Trefriw
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Trefriw () is a village and
community A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, ...
in
Conwy County Borough Conwy County Borough ( cy, Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy) is a county borough in Wales. It borders Gwynedd to the west and south, and Denbighshire to the east. Other settlements in the county borough include Abergele, Betws-y-Coed, Colwyn Bay, Conwy ...
, Wales. It lies on the river Crafnant in
North Wales North Wales ( cy, Gogledd Cymru) is a region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia N ...
, a few miles south of the site of the
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
fort A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
of
Canovium Canovium was a fort in the Roman province of Britannia. Its site is located at Caerhun in the Conwy valley, in the county borough of Conwy, in North Wales. Etymology The fort appears in the Antonine Itinerary as ''Conovio'' and in the Ravenn ...
, sited at Caerhun. At the last three censuses the population of the community has been recorded as 842 in 1999, 915 in 2001, and 783 in 2011 (from a total of 368 households). Trefriw lies on the edge of
Snowdonia Snowdonia or Eryri (), is a mountainous region in northwestern Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. Name and extent It was a commonly held belief that the na ...
, on the B5106 road to the north-west of
Llanrwst Llanrwst ('church or parish of Saint Grwst'; ) is a market town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy, in Conwy County Borough, Wales, and the historic county of Denbighshire. It developed round the wool trade and became known als ...
, and about 4½ miles north of
Betws-y-Coed Betws-y-coed (; '' en, prayer house in the wood'') is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. ...
by road. It is located on the western slopes of the glaciated
Conwy valley , name_etymology = , image = Boats in River Conwy.jpg , image_size = 300 , image_caption = Boats in the river estuary at Conwy , map = , map_size = , map_caption = , push ...
, below the ridge of Cefn Cyfarwydd, the village having been largely built in a semicircle at the point where the river Crafnant flows from its
hanging valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...
to join the river Conwy. The river Crafnant still provides power for the woollen mill, and in the past provided power for a number of other industries based along its banks, such as a forge which provided quarry tools. The community includes the hamlet of
Llanrhychwyn Llanrhychwyn is a hamlet in Conwy county borough, Wales. It lies in the Conwy valley, less than a mile south of Trefriw, and a mile north-west of Llanrwst. Today neighbouring Trefriw is a village with a population of around 600, but in the time o ...
. Most of the village lies within the
Snowdonia National Park Snowdonia or Eryri (), is a mountainous region in northwestern Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951. Name and extent It was a commonly held belief that the nam ...
, the boundary running down the main street of the village. Apart from its reputation as a good starting point for walks (the village has Walkers are Welcome status and stages an annual walking festival), Trefriw is today mostly known for its
woollen mills Woolen (American English) or woollen (Commonwealth English) is a type of yarn made from carded wool. Woolen yarn is soft, light, stretchy, and full of air. It is thus a good insulator, and makes a good knitting yarn. Woolen yarn is in contrast ...
, and for the nearby chalybeate spa, first known to have been used by the Romans and further developed in about 1700. Its waters were one of very few throughout Europe to have been classified as a medicine due to their high iron content.


History


Romans

A major Roman road (
Sarn Helen Sarn Helen refers to several stretches of Roman road in Wales. The route, which follows a meandering course through central Wales, connects Aberconwy in the north with Carmarthen in the west. Despite its length, academic debate continues as t ...
) ran southwards through Trefriw from the fort at Caerhun (between Trefriw and Conwy) to the fort at Tomen-y-mur (near Trawsfynydd), and beyond, ultimately reaching ''Moridunum'' at
Carmarthen Carmarthen (, RP: ; cy, Caerfyrddin , "Merlin's fort" or "Sea-town fort") is the county town of Carmarthenshire and a community in Wales, lying on the River Towy. north of its estuary in Carmarthen Bay. The population was 14,185 in 2011, ...
. It is likely that there were in fact two roads passing through the Trefriw area, a valley route, and a higher mountain route which went on to link to the smaller forts at Caer Llugwy (near
Capel Curig Capel Curig (; meaning " Curig's Chapel") is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. Historically in Caernarfonshire, it lies in the heart of Snowdonia, on the River Llugwy, and has a population of 226, reducing slightly to 206 ...
) and
Pen-y-Gwryd Pen-y-Gwryd is a pass at the head of Nantygwryd and Nant Cynnyd rivers close to the foot of Snowdon in Gwynedd, Wales. The area is located at the junction of the A4086 from Capel Curig to Llanberis and Caernarfon and the A498 from Beddgele ...
, near Snowdon. The actual lines of these roads through Trefriw can only be conjecture today, but the whole route is discussed in depth in the book ''Sarn Helen'' by J. Cantrell & A. Rylance (Cicerone Press, 1992).


Middle Ages

Llywelyn Fawr Llywelyn the Great ( cy, Llywelyn Fawr, ; full name Llywelyn mab Iorwerth; c. 117311 April 1240) was a King of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually " Prince of the Welsh" (in 1228) and "Prince of Wales" (in 1240). By a combination of war and ...
(Llywelyn the Great), Prince of Gwynedd, chose Trefriw as the site for a hunting lodge in the 12th century. (Gwynedd was far larger, and included this area at the time.) Given that he had a number of strongholds in north-west Wales, it is not possible to know how much time he spent in the village, although it is reported that he preferred his lodge at Trefriw to his Palace at
Aber Aber may refer to: Places * Aber and Inver (placename elements) * Aber, Ceredigion * Abergwyngregyn, popularly known by the short form "Aber" * Aberystwyth, popularly known by the short form "Aber" * Aber Village, Powys, Wales * Abergavenny, M ...
. There are no remains to be seen today but it is now believed that it was on the site of the Ebenezer Chapel on the main hill. Llywelyn married Siwan or
Joan Joan may refer to: People and fictional characters * Joan (given name), including a list of women, men and fictional characters *:Joan of Arc, a French military heroine * Joan (surname) Weather events *Tropical Storm Joan (disambiguation), multip ...
, the youngest daughter of King
John of England John (24 December 1166 – 19 October 1216) was King of England from 1199 until his death in 1216. He lost the Duchy of Normandy and most of his other French lands to King Philip II of France, resulting in the collapse of the Angevin Emp ...
in 1204 or 1205, when she was only about 13. Despite her relative youth, she in time grew weary of the trek up the steep hill to the church at
Llanrhychwyn Llanrhychwyn is a hamlet in Conwy county borough, Wales. It lies in the Conwy valley, less than a mile south of Trefriw, and a mile north-west of Llanrwst. Today neighbouring Trefriw is a village with a population of around 600, but in the time o ...
(regarded by many as being the oldest in Wales), and as a result, in about 1230 Llywelyn endowed a church on the site where St Mary's, Trefriw now stands. Llanrhychwyn (which takes its name from Rhochwyn, son of
Helig ap Glannog Helig ap Glanawg (standard modern Welsh orthography: Helig ap Glannog) is a legendary figure described in various accounts dating to at least as early as the 13th century as a 6th-century prince who lived in North Wales. Post-medieval tradition ...
) is now a small hamlet. In Llywelyn's time, however, and up to the early 19th century, it was larger than Trefriw itself, which consisted of "a few houses here and there". In ''Hanes Trefriw'', Morris Jones writes in Welsh that Llywelyn "built a church for is wife'suse, and for the use of the inhabitants, for their kindness towards him, and that he donated a number of farms from the parish of Llanrhychwyn, naming them as the parish of Tref Rhiw Las. It got this name from the slope on which it stood". At the lower (northern) end of the village is located "Ffrwd Gwenwyn y Meirch" - ''("poison the horses stream")''. It is said that the stream was poisoned by a traitor, resulting in the deaths of many of Llywelyn's soldiers' horses, at a time when he was at war with the English. The
Red Book of Hergest The ''Red Book of Hergest'' ( cy, Llyfr Coch Hergest, Oxford, Jesus College, MS 111) is a large vellum manuscript written shortly after 1382, which ranks as one of the most important medieval manuscripts written in the Welsh language. It preser ...
(1375–1425) refers to "Kymwt Treffryw", the
Commote A commote (Welsh ''cwmwd'', sometimes spelt in older documents as ''cymwd'', plural ''cymydau'', less frequently ''cymydoedd'')''Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru'' (University of Wales Dictionary), p. 643 was a secular division of land in Medieval Wales ...
(''Cwmwd'' in Welsh) of Trefriw. This is possibly the earliest written reference to the village.


