Tai Penamnen (Cwm Penamnen) . . .
"The vale or glen of Penamnen, in which was the ancient mansion built by
Ieuan ap Robert ap Meredith, in the reign of the 7th Henry - it opens
from the Vale of Dolwyddelen 1797"
Ty Penamnen is the name given to the remains of the old house located in Cwm Penamnen, Dolwyddelan.
The first ‘mansion’ was built by Maredudd ap Ieuan, a nobleman from the Llyn peninsula who had moved into Dolwyddelan castle in the 15th century, with intentions to expand his territories into the lawless lands of Eryri. After several years Maredudd abandoned the Castle and moved to Cwm Penamnen, extended an existing building to accommodate his lofty position.
An archaeological dig took place at this site in 2007 which lasted for seven years. This was carried out by voluntary dedicated amateurs. Forty thousand shards of pottery were found, along with over one and a half thousand pieces of clay tobacco pipes.
Tai Penamnen Timeline . . .
1500c
The first house built was a one roomed cottage with an ingle-nook fireplace and a lateral chimney. This building was in existence during the War of the Roses and probably earlier.
1600c
Circa 1500 Maredudd ab Ieuan the founder of the Wynn's of Gwydir, built an extension to either side of the cottage. This was built not only for protection against the elements, but also against the outlaws that terrorised the area at that time.
1800c
Angharad James rented the house and the whole valley from the Wynn family at the beginning of the 18thcentury. She was widely known for her knowledge of the law, and as a poet and musician. She was a twenty year old when she married William Pritchard who was forty years her senior. She used to play the harp, while her maids danced to the music, at a spot called clwt y ddawns (A patch of land for dancing.)
1900c
By the 19th century two other houses had been built, and a thriving community, with in excess of thirty people living there. But at the beginning of the 20th century it was down to one family, and soon after the First World War it was abandoned completely.
Amongst the ‘every day’ artifacts found, there were two items
that could be thought of as ‘special’ . . .
A 16th century chatelaine (a hook to hang from a belt holding scissors, a thimble, keys etc.) Dated to c1550, made of copper alloy.
A copper alloy ‘stiffener’ that went inside the rim of a hood that surrounded a fashionable woman’s face during the 16th century.
