Llandecwyn

Llandecwyn
Llandecwyn Church - February 2008
Llandecwyn
Llandecwyn shown within Gwynedd
OS grid reference	SH631375
Community	Talsarnau
Principal area	Gwynedd
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	TALSARNAU
Postcode district	LL47
Dialling code	01766
Police	North Wales
Fire	North Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
EU Parliament	Wales
UK Parliament	Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Welsh Assembly	Dwyfor Meirionnydd

Llandecwyn is a hamlet near Penrhyndeudraeth in Gwynedd, Wales.

The bulk of the population (between 40 and 50 houses) is now located around Cilfor close to the A496 road and served by Llandecwyn railway station, with a cluster of under ten houses around the road junction at Capel Brontecwyn half a mile up the hill to the south-east, and other isolated houses and farms scattered across the hillsides. Formerly, there was a sizeable population closer to the Church in Wales church of Saint Tecwyn and the lakes: Llyn Tecwyn Isaf and Llyn Tecwyn Uchaf. The church now stands alone, three-quarters of a mile due east of Cilfor.

The former parish of Llandecwyn stretched from the estuary of the Afon Dwyryd at Pont Briwet to the hills of the Rhinogs. It included the Bryn Bwbach road from Capel Brontecwyn to Eisingrug, a section of the main A496 road between Llandecwyn and Talsarnau, and a section of the main A496 road between Llandecwyn and Maentwrog. It also included land across the River Dwyryd: the area of Cefn Coch and around Rhiw Goch and the road to Llanfrothen. The former parish is now part of the Bro Ardudwy ministry area,^[1] which includes Harlech, a few kilometres to the southwest, and Barmouth.

Religious buildings

The church church of Saint Tecwyn lies at an altitude of a little over 150 m, and is the only ancient church in Meirionnydd not on the coast (the present building is Victorian). It is dedicated to Saint Tecwyn and boasts spectacular views over the large Dwyryd estuary to Portmerion. Although not regularly used, the church still holds several services each year. As part of the national Small Pilgrimage Places network,^[2] the church marks the end of the pilgrimage route, Saint Tecwyn's Way. This starts at the church of Llanfihangel-y-traethau to the southwest, which has a window depicting the saint coming ashore in his coracle.

There is an active chapel, Bryn Tecwyn (Welsh Presbyterian), where the village war memorial is located,^[3] a bus stop and a children's play area, all adjacent to the main road, but there are no shops or school.^[4]

Formerly Llandecwyn had other churches. Llenyrch Methodist Chapel was built in 1861 as a Sunday school, was open until the 1920s and now a private house.^[5] Brontecwyn Chapel (Weslyan Methodist) was the home of the Llandecwyn Revolt School. The chapel closed in the 1990s and is now a holiday rental cottage.^[6] Capel Bach, Brontecwyn, is now a woodstore for a larger house.^[7] Capel Newydd (Calvinistic Methodist), was a few yards from Capel Bach, but is now a ruin.^[8]

Llandecwyn Revolt School

Llandecwyn was the focus for a power struggle between the UK Government which was Conservative, and largely Anglican, and the local Merionethshire County Council, which was largely Liberal and non-conformist. The 1902 Education Act forced local councils to pay for all schools, including church schools. The council was loathed to support the school at St Tecwyn's church, so tried to close it down. A government inquiry followed which decided that Llandecwyn did not need a school. The council in response opened a school, the 'Revolt School', at Brontecwyn Chapel, which rapidly grew larger than the 'National School' at the church. A Liberal landslide in the 1906 general election swept the Conservatives from power, the Revolt School was deemed a success, and the county was given permission to build a new council school at Llandecwyn.^[9]

Notable Residents

The local landowners were the Wynn family of Maes y Neuadd, who were descended from the 13th Century Osbwrn Wyddel ('Osborn the Irishman'). They were related to the Oakleys of Tan y Bwlch and the Vaughns of Cors y Gedol.^[10] These family members were Sheriffs of Merioneth: Maurice Wynn (1671), Robert Wynn (1679), William Wynn (1714), Robert Wynn (1734), William Wynne (1758), John Nanney (1857), David William Kirkby (1883)

Other notable residents included:

• Lewis Anwyl (1705? – 1776), cleric and author, born in the parish to the rector of Llanfrothen.
• David Tecwyn Evans (1876 – 1957), Methodist preacher and hymn writer, was born at Aberdeunant Uchaf in the parish and attended a National School at the church.^[11]
• Evan Evans (Prydydd Hir (The Tall Poet) or Ieuan Fardd (Ieuan the Poet), 1731 – 1788), scholar and poet and cleric, curate at St. Tecwyn's for a year.
• Lewis Roberts (Eos Twrog, 1756 – 1844), musician, well-known harpist and crwth player, considered the best singer in the land to the accompaniment of the harp.^[12]
• Edmund Evans (1791 – 1864), born at Aberdeunant, Wesleyan preacher known as Utgorn Meirion (the clarion of Meirion).^[13]
• Ann Harriet Hughes (Gwyneth Vaughan, 1852 – 1910), author, born at Bryn-y-felin, Eisingrug and educated at Llandecwyn School.
• Ella Wynne Jones, High Sheriff of Gwynedd 1997 - 1998^[14]

Mary Evans

Mary Evans (1735 – 1789), was a mystic and cult leader, known as 'y Fantell Wen' (Whitemantle). She was either a servant at Maentwrog rectory, or lived at Breichiau between Llys Tecwyn Uchaf and Ceunant Llennyrch. ^[15] (Breichiau Copper Mine was located at NGR SH650386). She claimed to be betrothed to Christ, and led a group of followers in ceremonies on Manod Mawr and other hills. Her cult spread to Ffestiniog, Penmachno and Harlech. She died at Talsarnau despite having stated that she would never die, and was buried in Llanfihangel churchyard. Although her followers preserved scraps of her clothing as relics, the sect soon died out.

Ancient monuments

Bryn Cader Faner

The impressive ring cairn of Bryn Cader Faner (SH648353) is one of several ancient sites in the hills within the parish:^[16]

• Maes y Caerau – ancient village or settlement (SH63503621)
• Bryn-Melyn – ancient village or settlement (SH62923569)
• Y Gyrn – Cairn (SH641358)
• Moel Geifr – hut circles, ancient village, or settlement (SH644356)
• Bryn Cader Faner – hut circles, ancient village or settlement (SH64543517)
• Llyn Eiddew – ring cairn (SH64603498)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Llandecwyn.

References