Dyffryn Ardudwy

Dyffryn Ardudwy (Welsh pronunciation) is a village, community and electoral ward in the Ardudwy area of Gwynedd, Wales consisting of several small villages including Coed Ystumgwern, Llanenddwyn (Welsh pronunciation), Llanddwywe, Talybont and Dyffryn Ardudwy. It is situated on the main A496 coast road between Harlech and Barmouth. The ward had a population of 1,540 according to the 2011 census.[1]

Dyffryn Ardudwy

Chambered cairn (portal dolmen) Dyffryn Ardudwy
Dyffryn Ardudwy
Location within Gwynedd
Population1,540 (2011)
OS grid referenceSH585235
Community
  • Dyffryn Ardudwy
Principal area
Ceremonial county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townDYFFRYN ARDUDWY
Postcode districtLL44
Dialling code01341
PoliceNorth Wales
FireNorth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
  • Dwyfor Meirionnydd

Geography

The village of Dyffryn Ardudwy is situated on the A496 coastal road between the towns of Harlech and Barmouth and at the foot of Moelfre, part of the Rhinogydd range. The village has a railway station and a long sandy beach backed by sand dunes.[2]

History

There are a number of prehistoric cromlechs in and around the village, and they are some of the earliest tombs erected on these islands. Dating from around 4000 BC, the cairn at Dyffryn Ardudwy has two separate burial chambers.[3] One of these is a type known as a portal dolmen. A flat slab on the mountainside was used as a base, this was flanked by several other slabs, side-stones and back-stones. A capstone was placed on top and a small ovoid cairn of stones built around three sides. The fourth side was the portal and had a small forecourt. Here a pit was dug and in it were formally arranged several flat stones, various shards of pottery from at least four pots, charcoal and soil. The pit was then filled with the cairn material and the mound completed.[4]

Near Dyffryn Ardudwy is an avenue which was built by the powerful Vaughan dynasty, (who were instrumental in placing Henry VII of England on the throne in 1485), to connect their family mansion, Cors-y-gedol (The Bog of Hospitality), with the family chapel. The existing mansion was built in 1576. Nearby, the Cors-y-gedol burial chamber stands amidst the site of ancient fields and settlements and the area affords glorious views of Cardigan Bay.[5]

St Dwywe’s Church at Llanddwywe, within the community of Dyffryn Ardudwy, was built on an ancient mound which is at the end of the straight line followed by the road to Cors-y-gedol Hall. This line runs straight and true to a cairn on the side of Moelfre, and it is suggested that this is a prehistoric man-made creation relating to the summer solstice rather than a more recent addition. The church is a Grade II listed building.[6]

Facilities

The village has a railway station served by the Cambrian Line. The village had a golf club during the early to mid-1900s.[7] The village is home to The Boys Brigade West Midland District Camping Centre. This provides canvas holidays for young people from all over the UK.

  • Cors y Gedol Mansion
  • Burial chamber outskirts
  • Burial chamber view
  • Dyffryn Burial Chamber sign

See also

References
  1. "Gwynedd Statistical Profile for Dyffryn Ardudwy" (PDF). 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 June 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  2. "Landranger 124: Dolgellau and surrounding area". 1.25 inch map. Ordnance Survey. Missing or empty |url= (help)
  3. Powell, T.G.E. (March 1963). "The Chambered Cairn at Dyffryn Ardudwy". Antiquity. 37 (145): 19–24. doi:10.1017/S0003598X0003698X.
  4. Thomas, Julian (2002). Time, Culture and Identity: An Interpretative Archaeology. Routledge. pp. 137–140. ISBN 978-1-134-64165-9.
  5. "Vaughan family of Corsygedol". Welsh Biography Online. The National Library of Wales. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  6. "St Dwywe's Church Llanddwywe". Coflein. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  7. "Dyffryn Ardudwy Golf Club, Gwynedd". Golf’s Missing Links. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
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