192-682: The Cardiganshire Militia , later the Royal Cardigan Rifles , was an auxiliary regiment reorganised from earlier precursor units in the Welsh county of Cardiganshire (modern Ceredigion ) during the 18th century. Primarily intended for home defence, it saw active service at the Battle of Fishguard in 1797 and served in Britain and Ireland through all Britain's major wars. It was converted into garrison artillery in 1877 and continued until it
384-404: A Colonia in 97 as Colonia Nervia Glevensium , or Glevum , in the reign of Nerva . It is likely that Glevum became the provincial capital of Britannia Prima . Within about 15 years new privately constructed properties replaced the earlier barracks and public buildings, temples and bath houses were under construction in stone. Piped water began to be supplied. Drains and sewers were laid. On
576-419: A Labour dominance of Welsh politics that continued into the 21st century. After economic growth in the first two decades of the 20th century, Wales's staple industries endured a prolonged slump from the early 1920s to the late 1930s, leading to widespread unemployment and poverty. For the first time in centuries, the population of Wales went into decline; unemployment reduced only with the production demands of
768-651: A Latin base. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle Gloucester is shown as part of Wessex from the Battle of Deorham in 577. At some point afterwards, along with the rest of its shire excluding the Forest of Dean , Gloucester was part of the minor kingdom of the Hwicce . In 628, as a result of the Battle of Cirencester , that kingdom became a client or sub-kingdom of Mercia . From about 780, the Hwicce
960-421: A Welsh constituency at Westminster. Yet by 1906, industrial dissension and political militancy had begun to undermine Liberal consensus in the southern coalfields. In 1916, David Lloyd George became the first Welshman to become Prime Minister of Britain. In December 1918, Lloyd George was re-elected as the head of a Conservative-dominated coalition government, and his poor handling of the 1919 coal miners' strike
1152-415: A battery for live firing practice was installed in the grounds of Aberystwyth Castle overlooking the sea. Two of these may have been 64-pounder rifled muzzle-loaders that were still in use for training in 1880. At least four guns were in the battery in 1902. The establishment of the unit was set at 342 other ranks, but at first it fell short of this number. Recruiting improved, and in 1881 the establishment
1344-735: A battle. After the Norman Conquest, William Rufus made Robert Fitzhamon the first baron or overlord of Gloucester. Fitzhamon had a military base at Cardiff Castle , and for the succeeding years the history of Gloucester was closely linked to that of Cardiff. During the Anarchy , Gloucester was a centre of support for the Empress Matilda , who was supported in her claim to the throne by her half-brother, Fitzhamon's grandson, Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester (also known as Robert of Gloucester). After this period of strife ended with
1536-680: A feat with neither precedent nor successor." Owain Gwynedd (1100–1170) of the Aberffraw line was the first Welsh ruler to use the title princeps Wallensium (prince of the Welsh), a title of substance given his victory on the Berwyn range , according to Davies. During this time, between 1053 and 1063, Wales lacked any internal strife and was at peace. Within four years of the Battle of Hastings (1066), England had been completely subjugated by
1728-689: A legal unit in its own right, although it remains part of the single jurisdiction of England and Wales . The Senedd has the authority to draft and approve laws outside of the UK Parliamentary system to meet the specific needs of Wales. Under powers approved by a referendum held in March 2011, it is empowered to pass primary legislation, at the time referred to as an Act of the National Assembly for Wales but now known as an Act of Senedd Cymru in relation to twenty subjects listed in
1920-474: A mint. In the early 10th century, the remains of Saint Oswald were brought to a small church here and shrine built there, a draw for pilgrims. The core street layout is thought to date to the reign of Æthelflæd in late Saxon times. In 1051, Edward the Confessor held court at Gloucester and was threatened there by an army led by Godwin, Earl of Wessex , but the incident resulted in a standoff rather than
2112-496: A national force or 'Perfect Militia' answering to the king rather than local control. The Cardigan Trained Bands of 1638 consisted of 300 men, half armed with muskets and half ' Corslets ' (body armour, signifying pikemen ). They also mustered 35 horse. Part of this force may have been organised as the North Cardigan Trained Band. Cardiganshire was ordered to send 150 men overland to Newcastle upon Tyne for
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#17327980876362304-421: A population of 3.2 million. It has a total area of 21,218 square kilometres (8,192 sq mi) and over 2,700 kilometres (1,680 mi) of coastline . It is largely mountainous with its higher peaks in the north and central areas, including Snowdon ( Yr Wyddfa ), its highest summit. The country lies within the north temperate zone and has a changeable, maritime climate . Its capital and largest city
2496-624: A renewed period of international tension. As before, units were raised and administered on a county basis, and filled by voluntary enlistment (although conscription by means of the Militia Ballot might be used if the counties failed to meet their quotas). Training was for 56 days on enlistment, then for 21–28 days per year, during which the men received full army pay. Under the Act, militia units could be embodied by Royal Proclamation for full-time home defence service in three circumstances: Obtaining
2688-491: A rich mineral wealth. The Romans used their engineering technology to extract large amounts of gold, copper, and lead, as well as lesser amounts of zinc and silver. No significant industries were located in Wales in this time; this was largely a matter of circumstance as Wales had none of the necessary materials in suitable combination, and the forested, mountainous countryside was not amenable to industrialisation. Latin became
2880-464: A series of castles: Beaumaris , Caernarfon , Harlech and Conwy . His son, the future Edward II , was born at Caernarfon in 1284. He became the first English prince of Wales in 1301, which at the time provided an income from northwest Wales known as the Principality of Wales . After the failed revolt in 1294–1295 of Madog ap Llywelyn – who styled himself Prince of Wales in
3072-620: A system of government with a separate executive, the Welsh Government, drawn from and accountable to the legislature, the National Assembly. Following a successful referendum in 2011, the National Assembly was empowered to make laws, known as Acts of the Assembly, on all matters in devolved subject areas, without requiring the UK Parliament's approval of legislative competence. It also gained powers to raise taxes. In May 2020,
3264-663: A town within a city. Gloucester is the county town of Gloucestershire , and is the 53rd largest settlement in the United Kingdom by population. In 2010, its population was 123,400;. It has the traditional lowest bridging point of the longest river in Great Britain, connecting it with Over . The 2011 census recorded that the city had a population of 121,921 and by 2016 its population was estimated to be 128,488. The city's urban area extends beyond its boundaries, with several outlying districts . The 2021 census gave
3456-469: A varying degree and (since 2011) Welsh is the only official ( de jure ) language in any part of Great Britain. Wales is a country that is part of the sovereign state of the United Kingdom. ISO 3166-2:GB formerly defined Wales as a principality, with England and Scotland defined as countries and Northern Ireland as a province. However, this definition was raised in the Welsh Assembly in 2010 and
3648-745: Is Cardiff . A distinct Welsh culture emerged among the Celtic Britons after the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, and Wales was briefly united under Gruffydd ap Llywelyn in 1055. After over 200 years of war, the conquest of Wales by King Edward I of England was completed by 1283, though Owain Glyndŵr led the Welsh Revolt against English rule in the early 15th century, and briefly re-established an independent Welsh state with its own national parliament ( Welsh : senedd ). In
3840-521: Is a generally mountainous country on the western side of central southern Great Britain. It is about 170 miles (270 km) north to south. The oft-quoted " size of Wales " is about 20,779 km (8,023 sq mi). Wales is bordered by England to the east and by sea in all other directions: the Irish Sea to the north and west, St George's Channel and the Celtic Sea to the southwest and
4032-740: Is a port, linked via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal to the Severn Estuary . Gloucester was founded by the Romans and became an important city and colony in AD 97, under Emperor Nerva as Colonia Glevum Nervensis . It was granted its first charter in 1155 by Henry II . In 1216, Henry III , aged only nine years, was crowned with a gilded iron ring in the Chapter House of Gloucester Cathedral. Gloucester's significance in
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#17327980876364224-489: Is coal mining which became the industry synonymous with Wales and its people. Initially, coal seams were exploited to provide energy for local metal industries but, with the opening of canal systems and later the railways, Welsh coal mining saw an explosion in demand. As the South Wales Coalfield was exploited, Cardiff, Swansea, Penarth and Barry grew as world exporters of coal. By its height in 1913, Wales
4416-461: Is described as a country rather than a principality.' In the House of Commons – the 650-member lower house of the UK Parliament – there are 32 members of Parliament (MPs) who represent Welsh constituencies . At the 2024 general election , 27 Labour and Labour Co-op MPs were elected, along with 4 Plaid Cymru MPs and 1 Liberal Democrat MP from Wales. The Wales Office is a department of
4608-458: Is mentioned in the 18th century as a possible Latin name related to the city. The first bridging point on a navigable, defensive barrier, great river and the foundation in 681 of the abbey of St Peter by Æthelred of Mercia , favoured town growth; and before the Norman conquest of England , Gloucester was a borough governed by a portreeve , with a castle which was frequently a royal residence, and
