Cefn Meiriadog

Cefn Meiriadog (sometimes Cefnmeriadog) is a rural community in Denbighshire, Wales, just south-west of the city of St Asaph.[2] The boundary of the community on three sides is the river Elwy, which here forms the county boundary with Conwy County Borough. Arguably the largest settlement in the community is the hamlet of Bontnewydd. Also in the community is the hamlet of Groesffordd Marli where Ysgol Cefn Meiriadog is situated.

Wigfair, in the parish of Cefn Meiriadog

Cefn Meiriadog

Fields in the Elwy Valley above Cefn Meiriadog
Cefn Meiriadog
Location within Denbighshire
Population389 (2011)[1]
OS grid referenceSJ007725
• Cardiff122.3 mi (196.8 km)
• London185.6 mi (298.7 km)
Community
  • Cefnmeiriadog
Principal area
Ceremonial county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townTREFNANT
Postcode districtLL17
Dialling code01745
PoliceNorth Wales
FireNorth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
  • Vale of Clwyd

The community is named for a small ridge of the same name (cefn in Welsh means "ridge"). It is said that the place was named for St Meiriadog, a 4th or 5th century Breton saint. Cefn Caves are nearby, where human and early Neanderthal remains dating back 250,000 years have been discovered. Visitors to the site have included Charles Darwin, in 1831.[3] The site is known as Bontnewydd Palaeolithic site.

There is a local spring, Ffynnon Fair ("St Mary's spring"), and it was once believed to have healing properties. The poet Siôn Tudur (1522 – 1602) lived at Plas Wigfair (GR028712) nearby.

St Mary's Church, Cefn

About 300 metres SE of the fort Bryn y Cawr ("Giant's Hill", at the SE end of the ridge) stands the small St Mary's church (Grade II listed).[4] The stone was quarried at the site of the church; the church was opened and consecrated on 3.9.1864 by Bishop Short of St Asaph, and the new ecclesiastical parish of "Cefn" was created on 7. 2. 1865, made up of two "townships": Wigfair and Meiriadog (both in Denbighshire), previously part of St Asaph parish.

Population

In 2011 the population of Cefnmeiriadog was 389, with 30.4% able to speak Welsh.

References
  1. Welsh Government website; 2011 Census Returns and stats; accessed 9 May 2014
  2. Cefn Meiriadog Historic Society; accessed 16 April 2014.
  3. National Museum of Wales; accessed 16 April 2014
  4. Clwyd-Powys Archaeological Trust; accessed 16.9.2014
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