Ynys Morris lies about halfway between Barmouth Viaduct and Glan Dŵr Hall. It is only a stone's throw from the mainland, but cut off by the Afon Dwynant, a two-stream river. The islet itself is small, comprising mainly of large rock formations.

Further upstream there is another small islet of rock outcrop and both islands are in the ownership of Mr Ken Jeffs, who lives 199 yards away in Arian Fryn Coach House.

Ken does not require his experience as one-time coxswain of Barmouth Lifeboat to navigate to his island as at low tide it's possible to walk carefully across the Dwynant.

The Afon Dwynant enters the Mawddach Estuary near Glan Dŵr Hall. Five hundred yards upstream of Glan Dŵr Bridge it splits into two separate streams. One tributary veers in a north westerly direction towards Sylfaen and the other north easterly towards Goetre, Cae Tudur and the Uwch Mynydd area.

A new road was built at the beginning of the last century and Dwynant's course changed, not for the good according to local fishermen, but nature seems to be taking a hand and the Dwynant is slowly reverting to its old course in the estuary.

It seems originally the Dwynant was on the south side of the island which meant it was possible by means of stepping stones to cross over from the island to the mainland - some of the old stepping stones can still be seen at low tide.

The island is so-called after a fisherman who had lived there. On the island there is a stone oblong structure which suggests that at one time it was inhabited.

During the 19th century a nearby house, Cei Newydd, was occupied by the Morris family. They were carriers by trade and were a large family - one of the sons ran away to sea at an early age and spent most of his life abroad.

He eventually returned, but the family had assumed he had died abroad and now there was no place for him at Cei Newydd, their home.

Undeterred he went and built his house on the island nearly opposite his old home, and on completion lived there and made a living gathering mussels etc.

I do have a photo of a fisherman gathering mussels in the estuary near the island. It is thought it was taken around 1885 during the construction of Barmouth Bridge. It is also stated that this fisherman lived on the island and that his name was Morris. But this cannot be verified.

In the 1871 Census Cei Newydd is occupied by a Williams family and the nearest property listed after Cei Newydd in the census is called Bron Dwynant and was uninhabited. There were no other buildings in that vicinity at that time, so one can assume that the house on the island was named Bron Dwynant. It is not known whether the island was inhabited after this date.

Later, Mrs Coote of Arian Fryn had had the Coach House built not far from the island and it was the place of residence for the coachman/boatman/general handyman. In the 1950s the late Meirion Rowlands held this job.

Councillor Cadwalader Williams as a lad used to go and help Meirion look after the boats and remembers Meirion telling him that the nuns from Caerdeon Hall used the island as a retreat. If this was so it brings events into present day memory.
By Ken Darbyshire