing Bangor to:

• Population of city council areas in Wales, is third (18,322 residents)^[19]withSt Davids(1,841) andSt Asaph(3,355)
• City council area size within Wales, is the second smallest city (2.79 square miles (7.2 km²)) behind St Asaph (2.49 square miles (6.4 km²))
• Urban areaswithin Wales, is third placed (1.65 square miles (4.3 km²)) behind St Davids (0.23 square miles (0.60 km²)) and St Asaph (0.50 square miles (1.3 km²))
• City council area size within the UK, is fourth after theCity of London(1.12 square miles (2.9 km²)),Wellsand St Asaph
• Urban areas within the UK, is fifth placed
• Population of city council areas within the UK, is sixth.

Bangor lies on the coast ofNorth Walesnear theMenai Strait, which separates the island ofAngleseyfrom Gwynedd, the town ofMenai Bridgelying just over the strait. The combined population of the two amounted to 22,184 at the 2011 census.Bangor Mountainat 117 metres (384 ft) lies to the east of the main part of the city, but the largehousing estateofMaesgeirchen, originally built ascouncil housing, is to the east of the mountain nearPort Penrhyn. Another ridge rises to the north of the High Street, dividing the city centre from the south shore of the Menai Strait; this area is known as Upper Bangor (Bangor Uchaf).

The Bangor community area includes the suburbs of Garth and Hirael both immediately north of the city centre; Upper Bangor north west of the centre; West End, Glan-adda, Bryn Llwyd and Coed Mawr to the south west; Y Maes to the south; Glantraeth, Tan-y-bryn and Maesgeirchen are to the east. The suburbs of Penhros-garnedd, Treborth and Minffordd are within the community ofPentiradjoining the city to the south and south west.Port Penrhynand the tiny estate of Plas-y-coed, adjoin the city within theLlandygaicommunity.

Bangor has two rivers within its boundaries. TheRiver Addais a largely culverted watercourse which only appears above ground at its western extremities near theFaenol estate, whilst theRiver Ceginenters Port Penrhyn at the eastern edge of the city. Port Penrhyn was an important port in the 19th century, exporting theslatesproduced at thePenrhyn Quarry.

Bangor lies within theBangor Aberconwy constituencyfor elections to theUK parliament.Arfonis the constituency for elections to theSenedd.

TheCity of Bangor Councilserves the people of the city, created in 1974 following Bangor assuming city status.^[21]Twenty councillors are elected from the eightelectoral wardsin the city, namely:Deiniol(2), Dewi (3), Garth (2),Glyder(3),Hendre(2), Hirael (2), Marchog (3) and Menai (3). In 2017 half of the seats were won byPlaid Cymru.^[22]The city also elects eight county councillors toGwynedd Council. In 2021,Owen Hurcumwas unanimously elected asmayor, making history as the youngest-ever mayor in Wales at 22, as well as the first evernon-binarymayor of any UK city.^[23]

In 2012, Bangor was the first city in the UK to impose, throughout its city centre, a night-time curfew on under-16s. The six-month trial was brought in by Gwynedd Council and North Wales police, but opposed by civil rights groups.^[24]

Bangor is ethnically diverse, with 85% of the population identifying as White British, followed by 8% Asian or Arab, 3% Mixed Race, 2% Black and 2% other ethnic. This makes Bangor 85% white and 15% non-white which means the city has one of the highest ethnicity populations in Wales for its population of over 15,000.^[25][26][3]

In religion,Christianitywas followed by 8,816 residents,Islamfollowed by 892 residents, and 6,526 residents not identifying with any religion or identifying with other religions. Christianity is the most prominent religion but the second largest group followed no religion.^[25]In 2021 Muslims in Bangor complained that restrictions imposed in the city had left women unable to worship at the mosque during Ramadan, while in other parts of Wales arrangements such as outdoor prayers had been made.^[27]

Bangor railway stationis a stop on theNorth Wales Coast Line, betweenCrewe,ChesterandHolyhead. Services are operated byTransport for Wales.^[28]

Bus services are provided predominantly byArriva Buses Wales; routes connect the city withHolyhead,CaernarfonandLlandudno.^[29]

TheA5runs through the centre of Bangor; it connects Holyhead,ShrewsburyandLondon. TheA55runs immediately to the south of Bangor, providing a route to Holyhead andChester.

The nearest airport with international flights isLiverpool John Lennon Airport, which is 83 miles (134 km) by road.

Bangor lies at the western end of theNorth Wales Path, a 60-mile (97 km) long-distance coastal walking route toPrestatyn. Cycle routesNCR 5,NCR 8and NCR 85 of theNational Cycle Networkpass through the city.

