The village of Cefn Meiriadog lies in the Rhos Hills, just five miles from St Asaph. It's another North East Wales village that takes its name from a saint. Meiriadog was a monk at a Celtic monastery. He later moved to Pluvigner in Brittany, and is a much respected Saint in that area of France.
Ffynnon Fair:According to the book The Old Villages of Denbighshire and Flintshire, Cefn Meiriadog is well known for its chapel ruins and the holy well at Ffynnon Fair (St Mary's Well). At one time the well was thought to have curing properties, but it fell into ruin during Henry the Eighth's reign. The site is on private ground.
Pontnewydd Cave: Archaeologists are interested in the historical significance of the Pontnewydd Cave, on the side of the Elwy Valley. The first human beings lived here. They were hunter gatherers who found warmth and shelter in the cave. It was also used as an arms storage centre during the war. During that time, archaeologists found the remains of Neanderthal Man, as well as arrow heads and axes made of flint and stone. Is it true that the remains of hippos, rhinos, woolly bears and deer have also been discovered there?
More details: The Old Villages of Denbighshire and Flintshire by Dewi Roberts. Published by Gwasg Carreg Gwalch, Gwynedd.
Website: www.carreg-gwalch.co.uk
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your comments
Dorothy Milnes Simm from Pontybodkyn Mold
Hello again, this is Diddily Dee here. It is so wonderful to read all these wonderful things that people have remembered. So many times we still go down to Bont Newydd. Always when we have friends who have never been there. It is paradise. I am always putting little bits of Cefn and Bont in my children's story. The wood in Fingles Wood in Seligors Castle is set in the woods around the bottom of the Caves and I have decided that the big cave in the bottom will be the creatures school roomms. I have the giant staircase mentioned and yet this tiny flight of steps - does anyone remember them? - that were cut out between the rocks themselves. It was so narrow and steep that I for one wouldn't get down them now. Then there was the giant's kitchen and the stone that the giant "Meiriadog" took out of his shoe one day before he paddles his feet in the river Elwy. This with its salmon pools, weir, swing bridge. Gosh, I have so many places to put in my stories the kids will have them for breakfast, dinner and tea all over the world. Thanks for the kind message Raymond, they were the most wonderful of time.
Tue Apr 15 08:41:14 2008
Annette Salle, Towyn
My great nain and taid are buried in St Mary's church in Cefn. My mam was born in the house that goes with Wigfair Hall. My great grandparents worked there and then my nain after them, she had my mam while there. Also I come from Denbigh and attended St Mary's church in Denbigh and was christened and confirmed there. Lots of strong memories.
Mon Mar 17 09:37:33 2008
Ray Roberts
How wonderful to read all about Diddy Dot she was a great friend of mine down in Bontnewydd. We were brought up in the village of Cefn such happy memories. It was so interesting reading her life story so dear Dot keep in touch.
Mon Nov 26 08:39:10 2007
Dorothy Milnes (nee Gilmore), Bontnewydd
Hello, myself and my three sisters Sylvia, Amy and Kath, were brought up on the back of Cefn Caves. It was our playing fields, the swing bridge our Tarzan days, the weir is where we all learnt to swim and did so right up until we all married and left. We moved to Dolben Garden Cottage in the early fifties and went to school in the village of Cefn Meiriadog and then to second school in Denbigh. Myself and Kath went to Denbigh Grammer School as it was then and the elder two went to Celedfryn Secondry Modern. As an author I have often thought of making a biography up of the place more than the people, though in Bontnewydd (never Pontnewydd) in my days, except when in a Welsh statement went as you all know I'm sure we do change our words and letters round a bit. I also lived in Tyn y Pwll, when Sir Watkin Williams Wynn (the old one) had our cottage modernised, in other words he put a bathroom and toilet inside, ha, ha. If the BBC would like to have a complete story of the villages and the caves including the Bontnewydd one where the tooth was found of the young girl, dated some quarter of a million years ago, and this was in the 1980s why I even have the press cuttings, and was at the site to watch the dig on many occasions. Sorry, it's a bit late for the information on St Mary's for I and my sister were married there, and my father is buried in the churchyard. Whilst the estate was run as an estate and David hadn't got fed up I think with all the problems running a huge estate can cause. The caves, weir, St Mary's, which was really a most beautiful well, and where many Welsh marriages and baptisms took place. These were all accessible as was the mill stream. Now there are no entry, private property signs everywhere. The beautiful Dolben Hall, were my mother was the cook for Sir Owen and Lady Jean plus both boys; David and the younger Robert, who very sadly was murdered by the IRA whilst on patrol in Ireland; well when mum worked there, my dad was the head gardener also. The hall entertained gentry from all over the country, from Lands End to John O'Groats. Raymond three letters up was at school with me, we're great friends and his brother Michael. We still keep in touch, had a reunion last year in fact. Well, I really haven't got time to write any more now for it is late and I have a stinking cold. I found this by accident for I was looking for a couple of pictures to put in a new story I'm writing for my children's website. Alas not ones I want, I will have to get the old sketch pad out again. My website is seligorscastle.zoomshare.com. Do please get in touch if you want any information at all on Bont or Cefn.
