DINAS-MOWDDWY, a township and market-town (incorporated), in that part of the parish of MALLWYD which is in the hundred of
TALY-BONT-AND-MOWDDWY, union of DOLGELLEY, county of MERIONETH, NORTH WALES, 10 miles (E. by S.) from Dolgelley, and 202
(W. N. W.) from London. The population is returned with the parish. This place is disreputably distinguished in the Welsh
annals as having become, soon after the termination of the war between the houses of York and Lancaster, the resort of
numerous felons and outlaws, from whom sprang a race of lawless banditti, principally divided into Gwylliaid y Dugoed, "
the banditti of the Black Wood," and Gwylliaid Cochion Mowddwy, " the red-haired banditti of Mowddwy," who for some time
set the laws at defiance, and perpetrated the most frightful outrages, filling with terror the minds of the peaceable
inhabitants of the district; who, rather than hazard their lives and property by proceeding along the regular roads to
Shrewsbury and other places, were accustomed to pass over the mountains, and, to protect themselves from being surprised
in the night, placed scythes in the chimneys of their houses, some of which singular defences were remaining so late as
the close of the last century. To put an end to such acts of robbery and bloodshed, a commission was granted to John Wynn
ab Meredydd, of Gwydir, Esq., and Lewis Owen, of Llwyn near DOlgelley, Esq., Vice-Chamberlain and Baron of the Exchequer
of North Wales, who, by virtue of this authority, raised a body of strong men, and on Christmas eve made prisoners of
about eighty of the depredators, upon whom they proceeded to hold trial, punishing them according to the extent of their
crimes. Among these were two young men, whose mother urgently entreated Owen to spare one of them, which being denied,
she, with all the vindictiveness of malignant fury, vowed that revenge should be taken by her remaining offspring upon the
baron, who, on his journey to the assizes at Montgomery, in 1555, was waylaid among the thick woods of Dugoed Mowddwy, by
a band of desperadoes, who blocked up the road with several long trees, which they had felled, and, after discharging a
shower of arrows, rushed upon their victim, whom they assassinated, and left his body covered with upwards of thirty
wounds: the scene of this tragical event is now called Llidiart y Barwn, " the Baron's Gate." This act of atrocity against
one of the king's justiciaries drew down upon the proscribed bandits that punishment which a long series of merciless
outrages demanded: vigorous measures were adopted for their extirpation: many of them, having been apprehended, were tried
and executed, and the rest obliged to abandon their haunts, so that security and tranquillity were restored throughout the
district. Bwlch oer Ddrws, " the Cold Door Pass," which is gained from this town by ascending a steep hill on the road to
DOlgelley, is noted as having been one of the three places where the most powerful individuals of certain districts met,
and entered into a compact for enforcing the strict dispensation of justice for all wrongs done prior and subsequently to
the war brought on by the ambitious proceedings of Owain Glyndwr, whereby each individual who had been deprived of
property was to have it restored to him without lawsuit, and various regulations for restoring the government of the
country were resolved upon. The town is pleasantly situated on the shelf of a rock, called Craig y Dinas, near the margin
of the small river Cerist, at its conflux with the Dovey, and on the road from DOlgelley to Mallwyd; at the junction of
three vales, each of which is enclosed by lofty mountains: it consists principally of one street of meanly built houses.
There are some deserted lead- works on the road to DOlgelley, in which a kind of blueish ochre is found; this the
shepherds wet and pound in a mortar, and then form into balls, which they use in marking their sheep. The market is on
Saturday, but it has almost fallen into disuse. Fairs are held on the Friday before Palm-Sunday, June 2nd, September 10th,
October 22nd, and November 13th. Dinasmowddwy was anciently a place of much greater importance than it is at present, and
is said to have been a fortified city, and the residence of a chieftain: it still retains its corporate privileges, and is
the capital of a lordship, which includes the whole of the parishes of Mallwyd and Llanymowddwy (except the township of
Caer Einion Vechan in the former), over which also the jurisdiction of the corporation extends. , The corporation consists
of a mayor, recorder, and burgesses: the mayor, who was formerly elected annually, is now chosen only. triennially: he is
a justice of the peace, and possesses the power of trying criminals, but seldom exercises it, except in cases for which
the punishment of the stocks, or confinement in the veg vawr, or " great fetter," is assigned, or in such cases as the
duties of a magistrate ordinarily embrace. The recorder determines all actions regarding property, not exceeding forty
shillings, and also holds a court leet twice a year, in May and November. The freedom is inherited by birth by the sons of
freemen, on the decease of the father. The corporation are entitled to the exclusive right of licensing victuallers within
the lordship, and although they, have lost much of their ancient authority, they still retain its, insignia, consisting
principally of a mace, standard measure, stocks, and the veg vawr, or " great fetter." The county magistrates exercise
concurrent jurisdiction within the borough and lordship, and hold petty sessions once a month. There is a place of worship
for Independents.