Llanberis: Pentref Dolydd - a Meadow Village
“Llanberis for me is not a village of slate but a village of meadows. Llanberis, and the whole valley used to be full of meadows, not only in the valley bottom, but some reaching up onto the fridd, the mountain pasture of the valley sides. These were places of high biodiversity and provided much of what the local people needed food, medicine, hay for their animals and beds.
The meadows were all but lost –grasslands are among the most threatened habitats in Britain. Approximately 97% of the UK’s species-rich grassland has been lost since the 1930s. There are many reasons for their decline including conversion into crops and more intensive management, tree planting, development and more.
Now, the memory of those meadows is now held in place names and road signs. The words Dôl (or Ddôl) mean ‘watery meadow’, and are related to the words Dale and Dole. The latter of which comes from the annual gift of a share of the meadows that was held in common and now relates to the gift of money that the state hands you when you need it most. To dole out is to share out.
Everywhere I turn I find Dôl (or Ddôl) in street and house names, haunting gravestones to the lost meadows . This is a map of just some of those places, and an invitation, to wander around and imagine how it was to live in this meadow village. And in this time of change, to perhaps think about bringing some of them back, even if just in a patch of your back garden.
There is inspiration in Llanberis too - Cae’r Ddol - the only hay meadow left in the valley. It produces 26 big bails of hay per year. Super productive because of nutrients deposited by lake when it floods.”
Robbie Blackhall-Miles
As you explore Llanberis, a meadow village, also look out for Gweirglodd (Weirglodd) which also means meadow, and also, as you’ll find out, Gwndwn and Gors are also markers of old grasslands.
Map ac ymchwil enwau caeau ychwanegol wedi'i ysbrydoli gan waith Robbie, gan Lindsey Colbourne ar gyfer Stori’r Tir Dyffryn Peris, 2025.
Map and additional field name research inspired by Robbie’s work, by Lindsey Colbourne for Stori’r Tir Dyffryn Peris, 2025.
