A TOUR ROUND NORTH WALES, 



The hiftory both of this place and 

 the town is very little known ; the moft 

 memorable tranfa6lion that I have met 

 with concerning this is, that it was for- 

 tified in the year 1202 by Llewelyn aj> 

 Jorwerth, Prince of Wales.* 



Bala appears to have been dependant 



on the caftle of Harlech ; and fo much 







fo, that in the reign of Edward IL it 

 was committed to the care of Finian de 

 Stanedon, conftable of that caftle. -f 



On the eaflern bank of the Dee, not 

 far difhmt, is another mount, called 



Caftell Gronw Befyr o Benllyn, theCqf- 

 df ' ~ 



tie of Gronw, tbe Fair of Penllyn, a chief- 



tain who lived in the time of Maelgwu 

 Gwynedd.J 



* Powel's Hiftory of Wales, p. 258. 



* Sebright MSS, quoted by Mr. Pennant, II. 98. 



t Vanghan's Sketch of Merioneihfhire, Camb. Reg. I k 

 191. Mr. Pennant, II. 80. is of opinion, that it was this 

 cattle that was fortified (or as it is there n>ifprintedywWA/y 

 by Llewelyn in 1202; Mr. Vaughan, however, fays deci- 

 dedly that it was ihc other. 



Eala 



