Barry

Barry (also Barri), town and port in South Wales, administrative headquarters of Vale of Glamorgan district. It is situated on the Bristol Channel, 12 km (7y miles) south-west of Cardiff.

Barry remained little more than a village centred around the site of an 11th-century Norman castle until a new dock was opened in 1889. This was built to compete with the export of coal from Cardiff, and has remained an important centre of trade to the present day. The capabilities of the port have diversified to handle cargoes such as bananas, timber, oil, grain, and steel products. Barry also operates as a popular seaside resort, capitalizing on the sandy beaches of the nearby Barry Island. Population 49,887 (1991).