Bryn Euryn & Llys Euryn

Bryn Euryn is a hillfort and associated manor house near Conwy, north Wales. The hillfort itself does not necessarily date to the Iron Age period, but is associated with Cynlas the Red, the King of Rhos in the early 6th century. The local name for the site is Dinerth, Fort of the Bear. Cynlas is notable for having been one of the five “tyrants of Britain” denounced for his sins by the chronicler, Gildas. Excavations revealed a “massive well-built” limestone wall, up to three meters high and the site commands extensive views of the Conwy Valley. Eventually, the Kingdom of Rhos became a cantref, or administrative unit, of the Kingdom of Gwynedd and the hillfort was abandoned in favor of the manor house known now as Llys Euryn. This house is thought to have been built at least by 1240 Read more…

Aber Falls

Aber Falls is a waterfall located about two miles south of the village of Abergwyngregyn in Gwynedd. Abergwyngregyn is a village adjacent to where the princes of Wales had a llys, known as Garth Celyn. The waterfall is formed as the Afon Goch (or the red river) plunges 120 feet (37 m) over a sill of igneous rock in the foothills of the Carneddau range. Two tributaries merge here and the enlarged stream is known as Afon Rhaeadr Fawr. Once past the road bridge, heading towards the village and the mouth of the river, it becomes known as Afon Aber. A smaller bridge at the foot of the falls is part of the North Wales Path, a long-distance coastal path between Prestatyn and Bangor. Ancient peoples lived in the area, some remains of which are visible to visitors walking along Read more…

Domen Ddreiniog

Domen Ddreiniog, known in the medieval period as  Tal-y-bont, lies northeast of the village of Tywyn and southwest of Castell-y-bere on the bank of the Afon Dysynni, near what historically was its lowest crossing point.    This site has been documented as one of the 22 Welsh llysoedd of Gwynedd, though the mound that is visible today has been linked with other motte and Bailey Castles built by the Norman, Robert of Rhuddlan, in his attempt to conquer all of Gwynedd in the late 11th century. After his death, the Welsh retook the area and held it continually until the final conquest of Gwynedd in 1282 It is known that Llywelyn ap Gruffydd himself addressed a letter from the site in 1275, and King Edward I of England visited in 1295. The motte that is visible today is steep sided and Read more…