4800-511: The Aberffraw dynasty from Gwynedd and Powys and then codified Welsh law in the 940s. Gruffydd ap Llywelyn was the only ruler to unite all of Wales under his rule, described by one chronicler after his death as king of Wales . In 1055 Gruffydd ap Llywelyn killed his rival Gruffydd ap Rhydderch in battle and recaptured Deheubarth . Originally king of Gwynedd, by 1057 he was ruler of Wales and had annexed parts of England around
4992-515: The Bristol Channel to the south. Wales has about 1,680 miles (2,700 km) of coastline (along the mean high water mark), including the mainland, Anglesey , and Holyhead . Over 50 islands lie off the Welsh mainland, the largest being Anglesey, in the north-west. Gloucester Gloucester ( / ˈ ɡ l ɒ s t ər / GLOSS -tər ) is a cathedral city and
5184-688: The British Isles ), which the regular army increasingly saw as a prime source of recruits. They served in coast defences, manning garrisons, guarding prisoners of war, and for internal security, while their traditional local defence duties were taken over by the Volunteers and mounted Yeomanry . In the autumn of 1793 the Cardigan Militia marched to join the garrison of Chester for the winter, with one company detached to Northwich . Early in 1794 it concentrated at Northwich, but rejoined
5376-702: The Brythonic word combrogi , meaning "fellow-countrymen", and probably came into use before the 7th century. In literature, they could be spelt Kymry or Cymry , regardless of whether it referred to the people or their homeland. The Latinised forms of these names, Cambrian , Cambric and Cambria , survive as names such as the Cambrian Mountains and the Cambrian geological period. Wales has been inhabited by modern humans for at least 29,000 years. Continuous human habitation dates from
5568-654: The Council of State . At the same time the term 'Trained Band' began to disappear in most counties. Under the Commonwealth and Protectorate the militia received pay when called out, and operated alongside the New Model Army to control the country. By 1651 the militias of the South Welsh counties appear to have been combined, with the 'South Wales Militia' being ordered to rendezvous at Gloucester to hold
5760-735: The Government of Wales Act 2006 such as health and education. Through this primary legislation, the Welsh Government can then also enact more specific subordinate legislation . Wales is served by four regional police forces: Dyfed-Powys Police , Gwent Police , North Wales Police , and South Wales Police . There are five prisons in Wales : four in the southern half of the country, and one in Wrexham . Wales has no women's prisons: female inmates are imprisoned in England. Wales
5952-679: The Irish Sea . By 8,000 BP the British Peninsula had become an island. By the beginning of the Neolithic ( c. 6,000 BP ) sea levels in the Bristol Channel were still about 33 feet (10 metres) lower than today. The historian John Davies theorised that the story of Cantre'r Gwaelod 's drowning and tales in the Mabinogion , of the waters between Wales and Ireland being narrower and shallower, may be distant folk memories of this time. Neolithic colonists integrated with
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6144-581: The Middle Ages , the main export was wool, which came from the Cotswolds and was processed in Gloucester; other exports included leather and iron (tools and weapons). Gloucester also had a large fishing industry at that time. In 1222, a massive fire destroyed part of Gloucester. One of the most significant periods in Gloucester's history began in 1378 when Richard II convened Parliament in
6336-512: The Netherlands . The men were given three days' 'conduct money' to get to Chester or Bristol , the main ports of embarkation for Ireland. Conduct money was recovered from the government, but replacing the weapons issued to the levies from the militia armouries was a heavy cost on the counties. With the passing of the threat of invasion, the trained bands declined in the early 17th century. Later, King Charles I attempted to reform them into
6528-558: The Normans . William I of England established a series of lordships, allocated to his most powerful warriors, along the Welsh border, their boundaries fixed only to the east (where they met other feudal properties inside England). Starting in the 1070s, these lords began conquering land in southern and eastern Wales, west of the River Wye . The frontier region, and any English-held lordships in Wales, became known as Marchia Wallie ,
6720-502: The Penmachno Document – and the rising of Llywelyn Bren (1316), the last uprising was led by Owain Glyndŵr , against Henry IV of England . In 1404, Owain was crowned prince of Wales in the presence of emissaries from France, Spain (Castille) and Scotland. Glyndŵr went on to hold parliamentary assemblies at several Welsh towns, including a Welsh parliament ( Welsh : senedd ) at Machynlleth . The rebellion
6912-676: The Restoration , the Commonwealth coat continued to be used by the city rather than the Tudor coat. The Commonwealth coat, along with the crest and supporters, was legally granted to the city by letters patent dated 16 April 1945. This was reconfirmed in 1974 following the local government changes of that year. There are two tiers of local government covering Gloucester, at district (city) and county level: Gloucester City Council and Gloucestershire County Council . The Quedgeley area of
7104-585: The Second Bishops' War of 1640. However, substitution was rife and many of those sent on this unpopular service would have been untrained replacements. Control of the militia was one of the areas of dispute between Charles I and Parliament that led to the English Civil War . When open war broke out between the King and Parliament, neither side made much use of the trained bands beyond securing
7296-665: The Second World War . The war saw Welsh servicemen and women fight in all major theatres, with some 15,000 of them killed. Bombing raids brought high loss of life as the German Air Force targeted the docks at Swansea , Cardiff and Pembroke . After 1943, 10 per cent of Welsh conscripts aged 18 were sent to work in the coal mines, where there were labour shortages; they became known as Bevin Boys . Pacifist numbers during both World Wars were fairly low, especially in
7488-531: The Severn Estuary , allowing larger ships to reach the docks than would be possible on the tidal reaches of the river itself, which go well north of the city to Haw Bridge. The wharfs, warehouses and the docks themselves fell into disrepair until their renovation in the 1980s. They now form a public open space. Some warehouses now house the Gloucester Waterways Museum , others were converted into residential flats, shops and bars. Additionally,
7680-723: The Silures and the Ordovices . Caractacus or Caradog , leader of the Ordovices, had initial success in resisting Roman invasions of north Wales but was eventually defeated. Roman rule in Wales was a military occupation, save for the southern coastal region of south Wales , where there is a legacy of Romanisation. The only town in Wales founded by the Romans, Caerwent , is in south east Wales. Both Caerwent and Carmarthen , also in southern Wales, became Roman civitates . Wales had
7872-686: The Welsh Marches , in which the Marcher lords were subject to neither English nor Welsh law . The extent of the March varied as the fortunes of the Marcher lords and the Welsh princes ebbed and flowed. Owain Gwynedd 's grandson Llywelyn Fawr (the Great, 1173–1240), received the fealty of other Welsh lords in 1216 at the council at Aberdyfi , becoming in effect the first prince of Wales . His grandson Llywelyn ap Gruffudd secured
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8064-574: The Ystrad Tywi , and Gwent emerged as independent Welsh successor states . Archaeological evidence, in the Low Countries and what was to become England, shows early Anglo-Saxon migration to Great Britain reversed between 500 and 550, which concurs with Frankish chronicles. John Davies notes this as consistent with a victory for the Celtic Britons at Badon Hill against the Saxons, which
8256-527: The county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England . Gloucester lies on the River Severn , between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west; it is sited 19 miles (31 km) from Monmouth , 33 miles (53 km) from Bristol , and 17 miles (27 km) east of the border with Wales . Gloucester has a population of around 132,000, including suburban areas. It
8448-497: The mining and metallurgical industries transformed the country from an agricultural society into an industrial one; the South Wales Coalfield 's exploitation caused a rapid expansion of Wales's population. Two-thirds of the population live in South Wales , including Cardiff, Swansea , Newport , and the nearby valleys . The eastern region of North Wales has about a sixth of the overall population, with Wrexham being
8640-623: The 16th century the whole of Wales was annexed by England and incorporated within the English legal system under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 . Distinctive Welsh politics developed in the 19th century. Welsh Liberalism , exemplified in the early 20th century by David Lloyd George , was displaced by the growth of socialism and the Labour Party . Welsh national feeling grew over
8832-567: The 18th century, lawyers, doctors, estate agents and government officials formed a bourgeoisie with sizeable houses. In the late 18th century, slate quarrying began to expand rapidly, most notably in North Wales. The Penrhyn quarry , opened in 1770 by Richard Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn , was employing 15,000 men by the late 19th century, and along with Dinorwic quarry , it dominated the Welsh slate trade. Although slate quarrying has been described as "the most Welsh of Welsh industries", it
9024-414: The 300 recruits to complete the Royal Cardigan Rifles was hampered by opposition from the strongly Nonconformist community in Cardiganshire, and some men from outside the county had to be enlisted. In 1854 Lt-Col William T.R. Powell (formerly of the 37th Foot ) succeeded Col William E. Powell as CO. The revived regiment finally carried out its first 21 days' training at Aberystwyth in March 1856. Since 1809
9216-504: The 4th century, as a result of Constantine the Great issuing an edict of toleration in 313. Early historians, including the 6th-century cleric Gildas , have noted 383 as a significant point in Welsh history. In that year, the Roman general Magnus Maximus , or Macsen Wledig, stripped Britain of troops to launch a successful bid for imperial power, continuing to rule Britain from Gaul as emperor, and transferring power to local leaders. The earliest Welsh genealogies cite Maximus as
