List of Field Names on Ynys Gifftan
Tythe 1842
Landowner– William Ormsby Gore
Tenant – Ellen Roberts

A list of old dwellings and their locations in the two parishes (Llandecwyn and Llanfihangel y Traethau).

I begin at Ty Gwyn, Y Gamlas, yr Ynys as this was a very important place ln the past. This was the port for this side of the river and ships were built here.

(1) Tŷ Gwyn - old inn.

(2) Tyddyn Du - situated on land of Ty Gwyn Mawr beside the path that leads up to Cefn Gwyn and Chollwyn. Here lived Sian Parry and her mother; she was one of those who drowned from the ferry that sank on the Traeth, August 7th 1862.

(3) Odyn y Ciw - situated on land of Tyddyn yr Eglwys, where Evans, the carrier used to live; he would carry goods to the Harlech shops from Ty Gwyn and rejoiced as he rode in his cart at the time of the Temperance movement in 1859.

(4) Yr Efail - where Minafon now stands.

(5) Carreg Ro Bach - near the beach on the land of Carreg Ro Fawr.

(6) Llechollwyn Bach - outdoor kitchen of the present Chollwyn, again near the beach.

(7) Rhyd Goch Isaf - situated at the top of the hill, above the stream gate.

(8) Gwyndy Bach - at yr Ynys, near Cartrefle

.(9) Dengrwd - on the land of Penywaen, beside Morfa road, the chimney of the old house marking the boundary of the two parishes (Llanfihangel and Llandanwg)

(10) Cefnrhydd or Cefnyrhydau – grazing for two or three cows in the middle of Morfa Harlech at the side of the old track where an old Christian named Griffith Roberts used to attend Capel Uchaf Harlech to worship, in a cart and a white horse. The last people I remember living there were Griffith Ellis and Evan Ellis – two bright old Christians who regularly attended Eglwys Llanfihangel . I could carry on writing about these two but I would then stray away rom the subject.

(11) Glasfryn Isaf - this was situated on the roadside on the way from Harlech to Talsarnau where the small cowshed of Tanpenmaen stands now.

(12) Glasfryn Uchaf – on the hill above Glyn Lodge, where the antiquarian and poet Robert Hugh lived; grazing for two cows.

(13) Dolysgymunech – this was where Llety'r Wialch is now. There was once a shop many years ago and the saying goes that this is where the first measure of music in the county of Meirionnydd was composed.

(14) Rhosigor Bach a - (15) Rhosigor Ganol – one of them near the side of the road near Pont y Glyn, and the other higher up.  

(16 ) and (17) Two old houses opposite Gafaelgrwn. Families of four lived in these – some upstairs and some upstairs.

(18) Pandy'r Glyn – further up the road towards Eisingrug where Evan and Betty Rogers used to keep a cow. It was from here that the woollen cloth that was drying out overnight was lost.

(19) Ffatri y Glyn – here lived W Williams and his two talented sons, who died young.

(20) Further up was Bondwll where Thomas Griffith, head drainage man at the Glyn, lived. He raised three or four sailor sons.

(21) Pengarreg – where Morgan Prys had a smithy and kept cattle.

(22) Pengarreg Ucha' – further up, where the mother of Captain Williams, Minafon lived.

(23) Tynffordd Fawr – beside the road between Tyddyn Sion Wyn and Eisingrug where Richard Parry lived. He was the author of 'Fuchangerdd y Wlanen Wen'.

(24) Nearby at the top of the hill was Beudy Newydd . A spinster and her mother lived here, and who knitted stockings and bred tabby cats for the neighbours.

(25) Near Tyddyn Sion Wyn stood Tyddyn Sion Wyn Bach – with grazing for one cow, where William Edward, farm bailiff at the Glyn for years, was raised.

(26) At the boundary with Plasucha stood Penybont, where Doli and her brother Tom lived. Tom Jones spent his days with the Edmunds' at Plasucha.

(27) Above Tynllwyn stood Caegwndwn.

(28) Near the junction to Maesyneuadd stands Ysgol Bach where Robert Roberts, head bailiff for Mrs Nanney, Maesyneuadd lived.

(29) Further along the road on the way to Llandecwyn stands Dolorcian Bach, a small farm for around three cows and a few sheep. The name of the old man was Owain Lewis; he and his wife had no children. They didn't like visitors at their house and would say, 'Don't come into the house or these young girls will laugh at you'. But there was no one in the house.

(30) Glan yr Afon – where Shion Owen raised seven or eight children. A little further up stood

(31) Bryn Melyn – grazing for three or four cows and a few sheep. Thomas Jones, drainer at the Glyn, once lived there.

