Aberystwyth

Coordinates: 52°24′50″N 4°04′52″W / 52.414°N 4.081°W / 52.414; -4.081

Aberystwyth (Mouth of the Ystwyth, /ˌæbəˈrɪstwɪθ/, Welsh: [abɛrˈəstʊɨθ]) is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, West Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located near the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol.

Since the late 19th century, Aberystwyth has also been a major Welsh educational centre, with the establishment of a university college there in 1872. At the 2001 census, the town's population was 15,935, reducing to 13,040 at the 2011 Census. During nine months of the year, there is an influx of students—to a total number of 10,400 as of September 2012. Including the suburbs of Llanbadarn Fawr the population is 16,420.

Geography

The town is situated near the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol, on the west coast of Wales. Although the name may seem to suggest otherwise, only the River Rheidol passes through the town; following the reconstruction of the harbour, the River Ystwyth skirts the town.

Aberystwyth (hymn tune)

Aberystwyth is a hymn tune composed by Joseph Parry, written in 1876 and first published in 1879 in Edward Stephen's Ail Lyfr Tonau ac Emynau (Welsh for "The Second Book of Tunes and Hymns"). Parry was at the time the first professor and head of the new department of music at the recently founded University College Wales, Aberystwyth, now called Aberystwyth University.

Originally Aberystwyth was most popular as a setting for Charles Wesley's hymn Jesus, Lover of My Soul.

In 1897 Enoch Sontonga composed the hymn Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika ("Lord Bless Africa" in Xhosa), setting it to Aberystwyth. The song became a pan-African liberation anthem and the tune is currently the setting of national anthem of Tanzania, Zambia and since 1994, a portion of the national anthem of South Africa.

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