80-534: Narberth ( Welsh : Arberth ) is a town and community in Pembrokeshire , Wales . It was founded around a Welsh court and later became a Norman stronghold on the Landsker Line . It became the headquarters of the hundred of Narberth . It was once a marcher borough. George Owen described it in 1603 as one of nine Pembrokeshire "boroughs in decay". In 2021, the population of both wards (rural and urban)
160-631: A contemporary art gallery and restaurant. The Bloomfield House Community Centre, a Community association and a registered charity is in Narberth. Other attractions near to Narberth include Blackpool Mill , at the highest tidal reach of the River Cleddau , where Eurasian otters and other wildlife may be seen, and Oakwood Theme Park . Narberth was named one of the best places to live in Wales in 2017. There are 70 listed buildings in Narberth. Narberth
240-441: A Welsh Language Scheme, which indicates its commitment to the equality of treatment principle. This is sent out in draft form for public consultation for a three-month period, whereupon comments on it may be incorporated into a final version. It requires the final approval of the now defunct Welsh Language Board ( Bwrdd yr Iaith Gymraeg ). Thereafter, the public body is charged with implementing and fulfilling its obligations under
320-586: A Welsh-language edge inscription was used on pound coins dated 1985, 1990 and 1995, which circulated in all parts of the UK prior to their 2017 withdrawal. The wording is Pleidiol wyf i'm gwlad (Welsh for 'True am I to my country'), and derives from the national anthem of Wales, " Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau ". UK banknotes are in English only. Some shops employ bilingual signage. Welsh sometimes appears on product packaging or instructions. The UK government has ratified
400-647: A census glossary of terms to support the release of results from the census, including their definition of "main language" as referring to "first or preferred language" (though that wording was not in the census questionnaire itself). The wards in England with the most people giving Welsh as their main language were the Liverpool wards of Central and Greenbank ; and Oswestry South in Shropshire . The wards of Oswestry South (1.15%), Oswestry East (0.86%) and St Oswald (0.71%) had
480-405: A fair amount. 56 per cent of Welsh speakers speak the language daily, and 19 per cent speak the language weekly. The Welsh Government plans to increase the number of Welsh-language speakers to one million by 2050. Since 1980, the number of children attending Welsh-medium schools has increased, while the number going to Welsh bilingual and dual-medium schools has decreased. Welsh is considered
560-399: A new language altogether. The argued dates for the period of "Primitive Welsh" are widely debated, with some historians' suggestions differing by hundreds of years. The next main period is Old Welsh ( Hen Gymraeg , 9th to 11th centuries); poetry from both Wales and Scotland has been preserved in this form of the language. As Germanic and Gaelic colonisation of Britain proceeded,
640-642: A reputation as an antiques centre. In 2014, The Guardian called it "not only a gastronomic hub for west Wales but also one of the liveliest, most likeable little towns in the UK". The town's cultural and arts centre, the Queen's Hall Narberth was where Elton John played his first ever Welsh gig in 1970. The venue has hosted bands including Deep Purple , Status Quo , Desmond Dekker , Hot Chocolate , Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich , Therapy? and The Blockheads . Concerts, plays and classes, such as Kung Fu , yoga and line dancing are held there. It also has
720-479: A single discourse (known in linguistics as code-switching ). Welsh speakers are largely concentrated in the north and west of Wales, principally Gwynedd , Conwy County Borough , Denbighshire , Anglesey , Carmarthenshire , north Pembrokeshire , Ceredigion , parts of Glamorgan , and north-west and extreme south-west Powys . However, first-language and other fluent speakers can be found throughout Wales. Welsh-speaking communities persisted well into
800-573: A tradition dating back over 100 years. Narberth's Winter Carnival, held in December, was revived in 2009, after a break of 4 years. The town is also home to the Narberth A Cappella Voice Festival, which began in 2008 and is described as Wales' only a cappella festival. It celebrated its tenth anniversary in May 2018. Narberth is in the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency) and
880-669: Is a First World War memorial in Market Square with further inscriptions added after the Second World War. The town plays a high-profile role in Welsh mythology , where it is the chief palace of Pwyll , Prince of Dyfed , and a key setting in both the first and third branches of the Mabinogi . A drama specially adapted for children based on the story of Culhwch and Olwen from the Mabinogion
