MALLWYD (MAEN-LLWYD), a parish, in the union of DOLGELLEY, partly in the hundred of MACHYNLLETH, county of MONTGOMERY, but
chiefly in the hundred of TALY-BONT-AND-MOWDDWY, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES, 11 miles (N. E.) from Machynlleth;
containing 1177 inhabitants, of whom 1041 are in the Merionethshire, and 136 in the Montgomeryshire, portion. The name,
implying the dark stone, is supposed to have been derived from an ancient monument formerly existing within a short
distance of the village, but which disappeared thirty-four years ago. The parish, which is extensive, is pleasantly
situated on the river Dovey, and comprises a very considerable portion of amble and pasture land, inclosed and in a good
state of cultivation, together with a large tract of uninclosed and uncultivated country, where peat, which forms the
principal fuel of the inhabitants, is obtained. The village is delightfully situated in a small but fertile valley,
watered by the Dovey, and abounding with finely diversified and highly picturesque scenery, formed by the various
indentations of the three lofty mountains of Aran, Camlan, and Moeldyvi, which surround it like an amphitheatre. The views
in every direction are interesting, and embrace many objects of varied beauty and features of romantic character)
ineluding some pleasing waterfalls in various parts of the parish, which, especially after floods, are seen to great
advantage: of these, the principal are at Pennantigi, in the township of Cerist; at Maes Glasau, in the township of that
190 name; at Pont Vallwyd, in that of Camlan; and another near Dines lliividdwy. That at Pont Vallwyd is close to the
village, and is formed by the river Dovey rushing through a narrow and rocky channel against a high slate rock in the
centre of its bed, whence its waters are precipitated into a pool beneath: on one side of it the Camlan mountain rises in
rude majesty, opposite to which issues a stream that is crossed above by a lofty ivy-mantled bridge of one arch, the sides
of the glen being covered with underwood, and the waters of the Dovey at the same time reflecting in a variety of shades
the conical head of the Aran and its dependent elevations to the north I between the opening in the mountains a distant
view of the Vale of the Dovey is also obtained, which adds considerably to the picturesque beauty of the scene by its
light and contrasted hues. The manufacture of flannel is carried on upon a moderate scale, affording employment to a
portion of the inhabitants, of whom also a few are engaged in the slate quarries within the parish. The turnpike-road from
Welshpool to Mach. ynlleth and Dolgelley passes through the village The living is a rectory, rated in the king's at £10.
15. 5.; present net income, £400, with a glebe-house; patron, Bishop of St. Asaph: the tithes have been commuted for a
rent-charge of £340; and there is a small glebe of about an acre. The church) dedicated to St. Tydecho, who lived at the
close of the fifth and beginning of the sixth centuries) and of whom tradition has recorded many marvellous ex. ploits, is
situated on a spot where two counties meets the eastern end being in the shire of Merioneth, and the western in that of
Montgomery; it is in the early style of English architecture, and is remarkable for the situation of the altar in the
centre, opposite to the reading-desk, to which situation it was removed from the east end by Dr. Davies, incumbent, in
defiance of the injunction of Laud) Archbishop of Canterbury. In the churchyard are three remarkably fine yea -trees, one
of which measures twenty-eight feet three inches in girth, and from one stem throws out a great number of scions, that
spread around it an extensive shade, and together present an appearance of sombre magnificence. There are places of
worship for Independents, and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists t about thirty children are instructed its a day school;
and nine Sunday schools, affording gratuitous instruction to about 540 males and females, are conducted by the
dissenters. Dr. John Davies) in 1643, bequeathed £50, with which was purchased a portion of land, now yielding ,C8. 10.
per annum; Mrs. Margaret Vaughan £50; Edward Wynne and Griffith Lewis, each £20; Robert Vaughan, Ellis David, and an
unknown benefactor, £10 each; and William and -John Parry, £5 each: the produce of all which, together with some smaller
charitable donations and bequests, was some years since annually distributed among the poor of the parish, but the greater
portion of the charities, having been lent to a person who became insolvent, is for the most part lost. At Can Gwyn is a
well, the water of which is in high estimation for its efficacy in the cure of diseases of the eye. Dr. Davies, author of
a Welsh grammar and dictionary, was for many years incumbent of the parish, to which he was a great benefactor, having
built a rectory-house and three brides at his own expense: he devoted much of his time to literary pursuits; rendered
into Welsh the thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England; and assisted Bishop Parry in his translation of the Bible
into Welsh, published in one volume folio, in 1620; he died and was interred here in 1644.