44-850: The Normal College , Bangor ( Welsh : Y Coleg Normal ) was an independent teacher training college, founded in 1858. It was created through the efforts of the British and Foreign School Society and the educator Sir Hugh Owen , and was funded by £11,000 raised through subscription and £2,000 of Government money. Teaching began on temporary premises in January 1858 and the College opened on its permanent site in 1862. In 1979 it changed its name to Y Coleg Normal, Bangor or in English: The Normal College, Bangor and in 1996 it became part of University of Wales Bangor . The term " normal school " originated in
88-499: A Domino's branch. The City Cinema opened in 1919, at 130–132, High Street. Building work started in 1914, but was likely delayed because of the war. The cinema closed in 1983, although the building is still there and is now occupied by a dance academy and a snooker club. A one-screen cinema opened as part of the Pontio building in 2015. Bangor has two King George V fields; these are located on Beach Road and Heol Dewi. A claim to fame
132-524: A King of Gwynedd (reigned 950–979) and possibly Powys . Iago was the son of the earlier King Idwal Foel but, upon Idwal's death in combat in 942, his uncle Hywel Dda invaded Gwynedd and seized the throne. On Hywel's death in 950, Iago and his brother Ieuaf were able to drive out their cousins at the Battle of Carno and reclaim the kingdom. Fighting continued, with the brothers raiding as far south as Dyfed in 952 and their cousins raiding as far north as
176-511: A jewellery business on Bangor's High Street, and then a drapery store. His son, Isidore, went on to develop the drapery business and to create a large, fashionable, store. He also redeveloped the Castle Inn on High Street in Bangor, which then became the high-class Castle Hotel. Wartski was a very popular mayor of the city and a great patron of local sports and charities. Wartski Fields were bequeathed to
220-428: A key institution. At the 2011 Census, 49.3% of Bangor's population was born outside Wales. Nevertheless, Welsh was the majority vernacular of the city in the 1920s and 1930s; at the 1921 Census, 75.8% of Bangor's inhabitants could speak Welsh with 68.4% of those aged 3–4 being able to, indicating that Welsh was being transmitted to the youngest generation in most homes. The 1931 Census showed little change, with 76.1% of
264-483: A promenade pier, for the amusement of holiday-makers who could stroll among the pinnacle-roofed kiosks. In 1914, the pier was struck by a vessel that had broken free of its moorings. The damaged section was repaired temporarily by the Royal Engineers , but when in 1922, a permanent repair was contemplated, it was found that the damage was more severe than had been thought. The repairs were made at considerable cost and
308-416: Is a Grade I Listed building and is set in a sloping oval churchyard. The site has been used for Christian worship since the sixth century but the present building dates from the twelfth century. It has a two-bay chancel, transepts, a crossing tower, a seven-bay nave and a tower at the west end. The 344-seat Theatr Gwynedd was opened on Deiniol Road in 1975 by the university, and closed in 2008. The building
352-580: Is a cathedral city and community in Gwynedd , North Wales . It is the oldest city in Wales. Historically part of Caernarfonshire , the community had a population of 15,060 at the 2021 census , and the built up area had a population of 16,990. Landmarks include Bangor Cathedral , Bangor University and Garth Pier . The Britannia and Menai Suspension bridges connect the city to the Isle of Anglesey . The origins of
396-573: Is performed regularly in Bangor, with concerts given in the Powis and Prichard-Jones Halls as part of the university's Music at Bangor concert series. The city is also home to Storiel (the new name for the Gwynedd Museum and Art Gallery), which is located in Bangor Town Hall . A new arts centre complex, Pontio , the replacement for Theatr Gwynedd, was scheduled for completion in the summer of 2014, but
440-510: Is that Bangor has the longest High Street in Wales at 1.265 km (0.79 mi). Bangor has a central shopping area around the High Street, and retail outlets on Caernarfon Road, on the outskirts of the city. One of these is St. David's Retail Park, built on the site of the demolished St David's maternity hospital. In 1865, Morris Wartski , a refugee from the Tsarist pogroms, first established
484-685: The Bangor Aberconwy constituency for elections to the UK parliament . Arfon is the constituency for elections to the Senedd . Bangor was an ancient parish , which historically included a large rural area to the south and south-west of the city itself. The city was sometimes described as an ancient borough , and was said to hold certain privileges. However, Bangor had no municipal charters , and any corporation it may have had in medieval times did not endure. A government survey of boroughs in 1835 noted that it
SECTION 10
#1733084653460528-520: 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
572-533: The Conwy Valley in 954. The southern princes were finally defeated at the Battle of Llanrwst and chased back to Ceredigion . Having won, the brothers then began to quarrel among themselves. Iago took Ieuaf prisoner in 969 and ruled another decade, with a brief hiatus in 974, before Ieuaf's son Hywel usurped him in 979. There appears to be no surviving record of Iago's fate. This Welsh biographical article
616-547: 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. Development was further spurred by slate mining at nearby Bethesda , beginning in
