Cantref Arfon
Encyclopedia
The mediaeval Welsh cantref of Arfon in north-west Wales
was the core of the Kingdom of Gwynedd
. Later it was included in the new county of Caernarfonshire
, together with Llŷn
and Arllechwedd under the terms of the Statute of Rhuddlan
in 1284. The island of Anglesey
faced it across the Menai Strait
; to the east was the cantref of Arllechwedd, to the south the cantref of Eifionydd
(which, together with Ardudwy
, was part of the earlier kingdom of Dunoding
), and to the west was the cantref of Llŷn
.
As the name suggests, Arfon faces Anglesey (Môn) (see soft mutation) across the Menai, and controls access to that strategic strait which has played an important part in Welsh history. Broadly speaking, it stretched from the peaks of Yr Eifl
in the west to Afon Cegin, a stream just east of Bangor
, and inland from the shores of the Menai southwards into the heart of Snowdonia
(Eryri), including Dyffryn Nantlle and the strategic Llanberis Pass
.
In geographical terms, the cantref was very variable, including fertile land and rich pastures on the shore of the Menai and in the valleys, a number of woods on the slopes and mountains to the south, and the highest mountains in Wales such as Snowdon
and Tryfan
.
Arfon comprised two commote
s, which were apparently created later in its history: Arfon Is Gwyrfai and Arfon Uwch Gwyrfai, whose boundary was the Gwyrfai river.
During the Iron Age and the Roman era, it was part of the territory of the Ordovices
. The Roman fort of Segontium
and the Dinorwig
hill fort were located there. The main defensive fortress in the era of the Welsh princes was Dolbadarn Castle
, near modern Llanberis.
Important ecclesiastical centres were to be found in Bangor and Clynnog Fawr
. The bishops of Bangor, the successors of St Deiniol
, had an extensive holding of land in the north-east of the cantref. This was known as Maenol Bangor, but its status as an administrative unit within Arfon is uncertain. Clynnog owned broad lands in Llŷn and Anglesey.
Arfon features prominently in Welsh mythology
, particularly in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi
. Math fab Mathonwy's court at Caer Dathyl
was located there, as was Aranrhod's at Caer Aranrhod. The battle between the forces of Math and Pryderi
took place in Arfon. Lleu Llaw Gyffes
flies to Nantlleu in Arfon in the form of an eagle after his attempted murder by Gronw Pebr.
A local government district
of the same name existed from 1974 to 1996, when Gwynedd
became a unitary authority. The name Arfon itself is still used for the area, as it has been for centuries in Wales.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
was the core of the Kingdom of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
. Later it was included in the new county of Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire , historically spelled as Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire in English during its existence, was one of the thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county of Wales....
, together with Llŷn
Cantref Llyn
The ancient Welsh cantref of Llŷn in north-west Wales was part of the kingdom of Gwynedd for much of its history until it was included in the new county of Caernarfonshire, together with Arfon and Arllechwedd under the terms of the Statute of Rhuddlan in 1284....
and Arllechwedd under the terms of the Statute of Rhuddlan
Statute of Rhuddlan
The Statute of Rhuddlan , also known as the Statutes of Wales or as the Statute of Wales provided the constitutional basis for the government of the Principality of North Wales from 1284 until 1536...
in 1284. The island of Anglesey
Anglesey
Anglesey , also known by its Welsh name Ynys Môn , is an island and, as Isle of Anglesey, a county off the north west coast of Wales...
faced it across the Menai Strait
Menai Strait
The Menai Strait is a narrow stretch of shallow tidal water about long, which separates the island of Anglesey from the mainland of Wales.The strait is bridged in two places - the main A5 road is carried over the strait by Thomas Telford's elegant iron suspension bridge, the first of its kind,...
; to the east was the cantref of Arllechwedd, to the south the cantref of Eifionydd
Eifionydd
Eifionydd is an area in north-west Wales covering the south-eastern part of the Llŷn Peninsula from Porthmadog to just east of Pwllheli. The Afon Erch forms its western border. It now lies in Gwynedd....
(which, together with Ardudwy
Ardudwy
Ardudwy is an area of Gwynedd in north-west Wales, lying between Tremadog Bay and the Rhinogydd. Administratively, under the old Kingdom of Gwynedd, it was first a division of the sub kingdom of Dunoding and later a cantref in its own right...
, was part of the earlier kingdom of Dunoding
Dunoding
Dunoding was an early sub-kingdom within the Kingdom of Gwynedd in north-west Wales which existed between the 5th and 10th centuries. According to tradition, it was named after Dunod, a son of the founding father of Gwynedd - Cunedda Wledig - who drove the Irish settlers from the area in c.460...
), and to the west was the cantref of Llŷn
Llyn
Llyn is the Welsh word for "lake" or, occasionally, "pond" or "pool". The word and its cognates in other Celtic languages , as well their derivatives—including lyn, lynn and lin—appear in many placenames throughout the current and former Celtic world, as, for example, in Dublin and King's...
.
As the name suggests, Arfon faces Anglesey (Môn) (see soft mutation) across the Menai, and controls access to that strategic strait which has played an important part in Welsh history. Broadly speaking, it stretched from the peaks of Yr Eifl
Yr Eifl
Yr Eifl is a mountain on the north coast of the Llŷn peninsula in Gwynedd, north-western Wales.It has three summits, each quite separate from the others, and this is often supposed to be the source of the English name The Rivals...
in the west to Afon Cegin, a stream just east of Bangor
Bangor, Gwynedd
Bangor is a city in Gwynedd, north west Wales, and one of the smallest cities in Britain. It is a university city with a population of 13,725 at the 2001 census, not including around 10,000 students at Bangor University. Including nearby Menai Bridge on Anglesey, which does not however form part of...
