Llanfachreth
Encyclopedia
Llanfachreth is a settlement some three miles North East of Dolgellau
(its post town) in the former county
of Merionethshire
., Mid Wales
. The village is on the slopes of the valley of the river Mawddach
and at the foot of Moel Orthrwm. To the south west on another prominent hill, the Foel Cynwch,is the famous Precipice Walk.
Cadwgan, son of Bleddyn ap Cynfiyn, Prince of Powys in the early 12th century, came into possession of large areas in Merioneth and built Nannau house, a mansion a mile south west of Llanfachreth, which Obert Vaughan of Hengwrt (1592? To 1667) later called the stateliest structure in North Wales.
Cadwgan founded a small colony of serfs at Llanfachreth and his free followers settled the lands surrounding the house. The settlements spread over the area of Llanfachreth and became arable holdings made up of 70 tyddynod. Cadwgan was killed at Welshpool in 1111 but his lands remained in his family until 1701 .
Of the descendants of Cadwgan some are documented. His great great grandson, Ynyr Vychan, in the early 14th century cooperated with the Edwardian regime which ensured his family served in local offices where otherwise English were engaged. Despite a later colourful feud with the Owens of Llwyn family of Dolgellau
the family held offices and bought land thus maintaining the estate. After provocation and a law suit in 1603 Huw Nanney marched from Nannau to Dolgellau, entered the church and destroyed the pew of the Owenses family, a deadly insult. This and other acts such as cutting down thousands of (royal) oaks in an attempt to get himself out of financial difficulty actually landed him in prison but, after he petitioned a reduction of his fine from £1000 to £800 and paying it he then, at the age of over 60, in 1612 rebuilt Nannau to a staggeringly expensive standard.
The house was rebuilt again in 1693 by colonel Huw Nanney but, after his death, the estate fell from direct male inheritance to the Vaughan family through Anne his second daughter’s daughter who had married her cousin William Vaughan. Robert Williamses Vaughen, 1768 to 1843, ruled the surrounding countryside with benevolent autocracy for over 50 years. He was affectionately known as “Yr Hen Syr Robert” and, during this golden age of the estate, he accomplished much for the area.. Along with the rebuilding of nearby Dolgellau he financed much renewal of cottages, enclosure walls, houses, roads, fencing and created the precipice walk on the estate. Much of this work was paid for by Robert to relieve unemployment after the Napoleonic wars
. He built several roads from Nannau house and, a mile east of Llanfachreth across the Bontnewydd road, a striking arch called “Y Garreg Fawr” (the Great Stone) because of huge stone, brought from Harlech, that forms the span.
Many of the cottages he had rebuilt in Llanfachreth are unusual architecturally. They include slate roofs curving over dormer windows, for instance, and porches with rounded brick pillars. The last he built was “Glasgoed” a mile north of Llanfachreth. The cottage should have been higher on the hill but his health was failing so he had it built where he could see it and oversee its construction from near Nannau House. This generous man included meanest of villagers and servants at Bodyrgollan and Rhug, (where he also had interests),in his will.
After his lamented death in April 1843 He was buried in Llanfachreth churchyard and his descendants took little interest in the estate Last to take an active role in the estate was John Vaughan. He rebuilt farm cottages to a high quality. This, the building of the school and a rent rebate 10% made him very popular. He died in 1900, The estate was left to wife and, in 1917, divided between her sons, the bulk to army General John. It became loaned to the war office as convalescent home for shell shocked veterans between 1918–1921. During the Second World War it sheltered a girls' school from Kent.
Gen Vaughan did not live on the estate until late in life. He rebuilt the cottages called Tai-Baldwin in Llanfachreth, improved Bryn Ywen near the church, and converted a barn opposite Hen Felin into an attractive house. High, post war government taxes made further benevolent improvement and maintenance of the estate difficult and the estate was gradually split up. After the General died 1956 there was no direct descendent and Nannau was sold in 1966. In 2010 it again stands empty.
