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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868


National Gazetteer (1868)

>"LLANFAWR, (or Llanfor), a parish in the hundred of Penllyn, county Merioneth, 2 miles N.E. of Bala, and 20 from Llangollen. Corwen is its post town. It is situated on the northern bank of the river Dee, in the vicinity of a lake, and includes the townships of Bettws, Garn, Penmaen, and Rhlwaedog. The Welsh, under the aged chief, Llywarch-Hên, had an encounter with the Saxons near this place. The princely bard, having lost most of his friends in the engagement, retired to a hut at Aber-Ciog, now called Dol-Giog, where his harp discoursed mournfully his woes. He died about the year 634, aged nearly 105, and was buried at Llanfawr. The living is a vicarage* in the diocese of St. Asaph, value £224, in the patronage of the bishop. The church is dedicated to St. Deiniol. There are also two district churches, viz: Fron Goch and Trinity, the livings of both perpetual curacies value respectively, £125 and £100, in the patronage of the' bishop. The charities produce altogether about £70 per annum. Fairs are held on the 20th May and 14th August." BETTWS, a township in the parish of Llanfawr, hundred of Penllyn, in the county of Merioneth, North Wales, 1 mile from Bala."

"CILTALGARTH, a township in the parish of Llanfawr, in the county of Merioneth. It is situated near Bala."

"GARN, a township in the parish of Llanfawr, county Merioneth, North Wales, 1 mile N.E. of Bala."

"LLAN, a township in the parish of Llanfawr, hundred of Penllyn, county Merioneth, 4 miles N.E. of Bala. It is situated near the lake of the river Dee."

"NANTLLEIDIOG, a township in the parish of Llanfawr, county Merioneth, near Bala."

"PENMAEN, a township in the parish of Llanfawr, county Merioneth, 1 mile N.E. of Bala."

"RHIWAEDOG, (or Rhywaedog, Isafon, and Uwchafon), townships in the parish of Llanfawr, county Merioneth, 2 miles S.E. of Bala."

"UCHELDRE, a township in the parish of Llanfawr, county Merioneth, 1 mile N.E. of Bala."

[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

>LLANVAWR (LLAN-VAWR), a parish in the hundred of PENLLYN, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES, 1 mile (N. E.) from Bala, on the road to Corwen, containing 1749 inhabitants. This parish, which extends for nearly eight miles in length and about the same in breadth, is situated on the river Dee, and abounds with pleasing and picturesque scenery ; from Moel Llan, on the high grounds above the village, which stands on the road from Bala to Corwen, a fine view is obtained of the vale of Penllyn, through which the Dee winds its serpentine course, and of Bala lake, bounded at its western extremity by the lofty Arenig and Aran mountains. On the left is "Rhiwaedog," or the bloody brow, celebrated for a battle which took place there between Llywarch Hen and the Saxons, in which that chieftain lost the last of his sons. Not far from the village is Pabell Llywarch Hen, the tent of Llywarch the aged,, in which he is said to have rested on the night after the battle, and where he finished the pathetic elegy in which he laments the loss of all his sons. This place is marked out by a circle of large stones, to which tradition has attributed that name ; and near the road to Corwen are also the remains of an exploratory station. Fairs are held on May 20th and August 14th. The living consists of a rectory and a vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of St. Asaph : the former, which is a sinecure, is rated in the king's books at
£ 11.5., and the latter, which is discharged, at £5. 1.5 1/2.; both are in the patronage of the Bishop. The church, dedicated to St. Deiniol, is an ancient structure, in the early style of English architecture : the north chancel, by an inscription on the outside wall, was erected in 1599, at the expense of R. Price, Esq., of Rhiwlas, in this parish, and contains several monuments to that family. Llywarch Hen died in 580, and was buried here. In a window under the gallery is a stone on which is inscribed, in old characters, the words " Cavos Eniarcii." There are places of worship for Independents and Calvinistic Methodists. Sunday schools, in connexion with the established church and the several dissenting congregations, are supported by subscription. The late William Price, Esq., of Rhiwlas, in 1774, bequeathed £ 800 for the maintenance of three aged men and three aged women of this parish, £200 for clothing the poor, and £ 100 for purchasing bread, the interest of all which sums is appropriated according to the will of the testator. Mrs. Margaret Price, of the same family, also bequeathed £ 100 for clothing the poor; and there are some smaller bequests in land and money for their benefit. Rhiwlas, the seat of the family of Price, is a very ancient building, situated on the left bank of the river Treweryn, which falls into the Dee within a short distance : the grounds embrace some pleasingly varied scenery. The average annual expenditure for the maintenance of the poor amounts to £ 1063.3.

BETTWS

>BETTWS, a township in the parish of LLANVAWR, hundred of PENLLYN, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES. The population is returned with the parish.

GARN

>GARN, a township in the parish of LLANVAWR, hundred of PENLLYN, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES. The population is returned with the parish.

PENMAEN

>PENMAEN, a township in the parish of LLANVAWR, hundred of PENLLYN, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES. The population is included in the return for the parish.

RHYWAEDOG

>RHYWAEDOG (RHIWAEDOG), a township in the parish of LLANVAWR, hundred of PENLLYN, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES, 2 miles (E. S. E.) from Bala. The population is included in the return for the parish. The name signifies " the bloody brow," and refers to a battle fought here at some remote period, and the peculiar situation of the place on the ridge of a lofty eminence. Pwll y Gelanedd, or " the pool of the slain," is a small lake of stagnant water in a contiguous vale, where a severe contest was maintained between the Britons and the Saxons, in which the only surviving son of the aged Llywarch was slain.

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