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Aberystwyth is an attractive town on the west coast of Wales. It is situated on Cardigan Bay, at the confluence of the Rivers Ystwyth (from which it derives its name) and Rheidol. It is one of Wales’ most historic towns, having been a mining base, a bustling port and a prosperous market town. Today much of the town’s traditional industry has disappeared, but it is still a popular holiday destination. Aberystwyth is very much a typical Victorian seaside town. The Victorians enjoyed coastal holidays here, and people still come to visit the town’s unique attractions and revel in the unhurried pace of life.
Aberystwyth’s characteristic handsome architecture from this era is joined by examples of Gothic and Classical Revival buildings, giving the town an appearance vaguely similar to that of Oxford. The links with the Dreaming Spires are more than just visual – the A44 road runs between Aberystwyth and Oxford and, like Oxford, Aberystwyth is also home to one of the UK’s most famous universities. There are some buildings from the old University College of Wales near the town’s Norman castle, but the very much larger Aberystwyth University campus has been built towards the east of the town. It sits in a good position above the centre, alongside the National Library of Wales. Originally founded in the 1800s, Prifysgol Aberystwyth is rated by students as one of the most highly regarded universities in the UK.
The West Wales county of Ceredigion has an impressive academic heritage, also homing the University of Wales Lampeter. Lampeter itself is a traditional market town set into the Welsh countryside, east of the Cardigan coast. Lampeter is the smallest university town in Britain, and the student demographic boosts its population substantially. The university buildings reflect the town’s history, which include the remains of a Norman castle. Lampeter is also argued to be one of the oldest universities in the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. It has a good standing for arts degrees, and is also expanding, merging with Trinity University College in Carmarthen to become the University of Wales Trinity St. David’s.
Aberystwyth’s characteristic handsome architecture from this era is joined by examples of Gothic and Classical Revival buildings, giving the town an appearance vaguely similar to that of Oxford. The links with the Dreaming Spires are more than just visual – the A44 road runs between Aberystwyth and Oxford and, like Oxford, Aberystwyth is also home to one of the UK’s most famous universities. There are some buildings from the old University College of Wales near the town’s Norman castle, but the very much larger Aberystwyth University campus has been built towards the east of the town. It sits in a good position above the centre, alongside the National Library of Wales. Originally founded in the 1800s, Prifysgol Aberystwyth is rated by students as one of the most highly regarded universities in the UK.
The West Wales county of Ceredigion has an impressive academic heritage, also homing the University of Wales Lampeter. Lampeter itself is a traditional market town set into the Welsh countryside, east of the Cardigan coast. Lampeter is the smallest university town in Britain, and the student demographic boosts its population substantially. The university buildings reflect the town’s history, which include the remains of a Norman castle. Lampeter is also argued to be one of the oldest universities in the UK after Oxford and Cambridge. It has a good standing for arts degrees, and is also expanding, merging with Trinity University College in Carmarthen to become the University of Wales Trinity St. David’s.