The parish of Llanfachreth came under jurisdiction of Cymer Abbey
founder and is mentioned in 1243 (RCAM County of Merioneth Vol VI, introduction p xx) . There are no other records until 1614 when a commission, set up by post civil war puritans, records eight Merioneth clergy evictable. This included, in 1649, Roberts the curate of Llanfachreth”for leading an unhealthy, adulterous life”. On the other hand one minister, Ellis Osbourne Williams, was so popular that on leaving in 1865 he was gifted £21/16/3.
Having no vicarage was very inconvenient especially since Llanelltyd came also under the care of the minister so, around 1844, a vicarage was petitioned and granted at a cost of around £400. The old Llanfachreth church was apparently higher and wider than present one though little is known. Choir sat high in a gallery across the chancel. (Deffroad y Werin, Griffith Price, Cors-y-garnedd, Llanfachreth... 1905, p 141=3)(Possession EWPrice, Dol)
Four roads meet by the church and by the early 19th century so many converged that there was insufficient space for the worshippers. (U.C.N.W Nannau MS 714) The generous Sir Robet Williamses Vaughan had the church enlarged. The East wall was extended 18 feet in depth and 25 feet in breadth. The South wall was extended 15 feet in depth and 20 feet in breadth. Also granted by the Bishop of Bangor in 1820 was permission for the South aisle to be erected and the addition of appropriate pews and seating. All permission was granted on the condition that Sir Robert be responsible for maintenance!
Th South transept was pulled down and rebuilt in 1872 but the tower left intact. The contract cost £1,300 and the aArchitect was Benjamin Ferrey. The church was re opened 30 April 1873 some 30 years since the funeral of Sir Robert. The tower is interesting as it features an external stairs leading to a separate door for the use of the bell ringer. Within the church there is commemoration to Rice Jones the poet who had “messuages and lands” in the parish and is buried somewhere in the church. The organ was originally powered by water from a reservoir above the church but is now electric.
The churchyard is circular, the boundary has changed but ancient yews to the north probably trace the original path boundary before extension. The graveyard is very crowded, mostly with blue/grey slate stones, almost entirely Welsh memorials. There are many interesting and lovely designs the earliest discernable dating 1721. They include such strange memorials as that to Hywel Pugh. He was a farmer who died in 1851 aged 85. An animal doctor (vet) he visited all over the district. The Welsh inscription translates, probably, ..” Appeals for help to attend sick animals brought many people to Hywel Pugh. He nursed and gave such help as he could to hundreds, nay to thousands of sick animals.” Although most of the graves are Welsh there is, to the north of the yard, the grave of a young English girl which consists of a boulder on which she liked to sit that was removed here from near her home and transcribed, “Melody Tullett of Cors-y-garnedd who made more friends in seventeen years than we can hope to make in a lifespan.”
For a while there was a well close to the village used for baptisms. It consisted of a square recessed wall with steps down to the water and is still existent though disused and loosely covered with corrugated sheets.
Interesting features other than the church and its Lych Gate include a war memorial to local residents who gave their lives in the world wars and a mounting block that once stood at the bottom of the steps to the Lych gate once served as a “town cryer” type of meeting place. The cottage “Ty-isa”, opposite the church steps, was previously a pub and brewery. In later temperate times the brewing cauldron was used elsewhere to dip sheep.
, horse riding
, white-water rafting
and climbing
. Nearby Dolgellau
is a base for climbers of Cadair Idris
(known as Cader Idris locally).
There also the Great Western Railway
line from Ruabon
to Llangollen
was extended via Corwen
and Llanuwchllyn
to Dolgellau, where it formed an end-on connection with the Cambrian Railways
line from Barmouth Junction
and a shared station was opened there in 1868. The Ruabon Barmouth
line was closed in the 1960s under the Beeching Axe
. The railway line was converted some years ago into the Llwybr Mawddach (or "Mawddach Trail") which now runs for some eight miles from Dolgellau to Morfa Mawddach railway station, near Fairbourne on the coast. It is maintained by the Snowdonia National Park and is very popular with walkers and cyclists. It passes some estuarine
areas that are important for water birds.
Historical attractions also include the 12th century Cymer Abbey
, near to Dolgellau
and the market town of Dolgellau itself. Also a mile to the West of Llanfachreth, along the banks of the Mawddach, are nature walks and disused copper mines to explore.
