Dolgellau in Gwynedd, North Wales - A Place of Pilgrimage

As a market town in Gwynedd which is actually situated in north-west Wales, Dolgellau (pronounced - Dol-geth-lie) was once the county town of Meirionnydd in Welsh or Merionethshire in English. The meaning of the name is more than likely form "Dol" which means meadow and "y- gelli" which means spinney or grove. It has a long and interesting history which dates back to pre-Roman times, being an ancient town, there are more than 200 listed buildings in and near to it.

During pre-Roman times, in the Celtic period, the area in which Dolgellau is situated was a section of the tribal lands of the Ordovices. These people were subjugated by the Romans it is believed around 77 - 78 AD. Roman coins have been found in the area which date back to the reigns of Hadrian and Trajan. But there doesn't seem to be any evidence to show that the area was settled. There are three ancient hill forts in close proximity to the town; and you are still able to see the ruined arches of Cymer Abbey which was built in 1198 near Llanelltyd.

Many American Quakers still visit the town on pilgrimages to re-trace their ancestry. Quakerism came to the area in the 1600's and because of persecution, a group of Quakers fled to Pennsylvania. Their leader Rowland Ellis, named a town in Pennsylvania "Bryn Mawr" after his farm near Dolgellau.

The commerce of Dolgellau was built on woolen manufacture and this is indicated by many of the historic buildings found there. At the end of the 18th century the woollen trade brought in an estimated 100 000 per annum for the local economy. In later years' industry turned to tanning, however tanning activities ended in the 1980's. One of the side effects of the tanning industry is a horrible smell, and until 30 years ago shops still displayed notices outside their doors which bore the legend "It's not our shop that smells!" Fortunately if you visit the town today, you will not be subjected to any unpleasant smells.