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Gwynedd Gazetteer
Gwynedd Gazetteer
A Visit to Fairyland
The following fairy folk tale takes place around Llyn Cwellyn, a 215 acre, 120 feet deep glacial lake which has now been dammed to create a reservoir. The tale is taken 'Bedd Gelert: Its Facts, Fairies, and Folk-Lore (1899) by D E Jenkins. Read More »
Aberdyfi and Cardigan Bay
The area around Cardigan Bay has a number of 'lost land' legends pertaining to it. These legends have changed over the centuries.
The most recent story concerns 'The Lost Lowland Hundred'; lands now drowned which were ruled by a King called Gwyddno Garantir. The area was protected from the sea by a system of sluices, dams and waterways. Read More »
Barclodiad-y-Gawres Chambered Cairn
This burial mound has five carved stones within its chamber, now capped by concrete to prevent their erosion. The stones are carved with a range of patterns including spirals cup marks and zig-zag features. The purpose of these marks is unknown, but they may have had some ritual function. Read More »
Bardsey Island
The island is also known as the island of the currents and the saints. There are said to be the graves of 20,000 saints interred on the island, and legend suggests that anybody buried here will not go to hell no matter how wicked his deeds. Read More »
Barmouth Poltergeist
The following account of a poltergeist in Barmouth appeared in an edition of Folk-lore (June 1892) and was also reproduced in Richard Holland's 'Haunted Wales: A Guide to Welsh Ghostlore' Read More »
Bedd Branwen
The chambered tomb called the Bedd Branwen, is said to be the resting place of Branwen, the legendary wife of Bran described in early Welsh stories.
Directions: To the East of Elim.
Bryn Celli Dhu
The name of this site translates as the mound in the dark grove. It is a developed site, which changed in ritual use and importance during the Neolithic and Bronze age period. Read More »
Bryn Hall
Bryn Hall was haunted by the ghost of a headless horseman. The haunting is said to have ceased after one of the servants received a message from the horseman pertaining to the location of a buried body.
The body was that of an illegitimate child belonging to the Lord of the hall.
Bwgan Pant-y-Wennol
In his excellent book 'Haunted Wales: A Guide to Welsh Ghostlore', Richard Holland quotes the following article concerning a poltergeist at Pant-y-Wennol near Abersoch that appeared in the Caernarvon & Denbigh Herald, 29 May 1866. Read More »
Cader Idris
This holy mountain has a rock seat called 'The Seat of Prince Idris'. It is said that anyone who spends the night alone on the mountain will either die, become insane or become a poet.
The seat of Prince Idris is also known as the Chair of Idris, and was named after a giant who was said to view the heavens from this lofty point. Read More »
Capel Salem
Built in 1850, this Baptist Chapel was made famous by the Devon artist Sydney Curnow Vosper (29 October 1866 – 10 July 1942) in 1908, when he painted a member of the congregation in traditional Welsh costume. Read More »
Carn March Arthur
A rock overlooking the Dovey Estuary, on a hill above the A493, bears a depression that is said to be the hoofprint of Arthur's horse.
Directions: The rock lies above the A493.
Conwy & Conwy Bay
In legend a curse was put upon the town and its entire people by a mermaid hundreds of years ago. She was found stranded on the rocks at low tide by local fishermen, who would not return her to the water no matter how much she begged. She cursed the town saying that the people would always be poor. The curse is now said to have run its course. Read More »
Cors-y-Gedol Burial Chamber
The Cors-y-Gedol burial chamber which still has it's capstone intact is also referred to as Arthur’s Quoit and can be found close to some ancient hut circles known as the Irishmen’s huts on the slope of Moelfre. Read More »
Dinas Emrys
The legendary stronghold of Vortigern, and the place where the young prophet Merlin revealed the fighting dragons. Read More »
Dyffryn Ardudwy Cromlechs
Behind the local school at Dyffryn Ardudwy and reached by a sign posted footpath two exposed cromlechs are visible amidst a field of stones. The cromlechs are about twenty feet apart and the stones that surround them mark the remains of the huge cairn that would have covered these graves that date back to the Neolithic period. Read More »
Fairies of Llyn Dwythwch
Children were often warned in the past about the dangers of fairies and John Rhys in his 'Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx' (1901) vouched for an account from a lady who grew up in Cwm Brwynog thirty to forty years earlier. Read More »
Fairy Gold Of Cwmglas Hollow
According to John Rhys in his 'Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx' [1901] 'The following is a later tale, which Mr. Thomas Davies heard from his mother, who died in 1832:--'When she was a girl, living at Yr Hafod, Llanberis, there was a girl of her age being brought up at Cwmglas in the same parish. Read More »
Fairy Midwife Of Beddgelert
In 1891 the following folk tale appeared in 'The Science of Fairy Tales; An Enquiry Into Fairy Mythology' by Edwin Sidney Hartland. It is one of a number of stories in which human midwives are needed at fairy births. Read More »
Fort Belan
Fort Belan is a Grade I listed building dating from 1775 and was built by Member of Parliament, Sir Thomas Wynn, 1st Baron Newborough (born 1736 – died 12 October 1807), as a defence for the Menai Strait against possible naval aggression during the American War of Independence. Read More »
The Grave of Gelert
'In the 13th century Llywelyn, prince of North Wales, had a palace at Beddgelert. One day he went hunting without Gelert, "The Faithful Hound", who was unaccountably absent. On Llywelyn's return the truant, stained and smeared with blood, joyfully sprang to meet his master. Read More »
Haunted Toilets
I came across a reference claiming that the public toilets opposite the Gwesty’r Llew Coch (Red Lion Hotel) in Dinas Mawddwy are reputedly haunted by the apparition of a silver haired old man. I have no idea what evidence this based upon, or even if there is any.
