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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868


National Gazetteer (1868)

>"GWYDDELWERN, a parish in the hundred of Edernion, county Merioneth, 2 miles N. of Corwen. The parish, which is of large extent, is situated on a branch of the river Alwen. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of St. Asaph, value £138, in the patronage of the bishop. The church is dedicated to St. Bruno. The charities produce about £30 per annum, including the endowment of Roberts's school."

"BODGYNFEL, a township in the parish of Gwyddelwern, hundred of Edernion, in the county of Merioneth, North Wales, 2 miles from Corwen."

"BONRON, a township in the parish of Gwyddelwern, hundred of Edernion, in the county of Merioneth, North Wales, 2 miles from Corwen."

"BONWYSON, a township in the parish of Gwyddelwern, hundred of Edernion, in the county of Merioneth, North Wales, 11 miles to the W. of Builth."

"BROSAEDTHYDD, a township in the parish of Gwyddelwern, hundred of Edernion, in the county of Merioneth, North Wales, 2 miles from Corwen."

"CYNWYD-FAWR, (and Cynwyd Fechan) townships in the parish of Gwyddelwern, in the county of Merioneth, 3 miles N. of Corwen."

"DREBACH, a township in the parish of Gwyddelwern, in the county of Merioneth, 2 miles N. of Corwen."

"MAESGAMEDD, a township in the parish of Gwyddelwern, county Merioneth, 3 miles N. of Corwen."

"MAESGWYN, a township in the parish of Gwyddelwern, county Merioneth, 2 miles N. of Corwen."

"MEYARTH, a township in the parish of Gwyddelwern, county Merioneth, 2 miles N. of Corwen."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]


A Topographical Dictionary of Wales Samuel Lewis, 1833

>GWYDDELWERN, a parish in the hundred of EDEYRNION, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES, comprising the three principal divisions of Cwm, Uwch-Avon, and Uwch-Mynydd, each of which maintains its own poor, and containing 1577 inhabitants. The village of Gwyddelwern is in the Cwm division, and occupies a pleasant situation in a small valley, on the road from Corwen to Ruthin, 3 miles (N.) from Corwen. The whole of this parish, comprising about four thousand four hundred acres, is enclosed and under cultivation ; but the quality of the soil is extremely various : the elevated parts, forming the greater portion of the parish, command fine views of the Vale of Edeyrnion, watered by the river Dee, and of the surrounding country. The south-western part is intersected by the road from London to Holyhead, and the two high roads from Corwen to Bala : the road from Corwen to Ruthin also passes through it, and has lately been greatly improved by diverting certain parts of it, in order to avoid the hills over which it previously passed.

Peat is procured within the parish, for the consumption of the inhabitants of the district. The manufacture of flannel is carried on at Cynwyd, a village six miles distant from that of Gwyddelwern, in the Uwch-Avon division, which is entirely detached from the two other divisions of the parish. At this village was also anciently held the court for the whole comot of Edeyrnion, which contained thirteen baronies, and had independent manorial rights ; but, on a quarrel between the lords, as it is stated, the records were burnt, and the courts have been since discontinued. Fairs are held on April 15th, August 5th, and October 18th.

The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of St. Asaph, not rated in the king's books; endowed with £400 parliamentary grant, and in the patronage of the Bishop of St. Asaph : the tithes of the parish are divided into five equal portions, of which four belong to the vicars choral of St. Asaph, and the fifth to the incumbent. The church, dedicated to St. Beuno, is an ancient building, with a rich eastern window, containing some remains of ancient stained glass : there is a curious old chandelier of wood hanging in the interior. There are several places of worship, in different parts of the parish, for Baptists and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists, with Sunday schools attached to each.