660-474: The National Cycle Network pass through the city. The head office of Gwynedd Archaeological Trust is located on Garth Road. The Trust was established in 1974, and carries out surveys, outreach and education, and excavations across Gwynedd and Anglesey . The North Wales Wildlife Trust is also based on Garth Road, and manages the nature reserves at Eithinog and Nantporth . Classical music
704-665: The 1770s by Richard Pennant , becoming one of the largest slate quarries in the world. The route between London and Holyhead was much improved by Thomas Telford building the A5 road , which runs through the centre of the city and over the Menai Suspension Bridge which was also completed to his designs in 1826. Bangor railway station opened in 1848. Bangor's status grew due to further industry, such as shipbuilding, as well as travel, not just from Telford's road, but through tourism mainly from Liverpool via steamboat . Friars School
748-618: The adjoining building, which was built in 1866 as the Diocesan Registry. In 2021, Owen Hurcum was unanimously elected as mayor , making history as the youngest-ever mayor in Wales at 22, as well as the first ever non-binary mayor of any UK city. In 2012, Bangor was the first city in the UK to impose, throughout its city centre, a night-time curfew on under-16s. The six-month trial was brought in by Gwynedd Council and North Wales police, but opposed by civil rights groups. Bangor lies within
792-516: 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
836-529: The centre of Bangor; it connects Holyhead, Shrewsbury and London . The A55 runs immediately to the south of Bangor, providing a route to Holyhead and Chester . The nearest airport with international flights is Liverpool John Lennon Airport , which is 83 miles (134 km) by road. Bangor lies at the western end of the North Wales Path , a 60-mile (97 km) long-distance coastal walking route to Prestatyn . Cycle routes NCR 5 , NCR 8 and NCR 85 of
880-530: The city and people of Bangor by his widow, Winifred Marie, in memory of Isidore Wartski. Gwynedd is the most Welsh -speaking county in Wales, with 65.4% of people saying they could speak it at the 2011 Census, although Bangor has been significantly more Anglicised than its hinterland and the rest of Gwynedd, mostly because of the large student population. While nearby towns in Gwynedd, such as Bethesda and Caernarfon were still 75–80% Welsh speaking in 2011, Bangor
924-463: 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. 'Bangor' 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
SECTION 20
#1733084653460968-543: The city had left women unable to worship at the mosque during Ramadan, while in other parts of Wales arrangements such as outdoor prayers had been made. Bangor railway station is a stop on the North Wales Coast Line , between Crewe , Chester and Holyhead . Services are operated by Transport for Wales . Bus services are provided predominantly by Arriva Buses Wales ; routes connect the city with Holyhead , Caernarfon and Llandudno . The A5 runs through
1012-450: The city has one of the highest ethnicity populations in Wales for its population of over 15,000. In religion, Christianity was followed by 8,816 residents, Islam followed by 892 residents, and 6,526 residents not identifying with any religion or identifying with other religions. Christianity is the most prominent religion but the second largest group followed no religion. In 2021 Muslims in Bangor complained that restrictions imposed in
1056-544: The city was duly granted in 1883. The Local Government Act 1894 directed that parishes could no longer straddle borough boundaries, and so the part of Bangor parish outside the borough became the separate parish of Pentir . The municipal borough of Bangor was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 . A community called Bangor was created instead, covering the area of the abolished borough. District-level functions passed to Arfon Borough Council , which
1100-578: The closest residences to the School of Ocean Sciences in Menai Bridge . The site has two self-catered halls or residence: Neuadd Seiriol and Neuadd Arfon. In the 1960s one of the first pro-language campaigns in Wales was by 20 of the college lectures for Welsh salary cheques, led by Owain Owain , which was successful. The college was originally set up through the efforts of the a local community and Sir Hugh Owen to
1144-558: 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
1188-457: The early 16th century from the French école normale . The French concept of an "école normale" was to provide a model school with model classrooms to teach model teaching practices to its student teachers, thus acting as a teacher training institute. The old Normal campus is situated on the shores of the Menai Strait next to the School of Education and School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences and
1232-462: The eastern edge of the city. Port Penrhyn was an important port in the 19th century, exporting the slates produced at the Penrhyn Quarry . There are two tiers of local government covering Bangor, at community (city) and county level: Bangor City Council (Cyngor Dinas Bangor) and Gwynedd Council (Cyngor Gwynedd). The city council meets at Penrhyn Hall on Fford Gwynedd and has its offices in
1276-474: The older type of pier without a large pavilion at the landward end". Restoration work took place between 1982 and 1988, and the pier was re-opened to the public on 7 May 1988. In November 2011, essential repair work was reported to be required, the cost being estimated at £2 million. A grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund was sought but the application was rejected. The Cathedral Church of St Deiniol