(32) A little further up was Ty'n y Mynydd where Sion and Gwen lived. They were quite poor. They survived on nettles in the spring and summer, boiled with salt and pepper, with bread.

(33) Further down was Maescaerau Ucha' where Thomas Rhys raised a houseful of strong sons and daughters. He was the father of John Tom, Berthen Gron and Hannah Williams, Soar.

(34) Further down was Glanrafon Gaerau - a cowshed now.

(35) Still further down was Cegin y Coety – where Simon Jones lived.

(36) Further down again was Gwastad Agnes – where Charles Jones raised around nine children. Two of the sons were champion gardeners. Only Lewis Jones remains, at Glanymor, Ynys and Ellen at Porthmadog.

(37) Near Caerwych was Bracdy — where Shion Dafydd raised several daughters and one son. There are several granchildren – one of them being Daniel Evans, Talsarnau.

(38) Further down stands Glanofer - and
(39) Blaen y Ddôl – grazing for one cow, where John Hughes lived before moving to Ty'n Llan.

(40) Higher up was Aberdeunant Uchaf, with grazing for one cow. Further still was -

(41) Hendre Cerrig – three or four cows and a few sheep and an old 'Calvin', Robert Richard lived. He had nineteen children with two wives. At least one is still living – Lowri Williams shoemaker of Llanfair.

(42) Talrhos – very nearby, where Griffith William, previously of Llechwedd Uchaf, had nine children. A little further was -
Talrhos2

(43) Tŷ Newydd Llennyrch – a little further again.

(44) Tŷ’n y Pant. Sorceress, Mari'r Fantell Wen lived there for a time. She and her followers would wander over the banks in their white gowns on Sundays shouting 'Cwio,cwio, cwio', professing to be super human and immortal. But die she did and her grave can be seen at Llanfihangel y Traethau on the east side of the church.

(45) Nearby was Tyn y Gors – where a Samson of a man lived, by the name of Guto Tyn y Gors. His shoe plates were 17 inches round. He carried a sack of flour on his back from Maentwrog, resting only once beside Felenrhyd Fawr hill.

(46) On the land of Felenrhyd Fawr were three dwellings -
(47) Breichiau – with grazing for one cow with each.

(48) It is by now a derelict place in the middle of the mountain. There were four or five other dwellings on the land of Felenrhyd. Beside the main road from Maentwrog stood -

(49) Tan yr Allt — and futher up, closer to Tŷ Newydd, stood –

(50) Muriau Robin – where the grandfather of John Richards, Yr Ogof, Ynys was raised.

(51) Higher up was Maes y Llan – where the mother of Rev. D Tecwyn Evans was raised.

(52) Cae Brân – with grazing for three cows on the land of Cefn Trefor Fawr, where a lame old forester, father of the Rev. Tecwyn Parry M.C., late of Llanberis, lived and where, later, the Rev. Parch W G Williams was raised. On the way from Talsarnau to Soar are -

(53) Beudy Bach -
(54) Garth — and further -
(55) Castell – where Saul, keeper at the Glyn, lived. Above Rhosigor stood -

(56) Bryneirin.

I have ended near Rhosigor. I am not knowledgeable enough to place them in their appropriate parishes. Here are the fifty six dwellings that I know about for certain, but I heard that there were six others on the land of Felenrhyd Fawr.

Atgof uwch Anghof.
March 16eg, 1928.
(the author was the great grandfather of Anna Wyn Jones, Cricieth and Lisbeth Wyn James, Llithfaen)

Here is a list of dwellings in the parishes of Llandecwyn and Llanfihangel that are, by now ,ruins.
Muriau Robin, Llidiart garw, Maes Llan, Mur Mawr, Y Gegin, Ffridd Rasus, Gwastas Annas, Cefn Mine, Capel Newydd, Caebran Hafod y Mynydd, Capel Bach, Pensarn, Bryn Melyn Garreg Ro Bach Dolorcan Fawr, Hendre Cerrig Penrhyn Uchaf Bryn Eirin, Ty Newydd Breichiau (Mari’r Fantell Wen) Tynffordd Fawr, Llennyrch Bondwll Efaill Bach Castell, Glandwr, Ffatri Eisingrug Talysarnau Ysgoldy Bach, Penybont, Blaenddol, Efail Eisingrug, Aberdeunant Uchaf, Bryn Eglwys, Glanofer (Dorti ) Glasfryn Bach, Muriau Gwyddil, Rhwngyddwybont, Gelli Grin Bach, Llain Wen, Nant Pasgan Cottage House, BeudyBach, Briws, Berthen Gron, Gwrach Ynys, Bracdy.

