DWYGYVYLCHI (DWY-GYVYLCHI), a parish, in the hundred of LLECHWEDD-UCHAV, county of CARNARVON, NORTH WALES, 4 miles (W.)
from Aberconway, on the road from Liverpool to Holyhead, containing 444 inhabitants. This parish is situated in the
mountainous district of Carnarvonshire, and is bounded on the east by the estuary of the river Conway, which here falls
into the Irish sea. In altering and improving the line of road from Liverpool to Holyhead, in 1826, a new route was formed
through it from Aberconway, nearly four miles in extent, at an expense exceeding £20,000: it passes through the immense
rocky mountain of Penmem Bach, which here projects into the sea, and, being carried immediately above the sea, is
impassable during the winter from the heavy gales which prevail, in con, sequence of which the mail and other coaches are
compelled to travel along the old line of road through the mountain pass of Sychnant. The village is small, and consists
only of a few scattered houses irregularly built. Copperore and manganese have been found in the parish, in small
quantities, and pyrites in large masses; but the copper mines only are now worked, and that upon a limited scale. There
is also an abundance of feldspar, but the works have been nearly discontinued. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the
arch-deaconry and diocese of Bangor, endowed with £400 royal bounty, and in the patronage of I. Wynne Eyton, Esq. The
church, dedicated to St. Tegonwy, is a small neat edifice, pleasantly situated beneath the lofty mountain of Penmaen Bich,
and is appropriately fitted up for the accommodation of the parishioners. There are places of worship for Baptists and
Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists. The produce of several charitable donations and bequests, amounting in the aggregate
to £76. 14. per annum, is annually distributed among the poor on St. Thomas's day. On the mountains within the parish are
numerous ancient encampments and fortresses, of which those to the south of Penmaen Bach are the most extensive and
singular in their construction. The principal of these occupies a very spacious area, enclosed by a strong atone wall of
rude construction, much of which, with its facing of uncemented stones, is still remaining entire. Near it are seven
smaller circular enclosures, about fifteen feet in diameter, formed of large upright stones, and in the centre of some of
them stands a single upright stone. To the south of these are no less than twenty-six circular enclosures of similar
construction, varying from twelve to twenty-two feet in diameter; and upon a rocky promontory facing Deganwy is a very
deep narrow fosse, surrounding a wall of loose stones. The whole of this range of hills appears to have been anciently
occupied, the foundations of several buildings being spread around on all sides; upright stones and carneddau are
scattered in various places, and at a short distance stands a large upright stone of rude form, called Mien y Campiau, or
"stone of the games," for the celebration of which, and also for the holding of the great Eisteddvodau, or meetings of the
bards, these and similar places appear to have been appropriated during the earlier ages of the Britons. The poor are
maintained by an average annual expenditure amounting to £92. 17.