9408-625: The Cardigan Militia guarding the prisoners at Pembroke Dock were relieved by the Pembrokeshire Supplementary Militia and marched to join Cawdor. There was some minor skirmishing, but with discipline collapsing among his troops (the Légion Noire ) and wrongly believing himself outnumbered by Cawdor's force, the French commander surrendered. The Cardiganshire Militia contingent was present at the surrender on Goodwick Sands on 24 February. The Cardigan Militia returned to its duties, with detachments stationed at Haverfordwest, Pembroke Dock, Aberystwyth, Cardigan and Tenby . In November 1798 Lt-Col John Brooks
9600-439: The Cardigan Militia in 1762 was made of green silk, matching the green facings on its red coats. In line with the other Welsh militia regiments, the flag probably bore the Coat of arms of the Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire, at that time the Earl of Lisburne. After 1779 the regimental colour was made of Garter blue silk to match the changed facings. From the time it became a rifle corps the regiment gave up regimental colours and
9792-405: The Cardigan Militia once again volunteered for service in Ireland, and this time was accepted. It arrived on 8 August and was first stationed at Loughrea and later at Limerick . While in Limerick the regiment changed its role again in 1812, this time to a rifle corps as the Royal Cardigan (Rifles) , involving a change of uniform and weapons. The Irish tour of duty ended on 17 September 1813 when
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#17327980876369984-457: The Cardigan regiment was embodied for the first time at Aberystwyth on 31 March 1778 under its Major -Commandant, Viscount Vaughan of Trawsgoed , son of the Lord Lieutenant , the Earl of Lisburne . It marched to Swansea to begin garrison duties, but had returned to Aberystwyth by May. It then moved through Ross-on-Wye back to Swansea. In March 1779 the Cardigan Militia moved to Carmarthen, and in June into Pembrokeshire , where its main duty
10176-413: The Cardiganshires were marching to Woolwich to join the garrison for the Royal Arsenal and the Dockyard , followed by a contingent of supplementaries. For some years the regiment had unofficially called itself the Royal Cardiganshire Militia : the Royal title was officially conferred upon it (together with a number of other Welsh regiments) in April 1804. In July the regiment was in Hampshire where it
10368-409: The Cathedral and the Norman St Mary de Crypt Church, Gloucester in Southgate Street . Additionally, there is evidence of a Jewish community in Gloucester as early as 1158–1159; they lived around present-day East Gate Street and had a synagogue on the south side, near St Michael's church. Gloucester was probably the home of Rabbi Moses, who established an important Anglo-Jewish family. The Jews of
10560-427: The Celtic languages arrived in Britain around 600 BCE. The Brythonic languages ceased to be spoken in England and were replaced by the English language, a Germanic language which arrived in Wales around the end of the eighth century due to the defeat of the Kingdom of Powys . The Bible translations into Welsh and the Protestant Reformation , which encouraged use of the vernacular in religious services, helped
10752-518: The Chester Garrison in April 1795. In June that year the regiment was called upon to send a detachment to Wrexham to stand by to aid the civil magistrates, but it was not called upon and rejoined the main body. In July the Cardiganshires moved to Cumberland and were stationed in Whitehaven and other towns. On being relieved by the Carmarthenshire Militia in April 1796 the regiment returned to Chester. In August it moved back to West Wales to carry out duties in Pembrokeshire. Regimental headquarters (HQ)
10944-471: The English Crown, separate from England but under the same monarch. The king ruled directly in two areas: the Statute divided the north and delegated administrative duties to the Justice of Chester and Justiciar of North Wales , and further south in western Wales the King's authority was delegated to the Justiciar of South Wales . The existing royal lordships of Montgomery and Builth Wells remained unchanged. To maintain his dominance, Edward constructed
11136-453: The Middle Ages is underlined by the fact that it had a number of monastic establishments, including St Peter's Abbey, founded in 679 (later Gloucester Cathedral ); the nearby St Oswald's Priory , founded in the 880s or 890s; and Llanthony Secunda Priory , founded in 1136. The town is also the site of the siege of Gloucester in 1643, during which the city held out against Royalist forces in the First English Civil War . A major attraction of
11328-472: The Napoleonic War and remained in force until 1833: Cardiganshire was 27th. In 1833 the King drew the lots for individual regiments and the resulting list continued in force with minor amendments until the end of the militia. The regiments raised before the peace of 1763 took the first 47 places but the Cardigan Militia raised in 1762 were included in the second group (1763–83), presumably because their first embodiment had not been until 1778; they became 64th. When
11520-403: The National Assembly was renamed "Senedd Cymru" or "the Welsh Parliament", commonly known as the Senedd in both English and Welsh. Devolved areas of responsibility include agriculture, economic development, education, health, housing, local government, social services, tourism, transport and the Welsh language. The Welsh Government also promotes Welsh interests abroad. By tradition, Welsh Law
11712-499: The Norsemen occupying Northumbria to conquer the north. This alliance later broke down and Anarawd came to an agreement with Alfred , king of Wessex , with whom he fought against the west Welsh. According to Annales Cambriae , in 894, "Anarawd came with the Angles and laid waste to Ceredigion and Ystrad Tywi ." The southern and eastern parts of Great Britain lost to English settlement became known in Welsh as Lloegyr (Modern Welsh Lloegr ), which may have referred to
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#173279808763611904-497: The Pembroke Garrison. Somewhat belatedly the War Office decided to convert the Royal Cardigan Rifles, which became the Royal Cardigan Artillery on 1 April 1877. Lieutenant-Col Pryse retired, to become the independent unit's first Honorary Colonel , and was succeeded by Lt-Col J.A. Lloyd Phillips of Mabws. The infantry adjutant and drill sergeants of the permanent staff were replaced by artillerymen, and drill purpose guns were installed at Aberystwyth Militia Barracks for training. Later,
12096-425: The Prince of Wales's device surrounded by a belt carrying the title 'CARDIGAN'. In ca 1857 the other ranks' Forage caps had a two-part badge, with a stringed bugle-horn above a scroll inscribed 'ROYAL CARDIGAN'. Between 1867 and 1877 the officers' silver pouch belt plate consisted of a crowned Maltese cross , in the centre of which was a stringed bugle-horn surrounded by a circle inscribed 'ROYAL CARDIGAN RIFLES',
12288-487: The Roman invasion of Britain. Initially, a Roman fort was established at present-day Kingsholm. Twenty years later, a larger legionary fortress was built on slightly higher ground nearby, centred on present-day Gloucester Cross, and a civilian settlement grew around it. Probably the Roman Legion XX Valeria Victrix was based here until 66 and then Legio II Augusta as they prepared to invade Roman Wales between 66 and 74 AD, who stayed later until around 87. Gloucester became
12480-402: The Royal Cadigan Rifles, grouped with the 24th Foot and the Monmouthshire, Radnor and Brecknock militia regiments. Following the Cardwell Reforms a mobilisation scheme began to appear in the Army List from December 1875. This assigned places in an order of battle to Militia units serving alongside Regular units in an 'Active Army' and a 'Garrison Army'. The Royal Cardigan's assigned war station
12672-405: The Royal Cardigan Rifles amalgamated with the Royal Brecknock and Royal Radnor in 1861, the combined unit inherited this precedence. Most militia regiments paid little attention to the numeral. In 1855 the first 29 regiments of artillery militia were given precedence numbers in alphabetical order; later regiments took the next available number, with the Royal Cardigan Artillery assigned 33rd when it
12864-409: The Royal Cardigan Rifles being drawn out for training, the last time the militia ballot was enforced in the county. After 1831 neither ballots nor training were held for the militia, and although officers continued to be commissioned by the lord lieutenant the permanent staffs and armouries were repeatedly reduced. The Militia of the United Kingdom was revived by the Militia Act 1852 , enacted during
13056-431: The Royal Cardigan Rifles regained its independence. A purpose-built Militia Barracks, designed by Sir James Szlumper , was constructed for the regiment in Borth Road, Abersytwyth, in 1867. Under the 'Localisation of the Forces' scheme introduced by the Cardwell Reforms of 1872, Militia units were grouped into county brigades with their local Regular and Volunteer battalions – Sub-District No 25 in Western District for
13248-438: The Second World War, two petroleum storage depots were constructed in Gloucester. A Government Civil Storage depot with six 4,000-ton semi-buried tanks was constructed on the Berkeley Canal in 1941/42 by Shell-Mex and BP and connected to the pipeline that ran from the Mersey to the Avon. It was also connected to the Air Force Reserve Depot and a Shell Mex and BP facility for road and rail loading. Due to severe tank corrosion, it
13440-431: The Second World War, which was seen as a fight against fascism . Plaid Cymru was formed in 1925, seeking greater autonomy or independence from the rest of the UK. The term " England and Wales " became common for describing the area to which English law applied, and in 1955 Cardiff was proclaimed as Wales's capital. Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society) was formed in 1962, in response to fears that
13632-423: The Supplementary Militia, a compulsory levy of men to be trained for 20 days a year in their spare time, and to be incorporated in the Regular Militia in emergency. Cardigan's new quota was fixed at 474 men, and the regiment sent a party back from Haverfordwest to Aberystwyth to train the supplementaries. Despite the increase, Cardiganshire's quota was less burdensome than the average county: in 1796 only one man in 30
