Carnarvonshire

Carnarvonshire, a maritime county of North Wales, bounded E. and SE. by Denbigh and Merioneth shires, and on all other sides by the Irish Sea and the Menai Strait. With a maximum length and breadth of 34 and 23 miles, it has an area of 379 sq. m., of which 50.7 per cent. is under cultivation. The surface is grandly mountainous, traversed by the highest ranges in South Britain. The chief of these runs right along the middle of the county, from south-west to north-east, and is very bold and rocky. It attains its maximum altitude in Snowdon (q.v.), 3571 feet, in the centre of the county, the loftiest summit south of the Scottish Border. Carnarvon Bay is 34 miles across, and 16 deep, with 2 to 30 fathoms water; it communicates with the Irish Sea through the Menai Strait, which is 14 miles long, and 200 yards to 2 miles broad. The rivers of Carnarvon are numerous, but small. The chief is the Conway, which is navigable for 10 miles, and runs along the east border. Almost all the streams flow through small lakes or tarns—of which there are 50 or 60 in the county—around the central or Snowdon group of mountains. There are many fine cataracts on these streams. Igneous rocks almost everywhere intrude on the Lower Silurian and Cambrian beds; and the mineral products of Carnarvon include copper, lead, zinc, coal, roofing and writing slates. The Penrhyn slate-quarries employ many thousands of workmen. The chief towns are Carnarvon (the county town), Bangor, Pwllheli, Conway, Nevin, and Criccieth. In addition to the above boroughs, several flourishing towns and tourist centres have come into prominence—Llandudno, Tremadoc, Bethesda, Bettws-y-Coed, Llanberis, and Beddgelert. The county returns two members to parliament—one for the south or Efon division, and one for the north or Arfon division. Pop. (1801) 41,521; (1881) 119,349; (1891) 118,205. Carnarvon contains several hill-forts, stone-circles, two Roman stations, some ruined castles, and vestiges of monasteries. The Snowdonian mountains were long the stronghold of the Welsh against the Romans, Saxons, and Normans in their efforts to subjugate Wales, and here the Welsh were conquered by Edward I. in 1277-82.