Dolwyddelan

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Dolwyddelan Castle on its hill

Part of the village of Dolwyddelan

Saint Gwyddelan's Church at Dolwyddelan

Dolwyddelan, the meadow of Gwyddelan, is a village and community in Conwy county borough, north Wales, on the main A470 road between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Betws-y-Coed. The name of the village translates as "Gwyddelan's meadow", referring to the 5th or 6th century Saint Gwyddelan, after whom the parish church is named.

According to the 2001 census, 55.1% of the residents of the town could speak Welsh.

It is particularly noted for Dolwyddelan Castle, the reputed birthplace of Prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great). It has a railway station on the Conwy Valley Line.

Nearby mountains include Moel Siabod to the north, Moel Penamnen and Y Ro Wen to the south and, further afield, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) lies approximately 10 miles to the west. Carreg Alltrem, a crag used by many rock climbers, can be found about a mile south of the village.

[edit] Famous inhabitants

The village is the birthplace of Welsh preacher John Jones, Talysarn.

[edit] Film

In 1980 Walt Disney took over Dolwyddelan Castle and surrounding grounds to film all the external castle scenes in the film Dragonslayer. During the making of Dragonslayer many other scenes were shot in North Wales.