Haunted Wales: A Guide To Welsh Ghostlore by Richard Holland
The ghosts of Wales are bold and memorable, forceful in character often terrifying and sometimes even dangerous. In a new book by Richard Holland and published by The History Press you realise that Wales is a fearfully haunted place with possibly more ghosts and goblins than in England or any other country. Read More »
Hollow Demon Oak
A tree known as Derwen Ceubren yr Ellyl (hollow tree of the demons/spirits) used to stand in Nannau Park and it had a reputation of being haunted and evil, for this is the tree in which Owain Glyndwr was, according to legend, supposed to have hidden the body of his cousin Hywel Sele, 8th Lord of Nannau after he had killed him in 1404. Read More »
Holyhead UFO
In 1743 a farmer near Holyhead, Anglesey is alleged to have witnessed a 'boat' sailing in the clouds at about 1500 feet. The story appeared in the 'Flying Saucer Review' in 1971.
Lady Anne Prendergast
In Haunted Wales (2011), Richard Holland quotes an old account of an experience with the reputed phantom of Lady Prendergast. It was the experience of a farmer named Morus Roberts from Croesor Bach who came across the ghost at Gwernydd in Beddgelert parish. Read More »
Lake Bala
Llyn Tegid is Wales’s largest lake being nearly four miles long. It lies in a rift valley running north east to south west, extending down to the sea at Tywyn. The lake is 529 feet above sea level, has a maximum depth of 136 feet and covers an area of 1084 acres. Read More »
Llanerchymedd UFO (1978)
On 1st September 1978 in Llanerchymedd, Anglesey, some young boys who were playing football saw what they thought was a helicopter land in a field close to where they were playing. They went over out of curiosity and found that it was a white object like a smooth nosed rocket. They went to fetch some adults who also witnessed two 6-foot humanoids in one-piece suits near to the object. Read More »
Llddwyn Island
This island is connected by a sandy beach to Anglesey, and was home in the Dark Ages to a religious community, founded by the female Saint Dwynwen. St Dwynwen is a patron saint of Welsh lovers, and after her death the island became an important place of pilgrimage. Read More »
Llyn Barfog (The Bearded Lake)
Llyn Barfog is situated in high countryside above the northern banks of the River Dyfi. The lake is isolated, small, and covered with yellow water lilies in the summer. Sir John Rhys in Celtic Folklore suggests that it was originally called Llyn-y-Barfog (The Bearded One’s Lake) referring to some ancient mythical being who would have lived there. Read More »
Llyn Cau
The glacial lake of Llyn Cau at Cader Idris is said to be bottomless and according to tradition it is thought to be the home of a lake monster responsible for drowning a man who went swimming in the cold waters. Read More »
Llyn Du'r Arddu
In 'Celtic Folklore Welsh And Manx' (1901) John Rhys describes the following tale he was told concerning a fairy bride in the summer of 1881. ‘An old woman, called Siân Dafydd, lived at Helfa Fawr, in the dingle called Cwm. Brwynog, along the left side of which you ascend as you go to the top of Snowdon, from the village of lower Llanberis, or Coed y Ddol, as it is there called. Read More »
Llyn Glaslyn (Lake of the Blue Spring)
At 1,970 feet above sea level, and covering an area of 18 acres Llyn Glaslyn is one of the glacial lakes of Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon), and being the highest and remotest of the larger lakes it abounds in legend. Read More »
Llyn Idwal
Llyn Idwal is a small glacial lake in Snowdonia, easily accessible from the A5. The path begins at Ogwen Cottage at the foot of Llyn Ogwen, crosses a stream and then turns right after a quarter of a mile in to Cwm Idwal, a dramatic valley surrounded by the crags of Glyder fawr, Twll Du (‘The Black Hole’ or more popularly known as ‘the Devils Kitchen’) and Y Garn. Read More »
Llyn Llydaw (Brittany Lake)
At 1,430 feet above sea level Llyn Llydaw (Brittany Lake) is another sterile glacial lake of Yr Wyddfa (Mount Snowdon) in its eastern valley Cwn Dyli. It has an industrial air about it, and it has the Miners’ track crossing its eastern end by a causeway that was built in 1853 when the lake was lowered. Read More »
Llyn Morwynion ‘Lake of the Maidens’
Llyn Morwynion is probably the lake where, according to the Mabinogion, Blodeuedd and her Maidens of Ardudwy drowned whilst fleeing from the wizard Gwydion and the men of Gwynedd. Read More »
