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50-570: Abergynolwyn (English: Mouth of the River with a Whirlpool ) is a village in southern Gwynedd , Wales, located at the confluence of the Nant Gwernol and the Afon Dysynni . The population of the community which is named after the village of Llanfihangel-y-Pennant was 339 at the 2011 census. Historically, the village was part of Merionethshire and its main industry was slate quarrying . The village

100-522: A national park which contains Wales's highest mountain, Snowdon ( Yr Wyddfa ; 3,560 feet, 1,090 m). To the west, the Llŷn Peninsula is flatter and renowned for its scenic coastline, part of which is protected by the Llŷn AONB . Gwynedd also contains several of Wales's largest lakes and reservoirs, including the largest, Bala Lake ( Llyn Tegid ). The area which is now the county has played

150-507: A unitary authority , the modern entity no longer has any districts, but Arfon, Dwyfor and Meirionnydd remain as area committees . The pre-1996 boundaries were retained as a preserved county for a few purposes such as the Lieutenancy . In 2003, the boundary with Clwyd was adjusted to match the modern local government boundary, so that the preserved county now covers the two local government areas of Gwynedd and Anglesey. Conwy county borough

200-552: A unitary authority . At the time of abolition, the rural district covered 114,232 acres (46,228 ha) and had a population at the 1971 census of 15,190. Pwllheli Municipal Borough was the successor to a free borough which was granted a charter by Edward the Black Prince in 1355. The corporation was abolished by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 , and replaced by an elected council, which existed until Pwllheli

250-563: A bombing school at Penyberth on the peninsula. The events surrounding the protest became known as Tân yn Llŷn ( Fire in Llŷn ). The government had settled on Llŷn as the site for its new bombing school after similar locations in Northumberland and Dorset were met with protests. However, British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin refused to hear the case against the bombing school in Wales, despite

300-536: A deputation representing half a million Welsh protesters. Protest against the bombing school was summed up by Saunders Lewis when he wrote that the British government was intent upon turning one of the "essential homes of Welsh culture , idiom , and literature " into a place for promoting a barbaric method of warfare. On 8 September 1936 the bombing school building was set on fire by Saunders Lewis, Lewis Valentine and D. J. Williams , who immediately gave themselves up to

350-508: A few parishes of Denbighshire : Llanrwst , Llansanffraid Glan Conwy , Eglwysbach , Llanddoged, Llanrwst and Tir Ifan. The county was divided into five districts : Aberconwy , Arfon , Dwyfor , Meirionnydd and Anglesey . The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 abolished the 1974 county (and the five districts) on 1 April 1996, and its area was divided: the Isle of Anglesey became an independent unitary authority, and Aberconwy (which included

400-520: A holiday camp at Penychain , which attracted visitors from the industrial cities of North West England and the West Midlands . As car ownership increased, the tourist industry spread to the countryside and to coastal villages such as Aberdaron, Abersoch, Llanbedrog and Nefyn, where many families supplemented their income by letting out rooms and houses. During the Middle Ages the cantref of Llŷn

450-446: A kingdom separate from his brother Cuneglasus ' kingdom in Rhos . He is credited with having sponsored Saint Cadfan 's monastery on Bardsey Island , which became a major centre of pilgrimage during medieval times. There are numerous wells throughout the peninsula, many dating back to the pre-Christian era. Many have holy connotations and they were important stops for pilgrims heading to

500-400: A legacy of inclines and export docks and were the reason for the growth of villages such as Llithfaen and Trefor . Copper , zinc and lead were mined around Llanengan , while 196,770 long tons (199,930 t) of manganese were produced at Y Rhiw between 1894 and 1945. The Penrhyn Dû Mines have also been extensively mined since the seventeenth century around Abersoch . Shipbuilding

