Bangor

Sister cities

• Soest

History

The origins of the city date back to the founding of a monastic establishment on the site of Bangor Cathedral by the Celtic saint Deiniol in the early 6th century AD. itself is an old Welsh word for a wattled enclosure, 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, the bishopric of Bangor is one of the oldest in the UK. In 973, Iago, ruler of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, was usurped by Hywel, and requested help from Edgar, 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 the Bishop of Bangor, granting land and gifts. From 1284 until the 15th century, Bangor bishops were granted several charters permitting them to hold fairs and govern the settlement, later ones also confirming them as Lord of the manor. Bangor remained a small settlement until the start of the 18th century. The main mail coach route from London to Dublin via Holyhead passed to the east of Bangor, crossing the Lavan Sands to reach a ferry across the Menai Strait to Beaumaris. In 1718, a sub-postmaster was appointed based in Bangor and the mail coach route was diverted to pass through Bangor on its way to the alternative Porthaethwy ferry. Being on the mail coach route considerably increased the trade passing through Bangor and encouraged its growth. as well as travel, not just from Telford's road, but through tourism mainly from Liverpool via steamboat. Friars School was founded as a free grammar school in 1557 and the…

Geography

Bangor lies on the coast of North Wales near the Menai Strait, which separates the island of Anglesey from Gwynedd, the town of Menai Bridge lying just over the strait. The combined population of the two amounted to 22,184 at the 2011 census. Bangor Mountain at lies to the east of the main part of the city, but the large housing estate of Maesgeirchen, originally built as council housing, is to the east of the mountain near Port 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 (). 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 of Pentir adjoining the city to the south and south west. Port Penrhyn and the tiny estate of Plas-y-coed, adjoin the city within the Llandygai community. Bangor has two rivers within its boundaries. The River Adda is a largely culverted watercourse which only appears above ground at its western extremities near the Faenol estate, whilst the River Cegin enters Port Penrhyn at the eastern edge of the city. Port Penrhyn was an important port in the 19th century, exporting the slates produced at the Penrhyn Quarry.

Most-observed species

• Herring Gull

  Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763 · Aves
  3,977
• Carrion Crow

  Corvus corone Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  3,220
• European Robin

  Erithacus rubecula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,694
• Eurasian Blackbird

  Turdus merula Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,693
• Western Jackdaw

  Coloeus monedula (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2,418
• Eurasian Oystercatcher

  Haematopus ostralegus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,276
• Mallard

  Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,142
• Common Wood-Pigeon

  Columba palumbus Linnaeus, 1758 · Aves
  2,139

Most recent

• M 3 — 2015-05-26
  6 km WSW of Caernarfon, United Kingdom
• M 3.2 — 2013-08-25
  23 km W of Cleveleys, United Kingdom
• M 2.8 — 2013-06-26
  14 km WSW of Nefyn, United Kingdom
• M 3.8 — 2013-05-29
  14 km WSW of Nefyn, United Kingdom
• M 3.3 — 2007-11-30
  4 km NNE of Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant, United Kingdom
• M 3.8 — 2005-02-14
  2 km SW of Conwy, United Kingdom