﻿761 



MERIOIfETHSHIUE. 



MERIONETHSHIRE. 



762 



■which is a small plain, with two rocky heads of equal height, one 

 lookin? to the north and the other to the south. The view from ita 

 Bummit is Tery extensive : the mountain rises so far above all the 

 hills which lie farther east, that the Wrekin in the plain of Shropshire 

 is visible from it. Its sides, though mostly destitute of vegetation, 

 present some variety, from having several small lakes imbedded iu the 

 depressions of the rock. The rocks themselves are of primitive forma- 

 tion, consisting chiefly of different kinds of porphyry. 



The county is almost entirely occupied with the slate rocks which 

 predominate in North Wales. Along the valley of the Dee, as far up 

 as Bala and the valley of the Alwen, a bluish-gray limestone is found, 

 which is quarried for lime, the principal manure employed in the 

 county. Great quantities of white limestone are quarried and burnt 

 for lime near Corwen. This limestone is surrounded on every side 

 by primitive argillaceous slate, which occupies the eastern side of the 

 county. The slates of this formation are quarried in the neighbour- 

 hood of Corwen. In the western part of the county the rocks are 

 chiefly slaty, forming abrupt and rugged mountains of desolate 

 appearance. Lead and copper mines are worked near Towyn at the 

 mouth of the Disynwy, and copper-mines in the neighbourhood of 

 Barmouth. Slates are quarried in the Ber^vyn Mountains, and at 

 Festiniog. 



Hydrography and Commvnicatiom. — The principal rivers belonging 

 to the county are the Dee, the Maw, and the Dovey, with their respec- 

 tive affluents. The Mate, otherwise called Mawddach, rises near the 

 centre of the county, and has a southern coarse of 8 miles to its 

 junction with the Lyniauduon, which lies more to the westward, and 

 is of about equal leogth. From the junction of the Lyniauduon the 

 Mawddach flows south-south-west 4 miles to the junction of the Wnion 

 (12 miles long), which rises close to the source of the Dee, and flows 

 along the same valley, but in an opposite direction. For the remainder 

 of its course, which is about 8 miles south-west, the Maw is a tide 

 river; expanding into an acstuary in some places a mile wide, and in 

 great part dry at low water. The Dovey, or Dyfl, rises just within 

 the border of the county, east of the mountain Arran Mowddy, in 

 the Berwyn chain. From its source it flows south-west nearly 30 miles 

 through a winding vale into the Bay of Cardigan ; receives a number 

 of small mountain streams, of which the Tafalog, the Afon, the Dulas, 

 and the Cwmcelli are the principal. A part of the course of the Dovey 

 itself and of the Tafalog, and the whole course of the Afon and the 

 Dulas, belong to Montgomeryshire. The lower part of the course of 

 the Dovey is on the border of Merionethshirr, which it separates first 

 from Montgomeryshire, and then from Cardiganshire. Near the mouth 

 it expands into a wide scstuary, the greater part of which is dry at 

 low water. The Dovey is navigable up to Machynlleth, 12 miles from 

 its month. The Ditynvy rises in the Berwyn Mountains, a little north- 

 cast of Cader Idris, and flows south-weat 16 miles into the sea between 

 the Maw and the Dovey. About 3 miles from its source it expands 

 into a small lake, called Llyn-y-Myngil, which in width nearly fills the 

 valley of Tal-y-Llyn, leaving only a narrow road on one side, and 

 extends in length about a mile. The Disynwy above ita mouth 

 expands into an scatuary of about a mile wide, but just at the mouth 

 is contracted into a very narrow channel. The largest of the numer- 

 ous lakes in the county is Llyn-Tegid, or Bala Lake. [Bala.] 



The principal roads are those from London by Shrewsbury to Corwen 

 and Bangor, to Bala and Caernarvon, and to Dolgelley and Barmouth, 

 with branches to Towyn. There is no railway in the county. 