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#1733106813383960-642: Is available throughout Europe on satellite and online throughout the UK. Since the digital switchover was completed in South Wales on 31 March 2010, S4C Digidol became the main broadcasting channel and fully in Welsh. The main evening television news provided by the BBC in Welsh is available for download. There is also a Welsh-language radio station, BBC Radio Cymru , which was launched in 1977. River Cleddau The River Cleddau ( Welsh : Afon Cleddau ) consists of
1040-420: Is evidenced by the dropping of final syllables from Brittonic: * bardos 'poet' became bardd , and * abona 'river' became afon . Though both Davies and Jackson cite minor changes in syllable structure and sounds as evidence for the creation of Old Welsh, Davies suggests it may be more appropriate to refer to this derivative language as Lingua Britannica rather than characterising it as
1120-617: Is spoken by smaller numbers of people in Canada and the United States descended from Welsh immigrants, within their households (especially in Nova Scotia ). Historically, it has also been known in English as "British", "Cambrian", "Cambric" and "Cymric". The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 gave the Welsh language official status in Wales. Welsh and English are de jure official languages of
1200-649: Is tidal. The Western Cleddau (Welsh: Cleddau Wen meaning 'white') has two branches: the eastern branch rises at Llygad Cleddau 51°58′31″N 4°56′36″W / 51.9752°N 4.9434°W / 51.9752; -4.9434 in the parish of Llanfair Nant y Gôf, 4 km south-east of Fishguard . It flows southwest past Scleddau, and meets the western branch at Priskilly 51°56′13″N 5°01′33″W / 51.9370°N 5.0257°W / 51.9370; -5.0257 . The western branch rises at Penysgwarne 51°55′53″N 5°08′14″W / 51.9315°N 5.1373°W / 51.9315; -5.1373 in
1280-494: The 2016 Australian census , 1,688 people noted that they spoke Welsh. In the 2011 Canadian census , 3,885 people reported Welsh as their first language . According to the 2021 Canadian census , 1,130 people noted that Welsh was their mother tongue. The 2018 New Zealand census noted that 1,083 people in New Zealand spoke Welsh. The American Community Survey 2009–2013 noted that 2,235 people aged five years and over in
1360-461: The 2021 census , 7,349 people in England recorded Welsh to be their "main language". In the 2011 census, 1,189 people aged three and over in Scotland noted that Welsh was a language (other than English) that they used at home. It is believed that there are as many as 5,000 speakers of Patagonian Welsh . In response to the question 'Does the person speak a language other than English at home?' in
1440-659: The Battle of Dyrham , a military battle between the West Saxons and the Britons in 577 AD, which split the South Western British from direct overland contact with the Welsh. Four periods are identified in the history of Welsh, with rather indistinct boundaries: Primitive Welsh, Old Welsh, Middle Welsh, and Modern Welsh. The period immediately following the language's emergence is sometimes referred to as Primitive Welsh, followed by
1520-499: The Blockhouses guarding the harbour entrance, is a massive ria which is deep and wide, but sufficiently serpentine to be sheltered from high winds and rough seas, and is thus an excellent natural harbour. Because it can easily accommodate supertankers of 300,000 tonnes and more, it became from 1957 an important centre of the oil industry , with Esso , BP , Texaco , Gulf Oil and Amoco operating terminals and oil refineries . In
1600-410: The Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Assembly constituency) . Narberth elects a Town Council, which in turn elects a mayor annually. The current mayor is Cllr. Glynis Meredydd and the deputy mayor is Cllr. Elizabeth Rogers A county councillor is elected to Pembrokeshire County Council every five years from each of Narberth's two local government wards, Narberth (town) and Narberth Rural. In
1680-525: The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in respect of Welsh. The language has greatly increased its prominence since the creation of the television channel S4C in November 1982, which until digital switchover in 2010 broadcast 70 per cent of Channel 4's programming along with a majority of Welsh language shows during peak viewing hours. The all-Welsh-language digital station S4C Digidol
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#17331068133831760-723: The Narberth Rural District . Narberth Urban District was created on 1 April 1902, covering a new civil parish called Narberth which was created from part of the Narberth North parish. Narberth South and the reduced Narberth North parish stayed in the Narberth Rural District. Narberth Urban District Council met at Narberth Town Hall in the High Street. By 1958 the council had also established its main offices at Bank House at 6 St James Street. Narberth Urban District
1840-508: The Old Welsh period – which is generally considered to stretch from the beginning of the 9th century to sometime during the 12th century. The Middle Welsh period is considered to have lasted from then until the 14th century, when the Modern Welsh period began, which in turn is divided into Early and Late Modern Welsh. The word Welsh is a descendant, via Old English wealh, wielisc , of
