Abergele 625177 223050289 2008-07-02T10:21:57Z Melynmelyn 7409164 /* External links */ : {{For|the district in Ethiopia|Abergele (woreda)}} {{infobox UK place| |country = Wales |welsh_name= |constituency_welsh_assembly= [[Clwyd West (National Assembly for Wales constituency)|Clwyd West]] |official_name= Abergele |latitude= 53.28 |longitude= -3.58 |unitary_wales= [[Conwy (county borough)|Conwy]] |lieutenancy_wales= [[Clwyd]] |constituency_westminster= [[Clwyd West (UK Parliament constituency)|Clwyd West]] |post_town= ABERGELE |postcode_district = LL22 |postcode_area= LL |dial_code= 01745 |os_grid_reference= SH945775 |population= 17,574 (2001 census) }} '''Abergele''' is an old [[Ancient Rome|Roman]] trading [[town]], situated near the north [[Wales]] coast between the holiday resorts of [[Colwyn Bay]] and [[Rhyl]], in the county borough of [[Conwy (county borough)|Conwy]]. Its northern suburb of [[Pensarn]] lies on the [[Irish Sea]] coast and is known for its [[beach]], where it is claimed by some that a [[ghost ship]] has been sighted. [[Abergele and Pensarn railway station]] serves both resorts. Abergele is generally ignored due to the popularity of nearby [[Rhyl]], [[Prestatyn]], [[Colwyn Bay]], [[Llandudno]] and [[Conwy]]. The town itself lies on the [[A55 road]] and is known for [[Gwrych Castle]]. The town is surrounded by wooded hillsides, which contain caves with rare [[lesser horseshoe bat]]. The highest hill is [[Moelfre Isaf]] (1038 ft) to the south of the town. There are also outstanding views from [[Cefn-yr-Ogof]] (669 ft), Tower Hill (587 ft) and [[Tan-y-Gopa]]. Abergele (including Pensarn) has a population of around 18,000 and is part of the Abergele/[[Rhyl]]/[[Prestatyn]] urban area with a population of 64,026 (2001 census). Approximately 29% of Abergele has a significant knowledge of [[Welsh language|Welsh]]. The town also has satellite villages such as [[St. George, Conwy|Saint George]], [[Betws yn Rhos]], [[Rhyd-y-foel]], [[Belgrano]] and [[Llanddulas]]. Recent genetic studies [http://mbe.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/19/7/1008.pdf] on the y-chromosomes of men in Abergele have revealed that there is a substantial percentage of North African DNA in Abergele. Genetic marker e3b was found to average at 38.97% in male y-chromosomes in Abergele. Genetic marker e3b is found at its highest concentrations in North Africa at 75% but at much lower percentages in Northern Europe at less than 5%. The reason for the high levels of e3b in Abergele is most likely due to the heavy Roman presence in Abergele as most of the Romans that came to Britain did not come from Italy rather from other parts of the empire such as North Africa, the Middle East and eastern Europe. Above average levels of genetic marker e3b have been found in other towns in Britain that were known to have had a heavy Roman presence. So called "celtic" areas of the Iberian Peninsula have been found with high percentage of North African genes (highest among the ancestral isolated Pasiegos community in the Cantabrian mountains,46% and along other older chromosomes from Last Ice Age)in contrast to much southern and favourable areas for human habitation, like farming and Culturally rich Andalucia and mediterranean coasts.It is usually assumed that the Roman or Arab occupations left such imprint,but the remote location and reduced genes presence in more mainstream and likewise settled areas turn to indicate an older origin that parallels along the French and British coasts.Neolithic or older. ==History== Sites of historical interest include two Iron Age hill forts. [[Castell Cawr]] at [[Tan-y-Gopa]] and Fort Dinorben now virtually disappeared owing to limestone quarrying at St George. On [[Gallt y Felin Wynt]], a hill above the town popularly known as Tower Hill or [[Bryn Twr]] is a C17th watchtower, partially restored in 1930. There is another iron-age fort at [[Pen-y-Corddyn mawr]] hill above [[Rhyd-y-foel]]. There is also another watchtower Lady Emilys Tower which is located near [[Cefn-yr-Ogof]]. [[Gwrych Castle]] was built between 1819-1825 at the behest of Lloyd Hesketh Bamford-Hesketh. From 1894 until 1946 it was the residence of the Dundonald family. Gwrych Castle's present owner, Californian businessman Nick Tavaglione, who bought the landmark 17 years ago has put Gwrych up for auction on 2 June 2006 but it failed to sell, The condition of the property is being monitored by the Gwrych Castle Trust. [http://www.gwrychtrust.co.uk/] It is undergoing renovation. The boxers [[Bruce Woodcock (boxer)|Bruce Woodcock]] (in the late 1940s) and [[Randolph Turpin]] (in 1952) trained at Gwrych Castle and the film [[Prince Valiant]] starring Edward Fox and [[Katherine Heigl]], star of [[Knocked Up]], was filmed there in 1996. A curious undated inscription can be found on a tombstone in St Michael's Church (built on the site of a 'clas' or Celtic monastery). It states 'Here lieth in St Michael's churchyard a man who had his dwelling three miles to the north'. As the sea is little more than half a mile away at this point, this suggests that the sea has made some considerable advance over the centuries<ref>'''Black's Picturesque Guide to North Wales''', Adam and Charles Black, 1857 p.30</ref>. Outside the church is a penitential stone where sinners had to do penance by standing, dressed in white, by the stone and bessech the congregation for mercy as they entered and left the church. In 1868 the [[Abergele Train Disaster]] was, up to that time, the worst railway disaster in Britain. The 33 people who died are buried in a mass grave in the local churchyard. On [[30 June]] [[1969]], the evening before the investiture of [[Prince Charles]] in [[Caernarfon]], two members of [[Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru]] (Welsh Defence Movement), Alwyn Jones and George Taylor, were killed when their bomb - intended for the railway line along which the Royal Train would be passing - exploded prematurely. ==External links== *[http://www.aberth.com/aish/ Abergele in Shorts] *[http://www.abergeletowncouncil.gov.uk/ Abergele Town Council] *[http://www.gwrychtrust.co.uk/ Gwrych Castle Trust official site] *[http://www.gwrych.co.uk/ Another Gwrych Castle website] *[http://www.castlewales.com/gwrych.html Photos of Gwrych Castle] *[http://www.familytreedna.com/public/WalesDNA/index.aspx Wales DNA Project] *[http://www.rhyljournal.co.uk/ Rhyl, Prestatyn and Abergle Journal newspaper] *[http://www.gwrych.org.uk/ Gwrych Castle Website] == References == <references/> ==Further reading== *Gordon Emery, ''Curious Clwyd'' (1995) ISBN 1-872265-99-5 *Gordon Emery, ''Curious Clwyd 2 '' (1996) ISBN 1-872265-97-9 *Edward Hubbard, ''Buildings of Wales:Clwyd'' (1986) ISBN 0-14-071052-3 *Mark Baker, ''The Rise and Fall of Gwrych Castle including Winifred, Countess of Dundonald- A Biography'' (2003) ISBN 0-95-374401-9 [[Category:Seaside resorts in Wales]] [[Category:Towns in Conwy county borough]] [[cy:Abergele]] [[et:Abergele]]