Welcome to the Community Council website for Dyffryn Ardudwy & Thalybont.
Here you will find information relating to Dyffryn and the surrounding areas, including council minutes, financial records and the history of this beautiful area.
Dyffryn Ardudwy and Thalybont
Dyffryn Ardudwy used to be called Dyffryn on Sea in years gone by. The shore line was probably very different back then and if you listen very carefully, so the legend says, you can hear the bells from the Cantre’r Gwaelod or “lowland hundred” https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantre%27r_Gwaelod (click the external link to read more).
The meaning of Dyffryn Ardudwy is valley between two rivers namely the Sgethin at Talybont and the Artro at Llanbedr
Talybont refers to the very old bridge that has been there for a few Centuries over the river Sgethin. Ty Isa and the old Mill being some of the oldest properties.
The rural economy has supported the villages down the centuries with most of the farms having at least one employee. Employees that preferred a different kind of employment would work at the mines in Blaenau Ffestiniog or similar. They would walk over the mountains on Sunday night ready for the morning.
The enclosures act came into force which provided a lot of stone walling work. The men would walk bare foot up the mountains to the wall they were working on and then put their boots on. this was in order to prolong the life of the boots.
Like everywhere else, things gradually got better with employment at Cooks Explosives in Penrhyndeudraeth, the airfield at Llanbedr and later of course the Nuclear Power Station at Trawsfynydd. Tourism now provides the largest employment in the area with all the above mentioned having closed.
Our beaches provide the ideal place for families and walkers alike and with the Rhinog mountains as a backdrop, Dyffryn and Talybont provide some of the most spectacular scenery in Southern Snowdonia. As a result the area is rich in artists and creative people with thriving textile groups.
The Dyffryn Burial Chambers or “Gromlechau” provide an important link to previous settlements.
The Community Council aims to improve and maintain the villages for the benefit of local population and visitors alike.