1920-662: The Proto-Germanic word * Walhaz , which was derived from the name of the Celtic people known to the Romans as Volcae and which came to refer to speakers of Celtic languages, and then indiscriminately to the people of the Western Roman Empire . In Old English the term went through semantic narrowing , coming to refer to either Britons in particular or, in some contexts, slaves. The plural form Wēalas evolved into
2000-591: The Ranunculion fluitantis and Callitricho-Batrachion vegetation); active raised bogs ; and Alder woodlands on floodplains ( Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae)). Additionally, land around a north-eastern tributary of the Eastern Cleddau, Gweunydd Blaencleddau , is designated as a Special Area of Conservation for habitats including: calcium -rich springwater-fed fens - Alkaline fens;
2080-618: The United States spoke Welsh at home. The highest number of those (255) lived in Florida . Sources: Calls for the Welsh language to be granted official status grew with the establishment of the nationalist political party Plaid Cymru in 1925, the establishment of the Welsh Language Society in 1962 and the rise of Welsh nationalism in the later 20th century. Of the six living Celtic languages (including two revived), Welsh has
2160-642: The Welsh Championship , Narberth Football Club, and a cricket club. Welsh language Welsh ( Cymraeg [kəmˈraːiɡ] or y Gymraeg [ə ɡəmˈraːiɡ] ) is a Celtic language of the Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people . Welsh is spoken natively in Wales , by some in England , and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut Province , Argentina ). It
2240-525: The "hugely important role", adding, "I look forward to working with the Welsh Government and organisations in Wales in developing the new system of standards. I will look to build on the good work that has been done by the Welsh Language Board and others to strengthen the Welsh language and ensure that it continues to thrive." First Minister Carwyn Jones said that Huws would act as a champion for
2320-467: The 12th to 14th centuries, of which much more remains than for any earlier period. This is the language of nearly all surviving early manuscripts of the Mabinogion , although the tales themselves are certainly much older. It is also the language of the existing Welsh law manuscripts. Middle Welsh is reasonably intelligible to a modern-day Welsh speaker. The Bible translations into Welsh helped maintain
2400-589: The 1880s identified a small part of Shropshire as still then speaking Welsh, with the "Celtic Border" passing from Llanymynech through Oswestry to Chirk . The number of Welsh-speaking people in the rest of Britain has not yet been counted for statistical purposes. In 1993, the Welsh-language television channel S4C published the results of a survey into the numbers of people who spoke or understood Welsh, which estimated that there were around 133,000 Welsh-speaking people living in England, about 50,000 of them in
2480-522: The 1993 Act nor secondary legislation made under it covers the private sector, although some organisations, notably banks and some railway companies, provide some of their information in Welsh. On 7 December 2010, the Welsh Assembly unanimously approved a set of measures to develop the use of the Welsh language within Wales. On 9 February 2011 this measure, the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 ,
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2560-481: The Assembly which confirms the official status of the Welsh language; which creates a strong advocate for Welsh speakers and will improve the quality and quantity of services available through the medium of Welsh. I believe that everyone who wants to access services in the Welsh language should be able to do so, and that is what this government has worked towards. This legislation is an important and historic step forward for
2640-508: The Brittonic speakers in Wales were split off from those in northern England, speaking Cumbric, and those in the southwest, speaking what would become Cornish , so the languages diverged. Both the works of Aneirin ( Canu Aneirin , c. 600 ) and the Book of Taliesin ( Canu Taliesin ) were written during this era. Middle Welsh ( Cymraeg Canol ) is the label attached to the Welsh of
2720-705: The Celtic language spoken by the ancient Celtic Britons . Classified as Insular Celtic , the British language probably arrived in Britain during the Bronze Age or Iron Age and was probably spoken throughout the island south of the Firth of Forth . During the Early Middle Ages the British language began to fragment due to increased dialect differentiation, thus evolving into Welsh and
2800-507: The Daugleddau estuary. Length (Penysgwarne to Picton Point) about 40 km, of which about 9 km is tidal. The Western Cleddau is an example of a misfit stream : the valley is deep, often spectacularly so, although the stream that flows in it is small. The valley was formed at the end of the last Ice Age, when the River Teifi , swollen with melt waters, was prevented from flowing into
