ORIGINS - Borth and the sea

Borth has a long and interesting maritime history that played an important role in shaping the village we see today.

For centuries, Borth was a small fishing hamlet, its residents reliant on the catches of herring that were abundant between September and January each year. This maritime heritage changed with the arrival of the railway in 1863 when the village’s economy started to shift towards tourism. Today, the village has a mostly seasonal economy, attracting holidaymakers from around the UK and further afield in the summer months.

Black and white image of a group of men clearing stones from the road after a storm

Explore the images, objects and stories of the exhibition by clicking on the pictures in the gallery below

Black and white image of the old sea captains of Borth with their names written above and below

Master Mariners

Borth produced some 300 master mariners throughout the peak of Britain’s sailing ship era in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Many worked out of the nearby port of Aberdyfi....Read More >

A terrace of colourful houses is seen from the beach with blue sky behind.

Houses of Borth

Borth has around 1,500 houses, many of which have long histories connecting the village and the sea. Some of the houses go back to the early 19th century when they were...Read More >

Picture of an old fashioned railway clock showing the time as five to three.

Station Clock

Borth’s station clock was installed in the 1870s. A crucial part of the smooth operation of the railway station and the trains passing through it, the clock was wound up...Read More >

Black and white image of a crowd of people forming a carnival procession in 1912

Borth Carnival

Borth’s carnival runs every summer and is the highlight of the village’s social calendar, drawing people into the village from miles around. The event goes back well over 100 years....Read More >

Photograph of a dilapidated building that was once the generator house in Borth

Pole Borer

Electricity arrived in Borth before the Second World War, although there were still homes without power in the late 1970s. Many of the holes that were dug to hold the...Read More >

Old black and white image of touring caravans in the field behind the village with the sea in the back ground.

Caravanning comes to Borth

In the UK, caravanning started to gain popularity as early as the 1920s. However, the post-War economic boom in the 1950s, coupled with a rise in car ownership, led to...Read More >

Storm board fitted into a alleyway between two houses

Second Homes

In the past few years, the UK’s coastal areas have become increasingly popular places to visit and live. This, coupled with the rise of online marketplaces for short- and long-term...Read More >

Sea Defences

Inspiration