Conwy County Borough stretches from the Victorian resorts of the North Wales coast to the high moorland of Mynydd Hiraethog and the mountains of Eryri. For local government it is divided into 35 communities, the Welsh equivalent of civil parishes. Each one covers a town or a cluster of villages and hamlets, and most have their own town or community council.
This guide lists every community in alphabetical order, with the main places it includes, its Welsh name where that differs, its postcode district and a little of what makes it distinctive. For council contact details see our list of town and community councils in Conwy County.
Communities at a glance
| Community | Welsh name | Includes | Postcode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abergele | Abergele | Abergele, Pensarn | LL22 |
| Betws-y-Coed | Betws-y-coed | Betws-y-Coed | LL24 |
| Betws yn Rhos | Betws-yn-Rhos | Betws yn Rhos, Llanelian-yn-Rhos, Trofarth, Dawn, Bryn-y-maen | LL22, LL29 |
| Bro Garmon | Bro Garmon | Capel Garmon, Nebo, Melin-y-coed | LL26 |
| Bro Machno | Bro Machno | Penmachno, Cwm Penmachno | LL24 |
| Caerhun | Caerhun | Tal-y-bont, Rowen, Ty’n-y-groes, Llanbedr-y-cennin | LL32 |
| Capel Curig | Capel Curig | Capel Curig | LL24 |
| Cerrigydrudion | Cerrigydrudion | Cerrigydrudion, Glasfryn, Cefn Brith | LL21 |
| Colwyn Bay | Bae Colwyn | Colwyn Bay | LL29 |
| Conwy | Conwy | Conwy, Deganwy, Llandudno Junction | LL31, LL32 |
| Dolgarrog | Dolgarrog | Dolgarrog, Porthllwyd | LL32 |
| Dolwyddelan | Dolwyddelan | Dolwyddelan, Pont-y-pant | LL25 |
| Eglwysbach | Eglwys-bach | Eglwysbach, Tal-y-cafn | LL28 |
| Henryd | Henryd | Henryd, Llechwedd, Groesffordd | LL32 |
| Llanddoged and Maenan | Llanddoged a Maenan | Llanddoged, Maenan | LL26 |
| Llanddulas and Rhyd-y-foel | Llanddulas a Rhyd-y-foel | Llanddulas, Rhyd-y-foel | LL22 |
| Llandudno | Llandudno | Llandudno, Craig-y-Don, Penrhyn Bay, Penrhynside | LL30 |
| Llanfairfechan | Llanfairfechan | Llanfairfechan | LL33 |
| Llanfair Talhaiarn | Llanfair Talhaearn | Llanfair Talhaiarn, Moelfre | LL22 |
| Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr | Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr | Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr | LL21 |
| Llangernyw | Llangernyw | Llangernyw, Gwytherin, Pandy Tudur | LL22 |
| Llangwm | Llangwm | Llangwm, Dinmael, Maerdy, Glan-yr-afon, Ty-nant | LL21 |
| Llannefydd | Llanefydd | Llannefydd, Cefn Berain | LL16 |
| Llanrwst | Llanrwst | Llanrwst | LL26 |
| Llansanffraid Glan Conwy | Llansanffraid Glan Conwy | Glan Conwy, Pentrefelin | LL28 |
| Llansannan | Llansannan | Llansannan, Bylchau | LL16 |
| Llysfaen | Llysfaen | Llysfaen | LL29 |
| Mochdre | Mochdre | Mochdre | LL28 |
| Old Colwyn | Hen Golwyn | Old Colwyn | LL29 |
| Penmaenmawr | Penmaenmawr | Penmaenmawr, Dwygyfylchi, Capelulo | LL34 |
| Pentrefoelas | Pentrefoelas | Pentrefoelas, Rhydlydan | LL24 |
| Rhos-on-Sea | Llandrillo-yn-Rhos | Rhos-on-Sea | LL28 |
| Towyn and Kinmel Bay | Bae Cinmel a Tywyn | Towyn, Kinmel Bay | LL18, LL22 |
| Trefriw | Trefriw | Trefriw, Llanrhychwyn | LL27 |
| Ysbyty Ifan | Ysbyty Ifan | Ysbyty Ifan | LL24 |
Postcode districts often spill over community boundaries, so treat the postcode column as a guide. See our Conwy County postcodes guide for more detail.