The head office ofGwynedd Archaeological Trustis located on Garth Road.^[30]The Trust was established in 1974, and carries out surveys, outreach and education, and excavations acrossGwyneddandAnglesey.

TheNorth Wales Wildlife Trustis also based on Garth Road, and manages the nature reserves atEithinogandNantporth.^[31]

Classical musicis performed regularly in Bangor, with concerts given in the Powis and Prichard-Jones Halls as part of the university's Music at Bangor concert series. The city is also home to Storiel (the new name for the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery), which is located inBangor Town Hall.^[32]A new arts centre complex,Pontio, the replacement for Theatr Gwynedd, was scheduled for completion in the summer of 2014,^[33]but the opening was delayed until November 2015.^[34]

Bangor hosted theNational Eisteddfodin 1890, 1902, 1915, 1931, 1940 (through the medium ofradio), 1943, 1971 and 2005, as well as an unofficial National Eisteddfod event in 1874.

Garth Pieris the second longestpierin Wales, and the ninth longest in the British Isles, at 1,500 feet (460 m) in length. It was opened in 1893 and was a promenade pier, for the amusement of holiday-makers who could stroll among the pinnacle-roofed kiosks.

In 1914, the pier was struck by a vessel that had broken free of its moorings. The damaged section was repaired temporarily by theRoyal Engineers, but when in 1922, a permanent repair was contemplated, it was found that the damage was more severe than had been thought. The repairs were made at considerable cost and the pier remained open until 1974 when it was nearly condemned as being in poor condition. It was sold for a nominal price to Arfon Borough Council who proposed to demolish it, but theCounty Council, encouraged by local support, ensured that it survived by obtainingGrade II Listed buildingstatus for it.^[35]

When it was listed that year, the British Listed Buildings inspector considered it to be "the best in Britain of the older type of pier without a large pavilion at the landward end".^[36]Restoration work took place between 1982 and 1988, and the pier was re-opened to the public on 7 May 1988.^[35]In November 2011, essential repair work was reported to be required, the cost being estimated at £2 million. A grant from theHeritage Lottery Fundwas sought but the application was rejected.^[37]

The Cathedral Church of St Deiniol is aGrade I Listed buildingand is set in a sloping oval churchyard. The site has been used for Christian worship since the sixth century but the present building dates from the twelfth century. It has a two-bay chancel, transepts, a crossing tower, a seven-bay nave and a tower at the west end.^[38]

The 344-seat Theatr Gwynedd was opened on Deiniol Road in 1975 by the university, and closed in 2008. The building was demolished in 2010.^[39]Prior to Theatr Gwynedd, Bangor was home to the County Theatre, a converted chapel on Dean Street. The building was altered in 1912 for theatrical productions, and converted to use as a night club in 1986, currently named as "Trilogy Nightclub".^[40]

The Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre by Bangor University on Deiniol Road, opened in 2015, has a theatre and a one screen cinema.

The Archdeacon's House in Bangor was the setting for act 3, scene I ofWilliam Shakespeare'sHenry IV, Part 1.^[41]

Bangor once housed two cinemas.

The Electric Pavilion – later Arcadia Cinema – stood on the High Street close to the station from about 1910 to 1930. This site was redeveloped for The Plaza Cinema, which operated from 1934 to 2006.^[42]A new building was built on the site and is now occupied by Ty Willis student accommodation and aDomino'sbranch.

The City Cinema opened in 1919, at 130–132, High Street. Building work started in 1914, but was likely delayed because of the war. The cinema closed in 1983, although the building is still there and is now occupied by a dance academy and a snooker club.^[43]

A one-screen cinema opened as part of the Pontio building in 2015.

Bangor has two King George V fields; these are located on Beach Road and Heol Dewi.

A claim to fame is that Bangor has the longestHigh Streetin Wales at 1.265 km (0.79 mi).^[44]Bangor has a central shopping area around the High Street, and retail outlets on Caernarfon Road, on the outskirts of the city. One of these is St. David's Retail Park, built on the site of the demolished St David's maternity hospital.

In 1865, MorrisWartski, a refugee from the Tsarist pogroms, first established a jewellery business on Bangor's High Street, and then a drapery store. His son, Isidore, went on to develop the drapery business and to create a large, fashionable, store. He also redeveloped the Castle Inn on High Street in Bangor, which then became the high-class Castle Hotel. Wartski was a very popular mayor of the city and a great patron of local sports and charities. Wartski Fields were bequeathed to the city and people of Bangor by his widow, Winifred Marie, in memory of Isidore Wartski.

