Llanrwst, Carnarvonshire
Historical Description
Llanrwst, a market-town and a parish in Denbighshire. The town stands on the river Conway, in a pleasant vale, amid charming environs, 4 miles N of Bettws-y-Coed, 12 S of Conway, and 234 by rail from London. It has a station (Llanrwst and Trefriw) on the Bettws-y-Coed and Festiniog branch of the L. & N.W.R., and a post, money order, and telegraph office (R.S.O.) It includes a square, with town-hall and market-place; contains many good houses; attracts numerous tourists and other visitors, for sake of the scenery around it, and of the splendid salmon fishing in the Conway; and is a seat of county courts. The town-hall is a good edifice, and is used for reading-rooms, newsrooms, and recreation. The bridge over the Conway is a steep structure with three arches, and was erected in 1636 by Inigo Jones. The church of St Grwst is Later English, charmingly situated on the banks of the river, and shaded with yews. It contains a finely carved rood-screen, and adjoining it is Gwydyr chapel, which was built in 1632 by Inigo Jones, but is not now used for service. The Gwydyr chapel contains the stone sarcophagus of the coffin of Llewelyn ap Jorwerth, a stone effigy of Hywel Coetmore, some brasses of the Wynns of Gwydyr, and two curious variegated pyramidal monuments. St Mary's chapel of ease was built in 1842, and is known as the English church. There are Congregational, Baptist, Wesleyan, and Calvinistic Methodist chapels, concert hall, in which the county court is held, two banks, Jesus Hospital or almshouse, which is endowed, and a workhouse. The grammar school has an endowed income of about £400. Markets are held on Tuesdays and Saturdays; fairs are held on the first Tuesday of Feb., 8 March, 25 April, 21 June, 10 Aug., 17 Sept., 25 Oct., 11 Dec., and the second Tuesday after 11 Dec.; and some trade is carried on in stocking-making, malting, and tanning. The town was for some time noted for the making of Welsh harps.
The parish includes Capel Garmon, and comprises 15,687 acres; population of the civil parish, 3945; of the ecclesiastical (partly in Carnarvonshire), 3469. Gwydyr House or Castle, as it is now called, half a mile from the town, formerly the seat of the Wynns, includes a small part of a mansion erected in 1555 by Sir John Wynn, but is mainly an addition of 1816; contains some fine antiquely-formed rooms, with ancient furniture; and stands amid delightful grounds, with a pleasant view. Adjoining the town is PISs Isa, once the residence of the celebrated Welsh linguist, William Salisbury, who translated the Testament into Welsh, and assisted Bishop Morgan in translating the whole of the Bible into the Welsh language. The old house is now in ruins, but a modern one is built close to it. It is a picturesque spot. The living of St Grwst is a rectory, united with the chapelry of St Mary, in the diocese of St Asaph; net value, £280 with residence. Patron, the Bishop of St Asaph. The vicarage of Capel Garmon is a separate benefice.
Land and Property
The Return of Owners of Land in 1873 for Carnarvonshire is available to browse.
Newspapers and Periodicals
The British Newspaper Archive have fully searchable digitised copies of the following newspapers online: