Merionethshire (Meirionnydd in Welsh) is a traditional county of Wales. For administrative purposes it is governed by Gwynedd and the small north-eastern Edeirnon district by Denbighshire (from 1974 to 1996 by the now-defunct Clwyd). Its own county council was abolished in 1974.
It is 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. Its total area is 1,731 kmē, and it is one of the more sparsely populated counties of the UK. It is also one of the strongest Welsh-speaking parts of Wales. The coastline consists alternately of cliffs and stretches of sand and the county generally is the most mountainous in Wales; a large part of the Snowdonia National Park lies within it. The greatest heights are Aran Fawddwy 905 m (2970 ft) and Cader Idris 893 m (2929 ft). The chief rivers are the Dwyryd, the Mawddach and the Dyfi. Waterfalls and small lakes are numerous, the largest being Bala Lake (4 miles long and 1 mile broad). The main towns are Bala, Barmouth, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Corwen, Dolgellau, Ffestiniog and Tywyn. The main industries are agriculture and tourism.
Places of special interest: Castell-y-Bere (grid reference SH6608); Cymer Abbey (SH7291); Ffestiniog Railway (SH6946); Harlech Castle (SH5731); Portmeirion Italianate village (SH5837); Rhug Chapel (SJ0543); Tomen-y-mur Roman Fort (SH7038).
A few years ago was to be seen on the road-side near Nannau, in Merionethshire, the seat of Sir R. Vaughan, Bart., M.P., a large hollow oak, known by the name of the " Spirit's Blasted Tree " (Ceubren yr Ellyll).
The event which gave rise to so ghostly an appellation, is preserved by tradition among the mountain peasants in this part of Merionethshire, and founded on a deadly feud that subsisted between the celebrated " wild, irregular Glyndwr,"* and his kinsman Howel Sele, then resident at Nannau.
When Owen took up arms against the English, his cousin Howel, who possessed great influence in the country where he lived, declined to embrace a cause which, though perhaps laudable, and somewhat conformable to the rude spirit of the times, he foresaw would be unsuccessful, and bring down upon his country increased rigour and oppression.
On 26 June 1846, William Jones was born in the village of Talyllyn located in Merionethshire, Wales.
Merionethshire, a county of West Wales (now part of Gwynedd), is a mountainous region and had a economy that was dependent on the raising of livestock.
Jane Jones, born 1868 in Tal-y-llyn, Merionethshire, Wales; married Gomer Williams 1890 in Wales.
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