Stuart times

It seems probable that Trefriw has links with the
Gunpowder Plot The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby who sough ...
of 1605.
Thomas Wiliems Thomas Wiliems (born in Ardda'r Mynaich in Arllechwedd, Wales possibly on 20 April 1545 or 1546; died in or before 13 August 1623) was a Welsh-language antiquarian.“Wiliems, Thomas (b. 1545/6?, d. in or before 1623?),” J. E. Caerwyn Williams i ...
, who was probably born in the village, and a nephew of Sir John Wynn of Gwydir, went to
Brasenose College Brasenose College (BNC) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It began as Brasenose Hall in the 13th century, before being founded as a college in 1509. The library and chapel were added in the m ...
,
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
, and returned to work as a physician. He was an authority on vegetarianism, and also published a Welsh/Latin dictionary. In 1573 he became Curate of Trefriw. He is reputed to have been a papist (he was certainly charged on that score at Bangor in 1607) and as such would probably have known of the plot to blow up
Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...
. According to some sources it was he who, in warning his relative John Wynn not to go to the State Opening, was responsible to either a smaller or greater extent for the suspicions which ultimately caught
Guy Fawkes Guy Fawkes (; 13 April 1570 – 31 January 1606), also known as Guido Fawkes while fighting for the Spanish, was a member of a group of provincial English Catholics involved in the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605. He was born and educated ...
. This story is the basis for a short historical novel written for children by Gweneth Lilly, entitled ''Treason at Trefriw'' (Gomer Press, 1993).


19th century

In 1817 a free school was founded (and subsequently financially supported) in Trefriw by Lord Willoughby de Eresby, for the benefit of poor children of the village, and those from the adjoining parishes. The earliest mill (a pandy or
fulling mill Fulling, also known as felting, tucking or walking ( Scots: ''waukin'', hence often spelled waulking in Scottish English), is a step in woollen clothmaking which involves the cleansing of woven or knitted cloth (particularly wool) to elimin ...
) dates back to the 15th century. In 1820 a new pandy was built, this still carrying the faded name "Vale of Conwy Woollen Mill". By early in the 19th century the village had a water-powered fulling mill (replacing the former cottage industry which dated back centuries), but serious development of the industry began only after it was bought by Thomas Williams in 1859. The current woollen mill is still owned by the descendants of Thomas Williams. The current roadside mill building, sited below the original buildings, was built in the 1970s. David Cox Jnr. (1809–85) painted ''Trefriw near Llanrwst, with mill''. Following the construction of the Llanrwst to Conwy Toll Road in 1777, a
toll house A tollhouse or toll house is a building with accommodation for a toll collector, beside a tollgate on a toll road, canal, or toll bridge. History Many tollhouses were built by turnpike trusts in England, Wales and Scotland during the 18th an ...
, Hen Dyrpeg, was built south of Trefriw, but this stood some 70m from the road on elevated ground, to avoid flooding. Following a fair degree of toll evasion, and the fact that traffic from the Gwydir Forest did not pass it, a replacement toll house, 'Gwydir Gate', was built in the 1820s nearer the village. These toll houses were passed by traffic heading for the quay at Trefriw. In the 19th century Trefriw was Wales' largest inland port, the river Conwy being tidal almost up to neighbouring
Llanrwst Llanrwst ('church or parish of Saint Grwst'; ) is a market town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy, in Conwy County Borough, Wales, and the historic county of Denbighshire. It developed round the wool trade and became known als ...
. Given the fact that, at one time, Llanrwst was one of the ten largest towns in Wales, it can be seen that the Conwy Valley had great historical significance. It was reported in 1833 that fairs were held annually on 12 May, 3 September and 7 November. The parish of Trefriw was owned for a long period by the
Gwydir Estate Gwydir Castle is situated in the Conwy valley, Wales, a mile to the west of the ancient market town of Llanrwst and to the south of the large village of Trefriw. An example of a fortified manor house dating back to c1500, it is located on the ...
(although under continuous mortgage), but in 1895–96 most of Llanrhychwyn and Trefriw were sold off by the ruling
Barons Willoughby de Eresby Baron Willoughby de Eresby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1313 for Robert de Willoughby. Since 1983, the title has been held by Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby. History The ...
and the
Earls of Ancaster Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
.


