Gwyddelwern
Encyclopedia
Gwyddelwern is a small village
and community
of 508 residents, situated approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Corwen
in Denbighshire
in Wales
. Historically the village was part of the Edeirnion
district of Meirionnydd
. Edeirnion was part of the Glyndwr
district of Clwyd
from 1974 to 1996, when the area became part of the principal area
of Denbighshire
. The village straddles the A494 road
(trunk road
).
Grove. Gwyddel being Irishman, wern usually referring to a damp or swampy area arising from run-off from surrounding hills. However, the name is derived from gwyddeli, meaning thickets, hence the correct translation would be alder marsh in the thickets. In colloquial speech the village is often referred to simply as Gwyddel.
s Mynydd-Rhŷd-Ddu and Bryn Gwenallt. To the south the view extends over the Dee Valley
to the Berwyn Mountains
and Arenig Fawr
near Bala
.
Besides farm work, local employers include a saw mill in the village and light manufacturing in Corwen and Cynwyd
, further south.
of Bryn Saith Marchog (53°02′25"N 03°22′45"W), features in the story of Branwen
, daughter of Llyr
, part of the Mabinogion
, and is so named after Bendigeidfran (Bran the Blessed
), who stationed seven princes or knights there (the Saith Marchog) to watch over his lands while he was away in Ireland. The Lordship of Gwyddelwern was a junior title within the House of Powys Fadog
and was recorded in 1400 as being held by Tudur ab Gruffydd Fychan II
who was the younger brother of Owain Glyndwr
. Tudur perished in battle during Glyndwr's war of independence and the title became dormant.
Quarry
ing was important to the village: the two local quarries being the Dee Clwyd Granite
Quarry and Graig-Lelo Quarry. There is still activity at Graig-Lelo, which plays host to a vehicle breakers and a granite and marble
finishing business.
Passenger services ended on February 2, 1953 and goods traffic on December 2, 1957.
includes the much-rebuilt high spire
of the parish church
of St Beuno
. The churchyard
is circular, an indication of the age of the site, possibly to pre Christian
times.
Which shares a boundary with the local inn
- Tŷ Mawr, formerly the Rose and Crown. Parts of Tŷ Mawr date back to the 11th century and, during extensive renovation, a rare jeton
or 15th century gaming token was found in one of the wall spaces.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and community
Community (Wales)
A community is a division of land in Wales that forms the lowest-tier of local government in Wales. Welsh communities are analogous to civil parishes in England....
of 508 residents, situated approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Corwen
Corwen
Corwen is a town and community in the county of Denbighshire in Wales; it was previously part of the county of Meirionnydd). Corwen stands on the banks of the River Dee beneath the Berwyn mountains. The town is situated west of Llangollen and south of Ruthin...
in Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Historically the village was part of the Edeirnion
Edeirnion
Edeirnion is an area of the county of Denbighshire and an ancient commote of medieval Wales. According to tradition, it was named after its eponymous founder Edern or Edeyrn....
district of Meirionnydd
Merionethshire
Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...
. Edeirnion was part of the Glyndwr
Glyndwr
Glyndŵr was one of six districts of Clwyd between 1974 and 1996.It was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, from parts of the administrative counties of Denbighshire and Merionethshire....
district of Clwyd
Clwyd
Clwyd is a preserved county of Wales, situated in the north-east, bordering England with Cheshire to its east, Shropshire to the south-east, and the Welsh counties of Gwynedd to its immediate west and Powys to the south. It additionally shares a maritime border with the metropolitan county of...
from 1974 to 1996, when the area became part of the principal area
Principal area
In England and Wales local government legislation, a principal area is one of the various sub-national areas established for control by a principal council...
of Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
. The village straddles the A494 road
A494 road
The A494 is an important trunk road in Wales. The road runs between "Drome Corner" at the intersection of the A548 and A550 by RAF Sealand, Queensferry and the A470 at Dolgellau, Gwynedd.-Beginnings:...
(trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
).
Etymology
The name is often "poetically", but incorrectly, translated as The Irishman's AlderAlder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
Grove. Gwyddel being Irishman, wern usually referring to a damp or swampy area arising from run-off from surrounding hills. However, the name is derived from gwyddeli, meaning thickets, hence the correct translation would be alder marsh in the thickets. In colloquial speech the village is often referred to simply as Gwyddel.
Geography
The outlook to the west of the village is dominated by the hillHill
A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills often have a distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to a particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit A hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. Hills...
s Mynydd-Rhŷd-Ddu and Bryn Gwenallt. To the south the view extends over the Dee Valley
River Dee, Wales
The River Dee is a long river in the United Kingdom. It travels through Wales and England and also forms part of the border between the two countries....
to the Berwyn Mountains
Berwyn range
The Berwyn range is an isolated and sparsely populated area of moorland located in the north-east of Wales, roughly bounded by Llangollen in the north-east, Corwen in the north-west, Bala in the south-west, and Oswestry in the south-east.The Berwyn range also played its part in causing King Henry...
and Arenig Fawr
Arenig Fawr
Arenig Fawr is a mountain located in Snowdonia, North Wales. The mountain, which is the largest in the area, lies close to Llyn Celyn reservoir alongside the A4212 between Trawsfynydd and Bala.-Location:...
near Bala
Bala, Gwynedd
Bala is a market town and community in Gwynedd, Wales, and formerly an urban district of the historic county of Merionethshire. It lies at the north end of Bala Lake , 17 miles north-east of Dolgellau, with a population of 1,980...