Collection submitted by Tomi Gwilym Williams

OLD DWELLINGS
Competition at Bryntecwyn Chapel Meeting February 5th 1925 
Title: Old Llandecwyn Dwellings and the families who last lived in them (by the late Esther Jones, Caerwych)
 (photographed during the 2000s)

MAESLLAN: Stood between Llandecwyn Church and Tŷ Newydd. The last resident there was William Owen, grandfather of the Rev Tecwyn Evans. He bred a houseful of children, one was Griffith Owen who became a minister with the Wesleyans in Australia. William Owen dug out graves and buried the deceased at Llandecwyn cemetery. He was a zealous and helpful member in Soar Church. His father was a descendant of Morgan of the Lasynys.

MURIAU ROBIN : Stood between Ty Newydd and Bronygarth. Those who lived there last were Shon and Ann Richards. Shon Richards worked at Ffestiniog. The old lady traded in wool and sold items of shirts, petticoats and so on to the local community. They raised a houseful of children and kept two cows. They moved to the vicinity of Tremadog around 1868.

LLAIN WEN : It stood on the land of Gallt Calch. An old lady lived there who was very fond of collecting loans. She approached Gwen Jones, Gallt Calch in search of borrowing tea quite often. After getting it back, Gwen Jones would never pour it but kept it on the sideboard ready for when the old woman came looking for a loan the next time. She moved from there about 1860.

HENDY : Stood in the field in front of Tynbonc. The last resident was Griffith Pirs and his wife. They had a houseful of children attending Tynllan school. They left for Ffestiniog around 1868. The walls of the house were carried to make a hay barn in Penrbyn Isa.

PENBRYN UCHA : Stood un the same roof as the present Penrbyn Ucha (in 1925) and the other stands empty by now. Ifan and Ann Wmphra, with their houseful of children, were the last to live in the old house. They kept a small shop. Ifan Wmphra was a well-known stonemason and an excellent clock cleaner, and was exceptionally astute regarding weather forecasts.

CAE BRAN : Stood on Tregwylan grounds. Griffith Parry, father of the late Rev Griffith Tecwyn Parry, a well known minister with the Calvinistic Methodists lived there. The house fell empty around 1912.

EFAIL BACH : Stands where Brontecwyn Chapel is now, facing Tynllan. The last ones to live there were Robert and Beti Jones. Robert Jones was a quarryman and a staunch Wesleyan. He was a deacon in Soar chapel. They left for Talsarnau around 1868.

CAPEL BACH : It stands on the grounds of Bwlchfedwen on the side of the road. The last person to live there was Ellen Jones, mother of the late William Jones, Allt Galch.

CAPEL NEWYDD : It stands a few yards further than Capel Bach. It was used as a barn by Bwlchfedwen after that. It was there that the Sunday School was held before Brontecwyn was built. Luc and Sian Robet lived there. After Luc died, Sian Robet kept a small shop. She had a good memory and was very brainy and had doctoring skills that could cure styes. After her, Harri Pritchard and his wife lived in Capel Newydd and the Sunday School was still held there as before.

DOLORGAN FAWR : Stood on Tynybwlch land, on the road between Brontecwyn and Maes y Neuadd. Only its walls remain today. The last ones to live there were Owen and Shan Ellis, he was the brother of Ellis Jones Moel y Glo, grandfather of Ellis Edmunds Plas Ucha. Owen Ellis died there and his body was taken along the path through Coed Mawr to Llanfihangel. The old lady went to live in the vicinity of Caernarfon where she died about 1871.

GWASTAD ANNAS : Stands a little way off the road leading from Coedty Mawr. It was then used as a cowshed by Plas. The last people to live there were Charles and Elen Jones, father and mother of William Jones, Allt Gallch. They were faithful members of Capel Llenyrch. They moved away about 1867. 

BLAENDDOL : which is now derelict. It stood on the right side of the road leading to the top of Llandecwyn parish in the grounds of Aberdunant. John Hughes, son of Maes y Caerau came there to live. He had an excellent garden and raised early potatoes before everyone else, and was exceptionally successful with honey. The last person to live there was John Roberts, Canol Cae, Penrhyn, who left around 1889.

GLANOFER: It stood a little higher up than Blaenddol. The last resident was Sian Ifan, about the year 1860. She was related to Latter Day Saints and was very selfish in her approach to religion.
 

ABERDUNANT : The last persons who lived here were Evan and Catherine Evans and it was here that their son, Dr. Tecwyn Evans, was born. They moved from there in 1879 to Groes Newydd. The house was used as a cowshed after that.