13824-672: The UK government responsible for Wales, whose minister, the Secretary of State for Wales (Welsh secretary), sits in the UK cabinet . Wales has a devolved , unicameral legislature known as the Senedd (Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament) which holds devolved powers from the UK Parliament via a reserved powers model. For the purposes of local government , Wales has been divided into 22 council areas since 1996. These "principal areas" are responsible for
14016-656: The Welsh but were used to refer to anything that Anglo-Saxons associated with Britons, including other non-Germanic territories in Britain (e.g. Cornwall ) and places in Anglo-Saxon territory associated with Britons (e.g. Walworth in County Durham and Walton in West Yorkshire). The modern Welsh name for themselves is Cymry , and Cymru is the Welsh name for Wales. These words (both of which are pronounced [ˈkəm.rɨ] ) are descended from
14208-713: The Welsh counties were small, and were grouped together under the direction of the Lord President of the Council of Wales . As Lord President, the Duke of Beaufort carried out a tour of inspection of the Welsh militia in 1684, when the Cardiganshire Militia consisted of one troop of horse and three companies of foot. The 1697 militia returns showed the Cardigan Regiment as consisting of 142 foot and 60 horse under Col Viscount Lisburne . Generally
14400-472: The abolished County Borough of Gloucester. The reforms also saw the city become subordinate to Gloucestershire County Council, losing the independence it had held since 1483. The parish of Quedgeley was subsequently transferred into Gloucester from Stroud District in 1991. Quedgeley retains its own parish council, unlike the rest of Gloucester, which is an unparished area . In 2017, Quedgeley Parish Council changed its name to Quedgeley Town Council, making it
14592-469: The ascent of her son Henry to the throne Henry II of England , Henry granted Robert possession of Cardiff Castle , and it later passed to William Fitz Robert, 2nd Earl of Gloucester son of Robert. The story of the Anarchy is vividly told in a series of 19th-century paintings by William Burges at the Castle. Henry granted Gloucester its first charter in 1155, which gave the burgesses the same liberties as
14784-413: The border. He ruled Wales with no internal battles. His territories were again divided into the traditional kingdoms. John Davies states that Gruffydd was "the only Welsh king ever to rule over the entire territory of Wales... Thus, from about 1057 until his death in 1063, the whole of Wales recognised the kingship of Gruffydd ap Llywelyn . For about seven brief years, Wales was one, under one ruler,
14976-577: The campaign medals. After the Boer War, the future of the Militia was called into question. There were moves to reform the Auxiliary Forces (militia, yeomanry and volunteers) to take their place in the six Army Corps proposed by St John Brodrick as Secretary of State for War . Some batteries of militia artillery were to be converted to field artillery. However, little of Brodrick's scheme
15168-508: The cargo of a ship stranded on the coast. In 1766 and 1769 quantities of weapons and stores held at the town of Cardigan were moved to storage at Aberystwyth, while in 1777 other stores arrived at Cardigan from Carmarthen , probably having been transported by sea. The American War of Independence broke out in 1775, and by 1778 Britain was threatened with invasion by the Americans' allies, France and Spain. The militia were called out, and
15360-626: The century: a nationalist party, Plaid Cymru , was formed in 1925, and the Welsh Language Society in 1962. A governing system of Welsh devolution is employed in Wales, of which the most major step was the formation of the Senedd (Welsh Parliament, formerly the National Assembly for Wales) in 1998, responsible for a range of devolved policy matters . At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution , development of
15552-604: The chief reasons to join was to avoid the militia ballot. They were supplemented from 1808 by the Local Militia, which were part-time and only to be used within their own districts. If their ranks could not be filled voluntarily the militia ballot was employed. However, discipline in the Local Militia was sometimes poor. At the annual training in 1810, there disturbances in the Upper Tivy Local Militia at Aberystwyth. In July 1811, while stationed at Deal,
15744-423: The citizens of London and Winchester . A second charter of Henry II gave them freedom of passage on the River Severn . The first charter was confirmed in 1194 by King Richard I . The privileges of the borough were greatly extended by the charter of King John (1200), which gave freedom from toll throughout the kingdom and from pleading outside the borough. In 1216, King Henry III , aged only ten years,
15936-677: The city during the Worcester campaign . After the Restoration of the Monarchy , the Militia was re-established by the Militia Act 1661 under the control of the king's lords lieutenant, the men to be selected by ballot. This was popularly seen as the 'Constitutional Force' to counterbalance a 'Standing Army' tainted by association with the New Model Army that had supported Cromwell's military dictatorship. The militia forces in
16128-652: The city is Gloucester Cathedral , which is the burial place of King Edward II and Walter de Lacy ; it features in scenes from the Harry Potter films. Other features of interest include the museum and school of art and science, the former county jail (on the site of a Saxon and Norman castle), the Shire Hall (now headquarters of the County Council ) and the Whitefield memorial church. A park in
16320-450: The city is a civil parish with a town council, forming a third tier of local government; the remainder of the city is an unparished area . Gloucester was an ancient borough , being treated as a borough from Saxon times and being granted its first known borough charter by Henry II in 1155. In 1483 the town of Gloucester was given the right to appoint its own magistrates, making it a county corporate , administratively independent from
16512-644: The city. Parliaments were held there until 1406 under Henry IV of England . The Parliament Rooms at the Cathedral remain as testimony to this important time. Gloucester was incorporated by King Richard III in 1483, the town being made a county in itself. The City's charter was confirmed in 1489 and 1510, and other charters of incorporation were received by Gloucester from Queen Elizabeth I and King James I . Princess Mary visited Gloucester in September 1525 accompanied by her ladies and gentlewomen. She
16704-663: The civil storage site. It was transferred from the Air Ministry to the Ministry of Power in 1959, closed in the 1990s and disposed of in the later 2000s. Gloucester's most important citizens include Robert Raikes (founder of the Sunday School movement) who is still commemorated by the name of Robert Raikes' House in Southgate Street. Its most infamous citizen was Fred West . In July 2007 , Gloucester
16896-614: The coastal defences and Martello towers . The regiment volunteered for service in the Peninsular War , but the offer was again turned down. In 1810 the regiment was redesignated the Royal Cardigan Light Infantry , when the drums were replaced by bugles and the sergeants exchanged their Spontoons for fusils. Although the volunteer corps had been reformed after the resumption of the war, their quality varied widely and their numbers steadily declined. One of
17088-486: The county armouries for their own full-time troops. Most of Wales was under Royalist control for much of the war, and was a recruiting ground for the King's armies. In 1644 Colonel John Jones of Nanteos raised a regiment in Cardiganshire for Charles I. Once Parliament had established full control in 1648 it passed new Militia Acts that replaced lords lieutenant with county commissioners appointed by Parliament or
17280-418: The creation of a Welsh assembly with an 80 per cent majority. In 1997, a second referendum on the same issue secured a very narrow majority (50.3 per cent). The National Assembly for Wales ( Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru ) was set up in 1999 (under the Government of Wales Act 1998 ) with the power to determine how Wales's central government budget is spent and administered, although the UK Parliament reserved
17472-509: The cross having small decorative balls on the eight points and small lions in the four angles; the whole was surrounded by a laurel wreath. On conversion to artillery in 1877 the regiment adopted the blue uniform with red facings of the RA. The helmet plate and officers' pouchbelt carried standard RA insignia, with the 'CARDIGAN ARTILLERY' wording restored in 1889. During the War of American Independence
17664-496: The dominant source of wealth. The emerging industrial period saw the development of copper smelting in the Swansea area. With access to local coal deposits and a harbour that connected it with Cornwall's copper mines in the south and the large copper deposits at Parys Mountain on Anglesey, Swansea developed into the world's major centre for non-ferrous metal smelting in the 19th century. The second metal industry to expand in Wales
17856-424: The end of the last ice age , between 12,000 and 10,000 years before present (BP) , when Mesolithic hunter-gatherers from Central Europe began to migrate to Great Britain. At that time, sea levels were much lower than today. Wales was free of glaciers by about 10,250 BP, the warmer climate allowing the area to become heavily wooded. The post-glacial rise in sea level separated Wales and Ireland, forming
18048-457: The end of the 1960s, the policy of bringing businesses into disadvantaged areas of Wales through financial incentives had proven very successful in diversifying the industrial economy. This policy, begun in 1934, was enhanced by the construction of industrial estates and improvements in transport communications, most notably the M4 motorway linking south Wales directly to London. It was believed that
18240-456: The fall of nearby Bristol encouraged the reinforcement of the existing town defences. The siege of Gloucester commenced in 1643 in which the besieged parliamentarians emerged victorious. The Royalist's plan of bombardment and tunnelling to the east gate failed due to the inadequacy of the Royalist artillery and the besieged sniping and conducting artillery fire on the Royalist encampment. By
