The Universal British Directory 1791

DOLGELLY, Merionethshire

DOLGELLY is the chief and largest town in the county of Merioneth, It is ten miles East of the port of Barmouth, forty South of Carnarvon, twenty West of Bala, twenty North of Machynlleth, thirty-five from Montgomery, and 205 from London. it is situated on the river Avon, at the bottom of that romantic high hill called Kader-Iris, well known as one of the loftiest mountains in Wales, and on a good road leading from Shrewsbury to Carnarvon and Holyhead. As it is surrounded with mountains, they are commonly called its walls: it has a steeple that grows in it, and its bell hangs in a yew-tree.

Here is a modern-built parish-church. The buildings, in general, are low and irregular. About five miles from hence is the cataract of Dol y Myllyn, which falls thirty-five feet into a large bason, and from thence twenty feet more, with an awful noise. The markets are on Tuesdays and Saturdays; and there are seven fairs in the year. The tide flows within a mile of the town. The town and its vicinity are remarkable for the manufacture of what they call webbing or white plains, a kind of coarse woollen cloth undyed, chiefly for exportation. The principal inhabitants of. the town are as follows: