Llandecwyn

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]

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.[6] Brontecwyn Chapel (Weslyan Methodist) was the home of the Llandecwyn Revolt School. The chapel closed in the 1990s and is now a holiday rental cottage.[7] Capel Bach, Brontecwyn, is now a woodstore for a larger house.[8] Capel Newydd (Calvinistic Methodist), was a few yards from Capel Bach, but is now a ruin.[9]

Llandecwyn was the focus for a power struggle between the UK Government which was Conservative and largely Anglican, and the local Merionethshire County Council, which was largely Liberal and non-conformist. The 1902 Education Act forced local councils to pay for all schools, including church schools. The council was 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.[10]

The local landowners were the Wynn family of Maes y Neuadd, who were descended from the 13th Century Osbwrn Wyddel ('Osborn the Irishman'). They were related to the Oakleys of Tan y Bwlch and the Vaughns of Cors y Gedol.[11]

Other notable residents of Llandecwyn have included:

• John Ellis (1600? – 1665), cleric and educationalist, author of a defence of the Thirty-nine Articles[12] and founder of Dolgellau Grammar School. Described as 'of Llandecwyn' in his matriculation at the University of Oxford.[13]
• Lewis Anwyl (1705? – 1776), cleric and author, born in the parish to the rector of Llanfrothen.
• Evan Evans (Prydydd Hir (The Tall Poet) or Ieuan Fardd (Ieuan the Poet), 1731 – 1788), scholar and poet and cleric, curate at St. Tecwyn's for a year.
• Lewis Roberts (Eos Twrog, 1756 – 1844), musician, well-known harpist and crwth player, considered the best singer in the land to the accompaniment of the harp.[14]
• Edmund Evans (1791 – 1864), born at Aberdeunant, Wesleyan preacher known as Utgorn Meirion (the clarion of Meirion).[15]
• Ann Harriet Hughes (Gwyneth Vaughan, 1852 – 1910), author, born at Bryn-y-felin, Eisingrug and educated at Llandecwyn School.
• Sir William Nicholson (1872 - 1949), landscape painter, was a tenant of Maes y Neuadd.[16] Nicholson painted The Hill above Harlech in about 1917, showing a landscape near Llandecwyn. The picture is in the collection of the Tate Gallery.[17]
• David Tecwyn Evans (1876 – 1957), Methodist preacher and hymn writer, was born at Aberdeunant Uchaf in the parish and attended a National School at the church.[18]
• Jim Cotter (1942-2014), priest, poet and liturgist, vicar 2001-2008.[19]
• Ella Wynne Jones of Ty'n y Bonc, High Sheriff of Gwynedd 1997 - 1998.[20]

Bryn Cader Faner

The impressive ring cairn of Bryn Cader Faner (SH648353) is one of several ancient sites in the hills within the parish:[22]

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

Bedd Dorti

Bedd Dorti (Dorti's grave) is a mound alongside the old road from Llandecwyn to Maentwrog, near Llyn Tecwyn Uchaf. The mound is associated with Dorti'r Wrach (Dorti the Witch) who lived in the area in the 17th century. According to legend, Dorti was killed by being thrown off the high rocks above Llyn Tecwyn Uchaf in a cask, and she was buried where the cask landed.[23]

The mound is covered with white stones, and there is a tradition that passers-by must add another stone or they will die within a year. A section of the mound has been exposed by passing vehicles, and it is thought that it is a natural mound that was topped by a small cairn of white quartz stones, suggesting that it may be a prehistoric funerary monument.[23][24]

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