Deganwy

Deganwy
Deganwy All Saints Church
Population	3,700 (2011)
OS grid reference	SH779791
Community	Conwy
Principal area	Conwy
Preserved county	Clwyd
Country	Wales
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	LLANDUDNO
Postcode district	LL31
Dialling code	01492
Police	North Wales
Fire	North Wales
Ambulance	Welsh
UK Parliament	Aberconwy
Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament	Aberconwy

Deganwy (Middle Welsh Degannwy, Brythonic *Decantouion) is a small town in Conwy County Borough in Wales with a population of 3,700. It lies in the Creuddyn Peninsula alongside Llandudno and Rhos-on-Sea. Historically part of Caernarfonshire, it is in a more English-speaking region of north Wales, with only 1 in 4 residents speaking Welsh as a first language. It is located south of Llandudno and to the east of Conwy, which is on the opposite side of the River Conwy, and with which it forms the Conwy community. Indeed, the name Deganwy has been interpreted in modern times as Din-Gonwy, which would mean "Fort on the River Conwy", but the historical spellings make it impossible for this to be the actual origin of the name although mentioned in Domesday Book is "the territory of the Decanae tribe". The original wooden castle was rebuilt in stone after 1210. Deganwy is in the ecclesiastical parish of Llanrhos, and has a Victorian era Gothic parish church dedicated to All Saints.

Education

Deganwy has one bilingual primary school, Ysgol Deganwy.

Deganwy Castle

Deganwy's most notable feature is Deganwy Castle, situated 110 m above the town, which, in the 6th century was fortified as the stronghold of Maelgwn Gwynedd, king of Gwynedd. Deganwy appears to have been the capital of Gwynedd at this time, but this was later moved to Aberffraw on Anglesey. The hill on which the castle was built was fortified many times over the centuries. It was the site of a Norman castle built around 1082 and occupied by Robert of Rhuddlan, and later by Llywelyn the Great and Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. The castle was later demolished by Edward I when Conwy Castle was built opposite so that only ruins remain today.

Rail and sea

Conwy Estuary, Sailing in to Deganwy

Deganwy Marina

Deganwy has a railway station on the Llandudno branch line with an hourly train service, available on request, to and from Manchester Piccadilly and intermediate stations. The LNWR built at Deganwy a rail connected riverside quay and wharfs, largely for the purpose of exporting slate by coastal steamer. The slate was brought by rail from Blaenau Ffestiniog. A marina with its accompanying housing and hotel accommodation was established on the site of the former slate wharfs early in the 21st century.

Stood on the original footbridge while taking this photo.

Taken on the same day as the northbound photo.

See also

• All Saints Church, Deganwy

External links

• Deganwy Castle
• Deganwy Quay - photographic tour
• www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Deganwy and surrounding area