.
Besides farm work, local employers include a saw mill in the village and light manufacturing in Corwen and Cynwyd
Cynwyd
Cynwyd is a small village and community in the Edeirnion area of Denbighshire in Wales, located about south west of the town of Corwen. It had a population of 528 in 2001, and is home to a large factory, run by Ifor Williams Trailers....
, further south.
History
The nearby hamletHamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
of Bryn Saith Marchog (53°02′25"N 03°22′45"W), features in the story of Branwen
Branwen
Branwen, Daughter of Llŷr is a major character in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, which is sometimes called the Mabinogi of Branwen after her. Branwen is a daughter of Llŷr and Penarddun...
, daughter of Llyr
Llyr
Llŷr is a figure in Welsh mythology, the father of Brân, Brânwen and Manawydan by Penarddun. The Welsh Triads mention he was imprisoned by Euroswydd; the Second Branch of the Mabinogi names Euroswydd as the father of Penarddun's younger two sons, Nisien and Efnisien. Llŷr corresponds to Lir in...
, part of the Mabinogion
Mabinogion
The Mabinogion is the title given to a collection of eleven prose stories collated from medieval Welsh manuscripts. The tales draw on pre-Christian Celtic mythology, international folktale motifs, and early medieval historical traditions...
, and is so named after Bendigeidfran (Bran the Blessed
Bran the Blessed
Brân the Blessed is a giant and king of Britain in Welsh mythology. He appears in several of the Welsh Triads, but his most significant role is in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi, Branwen ferch Llŷr. He is a son of Llŷr and Penarddun, and the brother of Brânwen, Manawydan, Nisien and Efnysien...
), who stationed seven princes or knights there (the Saith Marchog) to watch over his lands while he was away in Ireland. The Lordship of Gwyddelwern was a junior title within the House of Powys Fadog
Powys Fadog
Powys Fadog or Lower Powys was the northern portion of the former princely realm of Powys which split in two following the death of Madog ap Maredudd of Powys in 1160...
and was recorded in 1400 as being held by Tudur ab Gruffydd Fychan II
Gruffydd Fychan II
Gruffudd Fychan II was Lord of Glyndyfrdwy and Lord of Cynllaith Owain c.1330-1369. As such, he had a claim to be hereditary prince of Powys Fadog.- Ancestry :...
who was the younger brother of Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
. Tudur perished in battle during Glyndwr's war of independence and the title became dormant.
Quarry
Quarry
A quarry is a type of open-pit mine from which rock or minerals are extracted. Quarries are generally used for extracting building materials, such as dimension stone, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, and gravel. They are often collocated with concrete and asphalt plants due to the requirement...
ing was important to the village: the two local quarries being the Dee Clwyd Granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
Quarry and Graig-Lelo Quarry. There is still activity at Graig-Lelo, which plays host to a vehicle breakers and a granite and marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
finishing business.
The Coming and Going of the Railways
Gwyddelwern became the first fully operational railway station in the Vale of Edeyrnion, when services started on September 22, 1864 with the opening of the Denbigh, Ruthin and Corwen Railway. The station generated much income from the two quarries, which both had their own sidings. The station also had a coal yard, horse loading bay and cattle pens with a weighing machine. There was a freight loop at Gwyddelwern, on the otherwise single track line.Passenger services ended on February 2, 1953 and goods traffic on December 2, 1957.
Architecture
Gwyddelwern's historic architectureArchitecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
includes the much-rebuilt high spire
Spire
A spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
of the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of St Beuno
Beuno
Saint Beuno was a 7th-century Welsh holy man and Abbot of Clynnog Fawr in Gwynedd, on the Llŷn peninsula.-Life:Beuno was born in Powys, supposedly at Berriew, the grandson of a prince of that realm. After education and ordination in the monastery of Bangor-on-Dee in north-east Wales, he became an...
. The churchyard
Churchyard
A churchyard is a patch of land adjoining or surrounding a church which is usually owned by the relevant church or local parish itself. In the Scots language or Northern English language this can also be known as a kirkyard or kirkyaird....
is circular, an indication of the age of the site, possibly to pre Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
times.
Which shares a boundary with the local inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
- Tŷ Mawr, formerly the Rose and Crown. Parts of Tŷ Mawr date back to the 11th century and, during extensive renovation, a rare jeton
Jeton
Jetons were token or coin-like medals produced across Europe from the 13th through the 17th centuries. They were produced as counters for use in calculation on a lined board similar to an abacus. They also found use as a money substitute in games, similar to modern casino chips or poker chips...
or 15th century gaming token was found in one of the wall spaces.