LLANRUG, or LLANVIHANGEL-YN-RUG, a parish, in the hundred of ISGORVAI, union of CARNARVON and county of CARNARVON, NORTH
WALES, 3 miles (E.) from Carnarvon, on the new line of road to Capel Curig; containing 1759 inhabitants. This parish is
separated from that of Llandeiniolen by the river Seiont, which forms its northern boundary; and has the parish of
Llanberis on the east and south, and that of Llanbeblig on the west and south, with Carnarvon on the west. It is traversed
by the road from Carnarvon to Llanberis; and comprises 4105 acres, of which 2067 are amble, and 50 wood: the land is stony
and mountainous; and some of the elevations, especially that on which the church is built, command extensive prospects of
the sea and the country adjacent, embracing the Snowdon range of mountains on the east, and the bay of Carnarvon on the
west; in certain states of the atmosphere even the Irish hills being distinctly visible. The soil is gravelly, and the
produce consists chiefly of barley, oats, and potatoes; the land is for the greater part inclosed and in a state of good
cultivation; and the waste was inclosed by an act of parliament obtained about the year 1809. The farms are small, the
largest seldom comprehending more than 100 acres, and such of the inhabitants as are not engaged in agriculture, are
employed in the quarries and in the neighbouring mines: of the rateable annual value of the parish, the return amounts to
£2690. 7. There are several good mansions in detached situations, inhabited by opulent families, among which are the
beautiful small villa of Glangwnna, deeply embosomed in woods on the sloping bank of the river Seiont; Plas Tirion,
Pantavon, Llwynybrain, Havod, Brnbrits Castle, Tt'n-y-Coed, and T Gwyn.The parish contains the village of Cwm-y-Glo; and
many of the inhabitants were formerly occupied in working the quarries, which abound with slate of a reddish hue, or of a
brown colour, of a very durable substance, and not apt to open or crack when exposed to the weather; but the number of
persons thus engaged has latterly been much diminished. There are quarries both on the mountain called Cevn Di', and on a
farm named Glyn Rhonwy, in this parish, in which about 60 men are employed; the slates were once brought down the
Llanberis lakes in boats, and thence conveyed by carts to Carnarvon; but since a new line of road has been formed, they
have been brought by carts the whole of the way. There are indications of copper-ore on Caer Cwmy-Glo, and also on a
mountainous rocky farm termed Llwyncoed: some small veins have been actually laid open; and in a rock near the lake, close
to the new road, and on the same farm, a vein of asbestos, or amianthus, has been found. At a short distance higher up,
and near the boundary of the farms LFwyncoed and Glyn Rhonwy, is a vein of white soapy clay, resembling fullers' earth,
which dips into the lake, and may be taken up from a boat. Numerous curious specimens of fossils, minerals, and crystals,
are to be obtained in the mountainous district of the parish. The living is a rectory, rated in the king's books at £5.
12. 6.; patron, Bishop of Bangor: the tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £200. The church, dedicated to St.
Michael, is a small though venerable cruciform structure, in the later English style, without tower or steeple, but having
at the west end a pointed arch, rising above the roof, and surmounted by a small cross, under which a bell is suspended.
It is 62 feet long, and 27 broad, and nearly all the sittings are free; from its elevated situation it is seen from a
great distance in every direction, and it has been rendered more conspicuous by being whitewashed all over, not even
excepting the roof. There are four places of worship for Calvinistic, and one for Wesleyan, Methodists; and a dwelling-
house has been recently converted to the use of a congregation of Presbyterians. A National school was established in 1834
by subscription, aided by a grant of £15 from the National Society; the average number of scholars is about .100. The
Calvinistic Methodists have four Sunday schools, conducted gratuitously, in which 480 males and females are instructed.
Mr. John Morris, in 1710, bequeathed land for apprenticing poor boys of this parish and the town of Carnarvon, containing
in the whole about 107 acres, and now producing £58. 9. 10., per annum, including 35 acres on an inclosure of the common
of Liam* in 1819; two or three boys are annually placed out from each, according to the will of the testator, and the
benefit is enjoyed bboth places equally: with each boy a premium o DO is given, and he also receives £1 annually for
clothing. About £1 is distributed in bread to the poor, arising from the rent of two cottages erected on the common from
two bequests. In several parts of the parish are numerous remains of cottages, or huts, probably the residences of the
aboriginal inhabitants at some period of very remote antiquity; they are generally in clusters of eight or ten each, and
appear to have formed distinct villages: they are called Cuttiau 'r Gwyddelod, or " the Irishmen's huts," and are
generally circular in form; two stones on one side of each seem to mark out the entrance, and a large upright stone
probably points out the fire-place: the walls, which are about two feet high, and three in thickness, are composed of
small stones without mortar. Near these huts are frequently found remains of the " quern," or stone handmill, consisting
of two stones, one concave and the other convex, with a place for an iron handle; and stone and brass celts have also been
found in the vicinity of these ancient habitations, which are generally distributed through the parish, and of which the
number of circular foundations exceeds three hundred. Davydd Thomas, the celebrated Welsh bard, better known as " Davydd
Ddu o Eryri," was interred at this place; and Dr. Edwards, who accompanied Commodore Anson in his voyage round the world,
and held the office of surgeon on board the Tamer frigate, was a native of the parish, and son of one of its rectors: he
also lies buried in the churchyard.