Capel Curig
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Coordinates: 53°07′N 3°55′W / 53.11°N 3.91°W
| Capel Curig | |
| Welsh: Curig's chapel | |
  Capel Curig shown within Wales |
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| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Principal area | Conwy |
| Ceremonial county | Clwyd |
| Constituent country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BETWS-Y-COED |
| Postcode district | LL24 |
| Dialling code | 01690 |
| Police | North Wales |
| Fire | North Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| European Parliament | Wales |
| UK Parliament | Meirionnydd Nant Conwy |
| List of places: UK • Wales • Conwy | |
Capel Curig (Welsh for Curig's chapel) is a village in Conwy county borough, in North Wales. It lies in the heart of Snowdonia, on the River Llugwy. It is at the junction of the A5 road from Bangor and Bethesda to Betws-y-Coed with the A4086 road from Caernarfon, Llanberis, Pen-y-Pass and Pen-y-Gwryd.
Capel Curig is recorded as being as the wettest place in Wales [1], although the weather station is in Dyffryn Mymbyr, a couple of miles out of the village, in the direction of Snowdon.
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[edit] Name
Capel Curig takes its name from the little Saint Julitta's Church in the ancient graveyard by the river bridge on the Llanberis road. This confusingly has been known for over 100 years as St. Julitta's Church and is currently being restored by the "Friends of Saint Julitta". Tradition claims this chapel to be the 6th century foundation of St. Curig, a Celtic bishop. Centuries later, probably when the present ancient church was built, the name appears to have been Latinised as Cyricus, which is the name of a 4th century child martyr whose mother was Julitta. They are usually named together as Saints Quiricus and Julietta.
[edit] Evan Roberts
Capel Curig was home to one of the finest examples of a self-taught botanist, certainly in the UK, if not wider - Evan Roberts.[1] Evan Roberts lived at Gelli in Capel Curig where he lived and would explore all of Snowdonia, and in doing so compiled an unparalleled knowledge of the plant life in North Wales. Although he spent the first 40 years of his life as a quarry worker, he went on to become the colleague of academics. He was awarded the honorary degree of M.Sc. of the University of Wales, in 1956, at the same ceremony as the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and his portrait was painted by Kyffin Williams.
[edit] Roman Fort
Approximately one kilometre beyond Pont Cyfyng, towards the south east end of Capel Curig, on the farm of Bryn-y-Gefeiliau there are the remains of a Roman fort (c90-100AD) and named Caer Llugwy by its excavators[2] [2]. In 1920 excavations undertaken by J.P. Hall and Captain G.H. Hodgson revealed a roughly square Roman fort of approximately 4 acres (16,000 m2). Some stone buildings were uncovered and traced.
[edit] Activity centre
The village is a popular centre for walking, climbing, mountaineering, mountain biking and other outdoor pursuits and is served by the Sherpa bus network. It is also home to a youth hostel, Army training camp, a camp site, several cafes and hotels and outdoor activity gear shops.
Also located in Capel Curig is the UK National Mountain Centre at Plas y Brenin, which offers the highest quality mountaineering, climbing, canoeing facilities and training. One mile east of the village on the A5 is Ty Hyll, home of the Snowdonia Society
[edit] Citations
- ^ Robin Gwyndaf (2006). The Mountain Man. A portrayal of Evan Roberts, Capel Curig, rockman, botanist and conservationist. Capel Curig: Friends of St. Julitta's Church. ISBN 0-9552995-0-0.
- ^ J.P. Hall (November-December 1923). "Caer Llygwy: the Roman Fort between Capel Curig and Bettws-y-Coed". The Classical Review vol. 37 (no. 7/8): 186.
[edit] External links
- Capel Curig - Village Website
- Plas y Brenin - National Mountain Centre Website
- A history of the village
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Capel Curig and surrounding area
- Gwydyr Mountaineering Club Website - Mountaineering club with a hut and cottage in the heart of Snowdonia for hire
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