Gwyneddis the mostWelsh-speaking county in Wales, with 65.4% of people saying they could speak it at the 2011 Census, although Bangor has been significantly more Anglicised than its hinterland and the rest of Gwynedd, mostly because of the large student population. While nearby towns in Gwynedd, such asBethesdaandCaernarfonwere still 75–80% Welsh speaking in 2011,^[45]Bangor was already only 53.4% Welsh speaking as early as 1971.^[46]

In 2011, only 36% of the population of Bangor said they could speak Welsh; a significant decrease from the 46% recorded at the 2001 Census.^[47][48]In 2015, of primary school pupils 5 years and over, the following percentages spoke Welsh fluently at home:^[49]

• Ysgol Ein Harglwyddes – < 3%
• Ysgol Cae Top – < 3%
• Ysgol Hirael – 10%
• Ysgol Glancegin – 14%
• Ysgol Llandygai – 17%
• Ysgol Y Faenol – 23%
• Ysgol Y Garnedd – 61%

The city has long been the most cosmopolitan settlement in Gwynedd, attracting incomers from both England and further afield, withBangor Universitybeing a key institution. At the 2011 Census, 49.3% of Bangor's population was born outside Wales.^[47][48]Nevertheless, Welsh was the majority vernacular of the city in the 1920s and 1930s; at the 1921 Census, 75.8% of Bangor's inhabitants could speak Welsh with 68.4% of those aged 3–4 being able to, indicating that Welsh was being transmitted to the youngest generation in most homes.^[50]The 1931 Census showed little change, with 76.1% of the overall population being able to speak Welsh.^[51]

Bangor UniversityandColeg Menaiare located in the city. There are a few Secondary schools, these includeYsgol Friars,Ysgol Tryfanand St. Gerard's School. There are also a number of primary and infant schools.Ysgol Y Faenol,Ysgol Y GarneddandYsgol Cae Topare all primary schools.

Ysbyty Gwyneddis located in Bangor in the suburb of Penrhosgarnedd. It has 403 beds, making it smaller than the other district general hospitals inBetsi Cadwaladr University Health Board(afterWrexham Maelor Hospitalwith 568 beds andGlan Clwyd Hospitalnear Rhyl with 424 beds.^[52]

The former Caernarfon and Anglesey General Hospital^[53]operated from 1809 to 1984 in Upper Bangor, on the site now occupied by Morrisons supermarket.

Bangor has a long-establishedfootballteam,Bangor City F.C.which currently competes in theCymru North, the second tier of Welsh football. Bangor City won theWelsh Premier Leagueon three occasions (1994, 1995, 2011) and were continuous members of the league from its inception until 2018. Bangor City have also won theWelsh Cupeight times, most recently inthe 2010 competition. Before 1992, they were members of theEnglish football pyramid, peaking with theNorthern Premier Leaguetitle in 1982 and beingFA Trophyrunners-up in 1984. They have also competed in theUEFA Cup Winners' Cupthree times (including its final season,1998–99, before being merged into theUEFA Cup),UEFA Champions Leaguetwice, and UEFA Cup five times, though they have not progressed far in any of the European competitions.

Fans wanting to protect football in the city, formed a breakaway club calledBangor 1876 F.C.in the summer of 2019 and on 19 June 2019, the FAW announced the new club had been accepted into the Gwynedd League for the 2019–20 season.

Bangor is also home torugby unionteamBangor RFCwho play in theWRU Division Two Northleague. As well as the city's team, the university boasts a very competitive rugby union team, which won the title in itsBUCSleague in the 2015-16 season and also undefeated in 2022 and 2023. The university's rugby team shares a performance and development programme with Rygbi Gogledd Cymru (RGC), who are the regional representative club for the North Wales Rugby Development Region.

The Bangor Aye is an independent online news and information service for the city and surrounding area.

Bangor is home to a smallBBCbroadcasting centre, producing a large amount of output forBBC Radio Cymru. The studios are also the main North-West Wales newsroom for television, radio and on-line. The BBC's Light Entertainment Department moved to Bangor during World War II and many classic programmes (likeIt's That Man Again) came from Bangor.

Bangor was also previously home to two commercial radio stations,Heart Cymru(now Capital Cymru) (serving Anglesey and Gwynedd) and the now-defunctHeart North Wales Coast(now Capital North West and Wales) (serving the North Wales Coast), which shared studio facilities on the Parc Menai office complex – the studios were closed in August 2010 after the stations were moved toWrexham.

Bangor Universityalso has its own student radio station calledStorm FM, which broadcasts to theFfriddoedd Siteand from their website.

