Welcome to the Ysbyty Ifan Community Council website

The council serves the community of Ysbyty Ifan – a rural area in the upper Conwy Valley and the area’s main industry is agriculture. Ysbyty Ifan Parish Council was established in 1894 Local government was reformed in 1974 and then Ysbyty Ifan Community Council came into being.

Where is Ysbyty Ifan

Ysbyty ifan is located in the heart of North Wales. O Gethin Jones states in his book “Gweithiau Gethin” that if a person stands in the center of the village, the tide at Maentwrog and the tide near Llanrwst is exactly the same distance from the village as is Llangollen, Harlech Denbigh and Ruthin and again some distance to Caernarfon, Beumaris and Chirk Cricceth castles.

A Little History

The slate at the entrance to the church indicates that this was the site of the Hospice and Church of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem. About 1190 Ifan ap Rhys of Tre Brys (Bryn Gwyn) granted the Knights lands to establish a Hospital and church at Dolgynwal. In 1540 the Order of the Knights of St John was ravaged and the Crown seized their lands and property. This land by then contained many estates stretching from Aberconwy to Bala. Queen Elizabeth Manor of Tir Ifan handed over the hospital and allied grounds to Dr Ellis Prys “The Red Doctor” and his son Thomas Prys Plas Iolyn. In the parish cemetery, Ellis Prys (Dr Coch) and his son Thomas Prys the poet and pirate are buried.

There is also the grave of William Cynwal, a pencerdd who contested with Edmund Prys of Gelli Lydan. Another important grave in the churchyard is that of Sion Dafydd Berson, teacher of Twm of the Nant. Writen on the gravestone …. Surgeon. 1666. ANNE JONES….. of September age 59 SION DAFYDD of Pentre Vidog buried 5th day of January 1799 aged 94.

Englyn written by Twm o Nant to his old teacher.

Grief – the black earth.A teacher
We were the poets of Wales;
It was laborious he spoke
Enjoy the days gone by.
He ceased, too magic – Sion Dafydd
‘Long-lived Madawai
But we still remember rising
The earth is near the end of the world.

About the Village Today

Today the Council represents Ysbyty Ifan ward and Cwm Eidda ward. Most farms in the area belong to the National Trust together with half the village of Ysbyty Ifan. The other half is privately owned, with quite a few being holiday homes. The whole area is within Snowdonia National Park. There is a vibrant Primary school, there is also an active young Farmers club and a singing party “Hogie Ysbyty” and a number of societies that meet regularly. There is now no shop or pub there but there is a village hall which is available for hire.