2880-488: The Eastern and Western Cleddau rivers in Pembrokeshire , west Wales . They unite to form the Daugleddau estuary and the important harbour of Milford Haven ( Milford Haven Waterway ). The name of the combined estuary – the Daugleddau – means “the two Cleddaus”. The name Cleddau, whilst seeming to be a plural ('-au' generally denotes plurality in Welsh ) comes from the Welsh word cleddyf meaning 'sword' and refers perhaps to
2960-539: The Greater London area. The Welsh Language Board , on the basis of an analysis of the Office for National Statistics Longitudinal Study, estimated there were 110,000 Welsh-speaking people in England, and another thousand in Scotland and Northern Ireland. In the 2011 census , 8,248 people in England gave Welsh in answer to the question "What is your main language?" The Office for National Statistics subsequently published
3040-565: The Irish Sea by an ice dam, and flowed instead westward through the valleys of the Nyfer and Gwaun , then south along the course of the Western Cleddau. Historically, the tidal estuary enabled sea traffic to reach Haverfordwest. It was important also for the export of anthracite, which was mined on its west bank and shipped from Hook. The combined estuary – the Daugleddau - from Picton Point to
3120-479: The May 2017 election, independent candidate Elwyn Morse was elected unopposed as county councillor for Narberth Rural. The ancient parish of Narberth had split into two civil parishes by the nineteenth century, called Narberth North (which included the built up area of the town itself) and Narberth South (where the main settlement was Templeton ). When parish and district councils were established in 1894 both Narberth North and Narberth South parishes were included in
3200-488: The UK's seventh largest fishing port, operating several hundred fishing trawlers , but with exhaustion of inshore fishing grounds, the docks were too small for large ocean-going trawlers, and fishing is now virtually totally non-existent. Milford was originally built for a naval dockyard, but this project was transferred in 1814 to Pembroke Dock on the opposite side of the estuary, where it operated until closure in 1926. The town of Neyland , originally known as New Milford,
3280-489: The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, all new signs have Welsh displayed first. There have been incidents of one of the languages being vandalised, which may be considered a hate crime . Since 2000, the teaching of Welsh has been compulsory in all schools in Wales up to age 16; this has had an effect in stabilising and reversing the decline in the language. Text on UK coins tends to be in English and Latin. However,
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3360-673: The Welsh Language Scheme. The list of other public bodies which have to prepare Schemes could be added to by initially the Secretary of State for Wales, from 1993 to 1997, by way of statutory instrument . Subsequent to the forming of the National Assembly for Wales in 1997, the Government Minister responsible for the Welsh language can and has passed statutory instruments naming public bodies who have to prepare Schemes. Neither
3440-865: The Welsh Parliament, the Senedd , with Welsh being the only de jure official language in any part of the United Kingdom, with English being merely de facto official. According to the 2021 census , the Welsh-speaking population of Wales aged three or older was 538,300 (17.8%) and nearly three quarters of the population in Wales said they had no Welsh language skills. Other estimates suggest that 862,700 people (28.0%) aged three or older in Wales could speak Welsh in March 2024. Almost half of all Welsh speakers consider themselves fluent, while 20 per cent are able to speak
3520-515: The Welsh language, though some had concerns over her appointment: Plaid Cymru spokeswoman Bethan Jenkins said, "I have concerns about the transition from Meri Huws's role from the Welsh Language Board to the language commissioner, and I will be asking the Welsh government how this will be successfully managed. We must be sure that there is no conflict of interest, and that the Welsh Language Commissioner can demonstrate how she will offer
3600-481: The Welsh of the 16th century, but they are similar enough for a fluent Welsh speaker to have little trouble understanding it. During the Modern Welsh period, there has been a decline in the popularity of the Welsh language: the number of Welsh speakers declined to the point at which there was concern that the language would become extinct. During industrialisation in the late 19th century, immigrants from England led to
3680-606: The Welsh-speaking heartlands, with the number dropping to under 50 per cent in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire for the first time. However, according to the Welsh Language Use Survey in 2019–20, 22 per cent of people aged three and over were able to speak Welsh. The Annual Population Survey (APS) by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated that as of March 2024, approximately 862,700, or 28.0 per cent of
