Dolwyddelan
| Dowyddelan | |
| Caernarfonshire | |
|---|---|
 Dolwyddelan Castle on its hill | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SH735525 |
| Location: | 53°3’19"N, 3°53’17"W |
| Data | |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Gwynedd |
Dolwyddelan is a village and parish in Caernarfonshire. The village is particularly noted for Dolwyddelan Castle, the reputed birthplace of Prince Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great).
The village stands on the main A470 road between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Betws-y-Coed. The name of the village translates as "Gwyddelan's meadow", referring to the 5th or 6th century Saint Gwyddelan, after whom the parish church is named.
According to the United Kingdom Census 2001, 55.1% of the residents of the town could speak Welsh.
The village is served by Dolwyddelan station on the Conwy Valley Line.
Nearby mountains include Moel Siabod to the north, Moel Penamnen and Y Ro Wen to the south and, further afield, Snowdon lies approximately 10 miles to the west. Carreg Alltrem, a crag used by many rock climbers, can be found about a mile south of the village.
Film
In 1980 Walt Disney took over Dolwyddelan Castle and surrounding grounds to film all the external castle scenes in the film Dragonslayer. During the making of Dragonslayer many other scenes were shot in North Wales.