Llanfachreth is a good centre for visiting a number of nearby narrow-gauge heritage railways, including the Corris Railway
, the Fairbourne Railway
and the Talyllyn Railway
. The Center for Alternative Technology is some 20 miles to the south.
The village, snuggling in the hills close to the centre of Snowdonia National Park and is in easy reach of The Precipice Walk, the Mawddach river valley and the many footpaths across the nearby hills. Cader Idris is visible, when not in shroud, from there and but a short car drive. The views from the Precipice Walk are well worth the effort. There are several holiday cottages in the area.
"This little school has passed a very good examination in the elementary subjects. It is likewise very well conducted. A wider range of subjects including sewing as a specific subject may now be successfully undertaken. Another set of books is required. Fresh maps and coloured cards are wanted for the Infants. ... the whole population within two miles of the nearest road to the school is 315 so that the conditions for a Grant under Act 19 (D) are not satisfied"
Many children had to walk great distances through the parish and, as the log for 31 August 1887 attests, would miss lessons for other reasons... "Only 26 scolars present this morning, the weather being most favourable for the farmers to get their hay in, which was fast spoiling owing to the constant bad weather we have had of late".
The school still serves the community and the parish teaching children between the ages of 3 and 11.
Dolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
(its post town) in the former county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Merionethshire
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...
., Mid 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...
. The village is on the slopes of the valley of the river Mawddach
River Mawddach
The River Mawddach is a river in North Wales which has its source in a wide area north of Dduallt in Snowdonia. The river is much branched and many of the significant tributaries are of a similar size to the main river...
and at the foot of Moel Orthrwm. To the south west on another prominent hill, the Foel Cynwch,is the famous Precipice Walk.
History
From the 12th century two families, the Nanneys and the Vaughans, controlled the area that formed the greater part of the parish of Llanfachreth. The estate was, and is, known as the Nannau estate.. The history of Llanfachreth is inextricably intertwined with the fortunes of these families.Cadwgan, son of Bleddyn ap Cynfiyn, Prince of Powys in the early 12th century, came into possession of large areas in Merioneth and built Nannau house, a mansion a mile south west of Llanfachreth, which Obert Vaughan of Hengwrt (1592? To 1667) later called the stateliest structure in North Wales.
Cadwgan founded a small colony of serfs at Llanfachreth and his free followers settled the lands surrounding the house. The settlements spread over the area of Llanfachreth and became arable holdings made up of 70 tyddynod. Cadwgan was killed at Welshpool in 1111 but his lands remained in his family until 1701 .
Of the descendants of Cadwgan some are documented. His great great grandson, Ynyr Vychan, in the early 14th century cooperated with the Edwardian regime which ensured his family served in local offices where otherwise English were engaged. Despite a later colourful feud with the Owens of Llwyn family of Dolgellau
Dolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
the family held offices and bought land thus maintaining the estate. After provocation and a law suit in 1603 Huw Nanney marched from Nannau to Dolgellau, entered the church and destroyed the pew of the Owenses family, a deadly insult. This and other acts such as cutting down thousands of (royal) oaks in an attempt to get himself out of financial difficulty actually landed him in prison but, after he petitioned a reduction of his fine from £1000 to £800 and paying it he then, at the age of over 60, in 1612 rebuilt Nannau to a staggeringly expensive standard.
The house was rebuilt again in 1693 by colonel Huw Nanney but, after his death, the estate fell from direct male inheritance to the Vaughan family through Anne his second daughter’s daughter who had married her cousin William Vaughan. Robert Williamses Vaughen, 1768 to 1843, ruled the surrounding countryside with benevolent autocracy for over 50 years. He was affectionately known as “Yr Hen Syr Robert” and, during this golden age of the estate, he accomplished much for the area.. Along with the rebuilding of nearby Dolgellau he financed much renewal of cottages, enclosure walls, houses, roads, fencing and created the precipice walk on the estate. Much of this work was paid for by Robert to relieve unemployment after the Napoleonic wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. He built several roads from Nannau house and, a mile east of Llanfachreth across the Bontnewydd road, a striking arch called “Y Garreg Fawr” (the Great Stone) because of huge stone, brought from Harlech, that forms the span.
