Llandecwyn
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Llandecwyn | |
|---|---|
 Llandecwyn Church | |
  Llandecwyn Location within Gwynedd | |
| OS grid reference | SH6271437017 |
| • Cardiff | 156 miles by car |
| Community | |
| Principal area | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | TALSARNAU |
| Postcode district | LL47 |
| Dialling code | 01766 |
| Police | North Wales |
| Fire | North Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
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 southeast, and other isolated houses and farms scattered across the hillsides. Formerly, there was a sizeable population closer to the Anglican 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. There is a children's play area at Cilfor, but there are no shops or schools.
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. Most of the former parish is now part of the Bro Ardudwy ministry area,[1] which includes Harlech, a few kilometres to the southwest, and Barmouth.
Pen Llandecwyn, the small hill between Saint Tecwyn's church and Llyn Tecwyn Uchaf, is 203 m (666 ft) high.[2]
The church, dedicated to Saint Tecwyn, lies at an altitude of a little over 150 m, and is the only ancient church in Ardudwy not on the coast (although the present building is Victorian). It has views over the large Dwyryd estuary towards Portmerion. The church only operates for a few services each year, but as part of the national Small Pilgrimage Places network,[3] it marks the end of the 7 km 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.
Also within Llandecwyn, there is a Welsh Presbyterian chapel called Bryn Tecwyn which had weekly services until December 2017. This is down on the A496, and is where the bus stop and the village war memorial are located.[4][5][6]
Formerly Llandecwyn had other churches. Llenyrch Methodist Chapel was built in 1861 as a Sunday school and was open until the 1920s. It is now a private house.[7] Brontecwyn Chapel (Wesleyan Methodist) was the home of the Llandecwyn Revolt School. The chapel closed in the 1990s and is now a holiday rental cottage.[8] Capel Bach, Brontecwyn, is now a woodstore for a larger house.[9] Capel Newydd (Calvinistic Methodist), was a few yards from Capel Bach, but is now a ruin.[10]
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 Education Act 1902 forced local councils to pay for all schools, including church schools. The council was loath 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.[11]
