Dolbenmaen (Welsh pronunciation) is a village and community in the Welsh county of Gwynedd, located in Eifionydd, of which it was the administrative centre until 1239.[1] The community includes the villages of Bryncir (Welsh pronunciation), Cenin, Garndolbenmaen, (the largest settlement) Golan, Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, Penmorfa (Welsh pronunciation), Pentrefelin, Wern, Glan-dwyfach, and the hamlet of Prenteg. It has a population of 1,300,[2] increasing slightly to 1,343 at the 2011 Census.[3] The summit of Moel Hebog is shared between Beddgelert and Dolbenmaen. It is a sparsely populated area and covers nearly 100 square kilometres.[4]

Dolbenmaen
Min y Ddol
Dolbenmaen is located in Gwynedd
Dolbenmaen
Dolbenmaen
Location within Gwynedd
Area96.40 km2 (37.22 sq mi)
Population1,343 (2011)
• Density14/km2 (36/sq mi)
OS grid referenceSH506430
Community
  • Dolbenmaen
Principal area
Preserved county
CountryWales
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townCRICCIETH
Postcode districtLL49
Post townPORTHMADOG
Postcode districtLL51
Post townGARNDOLBENMAEN
Postcode districtLL52
Dialling code01766
PoliceNorth Wales
FireNorth Wales
AmbulanceWelsh
UK Parliament
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament
List of places
UK
Wales
Gwynedd
52°57′50″N 4°13′26″W / 52.964°N 4.224°W / 52.964; -4.224
St Mary's church

A castle motte is located to the south of the village which is thought to have been the residence of Llywelyn the Great until the 1230s, when the court moved to a new castle at Criccieth. The castle guarded a ford on the Afon Dwyfor which may have been on the Pen Llystyn (Tremadog) to Segontium Roman road.[5] The parish church of St Mary's is a grade II* listed building.[6] South of Pentrefelin is St Cynhaearn's Church, Ynyscynhaearn.

Governance edit

An electoral ward of the same name exists. The extent of this ward differs slightly to the Community and the total population of the ward taken at the 2011 Census was 1,212.[7]

References edit

  1. ^ Criccieth Visitors' Map and Brief History, 2002, Cymdeithas Hanes Eifionydd Archived 29 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine, Wales
  2. ^ Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : Gwynedd Archived 22 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 13 January 2010
  3. ^ "Community population 2011". Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  4. ^ "Custom report - Nomis - Official Labour Market Statistics".
  5. ^ "DOLBENMAEN CASTLE MOUND | Coflein". www.coflein.gov.uk. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  6. ^ "Parish Church of St Mary, Dolbenmaen". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  7. ^ "Ward population 2011". Retrieved 15 May 2015.