Arllechwedd facts for kids
Arllechwedd was an old land area in northwest Wales. For a long time, it was an important part of the kingdom of Gwynedd, which was a powerful Welsh kingdom.
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What Was Arllechwedd?
Arllechwedd was known as a cantref, which was a large division of land in medieval Wales. You can think of it like a big county today. It was located on the western side of the River Conwy. This area was very important to the Kingdom of Gwynedd.
Arllechwedd's Place in History
For much of its history, Arllechwedd was a core part of the Kingdom of Gwynedd. It played a big role in the kingdom's life. In 1284, after the Statute of Rhuddlan, Arllechwedd became part of a new county called Caernarfonshire. This happened along with two other cantrefs, Arfon and Llŷn.
Important Places in Arllechwedd
During the middle ages, Arllechwedd was home to some very important places. These included:
- The palace of Abergwyngregyn, where rulers might have lived.
- Dolwyddelan Castle, an important fortress.
- Aberconwy Abbey, a significant religious center.
These places show how important Arllechwedd was for the kingdom's government, religion, and defense.
Divisions of Arllechwedd
Within the larger cantref of Arllechwedd, there were three smaller divisions. These were called cymydau. They helped manage the land and its people. The three divisions were:
- Arllechwedd Uchaf: This means "Upper Arllechwedd." It was located near the sea in the north. It also bordered the cantref of Arfon to the west.
- Arllechwedd Isaf: This means "Lower Arllechwedd." It was also in the north of the cantref. It was located along the River Conwy to the east.
- Nant Conwy: This means "Conwy Mountain." This was the largest part of the cantref. It covered the southern area, west of the Conwy River. This area stretched from Dolgarrog all the way to the river's source.
Arllechwedd Today
Even today, Arllechwedd remains a unit for the Church in Wales. This means it's still used for church organization. Most of this historic land is now part of the Conwy County Borough. The western part of Arllechwedd is located in Gwynedd.