The Quay

At the start of the 19th century, boats of around 5 tons could only reach Trefriw quay at or near high tides. It is not known when the first quay was built, but a storehouse existed there in 1754. The quay, which belonged to the Gwydir Estate and was ruled by a resident harbourmaster, was later extended (the present structure dates from about 1811–12), and became of great significance to Trefriw, its growth, and subsequent history. Subsequent rock blasting in the 19th century downstream at
Tal-y-cafn Tal-y-Cafn ( Welsh meaning : ''"place opposite the ferry-boat"'') is a small settlement in Conwy county borough, north Wales, in the community of Eglwysbach. It lies in the Conwy valley close to the Roman settlement of Canovium at Caerhun, a ...
, and dredging, enabled river boats of 50 tons and seagoing ships of 100 tons to reach Trefriw. The quays were sited opposite the ''Bellevue Hotel'', now the ''Princes Arms Hotel'', and remains can still be seen, best viewed from the walks on 'the Cob'. From the quay was shipped out grain, wool, hide, oak, timber and metals from the mines of the Gwydir Forest. A considerable amount of slate was also shipped, this coming not just from Llnrhychwyn and Crafnant Quarries, but from as far away as
Cwm Penmachno Cwm Penmachno (historically called Tre-Gynwal) is a village at the head of Cwm Machno in North Wales. History The village was built in the 1860s as a quarry settlement. The Penmachno quarry lay immediately south and above the settlement. High ...
, where
Penmachno Penmachno is a village in the isolated upland Machno valley, south of Betws-y-Coed in the county of Conwy, North Wales. The B4406 road runs through part of the village. The village is at the confluence of the Glasgwm and Machno rivers. It has ...
, Rhiwbach and Blaen y Cwm quarries were major suppliers. However, wharfage prices were high at Trefriw (being non-Gwydir), and even before the opening of the
Rhiwbach Tramway The Rhiwbach Tramway was a Welsh industrial, narrow gauge railway connecting the remote slate quarries east of Blaenau Ffestiniog with the Ffestiniog Railway. It was in use by 1862, and remained so until progressively closed between 1956 a ...
in 1863 (which linked to the
Festiniog Railway The Ffestiniog Railway ( cy, Rheilffordd Ffestiniog) is a heritage railway based on narrow-gauge, located in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a major tourist attraction located mainly within the Snowdonia National Park. The railway is roughly long an ...
at Blaenau Ffestiniog) it was decided that it was preferable (though less easy) to cart slate via Cwm Teigl down to the quays on the
river Dwyryd The River Dwyryd ( cy, Afon Dwyryd, meaning a river of two fords) is a river in Gwynedd, Wales which flows principally westwards; draining to the sea into Tremadog Bay, south of Porthmadog. Geography The Dwyryd rises in the hills to the north o ...
, below
Maentwrog Maentwrog () is a village and community in the Welsh county of Merionethshire (now part of Gwynedd), lying in the Vale of Ffestiniog just below Blaenau Ffestiniog, within the Snowdonia National Park. The River Dwyryd runs alongside the vi ...
. As a consequence slate shipments from Trefriw quay fell dramatically. (Between 1818 and 1835 slate had accounted for 70% of Trefriw's total exports; between 1857 and 1877 this fell to 20%.) However, not all the trade from the quay was material heading down-river—commodities such as food, wine (ordered by the region's gentry), coal and fertilizers (especially lime) were brought in. Bangor University Archives holds some "Trefriw Port Books", which provide details of vessels, tonnages, masters, origins, destinations, cargoes by weight and fees. Two original manuscript volumes range in date from 3 April 1826 - 26 December 1835 and 1835–47. In the early 19th century up to 450 vessels traded from the quay, to places such as Liverpool and Dublin. Trade totalled 1,548 tons in 1818, and peaked in 1862 at a total of 16,532 tons, after which the railways contributed to the decline of trade via the quays. In 1854 the main quay acquired a weighing machine and a crane, and there was a small shipyard in the village. Sulphur was also shipped from the Cae Coch Sulphur Mine, prior to the construction of the railway line. The mine is discussed in detail in volume 7 of ''The Mines of The Gwydir Forest'', by John Bennett & Robert W. Vernon (Gwydir Mines Publications, 1997). The other six volumes, whilst dealing with the mines beyond Trefriw itself, are also of interest in that these mines also provided much trade for the ships. There were smaller quays further down the river, with the Gwydir Estate owning Coed Gwydir (for stone) and Cae Coch (sulphur). Below this, other non-Gwydir quays were at the
Maenan Abbey Maenan Abbey (formally: The Abbey Church of Saint Mary and All Saints; alternatively: Abaty Maenan, or Maynan Abbey; now Maenan Abbey Hotel) was a monastic religious house located in Maenan, Conwy, Wales. It is situated near Llanrwst. History ...
, Porth Llwyd (Dolgarrog) and Tal-y-cafn, but Trefriw saw the most trade, by far.


The Artists' Colony

The latter 19th century saw a number of artists living in Trefriw. The art movement, which had started in
Betws-y-coed Betws-y-coed (; '' en, prayer house in the wood'') is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. ...
in the 1850s, popularized by David Cox, saw a movement down the valley following the arrival of the railway in Betws-y-coed. In 1871 William Barker lived in the village, and the 1881 census recorded another 8 artists living in the village, namely John Davies, Ben Fowler, Robert Goody, Julius Hare, Henry Hilton, John Johnson, James Morland and Henry Boberts. Although artists continued to live here until after the turn of the century, like Betws-y-coed it became a victim of its own popularity. The movement therefore again re-established itself, this time at Tal-y-bont and
Llanbedr-y-cennin Llanbedr-y-Cennin is a small village in Conwy county borough, Wales, in the community of Caerhun. It lies in the foothills on the western side of the Conwy valley, in Wales. The river Conwy runs through the valley, running into the sea to the n ...
, where its 40 members included those artists from Trefriw. Here in a building they set up an ‘Artists Club’, and its members were a strong influence on the formation of the
Royal Cambrian Academy of Art The Royal Cambrian Academy of Art (RCA) is a centre of excellence for art in Wales. Its main gallery is located in Conwy and it has over a hundred members. 240px, Plas Mawr, Conwy Early history During the 19th century there were numerous attempts ...
, which moved into
Plas Mawr Plas Mawr ( en, Great Hall) is an Elizabethan townhouse in Conwy, North Wales, dating from the 16th century. The property was built by Robert Wynn, a member of the local gentry, following his marriage to his first wife, Dorothy Griffith. Plas ...
,
Conwy Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
in 1886.


Cae Robin Rock Cannon

Trefriw boasted a
rock cannon A rock cannon, also known in Welsh as a carreg cannan (plural: cerrig cannan), craig cannan, or in the 19th century, craig fagnel (plural: craig fagnelau; Welsh: ''magnel'' - gun, cannon), is a rock or boulder which has been bored with holes wh ...
, originally sited in the open on the hill overlooking Llanrwst, but today it is surrounded by the forest of Coed Creigiau. Comprising 13 holes, each about 80 cm apart, its use in 1863 was reported in the local paper where it is recorded that "Rock and metal cannons were fired in such profusion that about 8cwt of gunpowder was consumed." This was to celebrate the marriage of Albert Edward, Prince of Wales to
Princess Alexandra of Denmark Alexandra of Denmark (Alexandra Caroline Marie Charlotte Louise Julia; 1 December 1844 – 20 November 1925) was List of British royal consorts, Queen of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Empress of India, from 22 January 1901 t ...
on 10 March 1863. It was also fired in 1872 following the marriage of Peter Lewis, a local timber merchant, to Miss Williams; the ''Llangollen Advertiser'' reported that “one of the grandest balls we have ever witnessed” was held at the Belle Vue Hotel, and "the firing of
ock Ock or OCK may refer to: * River Ock (disambiguation), three rivers in England * Ok (Korean name), also spelt Ock **Ock Joo-hyun (born 1980), South Korean K-pop singer and musical theatre actress * Océano Club de Kerkennah, a Tunisian football cl ...
cannon resounded through the valley like thunder". It is also likely that the Trefriw cannon was the one reported in May 1877 when Lord Avebury visited Gwydir Castle, and "as soon as he approached the Castle, by road, the firing of cannon commenced, and continued for some time".