In 1967,The Beatlescame to Bangor, staying in Dyfrdwy, one of the halls comprising Adeilad Hugh Owen (Hugh Owen Building), now part of the Management Centre, for their first encounter withMaharishi Mahesh Yogi, during which visit they learned of the death of their managerBrian Epstein.^[54][55]

On 24 February 2010 BBC Radio 1'sThe Chris Moyles Showannounced Bangor as the location for Radio 1'sBig Weekendconcert festival. The morning show was broadcast on location from Bangor, with the announcement as well as a portion of the lineup being revealed. Big international acts such asRihanna,MGMT,KeshaandAlicia Keysplayed as well as homegrown British acts likeBiffy Clyro,Pixie Lott,Cheryl Cole,PendulumandDizzee Rascal.

The town is mentioned in theFiddler's Dram1979 hit single "Day Trip to Bangor". The release was shrouded in controversy after reports that the song was actually inspired by a trip to nearbyRhyl, and there were rumours of an outcry among local councillors and businesses in Rhyl about the missed opportunity for tourism which would have been generated. Songwriter Debbie Cook stated that the song was specifically written about Bangor.^[56]

TheUnited Statestown ofBangor, Pennsylvaniain theLehigh Valleyregion of easternPennsylvaniadraws its name from Bangor, Gwynedd. Bangor, Pennsylvania was settled around 1760 by Robert M. Jones, an emigrant from Bangor, Gwynedd who went on to be influential in the development of the town'sslateindustry. Slate quarries still exist in the small Pennsylvania town, but only a few are still functioning. A life-sized statue of Jones, dedicated on 24 September 1914, remains in the town centre.^[57]The influence of Bangor, Gwynedd is visible in the stone walls, square gardens, flowers, and greenery that mirror those of itsWelshnamesake. Also like Bangor, Wales, Bangor, Pennsylvania has piles ofslateresidue and shale reminiscent of the area.^[58]

SeeCategory:People from Bangor, Gwynedd

• William Ambrose(1813–1873), bardic nameEmrys, poet and preacher.
• Brenda Chamberlain(1912–1971), a Welsh artist, poet and writer.
• John Edward Daniel(1902–1962), theologian, college lecturer and war-time chairman ofPlaid Cymru.
• Richard Deacon(born 1949), abstract sculptor, winner of theTurner Prize.
• Matthew Dent(born 1981), graphic artist and designer of the redesigned 2008 British coinage.
• Duffy(born 1984), singer-songwriter. First Welsh woman to achieve No. 1 in theUK Singles Chartsince 1983.
• Endaf Emlyn(born 1944), musician, film and TV director.
• Ren Gill(born 1990), musician.^{[citation needed]}
• Mary Dilys Glynne(1895–1991), plant pathologist and mountaineer.
• George Guest(1924–2002), an organist and choral conductor.
• Owen Hurcum(born 1997), politician, former mayor of the city of Bangor; openly non-binary.
• Dylan Jones-Evans(born 1966), professor and newspaper columnist
• Sian Lloyd(born 1968), Welsh TV news presenter, works for BBC News
• Angus McDermid(1920–1988), BBC News foreign correspondent.
• Owain Owain(1929–1993), nuclear scientist, novelist, short-story writer and poet.
• Harry Parry(1912–1956), jazz clarinetist and bandleader.^[59]
• Ben Roberts(1950–2021), actor, playedC.I.Derek Conway in theITV series,The Bill.
• Sasha(born 1969), DJ and record producer.^[60]
• Gwilym Simcock(born 1981), pianist and composer, often blurring jazz and classical music
• Charles Warren(1840–1927),Royal Engineer, archaeologist and Police Chief
• John Francon Williams(1854–1911), editor, journalist, geographer, historian, cartographer and inventor; born inLlanllechidand lived in Bangor as a child.

• Errie Ball(1910–2014), golfer, played in first Masters Tournament in 1934.^[61]
• Nicola Davies(born 1985), former football goalkeeper with 64 caps withWales women
• Wayne Hennessey(born 1987), football goalkeeper with over 280 club caps and 108 forWales.
• Owain Tudur Jones(born 1984), footballer with 258 club caps and 7 forWales.
• Robin McBryde(born 1970), rugby union hooker with 37 caps forWales
• Sheila Morrow(born 1947), President of Great Britain Hockey since 2017.
• Eddie Niedzwiecki(born 1959), football goalkeeper with 247 club caps.
• Pat Pocock(born 1946), former cricketer, played in 25Test matches
• Rachel Taylor(born 1983), rugby union player with 43 caps for and captain ofWales women
• Alex Thomson(born 1974), record-breaking solo around-the-world sailor.
• Marc Lloyd Williams(born 1973), footballer,Welsh Premier League's top scorer, with 319 goals.

• Soest,North Rhine-Westphalia,Germany

• Bangor, Walestravel guide from Wikivoyage
• Bangor, GwyneddatCurlie