Many of the cottages he had rebuilt in Llanfachreth are unusual architecturally. They include slate roofs curving over dormer windows, for instance, and porches with rounded brick pillars. The last he built was “Glasgoed” a mile north of Llanfachreth. The cottage should have been higher on the hill but his health was failing so he had it built where he could see it and oversee its construction from near Nannau House. This generous man included meanest of villagers and servants at Bodyrgollan and Rhug, (where he also had interests),in his will.
After his lamented death in April 1843 He was buried in Llanfachreth churchyard and his descendants took little interest in the estate Last to take an active role in the estate was John Vaughan. He rebuilt farm cottages to a high quality. This, the building of the school and a rent rebate 10% made him very popular. He died in 1900, The estate was left to wife and, in 1917, divided between her sons, the bulk to army General John. It became loaned to the war office as convalescent home for shell shocked veterans between 1918–1921. During the Second World War it sheltered a girls' school from Kent.
Gen Vaughan did not live on the estate until late in life. He rebuilt the cottages called Tai-Baldwin in Llanfachreth, improved Bryn Ywen near the church, and converted a barn opposite Hen Felin into an attractive house. High, post war government taxes made further benevolent improvement and maintenance of the estate difficult and the estate was gradually split up. After the General died 1956 there was no direct descendent and Nannau was sold in 1966. In 2010 it again stands empty.
Church
The church is dedicated to Celtic saint Machreth. The village name Llanfachreth is derived from a corruption of that saint’s name. Until around the 8th century the area was pagan but was Christianised during this time by wandering Celtic monks. The only other dedication to Machreth is in Anglesea, he was likely a follower of St. Cadfan in the wake of the Cunedda invasion from the South East of Scotland in the 5th century. Alternatively, since there have been no more dedications, St Machreth might have been local holy man or hermit. (prof EGBowen) . Tradition has it that he had a retreat (cell) above the village in a wood locally known as Coed-cwm-yr-Eglwys.The parish of Llanfachreth came under jurisdiction of Cymer Abbey
Cymer Abbey
Cymer Abbey is a ruined Cistercian abbey near the village of Llanelltyd, just north of Dolgellau, Gwynedd, in north-west Wales, United Kingdom.- History :It was founded in 1198 and is now in the care of Cadw...
founder and is mentioned in 1243 (RCAM County of Merioneth Vol VI, introduction p xx) . There are no other records until 1614 when a commission, set up by post civil war puritans, records eight Merioneth clergy evictable. This included, in 1649, Roberts the curate of Llanfachreth”for leading an unhealthy, adulterous life”. On the other hand one minister, Ellis Osbourne Williams, was so popular that on leaving in 1865 he was gifted £21/16/3.
Having no vicarage was very inconvenient especially since Llanelltyd came also under the care of the minister so, around 1844, a vicarage was petitioned and granted at a cost of around £400. The old Llanfachreth church was apparently higher and wider than present one though little is known. Choir sat high in a gallery across the chancel. (Deffroad y Werin, Griffith Price, Cors-y-garnedd, Llanfachreth... 1905, p 141=3)(Possession EWPrice, Dol)
Four roads meet by the church and by the early 19th century so many converged that there was insufficient space for the worshippers. (U.C.N.W Nannau MS 714) The generous Sir Robet Williamses Vaughan had the church enlarged. The East wall was extended 18 feet in depth and 25 feet in breadth. The South wall was extended 15 feet in depth and 20 feet in breadth. Also granted by the Bishop of Bangor in 1820 was permission for the South aisle to be erected and the addition of appropriate pews and seating. All permission was granted on the condition that Sir Robert be responsible for maintenance!
Th South transept was pulled down and rebuilt in 1872 but the tower left intact. The contract cost £1,300 and the aArchitect was Benjamin Ferrey. The church was re opened 30 April 1873 some 30 years since the funeral of Sir Robert. The tower is interesting as it features an external stairs leading to a separate door for the use of the bell ringer. Within the church there is commemoration to Rice Jones the poet who had “messuages and lands” in the parish and is buried somewhere in the church. The organ was originally powered by water from a reservoir above the church but is now electric.
