1 The
imposing building (ca. 1886) of T.H. Roberts is a remarkably well preserved ironmonger's which still has
its original fittings. At the turn of the century over 500 gold miners were employed
around Dolgellau; many of their picks and shovels must have come from here. A much older
building, Cwrt Plas yn Dre, once stood on the site, and was reputedly a meeting
place for the famous Welsh rebel Owain Glyndwr who temporarily controlled mucy of Wales in
the early 1400s. Despite being the town's chief tourist attraction, the building was
demolished in 1881. Parts were re-erected in Newtown.2 By
the mid 19th century Dolgellau had its own gas supply produced from burning coal. The retort house remains, though its chimney stack has been
removed and slated over. Gas was stored in gasometers behind the works. The small building
to the right was the governor house.
3 Arguably
the finest architect designed building in the town, the County
Hall, was built in 1825 at a cost of £3,000. The architect was Edward
Haycock. This was the administrative headquarters of Meirionnydd in the 19th century. Its
role as a court house continues to this day. The porches were filled in in 1995, spoiling
the simple elegance of the building. The slate in front is something of a mystery. At
first sight it appears to be a milestone; the mileage figures were, however, carved at a
later date. It may have originally recorded stagecoach fares.
4 The
bridge was built in 1638 (the date is on the downstream side) and has since been widened
and extended. It is called Y Bont Fawr (the
Big Bridge) to distinguish it from a smaller bridge that lay just to the south. Dolgellau
has suffered from many floods. One major flood in 1903 destroyed part of the bridge. The
top end of Bont Fawr was raised to accommodate the railway which ran on the line of the
present bypass. The station was just upstream of the bridge. Initially (1868)
through-passengers were obliged to change as two rival railway companies, each with its
own terminus, met here. The journey from London took eight and a half hours in the 1870s.
By the 1930s it was down to five and a half hours, a journey time it would be hard to
equal by today's public transport.
|