EGLWYS-BACH (EGLWYS-VACH), a parish chiefly in the hundred of ISDULAS, county of DENBIGH, but comprising also the township
of Maenan, which separately supports its own poor, in the hundred of LLfienwenn-U.2.v, county of CARNARVON, NORTH WALES,
6 miles (N.) from Llanrwst, on the road to Aberconway, and containing 1108 inhabitants. Its length from north to south
is seven miles, and its breadth, in a transverse direction, four: the surface is very hilly, which circumstance causes a
great variety of soil, some being extremely barren, and some, on the contrary, tolerably fertile, yielding good crops of
corn. The village is situated in a pleasing and fertile vale watered by the river Conway, and the vicinity abounds with
agreeable and richly varied scenery. Near the northwestern extremity of the parish is Bodnod, the head of a township of
that name, and the residence of William Hanmer, Esq., to whom it passed by marriage with the heiress of the family of
Lloyd, who appear to have held this property in the reign of James I. The old mansion was taken down by the late John
Forbes, Esq., and a new one erected on its site, in 1792, which was considerably enlarged and improved by the present
proprietor, in 1829: it is a handsome edifice, pleasantly situated, and commanding extensive and richly diversified views
over the Vale of Conway to the Snowdonian mountains. Here are also two other mansions, viz., Pennant Ereithlyn, belonging
to the family of Edwards, and Maenan, to that of Lenthal. Though the Conway is navigable the entire length of the parish,
EglwysBitch possesses neither manufactures nor trade. At TM y Cavn, within its limits, is a ferry across that river,
communicating with the Carnarvonshire coal; and near this point the navigation of the river is in some degree obstructed
by the Arw, or Arrow rocks, which prevent vessels from approaching nearer to the village. Fairs are held on February 24th,
May 11th, August 24th, and November 24th. A court leet and a court baron are held annually, in April, for the manor of
Maenan, which extends over the whole of that portion of the parish which is within the county of Carnarvon, and claims all
the privileges anciently enjoyed by the abbots of the monastery which formerly existed there. The rectorial tithes were
appropriated by Sir John Wynne, Bart., to the endowment of a hospital and grammar school at Llanrwst, founded by him about
the year 1610. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry and diocese of St. Asaph, rated in the king's
books at £6. 13.4., and in the patronage of the Bishop of St. Asaph. The church, dedicated to St. Martin, was entirely
rebuilt in 1782: it is a neat and spacious edifice, with a low square tower. There are two places of worship for
Calvinistic Methodists, one in the township of Cevn y Coed, and the other in that of Bodnod; and there is one for Wesleyan
Methodists, situated in the village. In 1821, a school for the gratuitous instruction of children, supported by Mrs.
Bevan's charity, was held in the church; and the inhabitants of Eglwys-Bitch are supposed to have an interest in the
endowed school of Sir John Wynne, of Gwydir, at Llanrwst. In that portion of the parish which is in the county of
Carnarvon anciently stood Maenan abbey, said by some historians to have been founded in the reign of Richard I.: but no
authentic notice of it is found prior to the year 1283, when Edward I., by the authority of Pope Nicholas, removed to it
the Cistercian monks of Aberconway, when he fortified that town against the Welsh: on establishing them at Maenan, the
English monarch confirmed all the privileges which they had enjoyed in their former habitation, and added materially to
their possessions. The abbey continued to flourish till the dissolution, at which time its revenue was 4179. 10. 10. Queen
Elizabeth, in 1563, granted it and the township in which it stood to Elizeus Wynne, who took down the greater part of the
abbey buildings, and with the materials built a mansion not far from the spot: of the ancient structure only one small
arch at present remains. The average annual expenditure for the maintenance of the poor of the whole parish amounts to
809. 3., of which sum, £578. 16. is raised for that portion which is situated in the county of Denbigh.