The parochial school, situated in the village of Gwyddelwern, is partly supported by subscription, having no permanent endowment. Hugh Roberts, in 1807, bequeathed £ 200, directing the interest to be applied to the instruction of the children of the Uwch-Avon division and the parish of Llangar, two-thirds to the former, and one-third to the latter : the school-room is situated in the village of Cynwyd, and was built by subscription. Divers small bequests have been made, the interest of which is applied annually for the benefit of the poor of the different divisions.

On Bettws mountain, in the Uwch-Mynydd division, are vestiges of an ancient British encampment ; and about three-quarters of a mile south of the village of Gwyddelwern, in a field by the road side, there is an artifIcial mound, surrounded by a fosse, called Tommen y Castell, together with some tumuli. Near Gwyddelwern there is a place called Bryn Saith Marchog, from its being the spot where Owain Glyndwr surprised Reginald de Grey and seven knights, whom he made prisoners : it commands a beautiful view of the small but picturesque vale of Glyn. Above the village of Cynwyd is a picturesque waterfall. The average annual expenditure for the support of the poor of the whole parish amounts to £ 562. 10.

Cwm

>CWM, a division in the parish of GWYDDELWERN, hundred of EDEYRNION, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES, comprising the united townships of Aelhaiarn, Bonron, Maesgammedd, Maesgwyn, Myarth, Trebach, and Trefrith, the population of which is returned with the division of Uwchmynydd. This division forms the lower portion of the parish, and the road from Corwen to Ruthin passes through it. The parochial church and village of Gwyddelwern are situated within its limits, It separately supports its own poor.

UWCH-AVON

>UWCH-AVON, a division in the parish of GWYDD-ELWERN, hundred of EDEYRNION, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES, comprising the united townships of Bodheulog, Cynwyd Vawr, Cynwyd Vechan, and Persaithydd, and containing 755 inhabitants. The village of Cynwyd is situated on the road from Corwen to Bala and Dinasmowddwy, 2 miles (S. W.) from Corwen. It is noted as the place where a court for the thirteen baronies contained within the comot of Edeyrnion was anciently held, chiefly for the purpose of settling the boundaries of the lords' claims upon the wastes and commons, and for taking cognizance of encroachments ; but a disagreement arising among the lords, the records were destroyed, and the court has since been discontinued. The river Trustion runs through this village, about half a mile above which it pours its waters over a precipitous ledge of rocks, upwards of sixty feet high, and forms a pleasing cascade : the first fall rushes through a narrow chasm, about forty feet in perpendicular height, and is received into a basin, measuring at least ten feet in diameter, whence it pursues its course for several yards along a rocky ridge, and then rolls over, in three falls of about twenty feet, into a natural reservoir more capacious than the former : within a short distance of this, after passing through the dingle and the village, it empties itself into the Dee. There are two flannel manufactories and a corn-mill upon this stream : the latter, situated near the bottom of the waterfall, contributes materially to the picturesque character of the scenery, which, from the rocky declivities being in many places well clothed with wood, is pleasing and attractive. Fairs are held on August 6th and October 21st. There are places of worship for Baptists and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists, with a Sunday school attached to each. A school-room was built at Cynwyd by subscription, in consequence of a bequest of £200 by Hugh Roberts, in 1807, the produce to be applied to the instruction of children of the Uwch-Avon division, and the parish of Llangar, two-thirds to the former, and one-third to the latter. Near Tyn y Wern there is a remarkably fine oak, about ninety feet high, the trunk of which, at the distance of seven feet from the ground, measures twenty feet in girth, and one of its branches thirteen : there is also in the vicinity a very large elm tree, eleven feet in circumference.

UWCH-MYNYDD

>UWCH-MYNYDD, a division in the parish of GWYDDELWERN, hundred of EDEYRNION, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES, comprising the united townships of Bodgynvan and Clegir, and containing, with the division of Cwm, 822 inhabitants. The small romantic village of Melinwig is situated within its limits. There are places of worship for Baptists and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists, with Sunday schools attached. Vestiges of a British encampment are traceable on Bettws mountain.

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