3760-561: The ancestor of Cumbric as well as Welsh. Jackson, however, believed that the two varieties were already distinct by that time. The earliest Welsh poetry – that attributed to the Cynfeirdd or "Early Poets" – is generally considered to date to the Primitive Welsh period. However, much of this poetry was supposedly composed in the Hen Ogledd , raising further questions about the dating of
3840-408: The census. In terms of usage, ONS also reported that 14.4 per cent (443,800) of people aged three or older in Wales reported that they spoke Welsh daily in March 2024, with 5.4 per cent (165,500) speaking it weekly and 6.5 per cent (201,200) less often. Approximately 1.7 per cent (51,700) reported that they never spoke Welsh despite being able to speak the language, with the remaining 72.0 per cent of
3920-414: The course of the 20th century this monolingual population all but disappeared, but a small percentage remained at the time of the 1981 census. Most Welsh-speaking people in Wales also speak English. However, many Welsh-speaking people are more comfortable expressing themselves in Welsh than in English. A speaker's choice of language can vary according to the subject domain and the social context, even within
4000-470: The decline in Welsh speakers particularly in the South Wales Valleys. Welsh government processes and legislation have worked to increase the proliferation of the Welsh language, for example through education. Welsh has been spoken continuously in Wales throughout history; however, by 1911, it had become a minority language, spoken by 43.5 per cent of the population. While this decline continued over
4080-485: The following decades, the language did not die out. The smallest number of speakers was recorded in 1981 with 503,000 although the lowest percentage was recorded in the most recent census in 2021 at 17.8 per cent. By the start of the 21st century, numbers began to increase once more, at least partly as a result of the increase in Welsh-medium education . The 2004 Welsh Language Use Survey showed that 21.7 per cent of
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#17331068133834160-463: The highest number of native speakers who use the language on a daily basis, and it is the Celtic language which is considered the least endangered by UNESCO . The Welsh Language Act 1993 and the Government of Wales Act 1998 provide that the Welsh and English languages be treated equally in the public sector, as far as is reasonable and practicable. Each public body is required to prepare for approval
4240-469: The highest percentage of residents giving Welsh as their main language. The census also revealed that 3,528 wards in England, or 46% of the total number, contained at least one resident whose main language is Welsh. In terms of the regions of England , North West England (1,945), London (1,310) and the West Midlands (1,265) had the highest number of people noting Welsh as their main language. According to
4320-496: The language, its speakers and for the nation." The measure was not welcomed warmly by all supporters: Bethan Williams, chairman of the Welsh Language Society, gave a mixed response to the move, saying, "Through this measure we have won official status for the language and that has been warmly welcomed. But there was a core principle missing in the law passed by the Assembly before Christmas. It doesn't give language rights to
4400-416: The last full week of July and includes a parade through the town to one of the churches, where a service is held to welcome the newly appointed Mayor. In 2008, the Civic Service was held in the grounds of Narberth Castle for the first time. During Civic Week, there are various activities arranged for children, families and visitors to the town. The culmination of Civic Week is the annual Carnival Day Parade ,
4480-402: The least endangered Celtic language by UNESCO . The language of the Welsh developed from the language of Britons . The emergence of Welsh was not instantaneous and clearly identifiable. Instead, the shift occurred over a long period, with some historians claiming that it had happened by as late as the 9th century , with a watershed moment being that proposed by linguist Kenneth H. Jackson ,
4560-470: The manner in which both rivers are incised into the landscape of Pembrokeshire. A number of former Anglican parishes in the area have been combined to form the modern Church in Wales parish of Daugleddau in the Diocese of St Davids . The Eastern Cleddau (Welsh: Cleddau Ddu meaning 'black') rises in the foothills of Mynydd Preseli at Blaencleddau 51°57′50″N 4°40′17″W / 51.9638°N 4.6713°W / 51.9638; -4.6713 in
4640-495: The material and language in which it was originally composed. This discretion stems from the fact that Cumbric was widely believed to have been the language used in Hen Ogledd. An 8th-century inscription in Tywyn shows the language already dropping inflections in the declension of nouns. Janet Davies proposed that the origins of the Welsh language were much less definite; in The Welsh Language: A History , she proposes that Welsh may have been around even earlier than 600 AD. This