The Spa

In 1833 the old Roman mineral water caves (believed to have been discovered by soldiers of the XXth Roman Legion) were excavated in an attempt to attract people to them. In 1863 Lord Willoughby de Eresby built a small bath-house, replaced a decade later by the current building. Large numbers of people came, no doubt aided by national advertising, and the declaration by Dr. Hayward, a fashionable medical specialist from
Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
, that this was "Probably the best spa in the United Kingdom".
Baddeley Baddeley is a surname, and may refer to: * Aaron Baddeley, Australian-American golfer * Alan Baddeley, English professor of psychology * Angela Baddeley, English actress * Gavin Baddeley, English reverend and journalist * Herbert Baddeley, Englis ...
's guidebook notes contains the quote - "inconceivably nasty and correspondingly efficaceous". In more recent times clinical trials have proven that the Spa water is a medically effective iron supplement. In 2003, Nelsons purchased the Spa and the rights to the Spatone mineral water produced there. Today Spatone is sold around the world, with all packaging and manufacture on site in Trefriw. For over a century the Spa was open as a tourist attraction, but in 2011 it was closed to the public, and serves today only as a commercial business.


Victorian/Edwardian heyday

The village was at its heyday in the early part of the 20th century, visitors arriving by both train and steamer. Many visitors to the Spa arrived by train to
Llanrwst Llanrwst ('church or parish of Saint Grwst'; ) is a market town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy, in Conwy County Borough, Wales, and the historic county of Denbighshire. It developed round the wool trade and became known als ...
station, which opened in the 1860s. From here transport was provided, over Gower's bridge, named after the Revd John Gower, rector of Trefriw, who came to Trefriw in 1869 (from Queen's College, Birmingham), and lived in the grand rectory, built in 1842, and located up School Bank Hill. There was a toll of 1d for pedestrians and 2d for cyclists, this money being used to finance the building of the road. The original
toll bridge A toll bridge is a bridge where a monetary charge (or '' toll'') is required to pass over. Generally the private or public owner, builder and maintainer of the bridge uses the toll to recoup their investment, in much the same way as a toll road ...
had about 10 wooden piers, and was wide enough to take a horse and carriage. It was demolished in the 1940s after the Council, having bought the road, agreed to spend £1,500 on the present suspension bridge. The original toll house, ''Gower's House'', was also demolished, but remains of its site can still be seen. The railway Gower built the road and the bridge to
North Llanrwst railway station North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...
after the plan to run the railway line down the western (Trefriw) side of the valley was dropped. The line was authorised in 1860 and opened in 1863. The station was originally known as "Llanrwst & Trefriw", and for over 100 years was Llanrwst's only station. Paddle steamers Until 1939 the quay was used by
paddle steamer A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine that drives paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, where the first uses we ...
s which brought tourists up the river from
Conwy Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
, hugely swelling the village's population by day. A regular service for passengers was started in 1847 by the St. George Steam Packet Company. ''St. Winifred'' was the first paddle steamer, joined in c. 1880 by the ''St. George'', before being replaced a decade later by the ''New St. George'' (it later changing its name to ''Prince George''). Around 1900 ''Queen of the Conway'' arrived, to be followed in 1903 by the ''Trefriw Belle'', a screw-steamer, and in 1907 by the ''King George'', another paddler. The ''Jubilee'', a second propeller-driven steamer, arrived the following year from work on the
Mawddach The Afon Mawddach ( en, River Mawddach, italic=yes) is a river in Gwynedd, Wales, which has its source in a wide area north of Dduallt in Snowdonia. It is 28 miles (45 km) in length, and is much branched; many of the significant tribut ...
estuary. In all, therefore, the start of the 20th century saw some half-dozen steamers plying the route, and carrying a total of over 1,000 passengers. Fares were 1/6 (7½p) single or 2/6 return (12½p). The journey from Conwy took 90 minutes, and passengers would be given this same amount of time in the village before embarking on the return trip. The steamers were laid up in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, and this spelled the end of the cruises, other than a brief couple of seasons in the 1950s when motor boats were used—at 5/- (25p) return. The steamers were beached upstream of Conway bridges, and eventually scrapped. Their passage up the river had necessitated regular river-dredging, which has no longer been continued. The Fairy Falls The Fairy Falls, a waterfall on the river Crafnant, was a popular visiting place. Downstream of the main falls are a number of further, lesser, falls, which old postcards also call the "Fairy Falls". Along this lower section of river the water once turned a number of waterwheels which powered various mills. The whole area of this series of falls—from the main falls through the lesser falls downstream—was known as "Fairy Glen", and was altogether more free from trees and vegetation than it is today. In
Edwardian The Edwardian era or Edwardian period of British history spanned the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910 and is sometimes extended to the start of the First World War. The death of Queen Victoria in January 1901 marked the end of the Victori ...
times there was a proper path alongside the river Crafnant, and a popular stroll was to walk from the banks of the river Crafnant, up through the well-known Fairy Glen, and on beside the river Crafnant up towards Llyn Crafnant. Recreation The village once had a 9-hole golf course, this lying on land between Cowlyd Road and Crafnant Road, on the slopes uphill of the cemetery. It was laid out in 1893 (instituted in 1897) on land owned by Lord Ancaster (who owned much land in the area) by Thomas Dutton (of the Belle View Hotel), who naturally gave discounts to hotel residents. An advertisement of 1903 quotes prices of 2/- (10p) a day or 5/- (25p) a week. In 1894 Fred Collins, the professional golfer from Llandudno, who later laid out
Prestatyn Prestatyn is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Historically a part of Flintshire, it is located on the Irish Sea coast, to the east of Rhyl. Prestatyn has a population of 19,085, History Prehistory There is evidence that ...
golf course, made his first public appearance here. The professionals at the club were William Buckle (1897/8), Ben Owen (1901–1905) and P. McLeod (1905–1907). In 1914 the secretary of the club was C. C. Morris of Rose Hill, Trefriw. The course was never really successful, and after closure (by 1918) the clubhouse was transferred to the quay. For more on the golf club Trefriw Recreation Ground was opened in 1889 and in time came to boast
croquet Croquet ( or ; french: croquet) is a sport that involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through hoops (often called "wickets" in the United States) embedded in a grass playing court. Its international governing body is the W ...
lawns, tennis courts, a bowling green and a paddling pool (filled in after it kept flooding). Trefriw annually hosted the North Wales Croquet Championship, and a tennis tournament. There also used to be an annual carnival, and
sheepdog trial A sheepdog trial (also herding event, stock dog trial or simply dog trial) — is a competition or test for working abilities of herding breeds dogs. It is a type of dog sport that emerged in the 1860s in New Zealand. By the 1870s regular trials ...
s (in the 1920s).