BRACTY : Stood on the way to Caerwych. Sian Gwen lived there for about 50 years. She raised 11 children and was a zealous Wesleyan. After her came Robert and Mary Evans to live, he was the grandson of Sian Robat, Capel Newydd, and they moved to Ffestiniog about 1881.

We now come to PENTRE COEDTY, consisting of the following five houses, namely PARC, COLDY, Y GEGIN, Y GEGIN FACH and COEDTY. They stood quite close to each other not far from where the present Coedty stands. Simon Jones lived in Y Gegin, a useful handyman and a deacon with the Wesleyans. After his death, his wife moved to live with her daughter in Efailnewydd. The last ones who lived there were William and Sydney Jones who lived in Cefn Gwyn, Talsarnau after that. Cegin Bach faced where Margaret Jones lived when she moved from Coedty.

GLANRAFON GAERAU: It stood at the bottom of Maescaerau's grounds. The last person living there was Hugh Hughes who subsequently moved to Maescaerau after his father died.

MAESCAERAU UCHAF : Stood on Maescaerau land closer to the mountain. Thomas Rhys lived there, and was the grandfather of Elisabeth Jones, formerly of Soar. He raised a houseful of children. He was well-known for making cages and also as a gardener. A Cefntrefor Fawr wagon would come to collect a load of potatoes to sell in Talsarnau.

BRYN MELYN : Stood at the top end of Coedty Mawr land. Thomas and Shan Jones lived there and bred a houseful of children. They were faithful members with the Calvinistic Methodists in Talsarnau. The last people to live there were David and Ann Williams, he being the son of Moel Geifr. They left Bryn Melyn around 1890.

Near the mountain wall on Coedty land there are a few signs of TY'N MYNYDD. The last family left there around 1843.

HENDRE CERRIG : Stood on the way from Caerwych to Nantpasgen. Robert Richards lived there and after him William and Mary Jones who moved to Allt Galch. The last people to live there were Harri and Jane Jones and they moved to Hafodwern, Clynnog in 1894.

TALRHOS: It stood a little higher up than Hendre Cerrig on land belonging to the Onnen and the last people who lived there were Griffith and Elin Williams who brought up a houseful of children. They moved away in 1882.

TYNYGROES: It stood in the grounds of Penbryn Pwll Du. Owen and Lisa Davies last lived there. In olden times the boundary of both parishes passed through the middle of the house, that is, the parish of Llandecwyn and the parish of Maentwrog. There would be a discussion between the Registrar of Maentwrog and Harlech as to who would go there to register the birth of a new baby. Owen and Lisa Davies moved to Tŷ Newydd Llenyrch which stood on Llenyrch land. After them came William and Sarah Davies, brother and sister, to live. They were there for about two years and moved in 1883.

MUR MAWR : Stood on LLenyrch land. The last people to live there were William, the cowman, and his wife. Moved from there around 1843. 

TYNPANT: Stood in the grounds of Caencoed Uchaf and its remains are seen not far from Llenyrch's boundary wall. The last ones who lived there were William and Marged Williams. They moved from there to Muriau Gwyddel around 1860.
There are also the remains of two houses on the land of Felenrhyd Fawr called BREICHIAU, not far apart. Their remains are seen on the left side of the road leading from Maentwrog to Llyn Tecwyn. The last people who lived there were Sion Llwyd and his wife Catrin Pitar. They moved to Capel Bach about 1866. Two children from the other Breichiau attended Ysgol Llandecwyn about 1867 - Janet and William. Both Breichiau were notable for apples and plums.

TYNCEUNANT : Stood in the woods closer to the Felenrhyd bridge but has been gone for a long time. 

TYNYFOEL : Stood in the highest part of Felenrhyd land, next to Foel Tecwyn Plas. The remains are seen there today and the garden nearby.

HENDRE ENGAN : Stood in the direction of Felenrhyd Fawr from Ben y Foel. The last ones who lived there were Griffith Ellis (wild Guy) and his wife. He moved from there to Gelli Grin about 1873.
 

YSGOL BACH : Stood near Maesyneuadd where William Morris and his wife Catrin lived. There was an old tradition that Lowri Wyn, Maesyneuadd built Ysgol Bach so that the children in the area could have a school to attend through the year 1700.
 

BEUDY'R BONC: This was an old ruin in the grounds of Penbryn Isa, where the Rev Hugh Hughes, Gellidara and Rev Tudwal Davies, Brynrodyn grew up.

Comments from Stiniog by Ernest Jones in the Herald

OLD SERVANT REMEMBERS THE  DAYS OF WORKING ON VARIOUS FARMS.

