Cardigan is a market town on the Teifi estuary.
Cardigan is home of the first Eisteddford and its slow pace of life has helped to keep the charm of the ancient town.
Cardigan has been a port since the Middle Ages because of its useful position on the banks of the Teifi. It became a trading centre for the import of fish and the export of farm produce, oak bark, salted herrings and Cilgerran slate to Ireland and western areas of the British Isles.
When shipbuilding was established in Cardigan it bought with it other connected trades such as rope making and iron foundry.
In the early part of the 1800’s over 300 ships were registered in Cardigan and these kept one thousand men employed. Many ships were built in the area some as large as 400 tonnes.
After the First World War the decline of the port was apparent and by 1942 commercial vessels were no longer visiting the town.
The Port of Cardigan became a busy point of emigration to North America. Ships crossed the Atlantic taking Welsh people to New Brunswick in Canada and in the 1840’s many emigrants left from this port to New York and other ports in the United States.
Today the town has many traditional 19th century building many of which are being or about to be restored. Shops in the area vary from the traditional butcher and baker to local arts and crafts and others include Baby, QS, Apricot, Seconds Ahead, Dorothy Perkins, Cupid Boutique, Fella’S, Kazbah and The Officers Club.
The town also has a market in the Guildhall that is well worth a visit.
A two-bedroom apartment in Cardigan can be bought for around £132,000.
There are plenty of things to do and see in and around the area such as a boat trip out into Cardigan Bay to watch the dolphins, porpoises and seals or visit one of the Heritage sites or galleries. The Teifi Valley is renowned as being an angler’s paradise where otters can be seen or sea trout caught.
Cardigan Castle is a popular attraction; it was erected in 1100 and over the next years changed hands between the Welsh and the Normans. It was reconstructed in the 1240’s and a new keep, two towers and the town wall were built, the ruins of which can be seen today.
The town hold many events throughout the year including a livestock market every Monday, a film festival in January, the Cardigan Eisteddford in June/July, an outdoor Shakespeare Festival in July/August, a regatta and carnival in August and a Victorian night in December.
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