Penmorfa: Church Building, Hall House and Ancient Routes

Penmorfa brings together a 15th-century church building with richly carved 19th-century interior fittings, a historic hall house and a variety of routes. Its architectural history, an old drovers’ road and a side road on National Cycle Network Route 8 offer different starting points for planning a trip. You can consider cultural history and outdoor activities as separate priorities.

A church with several historical layers

The church in Penmorfa is essentially a single-nave building dating from the 15th century. St Beuno Penmorfa has richly carved 19th-century interior fittings. The building’s design and interior fittings therefore belong to different centuries and tell different stages of its architectural history. On the 1888 map, the church was labelled St Beuno's Church; between 1888 and 1901, it was renamed St Mary's Church. The inscription “Built in 1847 by the Reverend G. Owen MA” stands at the churchyard gate. The construction date, interior fittings, inscription and name change offer distinct historical points of reference. If you are interested in a particular detail, you can consider these aspects separately rather than attributing all the information to a single date.

Hall house and local history

Gorllwyn-Uchaf adds a rural architectural form to the picture of Penmorfa. The farmstead is probably a two-storey building dating from the 16th century. It is a stone-walled, cruck-framed hall house incorporated into a two-unit house of the Snowdonian Plan type. The descriptions thus distinguish between the wall material, the structural frame and the overall house form. A dendrochronological study of Gorllwyn-Uchaf indicates that the trees were felled in spring 1533. This precise date is not the same as a confirmed year of construction: the farmstead’s attribution to the 16th century remains probable. It is helpful to keep these two statements distinct when considering its date.

The Gorseddau Tramway is also part of the area’s history: its route ran through Penmorfa and passed beneath the main road in a short tunnel. Iron ore deposits are also found in Penmorfa. These represent two different perspectives—a historic transport route and geological deposits. Together, they complement the architectural history with local history and geology, without conflating the two subjects.

Plan your walks and cycling

An old drovers’ road leads from St Beuno Penmorfa to St Cynhaearn Ynyscynhaearn. If you plan to walk this route, check the condition of the path and access locally. For cycling, National Cycle Network Route 8, also known as Lôn Las Cymru, is another point of reference. It runs for 436 km between Cardiff and Holyhead, passing through Brecon, Builth Wells, Machynlleth, Porthmadog and Bangor. The side road between Golan and Penmorfa is also part of Route 8. As route descriptions can change, check the current map before setting out on a cycling trip.

When looking for a holiday rental in Penmorfa, you can first consider what you would like to focus on during your trip: the architectural history of the church and Gorllwyn-Uchaf, or a planned walking or cycling excursion. If you are travelling in a group with different interests, this distinction can help you choose a location that suits your shared plans. The walking connection and cycling route each require their own preparations, which can be planned independently of your accommodation.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Pennal, Dinas-Mawddwy, Y Felinheli, Llangelynin, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Dinas, Harlech and Llanbedr.

For the overview of the wider area: Gwynedd.