4720-415: The mid-1970s, it became briefly the UK's second biggest port in terms of tonnage. The Daugleddau and its several tributary tidal reaches are known collectively as Milford Haven . Length (from Picton Point to the Blockhouses) about 27 km. Historically, the estuary gave seaborne access to castles such as Pembroke and Carew , allowing these to be used as depots in the Norman invasion of Ireland . It
4800-468: The modern period across the border in England. Archenfield was still Welsh enough in the time of Elizabeth I for the Bishop of Hereford to be made responsible, together with the four Welsh bishops, for the translation of the Bible and the Book of Common Prayer into Welsh. Welsh was still commonly spoken there in the first half of the 19th century, and churchwardens' notices were put up in both Welsh and English until about 1860. Alexander John Ellis in
4880-433: The name for their territory, Wales. The modern names for various Romance-speaking people in Continental Europe (e.g. Walloons , Valaisans , Vlachs / Wallachians , and Włosi , the Polish name for Italians) have a similar etymology. The Welsh term for the language, Cymraeg , descends from the Brythonic word combrogi , meaning 'compatriots' or 'fellow countrymen'. Welsh evolved from Common Brittonic ,
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#17331068133834960-503: The other Brittonic languages. It is not clear when Welsh became distinct. Linguist Kenneth H. Jackson has suggested that the evolution in syllabic structure and sound pattern was complete by around AD 550, and labelled the period between then and about AD 800 "Primitive Welsh". This Primitive Welsh may have been spoken in both Wales and the Hen Ogledd ('Old North') – the Brittonic-speaking areas of what are now northern England and southern Scotland – and therefore may have been
5040-476: The parish of Mynachlog-ddu . It flows southwest through a broad moorland valley to Gelli Hill, where the River Syfynwy joins it. It then flows south through a deep valley past Llawhaden and becomes tidal at Canaston Bridge , the lowest crossing point. The estuary joins that of the Western Cleddau at Picton Point 51°46′05″N 4°53′46″W / 51.768°N 4.896°W / 51.768; -4.896 . Length about 34 km of which about 7 km
5120-447: The parish of Llanreithan and flows east to Priskilly. The combined stream flows through Wolf's Castle, where it enters the spectacular 90 m deep Treffgarne gorge, cutting through the hard volcanic rocks of Treffgarne Mountain. It then flows south to Haverfordwest , where it becomes tidal, this being the lowest bridge crossing. The tidal estuary expands into a deep ria , and unites with the Eastern Cleddau estuary at Picton Point, to form
5200-402: The people of Wales in every aspect of their lives. Despite that, an amendment to that effect was supported by 18 Assembly Members from three different parties, and that was a significant step forward." On 5 October 2011, Meri Huws , Chair of the Welsh Language Board , was appointed the new Welsh Language Commissioner. She released a statement that she was "delighted" to have been appointed to
5280-471: The population not being able to speak it. The National Survey for Wales, conducted by Welsh Government, has also tended to report a higher percentage of Welsh speakers than the census, with the most recent results for 2022–2023 suggesting that 18 per cent of the population aged 3 and over were able to speak Welsh, with an additional 16 per cent noting that they had some Welsh-speaking ability. Historically, large numbers of Welsh people spoke only Welsh. Over
5360-502: The population of Wales aged 3 and over, were able to speak the language. Children and young people aged three to 15 years old were more likely to report that they could speak Welsh than any other age group (48.4 per cent, 241,300). Around 1,001,500 people, or 32.5 per cent, reported that they could understand spoken Welsh. 24.7 per cent (759,200) could read and 22.2 per cent (684,500) could write in Welsh. The APS estimates of Welsh language ability are historically higher than those produced by
5440-407: The population of Wales spoke Welsh, compared with 20.8 per cent in the 2001 census , and 18.5 per cent in the 1991 census . Since 2001, however, the number of Welsh speakers has declined in both the 2011 and 2021 censuses to about 538,300 or 17.8 per cent in 2021, lower than 1991, although it is still higher in absolute terms. The 2011 census also showed a "big drop" in the number of speakers in
5520-402: The population, above the county average of 43%, with the second largest being Christian with 46.1% of the population, below the county average of 48.8%. Narberth Food Festival has taken place on the fourth weekend of September every year since 1998. The festival features celebrity chefs, cookery demonstrations, music, entertainment and children's activities. Narberth Civic Week is held during