20th century onwards

In the 20th century the village was set to be further boosted by the building of a railway from Conwy (plans exist dated 1908), the line coming via
Rowen Rowen is a village on the western slopes of the Conwy valley in the parish of Caerhun and the former County of Caernarfonshire in Wales. It lies off the B5106 road, between Tal y Bont and the Groes Inn. ''Buildings of Gwynedd'' 2009 refers ...
and Tal-y-bont. This was around the time of the growth of
Dolgarrog Dolgarrog is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, in Wales, situated between Llanrwst and Conwy, very close to the Conwy River. The village is well known for its industrial history since the 18th century and the Eigiau ...
as an electricity generating centre, and the North Wales Power & Traction Co. Ltd, a company which went on to have controlling shares in many of the region's narrow gauge railways, intending to electrify them. Floods Floods have always been part of Trefriw's history, being located on the edge of the flood plain of Afon Conwy. On various occasions in the 20th century defences have been built and improved, including the partial diverting of the Afon Crafnant, which itself carries a lot of water from the Crafnant catchment area. Trefriw made national news when, in February 2004, following a period of prolonged rain in the mountain catchment areas of the river Conwy and its tributaries, the village was largely cut off by floods for three days, and some properties on the lower High Street were flooded by three feet of water. The following January saw a repeat occurrence, sections of the Cob again being breached. This second occasion failed to make national news due to simultaneous flooding in other parts of Britain, notably Carlisle. The Environment Agency have now completed work on the new cob which now runs through Glyn Farm Caravan site and the recreational ground. Both pieces of land have undergone significant changes to accommodate the new cob. This work was undertaken after the environment agency arranged a detailed mapping of the valley, with the aim of moving the cob further back in order to give a wider "channel". The Environment Agency now constantly monitors water levels in the river Conwy, with a view to giving flood warnings. There are measuring stations at Betws-y-Coed (Cwmlanerch), Llanrwst and Trefriw. As a result of the floods, Trefriw was one of the locations visited by Prince Charles in July 2004 as part of his annual summer tour of Wales. A modern tourist destination Trefriw's heyday as a
tourist destination A tourist attraction is a place of interest that tourists visit, typically for its inherent or an exhibited natural or cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, offering leisure and amusement. Types Places of natural ...
may have passed, but it still attracts visitors. By car it is only a 10-minute drive to
Betws-y-Coed Betws-y-coed (; '' en, prayer house in the wood'') is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. ...
, and within 30 minutes drivers can reach either the coast or the mountains. The village is set in a landscape of hills, forests and lakes; it has two pubs and a hotel and there is other B&B accommodation locally. Many visitors come to walk in the area, and
Llyn Geirionydd Llyn Geirionydd lies in a valley in northern Wales where the northern edge of the Gwydyr Forest meets the lower slopes of the Carneddau mountains. The lake is almost a mile long and covers an area of , but is never any deeper than according ...
and Llyn Crafnant can be easily reached on foot. The latter is very popular, and many would agree that "the (view along Llyn Crafnant) is one of the most breathtaking views in all Snowdonia". (Forest Park guide, 2002). There is a series of walking trails in the area ''(see the "Trefriw Trails" link below)'' but many also start here for longer walks into the Gwydir Forest, or the
Carneddau The (lit. 'the cairns'; is a Welsh plural form, and is sometimes anglicised to ''Carnedds'') are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. They include the largest contiguous areas of high ground (over or high) in Wales and England (although l ...
mountains, the latter via
Llyn Cowlyd Llyn Cowlyd is the deepest lake in northern Wales. It lies in the Snowdonia National Park at the upper end of Cwm Cowlyd on the south-eastern edge of the Carneddau range of mountains, at a height of above sea level. The lake is long and narrow ...
which, although less scenic than Crafnant and Geirionydd, has a wild appeal of its own. Many visitors come to the village to visit the
Trefriw Woollen Mills Trefriw Woollen Mills is a woollen mill in the village of Trefriw, Conwy, in northern Wales, that has been operating since around 1825. History The Woollen industry in Wales was once an important part of the Welsh economy. Originally called the ...
. Trefriw Wells Spa, formerly an attraction for visitors, closed to the public in 2011 in order to increase its production of spa water. Nearby, on the road to the neighbouring town of
Llanrwst Llanrwst ('church or parish of Saint Grwst'; ) is a market town and community on the A470 road and the River Conwy, in Conwy County Borough, Wales, and the historic county of Denbighshire. It developed round the wool trade and became known als ...
lies Gwydir Castle, which is set within a
Grade I In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
listed, garden. Built by the Wynn family c. 1500 (see John Wynn, 1st Baronet), Gwydir is an example of a Tudor courtyard house, incorporating re-used medieval material from the dissolved Abbey of Maenan. Further additions date from c. 1600 and c. 1826. The important 1640s panelled dining room has now been reinstated, following its repatriation from the New York
Metropolitan Museum The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...
. Many cyclists come to the area to ride the "Marin Trail", a competition standard route in Gwydir Forest. The
Moel Maelogan Moel Maelogan ''(shown on O.S. maps as 'Maelogen', and also sometimes spelled 'Moelogan' and 'Mælogan')'' is a hill (summit height 424m) on the western edge of Mynydd Hiraethog (also known as the Denbigh Moors) in north Wales, and overlooking ...
wind farm A wind farm or wind park, also called a wind power station or wind power plant, is a group of wind turbines in the same location used to produce electricity. Wind farms vary in size from a small number of turbines to several hundred wind turb ...
, commissioned in 2003, and located on the top of the ridge on the other side of the valley, is visible to varying degrees from the village.


Governance

An electoral ward in the same name exists. This ward stretches north and the total population taken at the 2011 census was 1,229.


Buildings of note


Churches

St Mary's Church None of the original church built by Llywelyn in the 13th century remains, except possibly for part of the wall of the south aisle, the result of heavy remodelling in the 15th and 16th centuries, and again in the 19th century. A 17th-century altar remains in the church, although the one used is a larger Victorian example. The carved hexagonal pulpit dates from 1633, and the church possesses a “Breeches” Bible of 1589, (another term for the Geneva Bible of 1560). There is also a silver chalice inscribed “the cuppe of Trefriw, 1701”, and registers date from 1594. First Independent Chapel Cwmanog is a 17th-century farmhouse which, as the home of Jane Thomas, became the first meeting place of local Nonconformists. They then built a chapel, apparently made to look like a normal house in order to avoid offence to non-Independents. The current building was erected in 1862, but was replaced as a place of worship in 1881 by the Ebenezer chapel. The building then became a venue for concerts, shows, and lectures, and is today's Village Hall. Ebenezer Chapel The Ebenezer Chapel (at the bottom of Crafnant Road) was designed by a Liverpool architect, and built in 1881 by William Evans, of Betws-y-Coed, at a cost of £1,646. In November 2016 the Chapel was sold at auction, and was described by the auctioneer as ripe for conversion to a dwelling. The Peniel Chapels The old Peniel chapel (up School Bank Road) was built in Victorian times but closed in August 1910 when it became too small for its congregation. The new Peniel Chapel seated 550 people, with an attached schoolroom capable of holding 225 more. It was designed by a company from Shrewsbury, and is somewhat reminiscent of a late-Gothic style. Its organ was water-powered. Catholic Church The original Catholic church was replaced by a modern Catholic church on much the same site on Top Road. This is now a private residence.


