Trefonen

The village was founded by farmers who wanted to live near each other and the name translates into ' village of the ash trees'.   The 8th century earthwork Offa's Dyke ran through the village and is still visible today, in small sections, running adjacent to Chapel Lane. Records from 1272 show Trefonen as having an obligation to keep the lord's hounds. However the village owes most of its current size to mining activity from the early 18th century until the last mine closed in 1891.  During this period the resident populace became engaged in the extraction of the underlying coal, the quarrying of surface carboniferous limestone and its subsequent manufacturing use in a local pottery and brickworks.  As there industries declined in the latter half of the 19th century local people returned to their agricultural roots and sheep and cattle rearing flourished.

Many of the village's local facilities were built to service the expanding working population of the 18th and 19 centuries and so the Malt house was built in 1720, the Barley Mow public house 1760, the Calvinistic Methodist Chapel in 1795, the All Saints parish Church 1821, the school house in 1825, and the Carneddau Independent Chapel in 1832.  The village hall is the latest addition and was completed 1991. 

We encourage people to submit stories about the history of their area especially if you have some amusing anecdotes or colourful characters of the past. If you have a story you can submit it here

Read all about the Nantmawr Inquisition of 1880  

or the history of Smyrna Chapel

or the Parish Constables