The Rebirth of Cardigan Harbour

It also became the centre of a flourishing ship building industry concentrated both at Netpool (where a beautiful park now stands) and further downstream at St Dogmaels. In the early years local timber was used, in particular wood from the Coedmor estate, near Cilgerran. But by the start of the 19th Century, the demand was so great the builders had to import wood from the Baltic and Nova Scotia. In all over 200 ships were built on the banks of the Teifi. Three shipyards were active in 1850, and the final Cardigan ship was launched in 1877.

Some of the vessels were large, up to 400 tonnes, and were passenger ships making Cardigan one of the country’s largest ports for transatlantic emigration, sending ships like the Active and Albion to New Brunswick in Canada and the Triton to New York.

However, by the end of the 18th century, dark clouds were appearing on the Cardigan horizon. The replacement of the sailing ship by steam ship, together with the silting up of the river and the arrival of the railway in 1885, all contributed to its eventual downfall as an international port. Despite efforts at reviving its prosperity after the First World War, its decline continued, until by 1942 commercial vessels, no longer visited the town.

Although the large cargo ships may have gone forever, pleasure ships are now replacing them bound for an ever increasing number of destinations in nearby Cardigan Bay. In 1996 the tourists were being magnificently catered for by the new Cardigan Heritage Centre housed in an 18^th century Grade 2 listed warehouse at Teifi Wharf. Managed by Cardigan’s historic society, Hanes Aberteifi, it traces the history of Cardigan from pre-Norman times to the present day. Hanes Aberteifi is a charitable organisation registered with the Civic Trust and the Civic Trust for Wales It also organised a range of changing exhibitions on local themes.