Pubs and hotels

The Princes Arms Hotel started life as the ''Belle Vue Hotel'', which was built about 1846. Run in its early days by James Long, in its heyday it was run by the Dutton family (in conjunction with the ''Castle Hotel'', Conwy). Trade was very brisk in the era of the steamers, and many passengers called in for a meal, where David Francis, the blind harpist, often played. In 1968 the Hotel became the ''Prince's Hotel'', and thence the ''Prince's Arms Hotel''. In 1930 The Belle View Spa rooms were opened, so that tourists could sample the Spa waters in the village itself, the Spa being a mile to the north. The Old Ship public house ''(Yr Hen Long)'' recalls the village's trading history. The Fairy Falls public house was originally named the ''Geirionnydd Vaults'', becoming the ''Geirionnydd Hotel'' around the turn of the 20th century. The erection of the adjacent motel-style lodge increased accommodation considerably. The pub is reputedly haunted by two ghosts, named John Lucas and Lucy, who have been seen by the current landlord. The village once had other public houses—The Union Inn—run by Catherine Owen. This was opposite the present Post Office, and can be distinguished by the blank "window" on the front of the building, which once carried the pub name, which referred to the Llanrwst Union, a union of parishes created under the
Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 The ''Poor Law Amendment Act 1834'' (PLAA) known widely as the New Poor Law, was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed by the Whig government of Earl Grey. It completely replaced earlier legislation based on the ''Poor Relie ...
. Today the property is called ''Maesteg''. The Anchor was located on the main street, near the village school.


Other notable buildings and locations

The oldest existing house in Trefriw is believed to be Hafod Country House, which has been confirmed to be of
Medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
origin by Neil Johnstone, an archaeologist employed by Menter Môn. It was built as a hall house, with a solar and a tower which followed a pattern used in the castles of the 13th century Princes of Gwynedd. Due to the numerous changes made over time, the oldest surviving timbers appear to date from a time when the hall had two further floors added. A three-floor construction is unprecedented in Welsh rural houses of the time, but is a pattern employed in some Cistercian granges. The Cistercian monks at Maenan had extensive land holdings in the area. The adjoining cottage, Tan-y-Celyn ''(Under the Holly)'', appears to have been built as a gatehouse, around the time of the dissolution of the monasteries. The next oldest house in the village is reputed to be ''Gwyndy Cottage'', parts of which date back to the 16th century. "Tan yr Yw" ''(Under the Yews)'' was the home of Dafydd Jones, an 18th-century poet and printer ''(See "Famous inhabitants")''. The yews referred to are those in the churchyard opposite, and the house is now a Grade II
listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...
. ''Tyddyn Wilym'' was the home of Gwilym Cowlyd, the bard, born in 1828. Gwilym believed that the house was also the former birthplace of Dr Thomas Wiliems, who allegedly played a part in foiling the Gunpowder Plot. ''(See "Famous Inhabitants")''. ''"Plas Cae Coch" "(Red Field Hall)"'' dates from the mid-1800s. In 1841 it was the home of Robert and Elizabeth Hill. The Hill family were the operators of the Cae Coch Sulpher Mine. The mine is situated in the Gwydyr Forest, to the rear of the property. Material from the mine was shipped from a nearby wharf on the River Conwy to the Thompson and Hill Chemical works in Liverpool.(See "History 1.4"). Plas Cae Coch and the Hill family are referred to in Volume 7 of The Mines of The Gwydir Forest, by John Bennett & Robert W. Vernon (Gwydir Mines Publications, 1997). In his book ''Hanes Trefriw'' (1879), Morris Jones writes brief chapters on the following properties, which he considers of significance, either historical, or through connection with their inhabitants—''(y) Tŷ Newydd'', ''(y) Pandy'', ''(y) Tŷ Isaf'', ''Tan yr Yw'', ''Bryn Pyll'', ''(y) Tŷ Uchaf'', ''Gwiga'' (the only thatched property), ''(y) Pandy Uchaf'', ''Bron Derw'' and ''Crafnant House''. The village school was built in 1842 by
Lord Willoughby d'Eresby Baron Willoughby de Eresby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1313 for Robert de Willoughby. Since 1983, the title has been held by Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby. History Th ...
, who owned land and mines in the nearby Gwydir Forest. Glanrafon stores was built at the end of the 19th century, replacing some former cottages. The top floors once operated as the Glanrafon Private Hotel and Boarding House. The car park opposite the woollen mills, along with the Recreation grounds, were given as a gift to the villagers. This car park is called "The Singrug", derived from "Eisingrug" (''eisin'' + ''crug'' meaning heap/pile of husks). This name is far from unique in Wales, and refers to the fact that
winnowing Winnowing is a process by which chaff is separated from grain. It can also be used to remove pests from stored grain. Winnowing usually follows threshing in grain preparation. In its simplest form, it involves throwing the mixture into the ...
must at one time have been undertaken here.


Listed buildings

The following buildings in and around Trefriw are on the register of listed buildings:


Listed Ancient Monuments

Additionally, the following local features are listed by Cadw as Ancient Monuments:


Shops and commerce

Trefriw today has just two shops: the post office/general store and Maralyn's the butchers/grocers. However, there is the Woollen mill which has a shop selling the goods made on site, and cafe. Trefriw also has Angies hairdressers and Mary Bellas cafe. However, in its heyday, with up to 1,000 visitors arriving daily, there were naturally many more. These were virtually all located on the main street, and a number of properties can today clearly be seen to have been former shops. Trefriw's most famous shop was perhaps that run by Richard Thomas Ellis. Located in what is currently the Post Office, this emporium sold almost everything, including even dynamite. Ellis also arranged funerals. An advert of 1889 advertised "A splendid assortment of useful presents for visitors". Other shops which have long disappeared include: a post office (by Chandlers yard), a shoe shop (currently the butchers), two butcher's shops (one at ''Bryn Neuadd'', which has also been a craft shop, the other opposite the mill), a cycle shop (lower main street), a bank (the middle shop in Glanrafon parade), a cake shop/bakers (opposite the current Post Office), a cobblers and confectionery shop (where the woollen mill is now), a sweet shop (opposite the school), a craft shop (opposite the Fairy Falls), a chemist, a taxi/garage business (later Chandlers boatyard), ''Neuadd'' cafe (next to the village hall), a chip shop (near ''The Old Ship'' pub) and a grocers (behind the current Post Office). There was formerly a large
abattoir A slaughterhouse, also called abattoir (), is a facility where animals are slaughtered to provide food. Slaughterhouses supply meat, which then becomes the responsibility of a packaging facility. Slaughterhouses that produce meat that is no ...
behind the public toilets.


Name origins and population

The name 'Trefriw' is variously attributed to 'tref' + 'rhiw' (farm/homestead + hill) or to 'tref' + 'briw' (a wound, i.e. a reference to the healing waters of the Spa). Given the nature of
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
consonant mutation Consonant mutation is change in a consonant in a word according to its morphological or syntactic environment. Mutation occurs in languages around the world. A prototypical example of consonant mutation is the initial consonant mutation of all ...
, both of these are feasible - Tref + riw (soft mutation of rhiw, as the second part of a compound word) or Tre' + friw (mutation of briw). The information board in the village opts for the meaning deriving from the healing waters. However, D. Geraint Lewis, who has done much research into place names, concludes that the meaning is "homestead on the hill". The following explanation is also given: The word 'tref' historically meant 'farm/homestead'. Today it means 'town'. The definition of the word 'town' has altered over the centuries. Certainly Trefriw, in its heyday, was undeniably a town. Today it would be described as a large village. Over the centuries the spelling of the name Trefriw has seen numerous versions. As has been mentioned above, ''Hanes Trefriw'' records that Llywelyn named the new parish "Tref Rhiw Las". A document of 1254AD refers to the place as ''Treffruu''. and a number of documents from the 16th century refer to ''Treverewe'', ''Treffrewe'', ''Treverow'' and ''Treffrew'' (as well as to ''Trefriw''), with ''Trefriew'' appearing on a document of 1795. By 1801 the village had a population of 301, according to the "Topographical Dictionary of the Dominion of Wales" (1811). By 1851 the population had risen to 428. The
1991 Census A nationwide census, commonly known as Census 1991, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday 21 April 1991. This was the 19th UK census. ''Census 1991'' was organised by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in England and Wales, t ...
records a population of 1,286, 54.9% of whom could speak Welsh. The 2001 Census records an increased population as 1,338, there being some 565 residences within the Ward, and reports that exactly half of the population is Welsh speaking.