Hendre Dyfrgi, is the name of a farm on the slopes above Harlech. My grandmother lived there for a very long time and I went there many times spending part of the summer holidays there. But I mustn't whittle on now about Yr Hendre only to say that Morris Jones, Cilfor, Llandecwyn had been living there sometime after Nain moved to live to Harlech. And it is the story of Morris Jones as a farm servant during his youth that I have today.

Morris Jones was born in Bryn Gwyn, Uwch Artro. Bryn Gwyn stood closer to Llanfair near Harlech but, like Yr Hendre, Bryn Gwyn was quite a distance from Llanfair as Hendre was also a fair bit from Harlech.

His parents were Robert and Margaret Jones, and when they moved to live in Hendre, there was some confusion because my grandfather's name was Robert Jones. When I went to ask in Harlech about Robert Jones yr Hendre there was some misunderstanding as people remembered him as Robert Jones, father of Morris Jones, Cilfor. In fact I was also not familiar with the old Robert Jones Yr Hendre, only knowing that he was my grandmother's third husband. But Morris Jones Cilfor remembers my grandmother very well and knew of the old Robert Jones Yr Hendre.

Morris Jones has a surprisingly good memory. When he lived in Bryn Gwyn he walked three miles every day to Ysgol Llanfair where there were about sixty children and three teachers, Annie Price being one of them. Towards the end of the war the family moved to the small farmhouse Y Foel which was a short distance from Hendre Dyfrgi. That meant changing schools. Harlech School was quite a bit larger in size compared to Ysgol Llanfair and for that reason Morris Jones went back to Ysgol Llanfair.

After five years in Y Foel, they moved to Hendre Dyfrgi, a 65 acre farm. I would like to have asked Morris Jones more about Yr Hendre but he was eager to tell his story when he was a farm servant. The only thing I found out about Yr Hendre was that there was a fountain there in the cellar. I never knew that but maybe the cellar was the one place where I wasn't allowed to enter.

In any case, Morris Jones was at Yr Hendre when he got his first place as a farm servant. He hadn't had his 14th birthday at the time. He went to Richard Parry Cefn Main, on the Morfa in Harlech. He was employed for eight pounds for six months. Two of his main duties there were to deliver the milk round the houses and visit the beach after bad weather to collect driftwood. He had a horse to drag the driftwood from the beach to the farm. Morris Jones remembers that there was very productive land at Cefn Main and so there was plenty of work there. 

After six months there Morris Jones went to Rhiwgoch to work for Morris Evans and from there he went to Tyddyn Rhyddid. Normally he wouldn't stay anywhere for more than six months as he wanted to get experience of every type of work, But he stayed at Tyddyn Rhyddid for a year before moving to Francis Williams, Gin Shop, Harlech who had a farm down on the Morfa. 

Morris Jones by now found his employment at the fairs. He believed that the Harlech Fair (two every year) was the best in the vicinity. There was interest in the Harlech Fair from Maentwrog down as far as Dolgellau. In Morris Jones' history the process of employment included walking the street "to put myself up for sale." His salary by now had much improved. Pant Mawr was his next place. He had to get up especially early in the morning there to do the milking and do the milk round. Again, he stayed there for six months before moving to Glan Môr, Talsarnau. There was a wainscot bed there – a very warm one. More often than not, Morris Jones slept in the loft above the stable but he could eat in the house - on the servants' table.

Then he spent another period with John Williams, Pant Mawr. The work was hard but there would be 2/6 (half a crown - that is twelve and a half pence in modern money) of good-will for him when he would also have about half a day off. Morris Jones went next to Miss Thomas, Tanrallt, Llanfair, a large farm with some style. Then to Bryn FoelUchaf, up on the slopes above Dyffryn Ardudwy. This was a farm in a very beautiful place and he was there for two seasons. He was paid more there because it was not very easy for them to get a servant. One of the essentials of a servant when moving to a new place was to have someone able to wash his clothes, apparently the Mistresses didn't seem to do it for them. Anyway, Morris Jones succeedede in finding a woman to wash for him for a pound a year. I asked him if he knew Morris Jones Shoemaker Dyffryn Ardudwy.  But, no, he didn't. Evan Thomas Llanbedr would make his boots for him, for three pounds. Before going to the Dyffryn he was in Argoed with Lewis Lewis.

He went to Tregwylan, Talsarnau from Dyffrynand and his salary had now reached a pound a week. Remember that Morris Jones was still a servant although there was no job on a farm that he could not perform perfectly. The good, wholesome food that is what he remembers well. But Morris Jones didn't crave jobs or authority.