1320-516: The opening was delayed until November 2015. Bangor hosted the National Eisteddfod in 1890, 1902, 1915, 1931, 1940 (through the medium of radio ), 1943, 1971 and 2005, as well as an unofficial National Eisteddfod event in 1874. Garth Pier is the second longest pier in Wales, and the ninth longest in the British Isles, at 1,500 feet (460 m) in length. It was opened in 1893 and was
1364-401: The overall population being able to speak Welsh. Bangor University and Coleg Menai are located in the city. There are a few Secondary schools, these include Ysgol Friars , Ysgol Tryfan and St. Gerard's School. There are also a number of primary and infant schools. Ysgol Y Faenol , Ysgol Y Garnedd and Ysgol Cae Top are all primary schools. Iago ab Idwal Iago ab Idwal was
Bangor Normal College - Misplaced Pages Continue
1408-431: The parliamentary borough of Bangor was made a local board district in 1850, with an elected local board to govern the city. Over time the local board gained more powers for managing local affairs, but by the 1870s it was seen as ineffective. A petition was made for the city to be formally incorporated as a municipal borough , which would give it more extensive powers of local government. A municipal charter incorporating
1452-600: The pier remained open until 1974 when it was nearly condemned as being in poor condition. It was sold for a nominal price to Arfon Borough Council who proposed to demolish it, but the County Council , encouraged by local support, ensured that it survived by obtaining Grade II Listed building status for it. When it was listed that year, the British Listed Buildings inspector considered it to be "the best in Britain of
1496-449: The south shore of the Menai Strait; this area is known as Upper Bangor ( Bangor Uchaf ). 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
1540-402: The strait. The combined population of the two amounted to 22,184 at the 2011 census. Bangor Mountain at 117 metres (384 ft) 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
1584-615: The tune of £11,000 and £2,000 of government money. Among renowned students and lecturers are: The college was integrated into Bangor University (then University College of North Wales) in 1996. [REDACTED] Media related to Bangor Normal College at Wikimedia Commons 53°13′47″N 4°07′53″W / 53.2298°N 4.1313°W / 53.2298; -4.1313 Bangor, Gwynedd 53°13′41″N 4°07′41″W / 53.228°N 4.128°W / 53.228; -4.128 Bangor ( / ˈ b æ ŋ ɡ ər , - ɡ ɔːr / ; Welsh: [ˈbaŋɡɔr] )
1628-454: The worst of the Blitz . The BBC continue to maintain facilities in the city (see Media ). Bangor is the only place in Wales which continues to hold city status by ancient prescriptive right, due to its long-standing cathedral. St Davids had also been a city by prescriptive right, but lost its status in the 1880s, and was only formally restored to city status in 1994. In 1927 a government list
1672-468: Was already only 53.4% Welsh speaking as early as 1971. In 2011, only 36% of the population of Bangor said they could speak Welsh; a significant decrease from the 46% recorded at the 2001 Census. In 2015, of primary school pupils 5 years and over, the following percentages spoke Welsh fluently at home: The city has long been the most cosmopolitan settlement in Gwynedd, attracting incomers from both England and further afield, with Bangor University being
1716-496: Was demolished in 2010. Prior to Theatr Gwynedd, Bangor was home to the County Theatre, a converted chapel on Dean Street. The building was altered in 1912 for theatrical productions, and converted to use as a night club in 1986, currently named as "Trilogy Nightclub". The Pontio Arts and Innovation Centre by Bangor University on Deiniol Road, opened in 2015, has a theatre and a one screen cinema. The Archdeacon's House in Bangor
1760-480: Was drawn up detailing which settlements were cities , with Bangor being included as the only medieval Welsh city with extant rights. By means of various measures, Bangor is one of the smallest cities in the UK. Using 2011 statistics, comparing Bangor to: 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
1804-527: Was founded as a free grammar school in 1557, and the University College of North Wales (now Bangor University ) was founded in 1884. In 1877, the former HMS Clio became a school ship, moored on the Menai Strait at Bangor, and had 260 pupils. Closed after the end of hostilities of World War I , she was sold for scrap and broken up in 1919. In World War II , parts of the BBC evacuated to Bangor during
Bangor Normal College - Misplaced Pages Continue
1848-408: Was in turn replaced in 1996 by Gwynedd Council. As part of the 1974 reforms, Bangor's city status, which had been held by the abolished borough, was transferred to the new community. Bangor is ethnically diverse, with 85% of the population identifying as White British, followed by 8% Asian or Arab, 3% Mixed Race, 2% Black and 2% other ethnic. This makes Bangor 85% white and 15% non-white which means
1892-538: Was plausible that Bangor may once have had a corporation, but found no evidence of any such corporation having operated for many years. Instead, Bangor was governed by the parish vestry and the Bishop of Bangor in his capacity as lord of the manor until the 19th century. In 1832 a parliamentary borough of Bangor was established as one of the boroughs which made up the Carnarvon Boroughs constituency . The area of
1936-417: Was the setting for act 3, scene I of William Shakespeare 's Henry IV, Part 1 . Bangor once housed two cinemas. The Electric Pavilion – later Arcadia Cinema – stood on the High Street close to the station from about 1910 to 1930. This site was redeveloped for The Plaza Cinema, which operated from 1934 to 2006. A new building was built on the site and is now occupied by Ty Willis student accommodation and
#459540