Capel Celyn
Capel Celyn was a rural community to the northwest of Bala in Gwynedd, Wales, in the Afon Tryweryn valley. The village and other parts of the valley were flooded in the Tryweryn flooding of 1965 to create a reservoir, Llyn Celyn, in order to supply Liverpool and Wirral with water for industry.[1] At the time the village was one of the few remaining Welsh-only speaking communities.[2] The flooding of the village was controversial as Liverpool City Council did not require planning consent from the local Welsh authorities as the reservoir was approved via an Act of Parliament.[2] As a consequence there was no local debate on the proposal.[2]
| Capel Celyn | |
|---|---|
 Tree stumps at Capel Celyn in 2006, exposed by low water level of reservoir | |
  Capel Celyn Location within Gwynedd | |
| Population | 0 |
| Community | |
| Principal area | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BALA |
| Postcode district | LL23 |
| Police | North Wales |
| Fire | North Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
Etymology
Capel is Welsh for chapel, while celyn is Welsh for holly.
Flooding
When the valley was flooded in 1965, the village and its buildings, including the post office, the school, and a chapel with cemetery, were all lost. Twelve houses and farms were submerged, and 48 people of the 67 who lived in the valley lost their homes.[3]
Notable residents
- Elizabeth May Watkin Jones was born here where her family kept the local post office. She was one of the protest leaders together with Dafydd Roberts.[4]
References
- Lloyd, Delyth (21 October 2015). "Tryweryn: 50 years after 'drowning'". BBC News. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
- "History of devolution". Senedd. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
- Thomas, Einion (2007). Capel Celyn, Ten Years of Destruction: 1955–1965. Cyhoeddiadau Barddas and Gwynedd Council. ISBN 978-1-900437-92-9.
- "JONES (MROWIEC), ELIZABETH MAY WATKIN (1907 - 1965), teacher and campaigner". Dictionary of Welsh Biography. National Library of Wales. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