18432-406: The first written evidence of the use of Cymru and y Cymry is found in a praise poem to Cadwallon ap Cadfan ( Moliant Cadwallon , by Afan Ferddig ) c. 633 . In Armes Prydein , believed to be written around 930–942, the words Cymry and Cymro are used as often as 15 times. However, from the Anglo-Saxon settlement onwards, the people gradually begin to adopt
18624-517: The following centuries they assimilated immigrants and adopted ideas from Bronze Age and Iron Age Celtic cultures. Some historians, such as John T. Koch , consider Wales in the Late Bronze Age as part of a maritime trading-networked culture that included other Celtic nations . This "Atlantic-Celtic" view is opposed by others who hold that the Celtic languages derive their origins from
18816-452: The foundations for stable economic growth had been firmly established in Wales during this period, but this was shown to be optimistic after the recession of the early 1980s saw the collapse of much of the manufacturing base that had been built over the preceding forty years. The Welsh Language Act 1967 repealed a section of the Wales and Berwick Act and thus "Wales" was no longer part of
19008-601: The founder of several royal dynasties, and as the father of the Welsh Nation. He is given as the ancestor of a Welsh king on the Pillar of Eliseg , erected nearly 500 years after he left Britain, and he figures in lists of the Fifteen Tribes of Wales . The 400-year period following the collapse of Roman rule is the most difficult to interpret in the history of Wales. After the Roman departure in AD 410, much of
19200-751: The highest court of first instance as well as an appellate court . The three divisions are the Court of Appeal , the High Court of Justice , and the Crown Court . Minor cases are heard by magistrates' courts or the County Court . In 2007 the Wales and Cheshire Region (known as the Wales and Cheshire Circuit before 2005) came to an end when Cheshire was attached to the North-Western England Region. From that point, Wales became
19392-409: The increased diversity of the Welsh economy. Population growth however outpaced economic growth and the standard of living dropped. Prior to the Industrial Revolution in Wales , there were small-scale industries scattered throughout Wales. These ranged from those connected to agriculture, such as milling and the manufacture of woollen textiles , through to mining and quarrying. Agriculture remained
19584-536: The indigenous people, gradually changing their lifestyles from a nomadic life of hunting and gathering, to become settled farmers about 6,000 BP – the Neolithic Revolution . They cleared the forests to establish pasture and to cultivate the land, developed new technologies such as ceramics and textile production, and built cromlechs such as Pentre Ifan , Bryn Celli Ddu , and Parc Cwm long cairn between about 5,800 BP and 5,500 BP. Over
19776-587: The intention of recognizing that the River Wye and its traffic belonged to the kingdom of Gwent." However, Fox's interpretations of both the length and purpose of the Dyke have been questioned by more recent research. In 853, the Vikings raided Anglesey , but in 856, Rhodri Mawr defeated and killed their leader, Gorm. The Celtic Britons of Wales made peace with the Vikings and Anarawd ap Rhodri allied with
19968-473: The kingdom of Mercia originally and which came to refer to England as a whole. The Germanic tribes who now dominated these lands were invariably called Saeson , meaning " Saxons ". The Anglo-Saxons called the Romano-British * Walha , meaning 'Romanised foreigner' or 'stranger'. The Welsh continued to call themselves Brythoniaid (Brythons or Britons) well into the Middle Ages , though
20160-518: The language might soon die out. Nationalist sentiment grew following the flooding of the Tryweryn valley in 1965 to create a reservoir to supply water to the English city of Liverpool . Although 35 of the 36 Welsh MPs voted against the bill (one abstained), Parliament passed the bill and the village of Capel Celyn was submerged, highlighting Wales's powerlessness in her own affairs in the face of
20352-419: The language survive after Welsh elites abandoned it in favour of English in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Successive Welsh Language Acts, in 1942, 1967 and 1993 , improved the legal status of Welsh. The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 modernised the 1993 Welsh Language Act and gave Welsh an official status in Wales for the first time, a major landmark for the language. The Measure also created
20544-531: The large number English people living in Wales. After the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 , the National Assembly was renamed " Senedd Cymru " in Welsh and the "Welsh Parliament" in English, which was seen as a better reflection of the body's expanded legislative powers. The Welsh language ( Welsh : Cymraeg ) is an Indo-European language of the Celtic family ; the most closely related languages are Cornish and Breton . Most linguists believe that
20736-485: The largest northern city. The remaining parts of Wales are sparsely populated . Since decline of the country's traditional extractive and heavy industries, the public sector , light and service industries, and tourism play major roles in its economy . Agriculture in Wales is largely livestock-based, making Wales a net exporter of animal produce, contributing towards national agricultural self-sufficiency . Both Welsh and English are official languages . A majority of
20928-507: The law making powers of the National Assembly it is now able to make laws, known as Acts of the Assembly, on all matters in devolved subject areas, without needing the UK Parliament's agreement. In the 2016 referendum , Wales voted in support of leaving the European Union, although demographic differences became evident. According to Danny Dorling , professor of geography at Oxford University, votes for Leave may have been boosted by
21120-515: The legal definition of England. This essentially defined Wales as a separate entity legally (but within the UK), for the first time since before the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 which defined Wales as a part of the Kingdom of England. The Welsh Language Act 1967 also expanded areas where use of Welsh was permitted, including in some legal situations. In a referendum in 1979 , Wales voted against
21312-462: The legal system of England and Wales since 1536. English law is regarded as a common law system, with no major codification of the law and legal precedents are binding as opposed to persuasive. The court system is headed by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom which is the highest court of appeal in the land for criminal and civil cases. The Senior Courts of England and Wales is
21504-584: The lifting of the Siege of Gloucester in 1643, during which the city held out against Royalist forces during the First English Civil War . Gloucester is one of the few cities in England with two coats of arms. The first consists of three chevrons surrounded by ten roundels. The chevrons come from the arms of the Clare family , who were earls of Gloucester from the 12th to the 14th centuries, while
21696-581: The lowlands of Britain to the east and south-east was overrun by various Germanic peoples , commonly known as Anglo-Saxons. Some have theorized that the cultural dominance of the Anglo-Saxons was due to apartheid-like social conditions in which the Britons were at a disadvantage. By AD 500 the land that would become Wales had divided into a number of kingdoms free from Anglo-Saxon rule. The kingdoms of Gwynedd , Powys , Dyfed , Caredigion , Morgannwg ,
21888-633: The maintenance of horses and armour ( 4 & 5 Ph. & M. c. 2). The county militia was now under the Lord Lieutenant , assisted by the Deputy Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace (JPs). The entry into force of these Acts in 1558 is seen as the starting date for the organised Militia of England and Wales . Although the militia obligation was universal, it was clearly impractical to train and equip every able-bodied man, so after 1572
22080-594: The male population. Of these, roughly 35,000 were killed, with particularly heavy losses of Welsh forces at Mametz Wood on the Somme and the Battle of Passchendaele . The first quarter of the 20th century also saw a shift in the political landscape of Wales. Since 1865, the Liberal Party had held a parliamentary majority in Wales and, following the general election of 1906 , only one non-Liberal Member of Parliament, Keir Hardie of Merthyr Tydfil , represented
22272-471: The men requested leave to go home to vote in the general election that year: only three officers but 42 other ranks present with the main body and perhaps another 70 on the march had applied, proportionately much higher than for any English regiment for which figures remain. In 1781 the regimental establishment was increased from 120 privates to 228, the augmentation being achieved by recruiting two volunteer companies paid for by public subscription. The regiment
22464-545: The mid-17th century, only the gatehouse and keep of Gloucester Castle remained, the latter of which was being used as a gaol until it was deemed unsuitable and demolished in the late 1780s. By 1791, the new gaol was completed leaving no trace of the former castle. In the 19th century, the city grew with new buildings including Wellington Parade and the Grade II listed Picton House (c. 1825). The 1896 Gloucester smallpox epidemic affected some 2000 residents. During
22656-720: The militia declined in the long peace after the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. Jacobites were numerous amongst the Welsh Militia, but they did not show their hands during the Risings of 1715 and 1745 , and bloodshed was avoided. Under threat of French invasion during the Seven Years' War a series of Militia Acts from 1757 re-established county militia regiments, the men being conscripted by means of parish ballots (paid substitutes were permitted) to serve for three years. There
22848-541: The militia, and the Royal Cardigan Rifles marched back to Aberystwyth to be disembodied on 11 July 1814. It was not one of the regiments re-embodied during the short Waterloo Campaign There was another long peace after Waterloo and the militia were neglected. Due to the disturbed nature of the countryside in 1819 the weapons in the Welsh militia armouries were deactivated by removing their flint locks and bayonets, leaving only sufficient serviceable arms for
23040-508: The more easterly Hallstatt culture . By the time of the Roman invasion of Britain the area of modern Wales had been divided among the tribes of the Deceangli (north-east), Ordovices (north-west), Demetae (south-west), Silures (south-east), and Cornovii (east). The Roman conquest of Wales began in AD 48 and took 30 years to complete; the occupation lasted over 300 years. The campaigns of conquest were opposed by two native tribes:
