Dinas Mawddwy

A view across the village of Dinas Mawddwy

Dinas Mawddwy is a village in Gwynedd, north Wales, just to the side of the A470 so that most visitors pass the village by. Its population is roughly 600. The village marks the junction of the unclassified road to Llanuwchllyn which climbs up through the mountains to cross Bwlch y Groes at its highest point, the highest road pass in Wales. This minor road also provides the closest access to the mountain Aran Fawddwy.

The village was served by the standard gauge Mawddwy Railway which connected with the Cambrian Railways at Cemmaes Road Station. This was built to serve the slate quarries at Minllyn and Aberangell.

Mawddwy was the only remaining part of the ancient Kingdom of Powys still ruled by members of the native "royal family" (of Powys Wenwynwyn) after 1309. On the division of the realm in 1293, Mawddwy had been awarded to William de la Pole (of Mawddwy) and his descendants. Eventually the ruling family in Mawddwy would expire in the male line in 1414. The Mawddwy Family who claim descent from William de la Pole still use a version of the traditional Lion of Powys as their arms.

In the 16th century, the Mawddwy area was home to a band of highway robbers and bandits named the ‘Gwylliaid Cochion Mawddwy’ or ‘Gwylliaid y Dugoed’. The Gwylliaid were supposedly the dregs of society, who came to the Dinas Mawddwy area having been excommunicated from their own areas. Some were hanged and others were exiled from the area forever. Two brothers pleaded to be pardoned by the Baron Owain, and his rejection of the plea enraged the Gwylliaid. They were intent on revenge and one night, while the Baron travelled home from Montgomeryshire, the Gwylliaid set traps on the road and shot arrows at the baron and his company. His body was found with thirty arrows attached to it.^[1]

Dinas Mawddwy is the home of the 1996 British Rally Championship winner Gwyndaf Evans.^{[citation needed]}

References

External links

• www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Dinas Mawddwy and surrounding area
• "Dinas Mawddwy". Disused Stations: Closed Stations in the UK. Retrieved 2012-11-18. 

Coordinates: 52°44′N 3°40′W / 52.733°N 3.667°W / 52.733; -3.667

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