Divitwnt, Tonem, <fcc. — This county, called by the Welsh Meironydd, 

 or Mctrionydd, is the only one in Wales that, with the addition merely 

 of the word ' shire,' retains its ancient designation. Writers are not 

 agreed as to the ancient division of the county ; the present divisions, 

 with their relative situations, are as follows ; — Ardwdwy, or Ardudwy, 

 north-west ; Edemion, or Edeymion, north-east ; Estimrder, or Estu- 

 maner, south ; Penllyn, north and north-east ; Taly bont, or Tal-y-bont, 

 and Mowddy, south and south-east. 



There are five ancient market-towns, namely, Bala and Dolqellet, 

 the assize towns ; Harlech, Corwex, and Diuas-y-Mowddy ; and two, 

 where markets have been established of late years, namely, Towyn 

 and Barmoutii. The places printed in small capitals are described 

 under their respective titles, the others we notice here : — 



Diiuu-y-Mowddy, in the parish of Mallwydd, 10 miles E. from 

 Dolgelley, population of the parish 1201 in 1851, is situated on a shelf 

 of rock at the junction of the Cerris with the Dovey. It consists of 

 a few mean cottages. Mallwydd parish church is a spacious edifice ; 

 there are Dissenting chapels and a Free school. Flannel is made in the 

 neighbourhood. The scenery about Mallwydd is very fine ; and many 

 anglers resort here in the season. 



Harlech, is in the parish of Llandandwg, near the shore of Cardigan 

 Bay, 22 miles N.W. from Dolgelley. The population of the parish in 

 1851 was 749. A British fortress, called originally Twr Bronwen, and 

 at an after period, Caer Collwyn, occupied the site of the present 

 castle erected by Edward L In the civil war of Charies I. the castle 

 changed masters once or twicp, but was finally taken by the Parlia- 

 mentarians under General Mytton, March 1647. Harlech is now little 

 more than a village. The ruins of the castle are situated on a lofty 

 and precipitous rock facing the b.iy, and rising above an extensive 

 marsh once occupied by the sea. Its walls are tolerably perfect ; they 

 form a square of about 70 yards each way, with a round tower at each 



comer, and on each side of the entrance. The church ia modem. The 

 market has almost fallen into disuse ; there are several fairs, chiefly 

 for live stock. The county election is held here. 



Towyn, is pleasantly situated near the coast, between the aeatuaries 

 of the Disynwy and Dovey, 16 miles S.S.W. from Dolgelley. The 

 population was 2769 in 1851. The houses are built chiefly of a coarse 

 gray atone quarried iu the neighbourhood. The town is frequented 

 in summer for bathing. The church contains some venerable monu- 

 ments ; in the churchyard are two rude pillara, one of them 7 feet 

 high, adorned with a cross, and bearing an inscription in commemo- 

 ration of St. Cadvan. There are a diFsenting chapel, and a school 

 partly endowed. In a field near the church a medicinal spring has 

 been inclosed, and two baths have been formed. Some flannels are 

 manufactured. Races are held near the town. There is a yearly fair. 

 The bathing village and port of Aberdorey on the sestuary of the 

 Dovey, is in Towyn parish. There are a chapel of ease and Disaenting 

 chapels here. Slate-quarries are worked near Aberdovey, and a consi- 

 derable share of the coasting trade is carried on at the port, which is 

 a member of Aberystwith. 



The only other places that require notice are Maentwrog and 

 Trawsfynnydd. Mamttorog is pleasantly situated near the foot of the 

 Vale of Festiniog, 17 miles N. by W. from Dolgelley. The population 

 in 1851 was 894. The village contains a neat church, a Methodist 

 chapel, and Free schools. During the season the place is much resorted 

 to by tourists. Tan-y-Bwlch a very celebrated tourists' hotel ia near 

 Maentwrog. In the neighbourhood are extensive slate-quarries. Many 

 excellent residences are in the vicinity. Trawsfynnydd is on the road 

 from Festiniog to Dolgelley: population, 1498 in 1851. The village 

 consists of neat houses, a church, and a chapel. The mountain scenery 

 around ia very fine. 



