"DWYGYVYLCHI (DWY-GYVYLCHI), a parish in the hundred of LLECHWEDD-UCHAV,
county of CARNARVON, NORTH WALES, 4 miles (W.) from Aberconway, on the road
from Liverpool to Holyhead, containing 444 inhabitants. This parish is
situated in the mountainous district of Carnarvonshire, and is bounded on the
east by the estuary of the river Conway, which here falls into the Irish sea.
In altering and improving the line of road from Liverpool to Holyhead, in
1826, a new route was formed through it from Aberconway, nearly four miles in
extent, at an expense exceeding £20,000 : it passes through the immense rocky
mountain of Penmaen Bach, which here projects into the sea, and, being carried
immediately above the sea, is impassable during the winter from the heavy
gales which prevail, in consequence of which the mail and other coaches are
compelled to travel along the old line of road through the mountain pass of
Sychnant. The village is small, and consists only of a few scattered houses
irregularly built.
Copper - ore and manganese have been found in the parish, in small
quantities, and pyrites in large masses ; but the copper mines only are now
worked, and that upon a limited scale. There is also an abundance of feldspar,
but the works have been nearly discontinued.
The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry and diocese of
Bangor, endowed with £400 royal bounty, and in the patronage of L Wynne Eyton,
Esq. The church, dedicated to St. Tegonwy, is a small neat edifice, pleasantly
situated beneath the lofty mountain of Penmaen Bach, and is appropriately
fitted up for the accommodation of the parishioners. There are places of
worship for Baptists and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists. The produce of
several charitable donations and bequests, amounting in the aggregate to
£76.14. per annum, is annually distributed among the poor on St. Thomas's day.
On the mountains within the parish are numerous ancient encampments and
fortresses, of which those to the south of Penmaen Bach are the most extensive
and singular in their construction. The principal of these occupies a very
spacious area, enclosed by a strong stone wall of rude construction, much of
which, with its facing of uncemented stones, is still remaining entire. Near
it are seven smaller circular enclosures, about fifteen feet in diameter,
formed of large upright stones, and in the centre of some of them stands a
single upright stone. To the south of these are no less than twenty-six
circular enclosures of similar construction, varying from twelve to twenty-two
feet in diameter ; and upon a rocky promontory facing Deganwy is a very deep
narrow fosse, surrounding a wall of loose stones. The whole of this range of
hills appears to have been anciently occupied, the foundations of several
buildings being spread around on all sides ; upright stones and carneddau are
scattered in various places, and at a short distance stands a large upright
stone of rude form, called Maen y Campiau, or " stone of the games," for the
celebration of which, and also for the holding of the great Eisteddvodau, or
meetings of the bards, these and similar places appear to have been
appropriated during the earlier ages of the Britons. The poor are maintained
by an average annual expenditure amounting to £92. 17. "
