Conwy County Borough has only existed since 1996. Before that, the towns and villages that make it up were split between two historic counties, Caernarfonshire and Denbighshire, and from 1974 to 1996 between two administrative counties, Gwynedd and Clwyd. If you are tracing family history, reading old maps or wondering why your grandparents’ address said “Denbighshire”, this guide explains where each place used to belong.
A short history of the county boundaries
Before 1974: Caernarfonshire and Denbighshire
For centuries the River Conwy was the main boundary in this part of Wales. Land to the west, including Conwy, Llandudno, Penmaenmawr, Llanfairfechan and the mountain villages around Betws-y-Coed, was in Caernarfonshire. Land to the east, including Colwyn Bay, Abergele, Llanrwst and the uplands of Mynydd Hiraethog, was in Denbighshire.
1974 to 1996: Gwynedd and Clwyd
The Local Government Act 1972 replaced the old counties in 1974. The western side of today’s county became the borough of Aberconwy in the new county of Gwynedd. The eastern side became the borough of Colwyn in the new county of Clwyd. The new line did not follow the River Conwy exactly: Llanrwst and several Denbighshire parishes on the east bank, including Glan Conwy, Eglwysbach and Llanddoged, were placed in Aberconwy and so moved into Gwynedd.
1996: Conwy County Borough
Under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, Aberconwy and Colwyn were joined on 1 April 1996 to form a single unitary authority. It began life as Aberconwy and Colwyn and was renamed Conwy the following day. Two communities from Colwyn borough, Cefn Meiriadog and Trefnant, went to Denbighshire instead.
Today
For ceremonial purposes, such as the Lord Lieutenant, the whole of Conwy County Borough has been part of the preserved county of Clwyd since 2003. This is why some sources describe Conwy, Llandudno or Betws-y-Coed as being “in Clwyd”, even though they were historically in Caernarfonshire.
Historic county of every community
| Community | Historic county (before 1974) | 1974 to 1996 |
|---|---|---|
| Abergele | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Betws-y-Coed | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Betws yn Rhos | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Bro Garmon | Denbighshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Bro Machno | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Caerhun | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Capel Curig | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Cerrigydrudion | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Colwyn Bay | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Conwy | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Dolgarrog | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Dolwyddelan | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Eglwysbach | Denbighshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Henryd | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Llanddoged and Maenan | Split: Llanddoged in Denbighshire, Maenan in Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Llanddulas and Rhyd-y-foel | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Llandudno | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Llanfairfechan | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Llanfair Talhaiarn | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Llangernyw | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Llangwm | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Llannefydd | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Llanrwst | Denbighshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Llansanffraid Glan Conwy | Denbighshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Llansannan | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Llysfaen | Caernarfonshire until 1923, then Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Mochdre | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Old Colwyn | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Penmaenmawr | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Pentrefoelas | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Rhos-on-Sea | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Towyn and Kinmel Bay | Denbighshire | Clwyd (Colwyn) |
| Trefriw | Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
| Ysbyty Ifan | Split by the River Conwy between Denbighshire and Caernarfonshire | Gwynedd (Aberconwy) |
Boundary oddities worth knowing
- Llysfaen was a detached piece of Caernarfonshire, completely surrounded by Denbighshire, until it was transferred in 1923.
- Ysbyty Ifan and Llanddoged and Maenan both straddled the old county line, which followed the River Conwy through them.
- Llanrwst, Glan Conwy, Eglwysbach, Llanddoged, Bro Garmon and Ysbyty Ifan were all historically in Denbighshire but spent 1974 to 1996 in Gwynedd.
- Deganwy and Llandudno Junction are part of Conwy community today, not Llandudno, and were historically in Caernarfonshire.
Tips for family historians
Older records such as parish registers, rate books and electoral rolls were usually kept by the county that existed at the time. For a place in Conwy County that means:
- Records from before 1974 are filed under Caernarfonshire or Denbighshire, using the historic county in the table above.
- Records from 1974 to 1996 are filed under Gwynedd or Clwyd.
- Depending on the parish and the period, original documents may be held by Conwy Archive Service, Gwynedd Archives or Denbighshire Archives. It is worth checking all three catalogues.