about the area
Covering large areas of Conwy and parts of Denbighshire, the constituency of Clwyd West incorporates some of the most beautiful scenery of North Wales. Spreading southwards from the coastal towns of Colwyn Bay and Abergele – popular resorts that attract many residents and are more urban in nature – to the more rural Ruthin and the magnificent Clocaenog Forest and encompassing many small towns and villages on the way, Clwyd West has a very diverse geography.
Historically speaking, the area was a hotbed of activity during the revolt of the famed Owain Glyndwr. One of his greatest enemies, Reynold de Grey, had a stronghold at Ruthin, a charming market town set on a hill in the Vale of Clwyd. In September 1400, Glyndwr and his followers (known as Plant Owain or Owain’s Children) sacked and destroyed the town, which now still features much of the rebuilding work done after the attack.
Colwyn Bay is the second largest town in North Wales and has a growing population, currently around the 30,000 mark. Famous for its picture-postcard views of the coast and its backdrop of Pwllycrochan Woods, its popularity grew rapidly towards the end of the 19th Century. It hosts some fine Victorian architecture including the pier and also the Welsh Mountain Zoo. Colwyn Bay also has some very famous exports, such as Terry Jones of Monty Python, Timothy Dalton who starred in two James Bond films, and William Roache, aka Ken Barlow of Coronation Street.
Clwyd West is also home to the ancient Welsh legend of the Angelystor or Recording Angel of Death, which reportedly appears every Halloween and 31 July at the medieval church at Llangernyw to read the names of the soon-to-depart.
05 September 2007