Tue Nov 20 09:28:17 2007
Mike
Can anyone tell me, is it still possible to get into Cefn Caves? Always used to play there as a lad and would like my son to see them.
Mon Aug 6 11:52:20 2007
Tanny Homes, Denbigh,
I am doing a project on St Mary's Church, Denbigh for school. Does anyone have any relavent information please and as soon as possible as I am finding it hard to get some good websites to research on?
Tue Feb 27 10:19:26 2007
Dawn Maysmor, Cefn Meriadog
I have been fortunate to live THE GOOD LIFE in Cefn from 1979 when we moved into Tyn-y-Pwll a stone house alongside the football field. I believe one of the game keepers used to live here some years ago, he did call in one time and had a cup of tea and talked of the old days. My children Bianca, Gareth and Nicola have had the most wonderful of childhoods...trips to the caves and giddy accents over the rocks down to the fields alongside the river, afternoons swimming and picknicking, bunches of wild flowers for mother's day collected from along the river so proudly presented with breakfast tea and toast! So many that we took some to Clara Lever next door. Gareth played football for the Cefn team and was player of the year 2005. Nicola helped at Plas y Cefn and Wigfair stables and hunted with Jet until she went to Uni in Swansea to study art and photography. Bianca's first job whilst at school was waiting on at the Dolben Arms where we had many a fun night. The flower Shows at the Neuadd, the hunts from Wigfair and ohhh...what parties. Barry my husband and I are retiring to Brittany so I was really interested to see that there is a connection. We will be moving as soon as Tyn-y-Pwll is sold and trust Brittany will be as wonderful to us as Cefn.
Mon Oct 30 11:32:43 2006
Tony Harris, Worcester
I spent a lot of my childhood at Cefn in the 60's through into the 70's. My grandfather was Owen Hugh Evans the Gamekeeper at that time. He was a wonderful man and I have a lot of fond memories staying at Cefn. The woods, the Bryn (opposite the house) and the local river were all my playground as a child. I still miss him and Cefn to this very day.
Tue Aug 29 11:13:22 2006
Lynne Mendoza (nee Cramer) from London
I lived in The Old Rectory in Cefn from 1971 (when I was 5) to 1979. I went to Cefn School where there were 20 or so children to begin with but only 10 when I left. Eric Roberts was the Head who taught 'the big class' and Mrs Edwards taught the little class.
It was the most wonderful place to grow up. It sounds like something out of a novel but I really did used to head off out for the day with some fish paste sandwiches and not come back until it got dark. All that exploring to be done.
The caves were a favourite, as was the Bryn and the Hay barn and the horse jumps in the football field.
I remember sledging down the hill in that field in fertilizer sacks.
St Mary's Well was/is indeed a beautiful place. I remember picking watercress from the well and daffodils from the woods surrounding it.
My gran is buried at St Mary's Church so I always visit whenever I'm back in the area.
Fri Jun 2 15:53:15 2006
ray roberts
I was born in wigfair in 1945 spent many happy years went to cefn aided school supported cefn summer league team for many years does anybody remember rays the linesman ?? went to St Marys church pumped the organ for many years now live in a care home in Rhyl happy days
Mon Apr 10 08:47:20 2006
Cez Jones from Cefn Meiriadog
Mary's well was amazing, beautifull.
Mon Mar 21 09:31:39 2005
Mel Jones from St Asaph
A strange experience by St Mary's Church, Cefn. A presence was felt and footsteps heard but nobody was there.
Sun Feb 27 19:58:32 2005
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