Country: | Wales |
Coordinates: | 52.99°N -3.93°W |
Official Name: | Ffestiniog |
Population: | 4,875 |
Population Ref: | (2011) |
Static Image Name: | Blaena' and the Moelwynion hills from the quarrymen's path to Bowydd Quarry - geograph.org.uk - 581860.jpg |
Static Image Caption: | Blaenau Ffestiniog |
Unitary Wales: | Gwynedd |
Lieutenancy Wales: | Gwynedd |
Constituency Welsh Assembly: | Dwyfor Meirionnydd |
Constituency Westminster: | Dwyfor Meirionnydd |
Community Wales: | Ffestiniog |
Postcode District: | LL41 |
Postcode Area: | LL |
Post Town: | BLAENAU FFESTINIOG |
Dial Code: | 01766 |
Area Total Km2: | 56.99 |
Os Grid Reference: | SH705455 |
Ffestiniog (;[1] [2] in Welsh pronounced as /fɛstˈɪnjɔg/) is a community in Gwynedd, Wales, containing several villages, in particular the settlements of Llan Ffestiniog and Blaenau Ffestiniog. It has a population of 4,875.[3] [4]
Ffestiniog was a parish in Cantref Ardudwy; in 1284, Ardudwy became part of the county of Merionethshire, which became an administrative county in 1888.Mary Evans (1735–89) founded a sect in Ffestiniog around 1780, whose believers held that she had married Christ in a ceremony held in Ffestiniog church. The sect soon died out after her death.[5] The parish was created an urban district in 1894.[6] On 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Ffestiniog Urban District was abolished, becoming merged with other districts to form Meirionnydd District, which was itself abolished in 1996. Ffestiniog became a community with an elected town council.
Ffestiniog Golf Club was founded in 1893. The club closed at the end of March 2014.[7]
Celtic place-name in *-ākon "place of", then, "place belonging to, territory of" > Old Welsh -auc, -awg > Welsh -og. The form -iog with an additional /i/ can be explained by the preceding element, which is a personal name ending with -i-us : Festinius. The whole name should be *Festiniākon. Probably same name as Festigny (France, e.g.: Festigny, Marne, Festiniacus in 853)