23232-485: The motto Fides Invicta Triumphat ("unconquered faith triumphs", in reference to the royalist siege withstood by the city in 1643). The second coat, termed the "Tudor coat", was granted in 1538. It features the roses of York and Lancaster, the boar's head of Richard III, a ceremonial sword and cap, and two horseshoes surrounded by nails, to represent Gloucester's historical association with ironworking. Although grants made by Commonwealth heralds were nullified after
23424-480: The name Cymry over Brythoniad . From 800 onwards, a series of dynastic marriages led to Rhodri Mawr 's ( r. 844–77) inheritance of Gwynedd and Powys . His sons founded the three dynasties of Aberffraw for Gwynedd , Dinefwr for Deheubarth and Mathrafal for Powys . Rhodri 's grandson Hywel Dda (r. 900–50) founded Deheubarth out of his maternal and paternal inheritances of Dyfed and Seisyllwg in 930, ousted
23616-547: The name Gloucestershire was too difficult to spell. A sculpture in the city centre celebrates Gloucester's aviation history and its involvement in the jet engine . From the city's Roman name, Glevum , Anglo-Saxon migrants after 410, with their fledgling feudal structure, the Kingdom of Wessex , replaced the area's Romano-Celtic society and changed the city's name to Caerloyw ( IPA: [kaɨrˈlɔɨʊ, kairˈlɔiʊ] ), Gloucester's name in modern Welsh , while recognising
23808-591: The nearby St Oswald's Priory, Gloucester founded in the 880s or 890s, Llanthony Secunda Priory, founded 1136 as a retreat for a community of Welsh monks (now near the western bypass), the Franciscan Greyfriars community founded in 1231 (near Eastgate Shopping Centre ), and the Dominican Blackfriars community founded in 1239 (Ladybellegate Street). It also has some very early churches including St Mary de Lode Church, Gloucester near
24000-525: The new walls. Remains of the Roman city can still be seen: Withdrawal of all Roman forces and many societal leaders in about the year 410 may have allowed leading families of the Dobunni tribe to regain power within the now Roman-influenced, interconnected and intermixed Celtic Brythonic local people. This intermix is reflected by the fact a large minority of basic words and available synonyms in Welsh have
24192-568: The numerical superiority of English MPs in Parliament. Separatist groupings, such as the Free Wales Army and Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru were formed, conducting campaigns from 1963. Prior to the investiture of Charles in 1969, these groups were responsible for a number of bomb attacks on infrastructure. At a by-election in 1966, Gwynfor Evans won the parliamentary seat of Carmarthen , Plaid Cymru's first Parliamentary seat. By
24384-568: The official language of Wales, though the people continued to speak in Brythonic. While Romanisation was far from complete, the upper classes came to consider themselves Roman, particularly after the ruling of 212 that granted Roman citizenship to all free men throughout the Empire. Further Roman influence came through the spread of Christianity, which gained many followers when Christians were allowed to worship freely; state persecution ceased in
24576-550: The order of precedence of county militia regiments was determined by an annual ballot. However, units such as the Carnarvon Militia that did not constitute a full battalion were not included. The order balloted for at the start of the French Revolutionary War in 1793 remained in force throughout the war; Cardiganshire was again left out. Another ballot for precedence took place in 1803 at the start of
24768-467: The permanent staff. The Royal Cardigan Rifles retained a regimental band paid for by the officers. In 1820 the ballot was enforced and weapons wee reactivated to complete the regiment for annual training, which was repeated in 1821 and 1825. William E. Powell of Nanteos, a former cavalry officer, was promoted to Lt-Col to succeed Col Chichester as commanding officer in 1823. The militia permanent staffs were reduced in 1829, but in 1831 civil disturbances led to
24960-537: The planning of it, there was a degree of consultation with the kings of Powys and Gwent. On the Long Mountain near Trelystan , the dyke veers to the east, leaving the fertile slopes in the hands of the Welsh; near Rhiwabon , it was designed to ensure that Cadell ap Brochwel retained possession of the Fortress of Penygadden." And, for Gwent, Offa had the dyke built "on the eastern crest of the gorge, clearly with
25152-438: The population of Wales speaks English. Welsh is the dominant language in parts of the north and west , with a total of 538,300 Welsh speakers across the entire country. Wales has four UNESCO world heritage sites , of which three are in the north. The English words "Wales" and "Welsh" derive from the same Old English root (singular Wealh , plural Wēalas ), a descendant of Proto-Germanic * Walhaz , which
25344-554: The population of the Gloucester Urban Area as 169,061, absorbing areas such as Brockworth and Churchdown . The city is located on the eastern bank of the River Severn , sheltered by the Cotswolds to the east, while the Forest of Dean and the Malvern Hills rise to the west and north, respectively. Gloucester is a port, linked via the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal which runs from Gloucester's docks to
25536-743: The post of Welsh Language Commissioner , replacing the Welsh Language Board. Following the referendum in 2011, the Official Languages Act became the first Welsh law to be created in 600 years, according to the First Minister at the time, Carwyn Jones . This law was passed by Welsh Assembly members (AMs) only and made Welsh an official language of the National Assembly. Starting in the 1960s, many road signs have been replaced by bilingual versions. Various public and private sector bodies have adopted bilingualism to
25728-444: The practice was to select a proportion of men for the Trained Bands , who were mustered for regular training. In the 16th century little distinction was made between the militia and the troops levied by the counties for overseas expeditions. However, the counties usually conscripted the unemployed and criminals rather than send the trained bandsmen. Between 1585 and 1602 Cardiganshire supplied 500 men for service in Ireland and 30 for
25920-477: The presence of the Roman fort. Caerloyw is a compound of caer , meaning 'fort, stronghold, castle', and loyw , a lenition of gloyw as it would have been pronounced by many speakers, meaning 'bright, shiny, glowy'. A variant of the term -cester/chester/caster instead of the Welsh caer was eventually adopted. The name Gloucester thus means roughly "bright fort". Mediaeval orthographies include Caer Glow , Gleawecastre and Gleucestre . This etymology
26112-420: The problem was less with the other ranks raised by ballot than the shortage of men qualified to be officers, even after the requirements were lowered for Welsh counties. Arms were issued to the Cardiganshire Militia at Aberystwyth on 1 October 1762, and it appears that the regiment carried out a short period of training. However, the war was now drawing to an end, and no further militia were required. The regiment
26304-404: The protestors dispersed after the Riot Act was read, and no military action was required. The Treaty of Amiens brought hostilities to an end, and the regiment was marched back to Aberystwyth, where it was disembodied on 27 March 1803. However, the Peace of Amiens was short-lived and Britain declared war on France once more in May 1803. Warrants had already been issued to embody the militia, and
26496-459: The provision of all local government services. Following devolution in 1997, the Government of Wales Act 1998 created a Welsh devolved assembly, the National Assembly for Wales , with the power to determine how Wales's central government budget is spent and administered. Eight years later, the Government of Wales Act 2006 reformed the National Assembly for Wales and allowed further powers to be granted to it more easily. The Act also created
26688-423: The recognition of the title Prince of Wales from Henry III with the Treaty of Montgomery in 1267. Subsequent disputes, including the imprisonment of Llywelyn 's wife Eleanor , culminated in the first invasion by King Edward I of England . As a result of military defeat, the Treaty of Aberconwy exacted Llywelyn 's fealty to England in 1277. Peace was short-lived, and, with the 1282 Edwardian conquest ,
26880-446: The regiment embarked from Cove of Cork for Portsmouth. It was sent to guard prisoners of war at Porchester Castle and later went into barracks at Gosport . In March 1814 fresh recruits arrived from Cardigan to replace men who had transferred to regiments of the line, but Napoleon abdicated in April 1814, and with the war ending the militia recruiting parties were ordered to cease their activity. Orders were issued to disembody most of
27072-404: The regiment had used the Shire Hall in Aberystwyth as its regimental HQ and Armoury. The Shire Hall was demolished in 1855 and the HQ and armoury were accommodated, along with the sergeant-major's family, in a town house in Bridge Street. Consequently, the men had to be billeted in overcrowded inns and lodging houses during their annual training. In 1861 the War Office ordered the amalgamation of
27264-422: The regiment marched back to Kent where, during the summer of 1805 when Napoleon was massing his 'Army of England' at Boulogne for a projected invasion, the regiment was stationed at Dungeness Barracks, with 325 men in 4 companies under Lt-Col Chichester, forming part of Maj-Gen Sir John Moore 's force. In February 1806 it had detachments stationed at Maidstone and in the Dungeness forts. By January 1807 it
27456-413: The regiment: The following served as Honorary Colonel of the unit: When the regiment was inspected in 1684 the Company colours of the foot were white (suggesting that they may have worn white facings on their coats), while the cornet of the troop of horse was white with a scroll inscribed 'PRO REGE' ('For the King') surmounted by a right arm holding a red heart. The Regimental colour issued to
27648-406: The right to set limits on its powers. The Government of Wales Act 2006 (c 32) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed the National Assembly for Wales and allows further powers to be granted to it more easily. The Act creates a system of government with a separate executive drawn from and accountable to the legislature. Following a successful referendum in 2011 on extending
