Penmachno is located in North Wales, 4 miles from the tourist village of Betws-y-Coed. It is famous as this is the birthplace of William Morgan, who was the first person to translate the Bible into Welsh in 1588. It is also famous as the tenor Richie Thomas lived here all his life.

Penmachno is split into two by the bridge which was built in 1781. The following poem is carved on a stone on the bridge:

Pont isel drafel ar dro, - pont lydan
I wladwyr drafaelio;
Pont a fydd mewn pant tra fo
Pont ar ochor Pentre fachno.

Sion Owen

In 1881, Penmachno's population was recorded as 1,787. Today's population is approximately a quarter of this, which is obviously a large reduction. Perhaps a reason for this is that there are no shops in Penmachno today, and also the modern development of supermarkets and transportation.

This is a description of Penmachno's location taken from Owen Gethin Jones' book ("Llyfr Gethin") from the last century:

"Penmachno stands to the east of Caernarvonshire, and is surrounded by the following parishes: from the west, Dolwyddelan; from the north, Bettws-y-Coed; to the north-west stands Llanrwst, and to the south-east, Tir Eidda; and to the south-west stands Ffestiniog. On the south side, for about three miles, stands the river Conwy (which ends Dinbych and Arfon). On the north side, between itself and Bettws-y-Coed, river Ledoer makes its way towards the sea. The broad shoulders of the mountains of Meirion form a blanket around the village for about two miles and a half."

We start our journey two miles outside the village, near the A5. Here we find the Conwy Falls Café, where tourists come to get a bite to eat after viewing the nearby Conwy Falls.

Conwy Falls Café

Today the old hut you see in the picture is gone and a large building (the café) takes up all the space.

On the road towards Penmachno, you will encounter the Woollen Mills (where Richie Thomas worked from 1921 until his retirement in 1971), and this is also where you would have found the shop belonging to Hannah Jones' family. This was a very interesting shop, selling wool to sew and warm clothes to wear.

Hannah Jones' Shop

What you see on the left is the building known as the "Tyrpac". Mrs. Jane Morris from Dugoed used to keep a small shop here even though she farmed in Dugoed. She sold various foodstuffs. It was during the lifespan of the shop that visitors started to come to look at the nearby Machno Falls and the Roman Bridge. The old lady would sell food to these visitors.

Today the building is empty.

The "Tyrpac"

Pen Isaf Church is what you see below, the second church to be built in this location. In the first house on the left, "The Coalman", Robart Jones would run a shop. Nowadays, the chapel and the shop are shut. Recently the chapel has been transformed into a house, and both the houses have been amalgamated into one big house.

If you take the turning to the right of the building, you can travel towards the village of Ysbyty Ifan.

Pen Isaf Church

We shall now go on from Pen Isaf and travel the mile and a half down the road to Penmachno. On the way, we pass the following farms: Dugoed, Ty'n Coed, Plas Eldon, Ysgwyfrith, Benar, Tyddyn Cethin, Yr Erw and Tyddyn Meistr.