550-563: A name for a local authority covering all of north Wales, but the scheme as enacted divided this area between Gwynedd and Clwyd. To prevent confusion, the Gwynedd Constabulary was therefore renamed the North Wales Police . The Snowdonia National Park was formed in 1951. After the 1974 local authority reorganisation, the park fell entirely within the boundaries of Gwynedd, and was run as a department of Gwynedd County Council. After

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600-470: A new parish of Buan was formed by the merger of Ceidio and Llanfihangel Bachellaeth ; and the parish of Dolbenmaen was transferred from Glaslyn Rural District . Five years later, in 1939, Edern was abolished and incorporated into Nefyn . The rural district was abolished in 1974, with its area being included in the Dwyfor District of Gwynedd, which was itself abolished in 1996 when Gwynedd became

650-399: A population of 117,400. After Bangor (18,322), the largest settlements are Caernarfon (9,852), Bethesda (4,735), and Pwllheli (4,076). The county has the highest percentage of Welsh speakers in Wales, at 64.4%, and is considered a heartland of the language . The geography of Gwynedd is mountainous, with a long coastline to the west. The county contains much of Snowdonia ( Eryri ),

700-652: A prominent part in the history of Wales. It formed part of the core of the Kingdom of Gwynedd and the native Principality of Wales , which under the House of Aberffraw remained independent from the Kingdom of England until Edward I 's conquest between 1277 and 1283. Edward built the castles at Caernarfon and Harlech , which form part of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Site . During

750-463: Is complex: the majority is formed from volcanic rocks of the Ordovician period. Rocks of Cambrian origin occur south of Abersoch. Numerous granite intrusions and outcrops of rhyolite form prominent hills such as Yr Eifl, whilst gabbro is found at the west end of Porth Neigwl . The western part of the peninsula (northwest of a line drawn from Nefyn to Aberdaron) is formed from Precambrian rocks,

800-551: Is now entirely within Clwyd. A Gwynedd Constabulary was formed in 1950 by the merger of the Anglesey, Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire forces. A further amalgamation took place in the 1960s when Gwynedd Constabulary was merged with the Flintshire and Denbighshire county forces, retaining the name Gwynedd. In one proposal for local government reform in Wales, Gwynedd had been proposed as

850-561: Is situated on the B4405 road, which passes through the centre, and is served by the G24 bus route. Ibn 2024, there are 5 buses per day to Tywyn and Machynlleth/Dolgellau on weekdays and 3 on Saturdays. Llyn Mwyngil (Tal-y-llyn Lake) , just upstream from Abergynolwyn is an unspoilt lake created when a massive landslide blocked the valley long ago. Hiking trails to the summit of Cadair Idris start from here. The Iron Age fort on Craig yr Aderyn shows that

900-667: Is sometimes spelled Lleyn in English, although this spelling is now less common. The name is thought to be of Irish origin, and to have the same root – Laigin ( Laighin ) in Irish – as the word Leinster and which also occurs in Porth Dinllaen on the north coast. Following the death of Owain Whitetooth ( Owain Danwyn ), king of Gwynedd , Owain's son Saint Einion seems to have ruled Llŷn as

950-531: The Industrial Revolution the slate industry rapidly developed; in the late nineteenth century the neighbouring Penrhyn and Dinorwic quarries were the largest in the world, and the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales is now a World Heritage Site. Gwynedd covers the majority of the historic counties of Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire . In the past, historians such as J. E. Lloyd assumed that

1000-645: The Menai Strait to the north, Conwy , Denbighshire , and Powys to the east, Ceredigion over the Dyfi estuary to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The city of Bangor is the largest settlement, and the administrative centre is Caernarfon . The preserved county of Gwynedd, which is used for ceremonial purposes, includes the Isle of Anglesey . Gwynedd is the second largest county in Wales but sparsely populated, with an area of 979 square miles (2,540 km ) and

