History of Aberystwyth
2000+

April

Parry-Williams building opens on Pengalis Campus for the Theatre, Film and Televion Department

September 29: Tide

Aberystwyth tidal defence scheme opened

October 20: Clock

February: Snow

Theological College Closed

United Theological college, opened in 1906 and built on the site of the old Customs House was closed

September 23: Earthquake

Earthquake felt in Aberystwyth at 1am Magnitude 4.8, epicentre Dudley

October 27: Gale

Gale force storm hits Aberystwyth just before dawn, knocking down some large trees and showering the streets with roof tiles.

April: Cherry

Being in poor condition after being neglected during last summers road works the, much loved, ornamental cherry trees on Portland St are cut down and replaced with 'European Mountain Ash'

August

Carwyn James Building opens on Penglais Campus for the Sports Sceince Department

October 1: Bridge

Suspension technology reaches Aberystwyth with the new 'bouncy' suspension foot bridge just a few hundred meters up stream of Trefechan bridge

Winning the competition to name the bridge, 11 year old Elinor Thorogood and officially opened 'Pont-yr-Odyn' (Kiln Bridge).

February 26: Snow

Aberystwyth sees its first covering of snow for many years. By lunch time the snow is 6cm deep and concern is increasing about peoples ability to get home. (Aberystwyth's snow fall is usually (but not this time) just a small fraction of what is it at the inland villages that make up the catchment area for school students and workers.) By mid afternoon, the university, post office, schools, banks and most shops are closed. The resulting exodus causes gridlock and cuts Aberyswyth off to traffic for several hours in certain directions.

Much to the bemusement of the continental students, the university remains closed the following three days due to the 8cm covering of snow.

July: Mammatus

An out-of-season 'winter storm' hits the south of England and Wales, just clipping Aber'. For following sequence, taken over 25 minutes, shows Mammatus clouds formed by the storm and lit up by the sunset. (It's the 1st time I've seen Mammatus clouds in Aberystwyth)

As an aside:

The underside of most clouds are fairly flat, a distinctive feature of these clouds is that dropping out of them are udder-like protrusions - hence the name 'Mammatus' from the Latin for breast-shaped. As it turns out, the large bronze nude woman that forms part of the war memorial (aka The floozie with the boobies) is reputed to have the largest breasts in Wales. On this occasion dwarfed by these Mammatus clouds!

December: Livestock Market

Park Avenue livestock market is closed down to make way for new shops.

May: Shops

Opening of 'Ystwyty Retail Park' on the site of the former livestock market and slaughterhouse.

July 25: InterPol

June 1: Volcano

Seeing in 3D

September 1: New University

Aberystwth seceded from the University of Wales and became an independent university. Aberystwyth was one of the founding members of the University of Wales in 1893 and was, until now, a constituent college

February 27: Earthquake

Earthquake felt in Aberystwyth at 1am Magnitude 5.3, epicentre near Grimsby

April 17: Grass

Founded in 1919, and separated in 1953, the Welsh Plant Breading Station (at its Plas Gorgerddan site 4km north of Aberystwyth) becomes part of the university again.