27840-401: The roundels come from the arms of the Bishop of Worcester , whose bishopric historically encompassed Gloucester. This coat is the older of the two, though it is usually termed the "Commonwealth coat", as it was not officially granted to the city until 1652, during the Commonwealth period. The crest and supporters (lions bearing broadswords and trowels) were also adopted at this time, along with
28032-399: The rule of the Welsh princes permanently ended. With Llywelyn 's death and his brother prince Dafydd 's execution, the few remaining Welsh lords did homage to Edward I of England . The Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284 provided the constitutional basis for a post-conquest government of the Principality of North Wales from 1284 until 1535/36. It defined Wales as "annexed and united" to
28224-440: The ruler. Other than in the Marches , where March law was imposed by the Marcher Lords, Welsh Law remained in force in Wales until the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284. Edward I of England annexed the Principality of Wales following the death of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd , and Welsh Law was replaced for criminal cases under the Statute. Marcher Law and Welsh Law (for civil cases) remained in force until Henry VIII of England annexed
28416-402: The site of the legionary principia an imposing central forum was laid out surrounded by colonnades and flanked on three sides by part-timbered ranges of shops. Closing off the south of the forum was the 100m x 40m Basilica . Many fine homes with mosaic floors were built in the town. At its height, Glevum may have had a population of as many as 10,000 people. The entire area around Glevum
28608-519: The small Welsh militia quotas to form larger regiments. The Royal Cardigan Rifles were officially merged with the Royal Brecknockshire Rifles at Brecon and the Royal Radnor Rifles at Presteigne to form the Royal Cardigan, Brecon & Radnor Rifles . The merger was unpopular: the three contingents never trained together, and the COs of the Royal Brecon and Royal Cardigan (Lt-Col Edward Pryse of Peithyll from 1865) continued as joint lieutenant-colonels commandant. The mergers were abandoned in 1867 and
28800-457: The south of the city contains a spa, a chalybeate spring having been discovered in 1814. Economically, the city is dominated by the service industries and has strong financial, research, distribution and light industrial sectors. Historically, it was prominent in the aerospace industry. In 1926, the Gloucestershire Aircraft Company at Brockworth changed its name to the Gloster Aircraft Company because international customers claimed that
28992-405: The surrounding county of Gloucestershire . When the Diocese of Gloucester was founded in 1541, the town was given the right to call itself a city . The city was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 . When elected county councils were established in 1889, Gloucester was considered large enough to provide its own county-level services, and so it
29184-478: The territorial divisions were reorganised into three large divisions of garrison artillery, the units regaining their county titles (though without any 'Royal' prefixes). The brigade based in Aberystwyth was redesignated The Cardigan Artillery (Western Division, RA) , with its establishment increased to 619 other ranks in six batteries. Annual training was now carried out on the guns in the Milford Haven defences (usually at Fort Hubberstone or South Hook Fort ), which
29376-425: The then Counsel General for Wales , John Griffiths , stated, 'Principality is a misnomer and that Wales should properly be referred to as a country.' In 2011, ISO 3166-2:GB was updated and the term 'principality' was replaced with 'country'. UK Government toponymic guidelines state that, 'though there is a Prince of Wales, this role is deemed to be titular rather than exerting executive authority, and therefore Wales
29568-444: The throne of England from Richard III of England in 1485, uniting England and Wales under one royal house. The last remnants of Celtic-tradition Welsh law were abolished and replaced by English law by the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 during the reign of Henry VII's son, Henry VIII . In the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales , Wales became unified with the kingdom of England; the " Principality of Wales " began to refer to
29760-405: The time of Queen Mary in 1555. In 1580, Gloucester was awarded the status of a port by Queen Elizabeth I. The 16th and 17th centuries saw the foundation of two of Gloucester's grammar schools: the Crypt School in 1539 and Sir Thomas Rich's School in 1666. Both still flourish as grammar schools today, along with Ribston Hall and Denmark Road High School . During the English Civil War ,
29952-530: The town were falsely accused by the Dominican monks of murdering a child, Harold of Gloucester , in an attempt to establish a cult similar to that of William of Norwich , which failed entirely. Nevertheless, the accusations were recycled around the time of the Edict of Expulsion . In January 1275, Eleanor of Provence expelled Jews from all of the towns within her dower lands, and the Jews of Gloucester were ordered to move to Bristol but finding an especially difficult situation there, relocated to Hereford . In
30144-420: The valley of the River Severn to the Dee estuary, gave him Oswestry . Another theory, after carbon dating placed the dyke's existence 300 years earlier, is that it was built by the post-Roman rulers of Wroxeter . King Offa of Mercia seems to have continued this initiative when he created a larger earthwork, now known as Offa's Dyke ( Clawdd Offa ). Davies wrote of Cyril Fox 's study of Offa's Dyke: "In
30336-473: The way to take up duties at Monmouth . However, the Treaty of Paris ended hostilities, and the militia was ordered to stand down on 28 February. In March the regiment returned to Aberystwyth to be disembodied. From 1784 to 1792 the militia were assembled for their 28 days' annual peacetime training, but to save money only two-thirds of the men were actually mustered each year. The Cardigans, however, were ordered to be completed and trained in 1788. The militia
30528-444: The whole country, though it remained a "principality" only in a ceremonial sense. The Marcher lordships were abolished, and Wales began electing members of the Westminster parliament. In 1536 Wales had around 278,000 inhabitants, which increased to around 360,000 by 1620. This was primarily due to rural settlement, where animal farming was central to the Welsh economy. Increase in trade and increased economic stability occurred due to
30720-461: The whole of Wales under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 (often referred to as the Acts of Union of 1536 and 1543), after which English law applied to the whole of Wales. The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 provided that all laws that applied to England would automatically apply to Wales (and the Anglo-Scottish border town of Berwick ) unless the law explicitly stated otherwise; this Act was repealed with regard to Wales in 1967. English law has been
30912-408: Was a key factor in destroying support for the Liberal party in south Wales. The industrial workers of Wales began shifting towards the Labour Party . When in 1908 the Miners' Federation of Great Britain became affiliated to the Labour Party, the four Labour candidates sponsored by miners were all elected as MPs. By 1922, half the Welsh seats at Westminster were held by Labour politicians—the start of
31104-410: Was a property qualification for officers, who were commissioned by the lord lieutenant. An adjutant and drill sergeants were to be provided to each regiment from the Regular Army , and arms and accoutrements would be supplied when the county had secured 60 per cent of its quota of recruits. Cardiganshire was given a quota of 120 men to raise. The Welsh counties were slow to complete their regiments:
31296-485: Was already being embodied when Revolutionary France declared war on Britain on 1 February 1793. In August the Cardigan Militia (120 men in four companies) under the command of Maj William Lewis marched via Gloucester to take up duties on the invasion-threatened Sussex coast. The French Revolutionary Wars saw a new phase for the English militia: they were embodied for a whole generation, and became regiments of full-time professional soldiers (though restricted to service in
31488-561: Was also the unit's war station. The RA was divided into field and garrison branches in 1899, with all the militia and volunteer units becoming part of the Royal Garrison Artillery (RGA). The RGA's divisional structure was abolished in 1902, when the unit became the Cardigan Royal Garrison Artillery (Militia) During the Second Boer War the Cardigan Artillery was embodied from 2 May to 5 October 1900 and manned South Hook Fort. Although it did not serve overseas, two of its officers served with 15th Company, Western Division RGA, and were awarded
31680-405: Was appointed to command the regiment. In 1799 the militia quotas were relaxed and after bounties had been offered to the supplementary militiamen to enlist in the regular army, the rest of them were stood down. In September 1800 the Cardigan Militia concentrated at Carmarthen, then moved on to Swansea in October. On 20 April 1801 the regiment was called out to deal with a bread riot in the town, but
31872-491: Was at Sheerness , where the regiment volunteered for service in Ireland. The offer was not accepted, but a number of the men transferred to the regular army, especially the 23rd Foot ( Royal Welch Fusiliers ). As a result, the regiment was reduced to 174 privates, of whom 120 were substitutes: 150 new men had to be selected by ballot in Cardiganshire. In May 1808 the Royal Cardigan left Sheerness and moved first to Ospringe Barracks near Faversham , and then to Deal for duties in
32064-425: Was attributed to Arthur by Nennius . Having lost much of what is now the West Midlands to Mercia in the 6th and early 7th centuries, a resurgent late-7th-century Powys checked Mercian advances. Æthelbald of Mercia , looking to defend recently acquired lands, had built Wat's Dyke . According to Davies, this had been with the agreement of king Elisedd ap Gwylog of Powys, as this boundary, extending north from
32256-479: Was carried out. Under the sweeping Haldane Reforms of 1908, the Militia was replaced by the Special Reserve , a semi-professional force whose role was to provide reinforcement drafts for regular units serving overseas in wartime. Although the Cardigan RGA (M) accepted transfer to the Special Reserve Royal Field Artillery , as the Cardigan Royal Field Reserve Artillery in April 1908, it was disbanded on 21 October 1909. The following served as commanding officer of