, and inland from the shores of the Menai southwards into the heart of Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
(Eryri), including Dyffryn Nantlle and the strategic Llanberis Pass
Llanberis Pass
The Llanberis Pass in Snowdonia carries the main road from the SE to Llanberis, over Pen-y-Pass, between the mountain ranges of the Glyderau and the Snowdon massif. At the bottom of the pass is the small village of Nant Peris, clustered round the ancient church of Saint Peris...
.
In geographical terms, the cantref was very variable, including fertile land and rich pastures on the shore of the Menai and in the valleys, a number of woods on the slopes and mountains to the south, and the highest mountains in Wales such as Snowdon
Snowdon
Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain"...
and Tryfan
Tryfan
Tryfan is a mountain in Snowdonia, Wales, forming part of the Glyderau group. It is one of the most recognisable peaks in the region, having a classic pointed shape with rugged crags. At 3,010 feet above sea level it is the fifteenth highest mountain in Wales...
.
Arfon comprised two commote
Commote
A commote , sometimes spelt in older documents as cymwd, was a secular division of land in Medieval Wales. The word derives from the prefix cym- and the noun bod...
s, which were apparently created later in its history: Arfon Is Gwyrfai and Arfon Uwch Gwyrfai, whose boundary was the Gwyrfai river.
During the Iron Age and the Roman era, it was part of the territory of the Ordovices
Ordovices
The Ordovices were one of the Celtic tribes living in Great Britain, before the Roman invasion of Britain. Its tribal lands were located in present day Wales and England between the Silures to the south and the Deceangli to the north-east...
. The Roman fort of Segontium
Segontium
Segontium is a Roman fort for a Roman auxiliary force, located on the outskirts of Caernarfon in Gwynedd, north Wales.It probably takes its name from the nearby River Seiont, and may be related to the Segontiaci, a British tribe mentioned by Julius Caesar. The fort was founded by Agricola in 77 or...
and the Dinorwig
Dinorwig
Dinorwig is a small village located high above Llyn Padarn, near Llanberis, in Wales.It is thought that it was part of the territory of the Ordovices tribe, and that 'Dinorwig' means "Fort of the Ordovices".The village has a long history of slate quarrying...
hill fort were located there. The main defensive fortress in the era of the Welsh princes was Dolbadarn Castle
Dolbadarn Castle
Dolbadarn Castle is a fortification built by the Welsh prince Llywelyn the Great during the early 13th century, at the base of the Llanberis Pass, in North Wales. The castle was important both militarily and as a symbol of Llywelyn's power and authority. The castle features a large stone keep,...
, near modern Llanberis.
Important ecclesiastical centres were to be found in Bangor and Clynnog Fawr
Clynnog Fawr
Clynnog Fawr, often simply called "Clynnog", is a village on the north coast of the Llŷn peninsula in Gwynedd, north-west Wales.Clynnog Fawr lies on the A499 road between Caernarfon and Pwllheli, at . It had a population of 130 in 1991...
. The bishops of Bangor, the successors of St Deiniol
Deiniol
Saint Deiniol was the first Bishop of Bangor in the Kingdom of Gwynedd, Wales. He is also venerated in Brittany as Saint Denoual. In English, the name is translated as Daniel but this is rarely used....
, had an extensive holding of land in the north-east of the cantref. This was known as Maenol Bangor, but its status as an administrative unit within Arfon is uncertain. Clynnog owned broad lands in Llŷn and Anglesey.
Arfon features prominently in Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology
Welsh mythology, the remnants of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons, has come down to us in much altered form in medieval Welsh manuscripts such as the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin....
, particularly in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi
Four Branches of the Mabinogi
The Four Branches of the Mabinogi are the best known tales from the collection of medieval Welsh prose known as the Mabinogion. The word "Mabinogi" originally designated only these four tales, which are really parts or "branches" of a single work, rather than the whole collection...
. Math fab Mathonwy's court at Caer Dathyl
Caer Dathyl
Caer Dathyl was a Welsh fortress in Arfon in northern Gwynedd referred to in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, the Tale of Math fab Mathonwy. Its precise location is currently unknown and has been the subject of speculation. In the tale, it is the seat of Math's court to which Gwydion ap Don...
was located there, as was Aranrhod's at Caer Aranrhod. The battle between the forces of Math and Pryderi
Pryderi
Pryderi fab Pwyll is a prominent figure in Welsh mythology, the son of Pwyll and Rhiannon, and king of Dyfed following his father's death. He is the only character to appear in all Four Branches of the Mabinogi, although the size of his role varies from tale to tale...
took place in Arfon. Lleu Llaw Gyffes
Lleu Llaw Gyffes
Lleu Llaw Gyffes is a hero of Welsh mythology. He appears most prominently in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, the tale of Math fab Mathonwy, which tells the tale of his birth, his marriage, his death, his resurrection and his accession to the throne of Gwynedd...
flies to Nantlleu in Arfon in the form of an eagle after his attempted murder by Gronw Pebr.
A local government district
Districts of Wales
In 1974, Wales was re-divided for local government purposes into thirty-seven districts. Districts were the second tier of local government introduced by the Local Government Act 1972, being subdivisions of the eight counties introduced at the same time...
of the same name existed from 1974 to 1996, when Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
became a unitary authority. The name Arfon itself is still used for the area, as it has been for centuries in Wales.