The churchyard is circular, the boundary has changed but ancient yews to the north probably trace the original path boundary before extension. The graveyard is very crowded, mostly with blue/grey slate stones, almost entirely Welsh memorials. There are many interesting and lovely designs the earliest discernable dating 1721. They include such strange memorials as that to Hywel Pugh. He was a farmer who died in 1851 aged 85. An animal doctor (vet) he visited all over the district. The Welsh inscription translates, probably, ..” Appeals for help to attend sick animals brought many people to Hywel Pugh. He nursed and gave such help as he could to hundreds, nay to thousands of sick animals.” Although most of the graves are Welsh there is, to the north of the yard, the grave of a young English girl which consists of a boulder on which she liked to sit that was removed here from near her home and transcribed, “Melody Tullett of Cors-y-garnedd who made more friends in seventeen years than we can hope to make in a lifespan.”
Chapel
Nonconformity was an important issue in the late 18th century.Williaqm Evans (Fedew Arian, Bala) preached the first Methodist sermon by Pwllgele Lake in Llanfachreth parish in 1783. At this time the Vaughans were so opposed to alternative ministries that this had to be held in the open air. The first person to let a Methodist minister to preach inside his cottage in this area was Evan James of Ty’n-y-ffridd cottage who was subsequently persecuted for his pains. John Puw next offered his house, a remarkable act since he was the bell ringer for St Mackreth’s and subsequently lost that job. Robert Vaughan refused to allow any of the stones or bricks on his estate to be used for the building of a chapel. Methodist representatives travelled to Bala and the wife of the absent Thomas Charles granted permission for stones to be taken and used. In 1804 a new chapel 8 yds x 8 yds. 1868. Cost £160.For a while there was a well close to the village used for baptisms. It consisted of a square recessed wall with steps down to the water and is still existent though disused and loosely covered with corrugated sheets.
The Village
The parish of Llanfachreth is quite large and consists of individual homesteads many quite remote. The village itself consists of around 35 to 40 households closely adjacent to the church. Though once there were at least three public houses, a shop and a post office until relatively recently none of these amenities remain, the mobile population mostly replenishing supplies from nearby Dolgellau.Interesting features other than the church and its Lych Gate include a war memorial to local residents who gave their lives in the world wars and a mounting block that once stood at the bottom of the steps to the Lych gate once served as a “town cryer” type of meeting place. The cottage “Ty-isa”, opposite the church steps, was previously a pub and brewery. In later temperate times the brewing cauldron was used elsewhere to dip sheep.
Local Attractions
The surrounding area is known for its wild but beautiful countryside and places of historical interest. It is popular with tourists who enjoy activities such as walking, hikingHiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, horse riding
Equestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
, white-water rafting
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
and climbing
Climbing
Climbing is the activity of using one's hands and feet to ascend a steep object. It is done both for recreation and professionally, as part of activities such as maintenance of a structure, or military operations.Climbing activities include:* Bouldering: Ascending boulders or small...
. Nearby Dolgellau
Dolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
is a base for climbers of Cadair Idris
Cadair Idris
Cadair Idris or Cader Idris is a mountain in Gwynedd, Wales that lies at the southern end of the Snowdonia National Park. The peak, which is one of the most popular in Wales for walkers and hikers, is composed largely of Ordovician igneous rocks, with classic glacial erosion features such as...
(known as Cader Idris locally).
There also the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
line from Ruabon
Ruabon
Ruabon is a village and community in the county borough of Wrexham in Wales.More than 80% of the population of 2,400 were born in Wales with 13.6% speaking Welsh....
to Llangollen
Llangollen
Llangollen is a small town and community in Denbighshire, north-east Wales, situated on the River Dee and on the edge of the Berwyn mountains. It has a population of 3,412.-History:...
was extended via 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...
and Llanuwchllyn
Llanuwchllyn
Llanuwchllyn is a village in Gwynedd, Wales, near the southern end of Bala Lake . Its population according to the United Kingdom Census 2001 was 834., of which approximately 81% were Welsh-speaking....
to Dolgellau, where it formed an end-on connection with the Cambrian Railways
Cambrian Railways
Cambrian Railways owned of track over a large area of mid-Wales. The system was an amalgamation of a number of railways that were incorporated in 1864, 1865 and 1904...
