Llanegryn | |
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Lower road into Llanegryn in 2009 |
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Llanegryn shown within Gwynedd | |
OS grid reference | SH600054 |
Community |
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Principal area | |
Ceremonial county | |
Country | Wales |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | TYWYN |
Postcode district | LL36 |
Dialling code | 01654 |
Police | North Wales |
Fire | North Wales |
Ambulance | Welsh |
EU Parliament | Wales |
UK Parliament | |
Welsh Assembly | |
Llanegryn is a village and a community in Gwynedd, north-west Wales. It was formerly part of the historic county of Merionethshire (Welsh: Meirionnydd, Sir Feirionnydd). It is located within Snowdonia National Park south of the Snowdonia (Eryri) mountain range. Travelling by road, it is around 4 miles (6 km) north-east of Tywyn and 17 miles (27 km) south-west of Dolgellau. The nearest railway stations are at Tonfanau and Llwyngwril, both less than 3 miles (5 km) away.
Llanegryn is named for St Egryn, with llan meaning church or parish – a common feature in Welsh place names. The village lies in the Dysynni Valley (Dyffryn Dysynni).
The Dysynni Valley, originally a river delta of the Afon Dysynni, was largely drained from the late 1700s on – notably by the Corbet family at Ynysymaengwyn – creating a flat, fertile valley, several miles in width. There is likely to have been much earlier settlement on surrounding high ground for sheep rearing and agriculture. An Iron Age fort is located towards the east end of the valley.
There has been a recorded settlement around St Mary and St Egryn church at Llanegryn since the 13th century, with the first record of the church being in 1253/4. This notable medieval Grade I listed building contains a fine carved rood screen, dating from about 1520 – considered to be among the finest in Wales. It has been suggested this may come from Cymer Abbey. It also contains a 12th-century font and a surviving medieval window on the north wall of the nave, although the church underwent substantial restoration during the 19th century.