Famous inhabitants

*
Thomas Wiliems Thomas Wiliems (born in Ardda'r Mynaich in Arllechwedd, Wales possibly on 20 April 1545 or 1546; died in or before 13 August 1623) was a Welsh-language antiquarian.“Wiliems, Thomas (b. 1545/6?, d. in or before 1623?),” J. E. Caerwyn Williams i ...
(1545 or 1546–1620?). Referred to above in connection with the Gunpowder Plot. * Evan Evans ("Ieuan Glan Geirionydd") was born in Trefriw in 1795, the son of a former shipwright. He was of Nonconformist parentage, and his parents are credited with founding the Calvinistic Methodist movement in the area. He started life as a schoolmaster, but attracted attention by his successes in poetry at various
Eisteddfodau In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music. The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, ac ...
, his early imagination being charmed by the picturesque surroundings of his home area. He subsequently decided to move into the church, and was ordained in 1826. He was a hymn writer, but suffered from bad health—possibly a reason why his hymns, most in the form of prayers, are considered rather sad and deep. He held successively the curacies of
Christleton Christleton is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish on the outskirts of Chester, in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. The Shropshire Union Canal (originally Cheste ...
and
Ince Ince may refer to: *Ince, Cheshire, a village in Cheshire, UK *Ince-in-Makerfield in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, UK *Ince (UK Parliament constituency), a former constituency covering Ince-in-Makerfield *Ince (ward), an electoral ward covering ...
, in Cheshire. Ill-health compelled him to leave Ince, and he spent some time in retirement among his beloved hills in Trefriw. When he had partially recovered, he was appointed to the curacy of
Rhyl Rhyl (; cy, Y Rhyl, ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. The town lies within the historic boundaries of Flintshire, on the north-east coast of Wales at the mouth of the River Clwyd ( Welsh: ''Afon Clwyd''). To the we ...
. He died on 21 January 1855, and is buried in the village cemetery. His poetical works were published under the title of ''Geirionydd''. *
Dafydd Jones Dafydd Jones (born 24 June 1979) is a Welsh former rugby union rugby player of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s, who played for the Scarlets in the Celtic League, playing in the back row, scoring nine tries (45 points) in 104 appearances. He also pl ...
(1703–85) was a poet who wrote most of his works between 1750 and 1780. He lived at ''Tan yr yw'' in the village, as referred to above, and sometimes wrote under the name of Dewi Fardd. He progressed from publishing his own work to setting up on his own as a printer—some say that this was the first printing press in Wales. Some sources refer to Dafydd Jones as the Anglicised form "David Jones". The first Welsh language publication of a purely political nature was a translation by him of a pamphlet on the American dispute. * Gwilym Cowlyd, a native of Trefriw, was one of the most colourful figures in Welsh culture, and one who was very fond of the Cerdd Dant Festival. William John Roberts (1828–1904) was his real name, and the one he used in his day job as a printer and bookseller. However, he had a bee in his bonnet when it came to the National
Eisteddfod In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music. The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, ac ...
and he would assume the bardic name of Gwilym Cowlyd when levelling severe criticism at the Gorsedd for being too Anglicised. Eventually, in 1865, he founded a separate festival to rival the big National Eisteddfod. He called it Arwest Glan Geirionydd ("Music Festival on the Banks of the Lake Geirionydd"), and the meeting point was the Taliesin Memorial which now overlooks the lake. * Mary Owen was born in Trefriw in 1803, and lived to the age of 108. She moved away to live at ''Fron Olew'', Mynydd Llwydiarth,
Pentraeth Pentraeth (; ) is a village and community on the island of Anglesey (''Ynys Môn''), North Wales, at . The Royal Mail postcode begins LL75. The community population taken at the 2011 census was 1,178. The village itself having a population of ...
, overlooking
Red Wharf Bay Red Wharf Bay, also known as Traeth Coch (Welsh for "red beach"), is a village and a wide sandy bay in the Anglesey Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the east coast of the island of Anglesey in Wales. The bay lies between the villages of Pe ...
on
Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
. By May 1911 she broke the record to become the oldest person to live in Wales, indeed in Britain. She died in 1911 and was buried in the graveyard at Pentraeth. * In 1831 James Hughes was born in the village, and lived at Ysgubor Gerrig. Proficient on the harp, violin and flute, he became a harp-maker of renown. He died in Manchester in 1878 and is buried in the village churchyard. * T. R. Williams y Ffatri was famous throughout the land as a festival conductor. He composed tunes and anthems, and four of them are in the ''Independent Hymnbook''. He was organist in the Ebenezer Church and a deacon for 15 years. He died in 1922 and there is a stained-glass window there to commemorate him. * William Jones, poet, was born in Trefriw in 1896, living at Tan y Coed. The son of the Congregational minister in the village, he studied at the University College of North Wales and became a
Congregational Congregational churches (also Congregationalist churches or Congregationalism) are Protestant churches in the Calvinist tradition practising congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its ...
minister himself before changing denomination and joining the Calvinistic Methodists. He lived and worked in
Tremadog Tremadog (formerly Tremadoc) is a village in the community of Porthmadog, in Gwynedd, north west Wales; about north of Porthmadog town-centre. It was a planned settlement, founded by William Madocks, who bought the land in 1798. The centre of ...
. He published two collections of poetry, ''Adar Rhiannon a Cherddi Eraill'' in 1947 and ''Sonedau a Thelynegion'' in 1950. As a poet and a person, he has been compared to R. Williams-Parry, who was a great friend of his. He died in 1961. * Dafydd Parri, author of the Welsh children's series ''Cyfres y Llewod'', lived at Plas Gwyn in Trefriw. His children, who include Eisteddfod-winning poet Myrddin ap Dafydd and broadcaster/journalist Iolo ap Dafydd also grew up in the village. * Kate Roberts, the author, was first cousin to Hugh Griffith Roberts, who lived at Ffynnon Bach in Trefriw. * Richard Owen Roberts, the father of
Gwilym Roberts Gwilym Edffrwd Roberts (7 August 1928 – 15 March 2018) was a British Labour Party politician, who was Member of Parliament for South Bedfordshire from 1966 to 1970, and for Cannock from February 1974 to 1983. Early life Roberts was educated ...
the story-teller, was born in Llanrhychwyn. * Dylan Cernyw, Welsh harpist and three-time
Eisteddfod In Welsh culture, an ''eisteddfod'' is an institution and festival with several ranked competitions, including in poetry and music. The term ''eisteddfod'', which is formed from the Welsh morphemes: , meaning 'sit', and , meaning 'be', means, ac ...
winner (1989, 1991 & 1994), was a former tenant of the ''Fairy Falls'' pub. * Although not a resident,
Alfred Bestall Alfred Edmeades "Fred" Bestall, MBE (14 December 1892 – 15 January 1986) wrote and illustrated ''Rupert Bear'' for the London ''Daily Express'', from 1935 to 1965. Biography Early life Bestall was born in Mandalay, Burma in 1892, where his p ...
, author and illustrator of the
Rupert Bear Rupert Bear is a British children's comic strip character and franchise created by artist Mary Tourtel and first appearing in the ''Daily Express'' newspaper on 8 November 1920. Rupert's initial purpose was to win sales from the rival ''D ...
stories, holidayed in Trefriw in 1912 and 1913. It was at this time that he first visited
Beddgelert Beddgelert () is a village and community in the Snowdonia area of Gwynedd, Wales. The population of the community taken at the 2011 census was 455, and includes Nantmor and Nant Gwynant. It is reputed to be named after the legendary hound ...
, where he subsequently bought a house, and which provided much of the inspiration for his illustrations. * Allan Barham was a radio and television reporter for BBC Wales and the BBC World Service for 32 years. He lived at Winfield from 1958 to 1997 and for 10 years was chairman of the Trefriw and Llanrhychwyn community council. Perhaps best known among his books was ''Tales Of The Old Waterloo'', which was serialised by the BBC.


