In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Barmouth like this:
BARMOUTH, a small seaport town and a subdistrict, in the district of Dolgelly, Merioneth. The tow is in the parish of Llanaber; and stands on the N side of themouth of the river Maw, and on a branch of the Welsh Coast railway, 10 miles W by S of Dolgelly. It is called by the natives Abermaw, or, abbreviatedly, Barmaw; whence, by corruption, the English name Barmouth. ...
It consists partly of a street along the strand, but chiefly of successive tiers of houses on the steep slope of a lofty rock, accessible from below by steps. It has a head post office,‡ a r. station, two good inns,-a public library, a chapel of ease, and three dissenting chapels. It is much frequented as a watering-place; and it possesses excellent bathing facilities, enjoys splendid views, and offers ready access to charming excursions and recreations. A ferry plies across the Maw; and ample railway communication exists, northward, northeastward, and southward, by the Aberystwith and Welsh Coast, the Cambrian, and the Carnarvonshire systems, together with their branches and connexions. Markets are held on Tuesday and Friday, and fairs on 10 May, 19 Sept., 7 Oct., and 8 Nov. Business is done in woollen manufacture, ship-building, and coasting. The harbour is small, but has a pier and upwards off 100 small sloops; and is a sub-port to Carnarvon. An island, called Ynys-y-Brawd, divides the entrance of the Maw into two channels; and the large shoal, called Sarn Badrig, lies about 10 miles off. Wilberforce used to spend his antumns at Barmouth when labouring against the slave trade; and a tower anciently. stood here which was a retreat of the Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry VII., when planning his expedition against Richard III. Pop. Of the town, about 950.-The subdistrict comprises six parishes. Acres, 72,147. Pop., 7,643. Houses, 1,773.
Barmouth through time
Barmouth is now part of Gwynedd district. Click here for graphs and data of how Gwynedd has changed over two centuries. For statistics about Barmouth itself, go to Units and Statistics.
GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth, History of Barmouth, in Gwynedd and Merionethshire | Map and description, A Vision of Britain through Time.
URL: https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/878
Date accessed: 27th April 2024
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