line from Barmouth Junction
Morfa Mawddach railway station
Morfa Mawddach railway station, formerly Barmouth Junction, is in Gwynedd, Wales, on the Cambrian Coast Railway between and at its junction with the Dolgelley branch of the Aberystwyth and Welsh Coast Railway part of the Ruabon to Barmouth Line which closed in 1965.- Background :North of Morfa...
and a shared station was opened there in 1868. The Ruabon Barmouth
Ruabon Barmouth Line
The Ruabon to Barmouth Line was a standard gauge branch line of the Great Western Railway across the north of Wales which connected Ruabon, in the east, with Barmouth on the west coast.-Connections:...
line was closed in the 1960s under the Beeching Axe
Beeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
. The railway line was converted some years ago into the Llwybr Mawddach (or "Mawddach Trail") which now runs for some eight miles from Dolgellau to Morfa Mawddach railway station, near Fairbourne on the coast. It is maintained by the Snowdonia National Park and is very popular with walkers and cyclists. It passes some estuarine
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
areas that are important for water birds.
Historical attractions also include the 12th century Cymer Abbey
Cymer Abbey
Cymer Abbey is a ruined Cistercian abbey near the village of Llanelltyd, just north of Dolgellau, Gwynedd, in north-west Wales, United Kingdom.- History :It was founded in 1198 and is now in the care of Cadw...
, near to Dolgellau
Dolgellau
Dolgellau is a market town in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, lying on the River Wnion, a tributary of the River Mawddach. It was the county town of the former county of Merionethshire .-History and economy:...
and the market town of Dolgellau itself. Also a mile to the West of Llanfachreth, along the banks of the Mawddach, are nature walks and disused copper mines to explore.
Llanfachreth is a good centre for visiting a number of nearby narrow-gauge heritage railways, including the Corris Railway
Corris Railway
The Corris Railway is a narrow gauge preserved railway based in Corris on the border between Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire in Mid-Wales....
, the Fairbourne Railway
Fairbourne Railway
The Fairbourne Railway is a gauge miniature railway running for from the village of Fairbourne on the Mid-Wales coast, alongside the beach to the end of a peninsula at Barmouth Ferry, where there is a connection with a pedestrian ferry across the Mawddach estuary to the seaside resort of...
and the Talyllyn Railway
Talyllyn Railway
The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow-gauge preserved railway in Wales running for from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol near the village of Abergynolwyn. The line was opened in 1866 to carry slate from the quarries at Bryn Eglwys to Tywyn, and was the first narrow gauge railway in Britain...
. The Center for Alternative Technology is some 20 miles to the south.
The village, snuggling in the hills close to the centre of Snowdonia National Park and is in easy reach of The Precipice Walk, the Mawddach river valley and the many footpaths across the nearby hills. Cader Idris is visible, when not in shroud, from there and but a short car drive. The views from the Precipice Walk are well worth the effort. There are several holiday cottages in the area.
The school
Prior to the mid 19th century education for the children of the large parish was haphazard and undertaken by parents, the church or by volunteers and the standard was very low throughout Wales. The first building used in Llanfachreth was a barn. Llanfachreth Church School was built, under the instructions of Robert Wms Vaughan, in 1847. In 1902 a new girls' entrance was built and the playground redivided. In 1903 the Returns and Reports presented to Merioneth County Council still shows "The School House, Dwelling house and playground are the property of Mrs Vaughan, of Nannau, and are let to the managers at a peppercorn rent..." H.M. Inspector's Report for the year 1878 to 79 makes interesting reading;"This little school has passed a very good examination in the elementary subjects. It is likewise very well conducted. A wider range of subjects including sewing as a specific subject may now be successfully undertaken. Another set of books is required. Fresh maps and coloured cards are wanted for the Infants. ... the whole population within two miles of the nearest road to the school is 315 so that the conditions for a Grant under Act 19 (D) are not satisfied"
Many children had to walk great distances through the parish and, as the log for 31 August 1887 attests, would miss lessons for other reasons... "Only 26 scolars present this morning, the weather being most favourable for the farmers to get their hay in, which was fast spoiling owing to the constant bad weather we have had of late".
The school still serves the community and the parish teaching children between the ages of 3 and 11.