Healthiest place in Wales?

In his book ''Hanes Trefriw'' (1879), Morris Jones writes (translated from the Welsh): Further credence was given to this belief when it became known that Mary Owen, Britain's oldest woman (see above), was born in Trefriw.


Fairies

Trefriw's links with fairies are noted in the name of the main waterfalls in the village—The Fairy Falls, which is also the name of one of the pubs (previously called ''The Geirionydd''). In 1880
Wirt Sikes William Wirt Sikes (November 23, 1836 – August 18, 1883) was an American journalist and writer, perhaps best known today for his writings on Welsh folklore and customs. Early life William Wirt Sikes was born in Watertown, New York, the son of W ...
published his book ''British Goblins—Welsh Folk-lore, Fairy Mythology, Legends and Traditions'', from which comes the following passage:


In literature

In 1879 Morris Jones wrote ''Hanes Trefriw, fel y bu ac fel y mae, Disgrifiad Cryno o'r Ardal a'r Trigolion'' (A history of Trefriw, then and now, a short description of the area and its inhabitants). Published by W. J. Roberts, Heol Watling, Llanrwst. This book is in Welsh. In 1993 Gomer Press published a short historical novel for children by Gweneth Lilly, entitled ''Treason at Trefriw''. ''(see the reference above)'' In fiction, Trefriw was the birthplace of
Brother Cadfael Brother Cadfael is the main fictional character in a series of historical murder mysteries written between 1977 and 1994 by the linguist-scholar Edith Pargeter under the name "Ellis Peters". The character of Cadfael himself is a Welsh Benedic ...
, the fictional detective in a series of murder mysteries by the late
Edith Pargeter Edith Mary Pargeter (28 September 1913 – 14 October 1995), also known by her '' nom de plume'' Ellis Peters, was an English author of works in many categories, especially history and historical fiction, and was also honoured for her transla ...
writing under the name "Ellis Peters". His full name was Cadfael ap (son of) Meilyr ap Dafydd and he was born around 1080 to a villein (serf) family. The stories are set between about 1135 and about 1145, during the civil war between the forces of King Stephen and Empress Maud. The house called "Y Wern" (at the foot of Llanrhychwyn hill) features in the Welsh novel ''Os Dianc Rhai'' (by Martin Davis, published by Y Lolfa, 2003). This story is set in the mid-1930s and the Second World War.


In the record books

In 2006 Trefriw won the award for North Wales
Calor Village of the Year The Calor Village of the Year comprised 4 annual competitions organised by gas provider Calor to identify the villages that best met the following criteria: "a well-balanced, pro-active, caring community which has made the best of local opportun ...
. The World's Largest Garden Hedge Maze is currently at "Garden Art", near
Dolgarrog Dolgarrog is a village and community in Conwy County Borough, in Wales, situated between Llanrwst and Conwy, very close to the Conwy River. The village is well known for its industrial history since the 18th century and the Eigiau ...
. Covering over , this beats the current record previously held by the Marquis of Bath at
Longleat Longleat is an English stately home and the seat of the Marquess of Bath, Marquesses of Bath. A leading and early example of the Elizabethan era, Elizabethan prodigy house, it is adjacent to the village of Horningsham and near the towns of War ...
. The maze was designed by Giovanni Angelo Jacovelli with assistance from respected Australian artist Bob Haberfield. Trefriw is in the record books for a record
boomerang A boomerang () is a thrown tool, typically constructed with aerofoil sections and designed to spin about an axis perpendicular to the direction of its flight. A returning boomerang is designed to return to the thrower, while a non-returning ...
throw. Englishman Andrew Furniss set the British MTA Unlimited record with 75.41 secs. in the Trefriw Festival (UK, August 2001). Trefriw is the home of Roualeyn Nurseries, which specializes in fuchsias. The nurseries are habitual winners of awards at shows such as Chelsea Flower Show. Roualeyn was once the home of John Payne Davies, an artist and member of the Royal Cambrian Academy. Crafnant Guesthouse - now known a
Crafnant House - Bed & Breakfast
- was the winner of the "Best Wildlife Garden in Snowdonia" competition, 2004.


Quotes

Over the years, the following quotes have been made about Trefriw:


See also

* Nant Conwy RFC - local rugby club *
Klondyke mill Klondyke Mill was an ore processing mill on the edge of the Gwydir Forest, near Trefriw, north Wales. Constructed in 1900, the mill was built to receive lead ore (and some zinc ore) from Pandora mine, some 2 miles away – with which its hist ...


References


Further reading

*''The Conwy Valley & the lands of history'', by K. Mortimer Hart (published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 1987) *''The Conwy Valley – Its Long History'', by Michael Senior (published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 1984) *''The Crossing of the Conwy'', by Michael Senior (published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 1991) *''Gwydir Slate Quarries'', by M.C. Williams & M.J.T. Lewis (published by Snowdonia National Park Study Centre, 1989) *''Hanes Trefriw'', by Morris Jones (published by W.J. Roberts, 1879) *''Walks in the Conwy Valley'', by Christopher Draper (published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, 2002) *''Sarn Helen'', by J. Cantrell & A. Rylance (Cicerone Press, 1992) *''The Mines of The Gwydir Forest'' Parts 1 - 7, by John Bennett & Robert W. Vernon (published by Gwydir Mines Publications, 1989–97) *''The Rock Cannon of Gwynedd'', by Griff R. Jones (2002) *''The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland'' (1868) *''A Topographical Dictionary of Wales'' by Samuel Lewis (1833)


External links


Trefriw Visitor Information

A Vision of Britain Through Time

British Listed Buildings



Geograph

Office for National Statistics

Trefriw Trails

Trefriw Woollen Mills
{{Conwy Valley Villages in Conwy County Borough Communities in Conwy County Borough