1050-720: The Welsh language and culture, for which the locality is now famous. This perceived remoteness from urban life has lent the area an unspoilt image which has made Llŷn a popular destination for both tourists and holiday home owners. Holiday homes remain contentious among locals, many of whom feel they are priced out of the housing market by incomers. From the 1970s to the 1990s, a group known as Meibion Glyndŵr claimed responsibility for several hundred arson attacks on holiday homes using incendiary devices, some of which took place in Llŷn. The Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers approximately 62 sq mi (160 km ). The name Llŷn

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1100-473: The 1950s onwards, extensive use was made of artificial fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, leading to drastic changes in the appearance of the landscape. Tourism developed after the railway to Pwllheli was built in 1867. The town expanded rapidly, with several large houses and hotels constructed, and a tramway was built linking the town to Llanbedrog . After the Second World War, Butlins established

1150-591: The 1960s, a number of Welsh monoglots still lived in the Llŷn Peninsula. However, before 2001 there had been a decline in Welsh speakers in Gwynedd , which includes the Llŷn Peninsula. According to the 2001 census the number of Welsh speakers in Wales increased for the first time in over 100 years, with 20.5 per cent of a population of over 2.9 million claiming fluency in Welsh. The 2001 Census also showed that 73.1 per cent of

1200-645: The 1996 local government reorganisation, part of the park fell under Conwy County Borough , and the park's administration separated from the Gwynedd council. Gwynedd Council still appoints nine of the eighteen members of the Snowdonia National Park Authority; Conwy County Borough Council appoints three; and the Welsh Government appoints the remaining six. There has been considerable inwards migration to Gwynedd, particularly from England. According to

1250-564: The 2021 census , 64.4% of the population aged three and over stated that they could speak Welsh, while 64.4% noted that they could speak Welsh in the 2011 census . It is estimated that 83% of the county's Welsh-speakers are fluent, the highest percentage of all counties in Wales. The age group with the highest proportion of Welsh speakers in Gwynedd were those between ages 5 and 15, of whom 92.3% stated that they could speak Welsh in 2011. The proportion of Welsh speakers in Gwynedd declined between 1991 and 2001, from 72.1% to 68.7%, even though

1300-514: The 2021 census, 66.6% of residents had been born in Wales whilst 27.1% were born in England. The county has a mixed economy. An important part of the economy is based on tourism: many visitors are attracted by the many beaches and the mountains. A significant part of the county lies within the Snowdonia National Park , which extends from the north coast down to the district of Meirionnydd in

1350-550: The Celtic source of the word Gwynedd meant 'collection of tribes' – the same root as the Irish fine , meaning 'tribe'. Further, a connection is recognised between the name and the Irish Féni , an early ethnonym for the Irish themselves, related to fían , 'company of hunting and fighting men, company of warriors under a leader'. Perhaps *u̯en-, u̯enə ('strive, hope, wish') is

1400-770: The Indo-European stem. The Irish settled in NW Wales, and in Dyfed , at the end of the Roman era. Venedotia was the Latin form, and in Penmachno there is a memorial stone from c.  AD 500 which reads: Cantiori Hic Iacit Venedotis ('Here lies Cantiorix, citizen of Gwynedd'). The name was retained by the Brythons when the kingdom of Gwynedd was formed in the 5th century, and it remained until

1450-495: The Welsh language. The whole of Llŷn is governed by Cyngor Gwynedd , a unitary authority established in 1996. The area had traditionally formed part of Caernarfonshire , for which an elected county council had been formed in 1889. Caernarfonshire was abolished in 1974 and incorporated into the new county of Gwynedd , which became a unitary authority under the 1996 reorganisation. Llŷn Rural District , based in Pwllheli ,

1500-431: The area as the rise in house prices has outpaced average earnings in Wales. On the other hand, there has been an influx of non-Welsh speakers purchasing properties for retirement or holiday homes. The issue of locals being priced out of the local housing market is common to many rural communities throughout Britain, but in Wales the added dimension of language further complicates the issue, as many new residents do not learn

