A closer look at the history of Bangor, the oldest city in Wales

The city’s origins date back to the founding of Bangor Cathedral in the early 6th century AD.

Bangor became part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd, and was a key settlement, slowly expanding until a boom at the start of the 18th century.

Bangor in times gone by. Photo: Alan Jones (Image: Bangor in times gone by. Photo: Alan Jones)

A political desire to improve communications between England and Ireland via the London-Holyhead-Dublin corridor saw it become a post town in 1718.[3]

The nearby slate mining industry in Bethesda, one of the largest slate quarries in the world, made Bangor a vital part of its distribution and business.

The A5 road, which runs through the centre of the city and over the Menai Suspension Bridge, helped enhance its links to London, while Bangor railway station opened in 1848.

Bangor in times gone by. Photo: Alan Jones (Image: Bangor in times gone by. Photo: Alan Jones)

A parliamentary borough was created in 1832 for Bangor, becoming a contributing Caernarfon out borough as its status grew due to further industry such as shipbuilding and travel, with tourists from Liverpool arriving on steamboats.

Some people in the city were evacuated during the Blitz in World War II, and Bangor continues to be a crucial part of the North Wales landscape.

Bangor in times gone by. Photo: Alan Jones (Image: Bangor in times gone by. Photo: Alan Jones)