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Merionethshire
Merionethshire, or Merioneth (Welsh: Meirionnydd or Sir Feirionnydd), was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolition in 1974. It was located in the north-west of Wales.
'Merioneth' is an anglicisation of the Welsh placename Meirionnydd (for the geographical area) or Sir Feirionnydd (for the county), with a 'double' ⟨nn⟩, but the variant with a single ⟨n⟩ is sometimes found in older works
The name is derived from that of the earlier cantref of Meirionnydd. This supposedly took its name from Meirion, a grandson of Cunedda Wledig, who was granted the lordship of the area.
Merionethshire was a maritime county, bounded to the north by Caernarfonshire, to the east by Denbighshire, to the south by Montgomeryshire and Cardiganshire, and to the west by Cardigan Bay. With a total area of 1,731 km2 (668 sq miles), it was one of the more sparsely populated counties in Great Britain.
The Merioneth area remains one of the strongest Welsh-speaking parts of Wales, although places like Barmouth and Tywyn are very anglicised. The coastline consists alternately of cliffs and stretches of sand and the area generally is the most mountainous in Wales; a large part of the Snowdonia National Park is within its boundaries. The highest point (county top) is Aran Fawddwy near the village of Dinas Mawddwy at 905 m (2,970 ft), which is also the southernmost mountain in Great Britain to exceed an altitude of 900 metres. However, the mountain of Cader Idris 893 m (2,929 ft) to the south of Dolgellau is better known and hugely popular with hillwalkers. Other mountains include Arenig Fawr and the Rhinogydd. The chief rivers are the Dwyryd, the Mawddach, the Dyfi and the Dee, while in the south the Dulas formed the county boundary. Waterfalls such as Pistyll Cain and small lakes are numerous, the largest being Llyn Tegid (4 miles (6.4 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) broad).
The region which became Merionethshire previously constituted the Cantrefs of Meirionydd and Penllyn, and the Commote of Ardudwy. Prior to the 10th century, Ardudwy formed part of the principality of Dunoding, while Meirionydd and Penllyn were part of Powys.
Welsh records from the end of this period, and later, treat Dunoding as a vassal of Gwynedd, ruled by an ancient cadet branch of the same family. Nevertheless, according to John Edward Lloyd, Dunoding had been independent of Gwynedd, at the time of Cadfan ap Iago (in the early 7th century), and before.
The Norman presence in England, after 1066, was the most significant factor which disrupted this pattern.
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Merionethshire AI simulator
(@Merionethshire_simulator)
Merionethshire
Merionethshire, or Merioneth (Welsh: Meirionnydd or Sir Feirionnydd), was one of the thirteen counties of Wales that existed from 1536 until their abolition in 1974. It was located in the north-west of Wales.
'Merioneth' is an anglicisation of the Welsh placename Meirionnydd (for the geographical area) or Sir Feirionnydd (for the county), with a 'double' ⟨nn⟩, but the variant with a single ⟨n⟩ is sometimes found in older works
The name is derived from that of the earlier cantref of Meirionnydd. This supposedly took its name from Meirion, a grandson of Cunedda Wledig, who was granted the lordship of the area.
Merionethshire was a maritime county, bounded to the north by Caernarfonshire, to the east by Denbighshire, to the south by Montgomeryshire and Cardiganshire, and to the west by Cardigan Bay. With a total area of 1,731 km2 (668 sq miles), it was one of the more sparsely populated counties in Great Britain.
The Merioneth area remains one of the strongest Welsh-speaking parts of Wales, although places like Barmouth and Tywyn are very anglicised. The coastline consists alternately of cliffs and stretches of sand and the area generally is the most mountainous in Wales; a large part of the Snowdonia National Park is within its boundaries. The highest point (county top) is Aran Fawddwy near the village of Dinas Mawddwy at 905 m (2,970 ft), which is also the southernmost mountain in Great Britain to exceed an altitude of 900 metres. However, the mountain of Cader Idris 893 m (2,929 ft) to the south of Dolgellau is better known and hugely popular with hillwalkers. Other mountains include Arenig Fawr and the Rhinogydd. The chief rivers are the Dwyryd, the Mawddach, the Dyfi and the Dee, while in the south the Dulas formed the county boundary. Waterfalls such as Pistyll Cain and small lakes are numerous, the largest being Llyn Tegid (4 miles (6.4 km) long and 1 mile (1.6 km) broad).
The region which became Merionethshire previously constituted the Cantrefs of Meirionydd and Penllyn, and the Commote of Ardudwy. Prior to the 10th century, Ardudwy formed part of the principality of Dunoding, while Meirionydd and Penllyn were part of Powys.
Welsh records from the end of this period, and later, treat Dunoding as a vassal of Gwynedd, ruled by an ancient cadet branch of the same family. Nevertheless, according to John Edward Lloyd, Dunoding had been independent of Gwynedd, at the time of Cadfan ap Iago (in the early 7th century), and before.
The Norman presence in England, after 1066, was the most significant factor which disrupted this pattern.