Divirioni for Eccletia»ticdl and Legal Purposes. — The county of 

 Merioneth ia partly in the archdeaconry of Merioneth and diocese of 

 Bangor, and partly in the archdeaconry and diocese of St. Asaph. By 

 the Poor-Law Commissioners the county is divided into 4 Unions — 

 Bala, Corwen, Dolgelley, and Festiniog, containing 48 parishes and 

 townships, with a population in 1851 of 51,211. The county is in 

 the North Wales circuit ; the Lent assizes and the Epiphany and 

 Midsummer quarter sessions are held at Bala : the Midsummer assizes 

 and the Easter and Michaelmas quarter sessions at Dolgelley, 

 where is the county jaiL County courts are held at Bala, Corwen, 

 and Dolgelley. The county returns one member to the Imperial 

 Parliament. 



History, Antiquities, <tc. — In the earliest period of the authentic 

 history of the island, Merionethshire waa included in the territory of 

 the Ordovices. [Bbitannla.] In the Roni.-in division of the island it 

 waa included in the province of Britannia Secunda. There are several 

 traces of Roman works in thia county. There are remains of camps 

 near Bala. Tommen-y-Mftr, ' the mount within the wall,' a station, 

 of which the ditch and bank, with vestiges of a wall, remain, near 

 Festiniog, is supposed to be the Heiri Mona of Richard of Cirencester, 

 though Stukeley places it near Bala. Castell Prysor, a hilly fort about 

 3 miles E. from Trawsfynydd, is considered by Pennant to have been 

 originally Roman. The Dovey River is believed to be the Stucia of 

 PtolemcDUs. A Roman road firom Maridunum, or Muridunum (Caer- 

 marthen), to Segontium (Caer Seiont, near Caernarvon) led through 

 the county. It may be traced in the neighbourhood of Trawsfynnydd 

 through 'Tommen-y-Mttr, where it is. called Sam-Helen, a name which 

 is interpreted by some ' the road or causeway of Helen,' the wife of 

 the usurper Maximus, who assumed the purple (a.d. 381) in the time 

 of the emperors Gratian and Theodosius ; and by others ' the road of 

 the legion.' The Sam-Helen is now entirely covered with turf, and ia 

 to be distinguished only by its elevation above the rest of the surface; 

 but on digging, the layers of stone of which it was made are discover- 

 able throughout its course : the aggregate breadth of these layers is 

 about 24 feet. There are several tumuli or barrows near the road. 

 There is a group of other monuments, probably sepulchral, near Rhyd- 

 ar-Helen, a quarter of a mile from the Saru-Helen, of considerable 

 antiquity. In the neighbourhood of lihiw Goch, not far from Traws- 

 fynnydd, ia a grave, called the Grave of Porua, covered with an 

 inscribed atone, evidently Roman; and near it is a great upright 

 monumental or banta stone, ol a kiml frequent iu Wales and in 

 northern Europe. Roman coins, sepulchral urns, and other antiquities 

 have been dug up iu various places. 



A stone iuclosure, or fort, and several other British antiquities are 

 neai- Llanddewe, between Barmouth and Harlech ; and in the same 

 neighbourhood are carnedds, cromlechs, and other primeval remains. 



During the Saxon period and the reigns of the earlier English kings 

 of the Norman dynasty, Merionethshire does not appear to have been 

 the scene of events of historical interest. In proportion however as 

 the consoUdation of the Anglo-Norman power enabled the English to 

 press the Welsh more closely, these previously unassailed fastnesses 

 became the scene of contest. The invasion of Henry II., and the stop 

 put to his progress by the Welsh, under Owen Qwynedd (1165), are 

 noticed under Corwen. 



The county waa probably conquered by Edward I., a little before 

 the final conquest of Wales, as Harlech Castle was completed before 

 1283. Merionethshire was the scone of the rebellion of Owen Qlyndwr. 

 Harlech Castle was one of his conquests. 



