Dolbenmaen
Dolbenmaen
Human settlement in Wales
Dolbenmaen () is a village and community in the Welsh county of Gwynedd, located in Eifionydd, of which it was the administrative centre until 1239.[1] The community includes the villages of Bryncir (), Cenin, Garndolbenmaen, (the largest settlement) Golan, Llanfihangel-y-Pennant, Penmorfa (), Pentrefelin, Wern, Glan-dwyfach, and the hamlet of Prenteg. It has a population of 1,300,[2] increasing slightly to 1,343 at the 2011 Census.[3] The summit of Moel Hebog is shared between Beddgelert and Dolbenmaen. It is a sparsely populated area and covers nearly 100 square kilometres.[4]
A castle motte is located to the south of the village which is thought to have been the residence of Llywelyn the Great until the 1230s, when the court moved to a new castle at Criccieth. The castle guarded a ford on the Afon Dwyfor which may have been on the Pen Llystyn (Tremadog) to Segontium Roman road.[5] The parish church of St Mary's is a grade II* listed building.[6] South of Pentrefelin is St Cynhaearn's Church, Ynyscynhaearn.