Hello Glynda,
My ancestors were from Ciltalgarth, Llanfawr parish.
Ciltalgarth is about 3 miles north-west of Bala on the road (B4391 / A4212)
to Ffestiniog (about 14 miles away).
A colleague sent me the following information on Ciltalgarth:
"From:
Ciltalgarth by Bob Owen from a series called Cartrefi Cymru (Welsh Homes) in
the Welsh newspaper Y Cymro :The Welshman. September 22, 29 & October 4
1955.
Ciltalgarth was originally part of land owned by Strata Marcella, the
Cistercian abbey until its dissolution by Henry VIII. After the dissolution
Ciltalgarth came into the hands of Robert ap Rhys son of Henry VII's
standard bearer at Bosworth. The area was well known for its staunch Quaker
families in the late 17th century, and there is a monument to the Quakers
nearby today. Eventually many emigrated to Pennsylvania.
Ciltalgarth was a township, an administrative district but there was also an
old mansion house known as Ciltalgarth. However today there is a house
called Ty Uchaf (upper house) which has a stone on it saying Ciltalgarth
built in 1682.
My ancestor William OWEN died 1823 at Tyddin Ciltalgarth, according to the
Llanfor (Llanfawr) parish register. Tyddin is the old word for
homestead/farm.
However the house is definitely called simply Ciltalgarth on the modern map
and is labelled Ciltalgarth (Ty Ucha heddiw) in a photograph of this farm
house published in Cofio Tryweryn by Watcyn L. Jones, 1988, Gwasg Gomer,
7.95 pounds sterling.
The Tithe schedule (page 47) for Llanfor dated 1847 was examined for
Ciltalgarth. There was no Tyddin Ciltalgarth but Ciltalgarth, a farm of 133
acres, was occupied by Francis Jones and owned by Edward Jones. Edward Jones
owned other properties too: Bodwenni, Hafod uchel and Dol y Clettwr, the
total amounted to 229 acres. "
Probably, the references to Ciltalgarth in the Llanfor parish registers and
other early records, refer to more than a single house. But in the mid-C19th
there seems to have been only a farm, which may well have had related
cottages.
Ciltalgarth is adjacent to the Llyn Celyn reservoir. My correspondent wrote
that
"This is a very emotive area. (see photographs in Capel Celyn Deng Mlynedd o
Chwalu 1955-65 by Einion Thomas, published by Gwynedd Archives, cost 8
pounds). Liverpool Corporation bought land from the Rhiwlas estate under
compulsory purchase to make a reservoir and in doing so drowned the little
village of Capel Celyn. I don't know if you have ever seen the Welsh film
The Last Days of Dolwyn but it was like that. Welsh people and not only the
displaced inhabitants of Capel Celyn felt immensely bitter about it and
protests went on for years. It is impossible today to stand by the reservoir
and see where the lane turns off under the water and not be deeply moved."
Incidentally, C19th census entries indicate my ancestor Owen WILLIAMS was
born In Bala in 1797. The only Owen christened in the Bala area in the
right time-frame seems to have been Owen the son of WILLIAM OWEN of
Ciltalgarth. While this connection is somewhat tenuous, there is a firm line
back from WILLIAM OWEN b:1765 to OWEN JONES b: 1737 to JOHN OWEN b: 1712 to
OWEIN LLOYD, all with a connection to Ciltalgarth.
Best wishes,
Ridge,
in Ottawa, Canada
Hi,
Does anyone know anything about Kiltalgarth, Penllyn, Merioneth, Wales ?
I have come across this in research and need to know a bit about the
area, location, etc. Does anyone have ancestors or cousins they are
researching for in this particular area?
Thanks.
Dymuniadau gorau,
Glynda
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