Bangor

Bangor, an episcopal city, borough, and seaport of Carnarvonshire, North Wales, on the SE. shore of the Menai Strait, 60 miles W. of Chester. The grandeur and beauty of the surrounding scenery has long made it a favourite resort, and the opening of the Chester and Holyhead Railway (1850), on the great line of communication from London to Dublin, greatly promoted its prosperity. The town has of late years been greatly improved, and mostly rebuilt. Its chief trade is derived from the great Penrhyn slate-quarries, 5 miles distant, which employ 2000 men. The slates are exported to all parts of the world, and also manufactured at Bangor into tables, chimney-pieces, &c. Pop. (1891) 9892. Bangor unites with Carnarvon, &c. in sending one member to parliament. It is a place of great antiquity. In 525 St Deiniol founded a college here; and in 550 he became the first bishop; the cathedral founded by him was thrice destroyed, in 1071, in 1282, and in 1402. The present cruciform edifice, built between 1496 and 1532, was 'unequalled in meanness' amongst the cathedrals of the United Kingdom, until in 1869 Sir Gilbert Scott began to restore it, and it was reopened in 1880. From a Late Perpendicular structure it has since been transformed to much what it was at the beginning of the 14th century—a dignified cruciform pile, with a low western tower and a new (unfinished) central spire. In 1883 Bangor received a municipal charter, and the University College of North Wales was opened here in 1884.