Maentwrog

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Maentwrog is a village and Community in the Welsh county of Gwynedd, lying in the Vale of Ffestiniog, with the river Dwyryd running alongside the village and within the Snowdonia National Park. It lies on the A496 road from Harlech to Blaenau Ffestiniog built c1800 by William Oakeley, and the Roman road Sarn Helen (B4410) at the junction with the A487 road from Porthmadog leading to the A470 road to Trawsfynydd and Dolgellau.

Maentwrog in December 2007

River Dwyryd In Maentwrog

Maentwrog literally means "Twrog's stone". According to legend, the giant Twrog hurled a boulder from the top of a hill down into the settlement, destroying a pagan altar. This stone is said to be the one located in the church courtyard. It is said that if one rubs this boulder one is fated to return to the village in the future.

Twrog's stone in Maentwrog

However the name was already in existence at some time before this as it is said in Welsh mythology found in the Mabinogion that Pryderi was killed at the Glaslyn river and in Maentwrog is he buried. The boulder supposedly hurled by the giant is the one said to mark Pryderi's grave.

According to information in the parish church of Maentwrog, based on a late and dubious addition to the Bonedd y Saint, there were four brothers and sons of Ithel Hael o Lydaw (Brittany) who came to Wales as missionaries:

Saint Baglan is the founder and patron saint of Llanfaglan (more correctly Baglan);
Saint Tanwg is the founder and patron saint of Llandanwg;
Saint Tegai is the founder and patron saint of Llandegai;
Saint Twrog is the founder and patron saint of Llandwrog and of Maentwrog.

The village settlement expanded in the nineteenth century to house workers from local slate mines. Within the village Community is the imposing Plas Tan y Bwlch, home of the Snowdonia National Park Study Centre and former residence of the Oakeley family. The principal intermediate station on the Ffestiniog Railway is also within the village at Tan-y-Bwlch. Plas Tan y Bwlch has its own station Plas Halt. There are two village inns, The Grapes, a 17th century Grade 2 listed coaching inn, near the parish church and The Oakley Arms across the valley at Tan y Bwlch.

Maentwrog hydro-electric power station was opened in 1928, and still produces electricity today. It is supplied by water from Llyn Trawsfynydd, a large man-made reservoir located near the village of Trawsfynydd. The Department of Atomic Energy built a station in Maentwrog in 1947, possibly investigating sites for the production of heavy water.

The British astrologer Russell Grant is currently a notable famous resident of Maentwrog.