1550-455: The area was strategically important in prehistoric times. In 1221, the mediaeval Welsh castle of Castell y Bere near Llanfihangel-y-pennant was built by Llewellyn the Great , occupied by the Welsh and later besieged by forces under Edward I of England in 1282. Gwynedd Gwynedd ( Welsh: [ˈɡwɨnɛð] ) is a county in the north-west of Wales . It borders Anglesey across

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1600-652: The coastline and hills are part of the Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty . The Llŷn Coastal Path , a long distance footpath , enables walkers to fully explore both coasts of the peninsula. The peninsula is the original home of the Lleyn breed of sheep . This is a hardy and prolific breed that has become much more prominent over the last 20 years due to its excellent prolificacy and mothering ability. The sheep are white-faced; on average, ewes weigh about 70 kilograms (150 lb) and rams 90 kilograms (200 lb). Until at least

1650-467: The former Denbighshire parishes) passed to the new Conwy County Borough . The remainder of the county was constituted as a principal area, with the name Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire , as it covers most of the areas of those two historic counties. As one of its first actions, the Council renamed itself Gwynedd on 2 April 1996. The present Gwynedd local government area is governed by Gwynedd Council . As

1700-641: The invasion of Edward I. This historical name was revived when the new county was formed in 1974. Gwynedd was an independent kingdom from the end of the Roman period until the 13th century, when it was conquered by England . The modern Gwynedd was one of eight Welsh counties created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 . It covered the entirety of the historic counties of Anglesey and Caernarfonshire , and all of Merionethshire apart from Edeirnion Rural District (which went to Clwyd ); and also

1750-665: The island. The Welsh Triads record regional resistance to Edwin of Northumbria 's incursions into Gwynedd by a regional ruler Belyn ap Cynfelyn and his Gosgordd who were allied with Cadwallon ap Cadfan . In subsequent years Llŷn was raided by vikings , most notably by Olaf in the late 10th century. The most rural parts are characterised by small houses, cottages and individual farms, resembling parts of south west Ireland . There are small compact villages, built of traditional materials. The only large-scale industrial activities were quarrying and mining, which have now largely ceased. The granite quarries of northern Llŷn have left

1800-492: The language , although, as in the rest of North West Wales , many people are concerned that the influx of English speakers is damaging the standing of Welsh and threatening its future as a living community language in the area. The Welsh Language and Heritage Centre of Nant Gwrtheyrn is situated on the north coast. Concern for the Welsh language was ignited in 1936 when the United Kingdom government settled on establishing

1850-514: The major local industries. The village pub, the Railway Inn, is named after the Talyllyn Railway whose narrow gauge branch once reached into the heart of the village down an incline from a ledge on the hillside above. The railway now terminates at Nant Gwernol station above the village, although for many years the terminus was at Abergynolwyn station outside the village. The village

1900-653: The majority of which are considered to form a part of the Monian Complex and thus to be closely related to the rocks of Anglesey . Numerous faults cut the area and a major shear zone – the Llyn Shear Zone – runs northeast to southwest through the Monian rocks. In 1984 there was an earthquake beneath the peninsula , which measured 5.4 on the Richter scale and was felt in many parts of Ireland and western Britain . The area

1950-439: The northern coast consist of steep cliffs and rugged rocks with offshore islands and stacks, while there are more extensive sandy beaches on the southern coast, such as Porth Neigwl and Castellmarch Beach. North of Abersoch a series of sand dunes have developed. The landscape is divided into a patchwork of fields, with the traditional field boundaries, stone walls, hedgerows and cloddiau , a prominent feature. The geology of Llŷn

2000-701: The police and claimed responsibility. The trial at Caernarfon failed to agree on a verdict and the case was sent to the Old Bailey in London. The "Three" were sentenced to nine months imprisonment in Wormwood Scrubs , and on their release they were greeted as heroes by 15,000 people at a pavilion in Caernarfon. The decline in the use of the Welsh language in Llŷn has been attributed to a rise in property prices. Local Welsh speakers are increasingly unable to afford housing in