Llyn Ogwen
Four miles North from Capel Curig along the A5; and at 310 metres above sea level you’ll find Llyn Ogwen covering an area of 78 acres. Its ancient name was reportedly Ogfanw (young pig); and it is one of the shallowest lakes in North Wales, averaging 6 feet, and only being 10 feet at its deepest point. Read More »
Llyn-y-Dywarchen
This is a privately owned lake beside the B4418 which has a rather complex shape and a small island in the centre, which is not uncommon in highly glaciated areas. There is a curious story attached to this lake. Once upon a time Llyn-y-Dywarchen had an additional floating island. Read More »
Maentwrog (Twrog’s Stone)
Lying in the Vale of Ffestiniog, alongside the river Dwyryd, is the village of Maentwrog. There is a legend that a giant called Twrog (who died in the year AD610) hurled a stone from a hill top, down into the village and destroyed a pagan altar. Read More »
Mawddach Sea Monster
During the last twentieth century there have been a few experiences that have led to suggestions that the Mawddach Estuary at Barmouth may be the home of a sea monster. According to Mysterious Wales by Chris Barber a local woman claimed to have found four large footprints in the sand, described as being ‘as big as an elephant’s’. Read More »
More Anglesey Ghosts by Bunty Austin
More Anglesey Ghosts is the follow up to Buty Austin's book, Haunted Anglesey, and touchingly dedicated to her late husband Walt. In this book Bunty has retuned to her favourite stomping ground and brings to her readers a new collection of ghostly sightings and paranormal encounters set to keep you up at night. Read More »
Pont Aberglaslyn
Pont Aberglaslyn has a bridge with a connection to the Devil. It is very similar to other Devil and bridge related stories found throughout the British Isles. The Devil built the bridge on the understanding that he would receive the soul of the first living creature to cross over it. When the bridge was finished he went to the local inn to inform the magician Robin Ddu that it was ready. Read More »
River Artro
Whilst reading part of Lewis’s Topographical Dictionary of Wales (1849), I came across a link between the River Artro and Taliesin. Read More »
Royal Goat Hotel, Beddgelert
The Royal Goat Hotel is linked to stories suggesting a haunting, though I don’t know of any actual haunting type occurrences that have happened there. The stories relate to David Pritchard, the first landlord of the Royal Goat Hotel and the man generally thought responsible for the Grave of Gelert. Read More »
Sing Sorrow Sorrow edited by Gwen Davies
‘Sing Sorrow Sorrow is a chilling collection of supernatural myth and otherworldly horror stories from some of Wales' most exciting new and established authors. Read More »
The Smallest House In Britain
The smallest house in Great Britain can be found on the quayside at Conwy and is known as Quay House. This tiny dwelling dates from the sixteenth century and was lived in continually until 1900 when it was deemed by the local authority to be unsuitable for human habitation. Read More »
Snowdon
Standing 3650 ft above sea level, Snowdon is the highest peak in Wales, second highest mountain in Britain and is also probably the busiest due to it popularity with hillwalkers. Read More »
Spirit of Llyn-Nad-y-Forwyn
The following folk tale of a haunting beside the River Colwyn in Beddgelert was taken from Elias Owen's Welsh Folk-Lore (1896). 'It is said that a young man was about to marry a young girl, and on the evening before the wedding they were rambling along the water's side together, but the man was false, and loved another better than the woman whom he was about to wed. Read More »
St Peters, Llanbedr
St Peters Church in Llanbedr is where you can find, behind the rear pew, an ancient engraved stone that stands two foot nine inches in height and two foot wide. The engraving is that of a seven turn spiral measuring twelve inches in diameter. It is said to be similar to those associated with the Irish Boyne culture. Read More »
The Gwiber of Penmachno
The word "gwiber" in Welsh means viper or adder but many centuries ago the word actually meant "flying snake" . This is the story of how Wibernant (meaning "valley of the gwiber) which is near Penmachno got its name. Read More »
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