5600-566: The range of river habitats including beds of submerged aquatic plants often dominated by water-crowfoot Ranunculus spp., as well as a variety of associated riverside habitats. The Cleddau rivers are also a Special Area of Conservation designated for the European bullhead ( Cottus gobio ), European river lamprey ( Lampetra fluviatilis ), Brook lamprey ( Lampetra planeri ), Otter ( Lutra lutra ), Sea lamprey ( Petromyzon marinus ); rivers with floating vegetation often dominated by water-crowfoot (watercourses of plain to montane levels with
5680-409: The required fresh approach to this new role." Huws started her role as the Welsh Language Commissioner on 1 April 2012. Local councils and the Senedd use Welsh, issuing Welsh versions of their literature, to varying degrees. Road signs in Wales are in Welsh and English. Prior to 2016, the choice of which language to display first was the responsibility of the local council. Since then, as part of
5760-518: The use of Welsh in daily life, and standardised spelling. The New Testament was translated by William Salesbury in 1567, and the complete Bible by William Morgan in 1588. Modern Welsh is subdivided into Early Modern Welsh and Late Modern Welsh. Early Modern Welsh ran from the 15th century through to the end of the 16th century, and the Late Modern Welsh period roughly dates from the 16th century onwards. Contemporary Welsh differs greatly from
5840-535: Was rebracketed when borrowed into English , giving the present-day English name, Narberth. In the Iron Age, there was a defended enclosure to the south of the current town centre on Camp Hill. Narberth was founded around a Welsh court, but later became a Norman stronghold on the Landsker Line . It became the headquarters of the hundred of Narberth . It was once a marcher borough. George Owen described it in 1603 as one of nine Pembrokeshire "boroughs in decay". There
5920-569: Was 4,100 (rounded to the nearest 100),19.6% of whom are Welsh-speaking. Narberth is close to the A40 trunk road and is on the A478 . Narberth railway station is on the main line from Swansea . The community includes the village of Crinow . The Welsh name of the town, Arberth , is a compound of ar "on, against" + perth "hedge" (cf. Perth in Scotland). The phrase yn Arberth "in Narberth"
6000-499: Was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 , merging with other nearby districts to become South Pembrokeshire on 1 April 1974. South Pembrokeshire in turn was abolished in 1996 to become part of a re-established Pembrokeshire . Narberth is twinned with Ludlow , and both towns celebrate an annual food festival . Narberth is home to several sporting teams, including Narberth Rugby Football Club who currently play in
6080-860: Was also purpose-built, this time by the Great Western Railway as a transatlantic shipping terminal. Its functions were largely transferred to Fishguard in the early 20th century. Both branches of the Cleddau are noteworthy for their diverse aquatic ecology that has been largely untouched by man's activities. The rivers support otter populations and a wide variety of fish species including Lampreys . Stretches of both rivers have been designated as SSSIs because they are of special interest primarily for important populations of otter Lutra lutra , bullhead Cottus gobio , river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis and brook lamprey Lampetra planeri . They are also of special interest for sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus; for
6160-402: Was important in the early Industrial Revolution , shipping anthracite from Llangwm , Landshipping and Crescelly, and limestone from Lawrenny and West Williamston . A small fishing industry operated from harbours such as Pill, Angle and Dale, but in 1790 the building of the new town of Milford commenced, and a large herring fishery grew up based on its docks. In its heyday, it became
6240-518: Was passed and received Royal Assent, thus making the Welsh language an officially recognised language within Wales. The measure: The measure required public bodies and some private companies to provide services in Welsh. The Welsh government's Minister for Heritage at the time, Alun Ffred Jones , said, "The Welsh language is a source of great pride for the people of Wales, whether they speak it or not, and I am delighted that this measure has now become law. I am very proud to have steered legislation through
6320-419: Was recorded as having a population of roughly 4,100. Of this, 35.6% were between the ages of 50 and 74, below the county average of 36.3%. The largest ethnic group in Narberth is White who make up 97.1% of the population, below the county average of 97.6%, with the second largest being Asian/Asian British with 1.3%, above the county average of 0.9%. The largest religious group in Narberth is No religion with 47% of
6400-597: Was staged at Narberth Castle when it was reopened to the public in 2005. Attractions in the town include several art galleries , the Narberth Museum, Narberth Town Hall , which still houses the cell where the leaders of the Rebecca Riots were imprisoned, and a ruined castle . Narberth has a range of independent shops, including a Daily Telegraph sponsored 'Best Traditional Business', national award-winning butcher, women's boutiques and gift shops, and has developed
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