LLANVAIR-VECHAN (LLAN-FAIRFECHAN), a parish, in the union of BANGOR-AND-BEAUMARIS, hundred of LLECHWEDD-UCHAV, county of
CARNARVON, NORTH WALES, 7 miles (W. S. W.) from Aberconway, on the road to Holyhead; containing 747 inhabitants. This
parish, which lies to the east of Traeth Lavan, or the Lavan Sands, which are dry at half ebb (a tract nearly twelve miles
in length, and from seven to eight miles in breadth, overflowed by the sea in the sixth century), comprehends the vast
mountain of PenmaenMawr, near the base of which the village is romantically situated. This mountain, of which the height
is one thousand five hundred and forty-nine feet above the level of the sea at high water, rises on One side almost
perpendicularly from the bay of Beaumaris, in which it forms a lofty and boldly projecting promontory, and extends for
some miles in a north-easterly direction towards Aberconway. It Consists of one vast chain of precipitous and rugged
rocks, of frightful aspect and dreary sterility, wildly and irregularly thrown together in loose and crumbling strata,
from which huge masses frequently detaching themselves, with imminent danger to the traveller, threaten to overwhelm him
in their descent, or intercept his .progress with heaps of scattered fragments. Previously to the construction or
improvement of the present road, nothing could be more terrific or more hazardous than the pass over this mountain, in
which one false step was attended with certain destruction to the adventurous traveller: numerous fatal accidents have
occurred from the steepness of the ascent, the insecurity of the path, and the tremendous precipices on the brink of which
the narrow road was continued without the slightest protection. In 1772, application was made to parliament, pursuant to
which certain sums were granted for the improvement of this dangerous road, which formed part of the line to Holyhead: a
subscription was also opened for the same purpose, to which the city of Dublin largely contributed; and under the
superintendence of Mr. John Sylvester, an eminent engineer, the road was sufficiently widened for carriages to pass each
other with safety, by cutting through the solid rock, and on the side towards the sea the precipices are guarded by a
strong wall, built upon a series of lofty arches of nearly one hundred yards in perpendicular height, over which also the
road is carried on a level for several miles, avoiding the almost impracticable descent to PenmaenBach, and leading over
the chasms formed by the crumbling strata of the mountain. On the summit of the mountain are the remains of an ancient and
very extensive British encampment, called Braich-y-Dinas, a station strongly fortified by nature and by art, and probably
erected to defend the passage into Anglesey and the remoter parts of the principality. The ascent is steep and laborious,
and near the top are three strong entrenchments of loose stones of amazing strength, the walls of which are in many places
in a very perfect state, having both the external and internal facings in good preservation, and the central wall on the
south side in some parts nine feet high and eight feet in thickness; in the intervals between the walls are numerous
foundations of circular towers, varying in diameter from seven to twenty feet, and some remains of others of a square
form. The central area on the summit contains also the remains of a circular tower, apparently of lofty elevation, but
much reduced by the falling of stones, which are scattered in profusion round its base; and near this tower, which
occupies the centre of the area, are other groups of circular buildings, which by dilapidation have become little more
than masses of undistinguishable ruins. Near them is a well, excavated in the solid rock, which supplied the garrison with
water, and which is constantly full, being fed by the condensed vapours of.the mountain. On the north. west side of the
mountain may be distinctly traced a narrow circuitous road, walled on both sides, evidently leading up to the fortress;
this station, which was regarded as the strongest. and the most extensive among the strong-hol4s of Snowdon, was capable
of accommodating twenty thousand men, and was, deemed impregnable, as well from the precipitous acclivity of the mountain,
as from the extraordinary strength of the fortifications; and through-. out the tortuous path by which alone it was
accessible were numerous passes of great difficulty, any, of which might be defended by a very small body of men against a
whole army of assailants. In this. formidable post was placed the remnant of the Welsh army, as in a retreat of inviolable
security, during the negociations that were pending between. Edward I. and Llewelyn, previously to the final submission of
the principality to the authority, of that monarch. The mountain, during the sixth century, was the solitary retreat of
Seiriol, a British anchorite, who had his hermitage between the two summits, where his bed and his well are still to be
seen;. but the hermitage being plundered, St. Seiriol retired to Ynys Seiriol, a small island on the coast of Anglesey,
where he built a chapel and a cell, and ended his days. The parish, exclusively of the mountainous parts, contains several
large tracts of arable, meadow, and pasture land, in a good state of cultivation: the principal fuel is peat, which is
obtained in abundance: in some parts, copper-ore has been foond, but no mines have. hitherto been opened, nor has any
sufficient trial been made to work the ore effectually. The rateable annual value of the parish has been returned at
£1231. 18, The living is a discharged rectory, rated in the king's books at £6. 17. 6.; present net income, £305, with a
glebe-house; patron, Bishop, of Bangor. The church,, dedicated to St. Mary, is, pleasantly situated in the village, near
the road to the pees over the mountain. There are places of worship for Calvinistic. and Wesleyan Methodists. Two day
schools are carried on, one of which, for about 3Q boys,, is partly supported by the rector, partly out of the parochial
funds, and partly by payments from the children; and the other, contains 35 girls, 10 of.whoin are.paicl for by an
allowance of £13 per annum from the rector, and the rest by their parents; and two Sunday schools, consisting of about 200
males and females, appertain to the dissenters, and are maintained by voluntary contributions. A rent-charge of £1. 6. by
Lewis Owen, Esq., of Twickenham, in 1623, and a bequest of £1 by Ellen Nicholas, are distributed in bread and money among
the poor.