2050-421: The population of Llŷn could speak Welsh. Additionally, 28 per cent of the population of Wales claimed to understand Welsh. However, the number of Welsh speakers declined in Gwynedd from 72.1 per cent in 1991 to 68.7 per cent in 2001. By 2003, however, a survey of schools showed that just over 94 per cent of children between the ages of 3 and 15 were able to speak Welsh, making Llŷn one of the foremost heartlands of

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2100-419: The proportion of Welsh speakers in Wales as a whole increased during that decade to 20.5%. The Annual Population Survey estimated that as of March 2023, 77.0% of those in Gwynedd aged three years and above could speak Welsh. Ll%C5%B7n Peninsula Historically, the peninsula was travelled by pilgrims en route to Bardsey Island (Welsh: Ynys Enlli ), and its relative isolation has helped to conserve

2150-461: The slate quarries. Industries which have developed more recently include TV and sound studios: the record company Sain has its HQ in the county. The education sector is also very important for the local economy, including Bangor University and Further Education colleges, Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor and Coleg Menai , both now part of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai . Gwynedd has the highest proportion of people in Wales who can speak Welsh . According to

2200-429: The south. But tourism provides seasonal employment and thus there is a shortage of jobs in the winter. Agriculture is less important than in the past, especially in terms of the number of people who earn their living on the land, but it remains an important element of the economy. The most important of the traditional industries is the slate industry, but these days only a small percentage of workers earn their living in

2250-408: Was created under the Local Government Act 1894 from the area of Pwllheli Rural Sanitary District . At the time it covered 91,449 acres (37,008 hectares) and consisted of 30 civil parishes , although the number was subsequently reduced. At the 1901 census, it had a population of 16,816. Under a County Review Order in 1934, 18 parishes were abolished with their areas distributed among other parishes;

2300-602: Was divided into 3 cymydau , those being Dinllaen, Cafflogion and Cymydmaen, with their respective capitals at Din Llaen, Denio and Neigwl. After the Edwardian Conquest some of these settlements became free boroughs like Denio and other like Neigwl faded into obscurity. Llŷn is an extensive plateau dominated by numerous volcanic hills and mountains. The largest of these is Yr Eifl , although Garn Boduan , Garn Fadrun and Mynydd Rhiw are also distinctive. Large stretches of

2350-510: Was founded in the 1860s to house workers at the nearby Bryn Eglwys quarry. The quarry brought in migrant workers from other areas of Wales and at one time the village had an Anglican church and three nonconformist chapels. The slate was shipped to the coast on the Talyllyn Railway . A decline in the demand for Welsh slate caused reductions in the workforce, and the quarry finally closed in 1948. Today farming , forestry and tourism are

2400-506: Was important at Nefyn , Aberdaron , Abersoch and Llanaelhaearn , although the industry collapsed after the introduction of steel ships from 1880. Nefyn was also an important herring port, and most coastal communities fished for crab and lobster . Farming was originally simple and organic but underwent major changes after the Second World War as machines came into widespread use. Land was drained and fields expanded and reseeded. From

2450-531: Was included in Dwyfor in 1974, as a result of the Local Government Act 1972 . At the 1841 census Pwllheli had a population of 2,367. By the time of abolition the borough covered 1,211 acres (490 ha) and had a population at the 1961 census of 3,647. Criccieth Urban District was created under the Local Government Act 1894, and covered the area of the former borough, which had been abolished in 1886 by

2500-474: Was overrun by Irish Sea ice during the ice ages and this has left a legacy of boulder clay and of meltwater channels. Llŷn is notable for its large number of protected sites, including a national nature reserve at Cors Geirch , a National Heritage Coastline and a European Marine Special Area of Conservation , and 20 Sites of Special Scientific Interest . The peninsula is home to a rare species of mason bee ( Osmia xanthomelana ), found nowhere else. Much of

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