1774 - Mari'r Fantell Wen (Mary Evans Whitemantle)

Mary Evans, known as Mari'r Fantell Wen (1735? – 28 October 1789), was a confidant who founded a Christian cult in north-west Wales in the second half of the 18th century.

Our main source for her history is the book Mirror of the Times  by Robert Jones, Rhos-lan.

Mari was a native of Anglesey but settled in the parish of Maentwrog, Gwynedd. It is said that she left her husband and courted another married man and had a daughter by him.

She believed that she was  engaged to Jesus Christ and that anything done for her sake was tantamount   to doing something  on behalf of Jesus himself.  A number of people from the  old county of Caernarvonshire joined in her cult,  and in the areas of Ffestiniog, Penmachno and the Harlech area in Ardudwy.  It is possible that the great, great grandfather of T. Gwynn Jones, a gentleman from Penmachno, was a follower of Mari.

Like the followers of the English prophetess  Joanna Southcott, her followers believed she would never die. A wedding, and a wedding feast was arranged between her and  Jesus Christ in Ffestiniog and hundreds of people attended.  Mari wore a magnificent mantle, a gift from her followers. This was described as "frivolity" - the marriage took place on the Sabbath - and "foolishness" by Robert Jones in The Mirror of Times.

Mari died in 1789 in Talsarnau.  Her folllowers refused to believe this and her body was kept for some time before she was  finally buried  in the churchyard at Llanfihangel-y-Traethau, Merioneth.

1698 - Ellis Wynne was married at Llanfihangel y Traethau church.

1760 - Dorti'r Wrach (The Witch)

According to the story, Dorti who was considered a witch lived in the Llandecwyn area towards the end of
the eighteenth century. It was a custom at that time if there was doubt about any suspicious events in an
area, that people had the right to give a test to show if a woman was a witch or not.

It was custom at that time if there was doubt about any suspicious events in an area, that people had the right to perform a test to show whether a woman was a witch or not. Dorti, who was suspected of being a witch, was put in a barrel on top of Moel Tecwyn and dropped over the edge in an attempt to prove whether she was a witch or not.

Needless to say, she did not survive. According to the story, her grave is on the shore of Llyn Tecwyn Uchaf and when people pass by, it's a must that a white stone is put on her grave - to keep away any evil!

1616 - Earliest part of the structure of the mansion of Glyn Cywarch was built.