Welcome to Tirymynach

Community Council’s website

The boundaries of Tirymynach (monk's land) Parish. Community has changed several times over the ages and indeed in recent years, during the 1980's Llety Ifan Hen and a number of Bontgoch houses were in Tirymynach Community. The lands for centuries had been in the ownership Strata Florida Abbey, for example the commote of Y Dywarchen - the lower reaches of Penrhyncoch, later called Dolferchen that covered the lands from Pencwm past Pencefn towards Bontgoch. And the commote of Penweddig where Bow Street is today. There is a record of a gift of lands in 1336 by Maelgwyn Ieuanc to Strata Florida Abbey, these were land which bordered with Gogerddan and northwards towards the the Ceulan Valley of Talybont. The borders of Tirymynach once extended eastwards from Craig y Pistyll to the edge of Montgomeryshire. Two names that have survived that proves the connection with Strata Florida here in Bow Street/Clarach are Ty'r Abbey farm Clarach also known as Ty Rabbi (home of the teacher) another name until 1959/60 was Porthangel (Angels 'gateway) an old convent on a field of Ty Rabbi, but was demolished and replaced by a dwelling today known as Coedmor, but the woodland behind is still called Coed Porthangel by local people. According to tradition Ty Rabbi was the home of the teacher to the disciples, in the convent Porthangel. After the dissolution of the Strata Florida Monastery the lands became the ownership of Trawscoed Estate. In 1690, if not earlier the name of Tirymynach on their maps was Court Grange, the land where Bow Street is today and covering the lead mine and farm Pencefn, small cottages began to grow in Penrhiw and Cross Street on Court Grange land. By 1890 Trawscoed was in economic troubles and sold Tirymynach land to nearby Gogerddan Estate. But Trawscoed held on to fields in Bow Street, roughly from the bottom of the village to Rhydypennau and called it the Caergywydd Estate, as these were fields of the farm. But in 1890 Trawscoed entered into agreement with the James family of Bwlchcrwys farm, Devil's Bridge to take Caergywydd Estate in exchange for Bwlchcrwys that was in the middle of Trawscoed lands. In 1948 Caergywydd became an unit by itself, and the "estate" part ended by 1960's. Reference has been made to Cross Street. According to tradition a cross was erected by the entrance to Brysgaga in memory of a Christian monk named Agam who was murdered by some pagan invaders. Tirymynach was a Parish Council, but after 1974, the official title became Tirymynach Community Council.