32448-436: Was clothed in Rifle green uniforms with scarlet facings, similar to the King's Royal Rifle Corps . An officer's Gorget of ca 1770 is engraved with the Royal arms and 'GR' cypher above a scroll carrying the title 'CARDIGAN'; by ca 1800 this design had changed to the Prince of Wales's feathers , coronet and 'Ich Dien' motto scroll over the word 'CARDIGAN' and was also used on the shoulder belt plate. The buttons carried
32640-437: Was compiled during an assembly held at Whitland around 930 by Hywel Dda , king of most of Wales between 942 and his death in 950. The ' law of Hywel Dda ' ( Welsh : Cyfraith Hywel ), as it became known, codified the previously existing folk laws and legal customs that had evolved in Wales over centuries. Welsh Law emphasised the payment of compensation for a crime to the victim, or the victim's kin, rather than punishment by
32832-433: Was converted in 1877. Wales – in Europe (green & dark grey) – in the United Kingdom (green) Wales ( Welsh : Cymru [ˈkəmrɨ] ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom . It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the east , the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic Sea to the south-west. As of 2021 , it had
33024-502: Was crowned with a gilded iron ring in the Chapter House of Gloucester Cathedral . During his reign, Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany his cousin was briefly imprisoned at Gloucester Castle as state prisoner from 1222 to 1223, and from 1237 to 1238, in addition to sometime during the reign of King John. Gloucester's significance in the Middle Ages is underlined by the fact that it had a number of monastic establishments, including St Peter's Abbey founded in 679 (later Gloucester Cathedral ),
33216-403: Was demolished in 1971/2 and disposed of in 1976. The second depot was an Air Force Reserve Depot with four 4,000-ton semi-buried tanks constructed in 1941/42 by Shell, Shell-Mex and BP at the Monk Meadow Dock on the Canal. Originally, delivery was by road, rail and barge and pipeline. It was also connected to the docks and to the Shell Mex and BP installation for rail and road loading facilities and
33408-449: Was disbanded in 1909. The universal obligation to military service in the Shire levy was long established in England and was extended to Wales. King Henry VIII called a 'Great Muster' in 1539, which showed 2858 men available for service in the County of Cardiganshire, of whom 609 had 'harness' (armour), and 184 horsemen. The legal basis of the militia was updated by two acts of 1557 covering musters ( 4 & 5 Ph. & M. c. 3) and
33600-418: Was established in Haverfordwest and detachments were employed at Pembroke Dock and other key points. On the march south the regiment had dropped a company at Aberystwyth, where in October it was placed at the disposal of the Revenue officers to assist in preventing smuggling. In an attempt to have as many men as possible under arms for home defence in order to release regulars, in 1796 the Government created
33792-442: Was eventually defeated by 1412. Having failed Owain went into hiding and nothing was known of him after 1413. The penal laws against the Welsh of 1401–02 passed by the English parliament made the Welsh second-class citizens. With hopes of independence ended, there were no further wars or rebellions against English colonial rule and the laws remained on the statute books until 1624. Henry Tudor (born in Wales in 1457) seized
33984-417: Was first suggested by the Austrian philologist, Alfred Holder, in 1896. An alternative etymology has been proposed, which argues that the first element of the place-name is related to a Welsh word signifying 'valiant', rendering 'Gloucester' to mean 'fortress of the valiant'. Glevum was established around AD 48 at an important crossing of the River Severn and near to the Fosse Way , the early front line after
34176-455: Was hit badly by a flood that struck Gloucestershire and its surrounding areas. Hundreds of homes were flooded, but the event was most memorable because of its wider impact – about 40,000 people were without power for 24 hours, and the entire city (plus surrounding areas) was without piped water for 17 days. In 2009, Gloucester Day was revived as an annual day of celebration of Gloucester's history and culture. The day originally dates from
34368-494: Was intensely Romanised in the second and third centuries with a higher than normal distribution of villas. At the end of the third century or the start of the fourth, major changes were made to the city's second-century wall. It was replaced in two stages by a stronger and higher one of stone resting on massive reused stone blocks. In the second stage, the blocks rested on deep timber foundation piles. Stone external towers were added; two parallel wide ditches were also cut in front of
34560-436: Was iron smelting, and iron manufacturing became prevalent in both the north and the south of the country. In the north, John Wilkinson 's Ironworks at Bersham was a major centre, while in the south, at Merthyr Tydfil , the ironworks of Dowlais , Cyfarthfa , Plymouth and Penydarren became the most significant hub of iron manufacture in Wales. By the 1820s, south Wales produced 40 per cent of all Britain's pig iron . By
34752-414: Was itself derived from the name of the Gauls known to the Romans as Volcae . This term was later used to refer indiscriminately to inhabitants of the Western Roman Empire . Anglo-Saxons came to use the term to refer to the Britons in particular; the plural form Wēalas evolved into the name for their territory, Wales. Historically in Britain , the words were not restricted to modern Wales or to
34944-407: Was made a county borough , independent from Gloucestershire County Council. Gloucester Guildhall at 23 Eastgate Street was built in 1892 and served as the city's administrative headquarters until 1986, when the council moved to North Warehouse at Gloucester Docks . On 1 April 1974, the modern district of Gloucester was formed under the Local Government Act 1972 , covering the same area as
35136-406: Was met by the Mayor, John Rawlins , at Quedgeley . Her father Henry VIII and his then Queen, Anne Boleyn , visited in July 1535. They used Gloucester as a base for hunting trips to Painswick , Coberley , and Miserden . They left Gloucester for Leonard Stanley , on their way to Berkeley Castle . Gloucester was the site of the execution by burning of John Hooper , Bishop of Gloucester, in
35328-425: Was no longer feigning any pretence as a kingdom and became part of Mercia . Mercia, allied by matrimony and sharing a desire to counter the Danish onslaught as had conquered swathes of the wider island at large, submitted to Alfred the Great 's Kingdom of Wessex in about 877–883. A 20th-century writer intuitively adds that Roman stem Gleu- Glev- was, doubtless, pronounced without any final consonant. Claudia Castra
35520-406: Was not embodied for permanent service, and the embodied militia regiments were stood down in 1763. After 1763 militia training was sporadic, and the Cardigan regiment rarely assembled in a single body: instead the companies trained separately at convenient places in the north, centre and south of the county. In 1764 the adjutant and four men of the permanent staff were called out to salvage and guard
35712-411: Was now organised in six companies and Maj Campbell was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel . The regiment remained in Hampshire, at Bishop's Waltham in October 1781 and at Winchester before the end of the year. In June 1782 it was back in the Portsmouth area. In October the regiment returned to South Wales to winter quarters in Carmarthen. In February 1783 the Cardigan Militia marched through Aberystwyth on
35904-445: Was producing almost 61 million tons of coal. Historian Kenneth Morgan described Wales on the eve of the First World War as a "relatively placid, self-confident and successful nation". The output from the coalfields continued to increase, with the Rhondda Valley recording a peak of 9.6 million tons of coal extracted in 1913. The First World War (1914–1918) saw a total of 272,924 Welshmen under arms, representing 21.5 per cent of
36096-469: Was raised to 414, organised into four batteries. The Royal Artillery and Militia Artillery were reorganised on 14 April 1882, when 11 territorial divisions of garrison artillery were formed, each consisting of a number of brigades. In each division the 1st Brigade was composed of Regular RA batteries, the others being a varying number of militia corps. The Royal Cardigan Artillery joined the Welsh Division , becoming 5th Brigade, Welsh Division, RA . In 1889
36288-486: Was required, whereas most counties had to supply one in 12–18. In January 1797 regimental HQ summoned a detachment back from Aberystwyth to reinforce the company guarding French prisoners of war at Pembroke Dock. On 22 February a French force made a landing at Fishguard on the north Pembrokeshire coast. A force of militia, yeomanry and volunteers was quickly gathered at Haverfordwest under the command of Lord Cawdor to oppose this invasion. The three officers and 100 men of
36480-435: Was shipped from Portsea to the Isle of Wight , where duties included guarding prisoners and manning the forts and redoubts protecting the island and the approaches to the Solent and Spithead . Some of the men were trained to assist the gunners in the forts. On 11 September, John Palmer Chichester of Arlington Court , formerly Brigade of Guards , was appointed commanding officer in succession to Col Brooks. From Hampshire
36672-405: Was to guard French prisoners-of-war confined in Pembroke town. On 24 May 1780 Viscount Vaughan was succeeded as major-commandant by John Campbell of Stackpole Court and the regiment marched to Hampshire to take up garrison duties at Portsmouth . Despite substitutes replacing many of the balloted men, the regiment's ranks contained many relatively well-to-do men. In 1780 a high proportion of
36864-424: Was with the Garrison Army in the Pembroke defences. The 1852 Act introduced Artillery Militia corps in addition to the traditional infantry regiments. Their role was to man coastal defences and fortifications, relieving the Royal Artillery (RA) for active service. The Royal Carmarthen and Royal Pembrokeshire regiments had been converted to artillery militia in 1861, and trained alongside the Royal Cardigan Rifles in
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