The communities in detail
Abergele
A market town on the coast between Colwyn Bay and Rhyl, with the seaside district of Pensarn below it. Gwrych Castle, a Gothic revival mansion built in the early 19th century, looks down on the town from the wooded hillside to the west.
Betws-y-Coed
The best known village in Eryri, set where the River Llugwy meets the River Conwy. Thomas Telford’s cast-iron Waterloo Bridge of 1815 carries the A5 across the Conwy at the southern end of the village. Visitor information: betws-y-coed.com.
Betws yn Rhos
A rural community in the rolling hills behind Abergele and Colwyn Bay, taking in the villages of Betws yn Rhos and Llanelian-yn-Rhos and a scatter of farming hamlets such as Trofarth and Dawn.
Bro Garmon
Upland country on the east side of the Conwy valley above Llanrwst and Betws-y-Coed. Its main village is Capel Garmon, close to the Capel Garmon chambered tomb, a Neolithic burial chamber looked after by Cadw.
Bro Machno
The Machno valley south of Betws-y-Coed, with the villages of Penmachno and Cwm Penmachno. Tŷ Mawr Wybrnant, the National Trust farmhouse where Bishop William Morgan was born, is here. Morgan translated the whole Bible into Welsh, published in 1588.
Caerhun
A string of villages on the west side of the Conwy valley, including Tal-y-bont, Rowen, Ty’n-y-groes and Llanbedr-y-cennin. The church of St Mary stands inside the site of Canovium, a Roman fort that guarded a crossing of the River Conwy.
Capel Curig
A small mountain village at the foot of Moel Siabod, on the A5 between Betws-y-Coed and Ogwen. It is a long-standing base for walkers and climbers and home to the Plas y Brenin outdoor centre.
Cerrigydrudion
An upland village on the A5 in the far south of the county, surrounded by the farmland and moorland of Mynydd Hiraethog. Llyn Brenig reservoir lies a short drive to the east.
Colwyn Bay
A Victorian seaside town with a long promenade and sandy beach. Colwyn Bay, Old Colwyn and Rhos-on-Sea are three separate communities but share one council, Bay of Colwyn Town Council. Visitor information: colwyn.org.uk.
Conwy
The medieval walled town of Conwy, whose castle and town walls are part of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Site. The community also takes in Deganwy and Llandudno Junction on the east side of the estuary.
Dolgarrog
A village on the west side of the Conwy valley below the Carneddau. It is remembered for the Dolgarrog dam disaster of 2 November 1925, when the Eigiau dam failed and the flood killed 16 people.
Dolwyddelan
The main village of the Lledr valley, between Betws-y-Coed and Blaenau Ffestiniog. Dolwyddelan Castle, built by Llywelyn the Great in the early 13th century, stands on a rocky ridge above the valley.
Eglwysbach
A rural community on the east side of the Conwy valley, including the village of Eglwysbach and the old river crossing at Tal-y-cafn. Bodnant Garden is close by.
Henryd
The countryside immediately south of Conwy town, including Henryd, Llechwedd and Groesffordd. The community was formed from the old parishes of Llangelynnin and Llechwedd, and the remote old church of St Celynnin sits high on the hillside above.
Llanddoged and Maenan
Two villages north of Llanrwst on the east bank of the Conwy. Maenan is where the Cistercian monks of Aberconwy Abbey were moved in the 1280s, after Edward I chose their original site at Conwy for his castle and town.
Llanddulas and Rhyd-y-foel
A coastal community between Old Colwyn and Abergele. The limestone hills behind it, including Cefn yr Ogof, have been quarried for generations.
Llandudno
The largest town in the county and the “Queen of Welsh Resorts”, set between the Great Orme and the Little Orme. The community includes Craig-y-Don, Penrhyn Bay and Penrhynside. Visitor information: llandudno.com.
Llanfairfechan
A small coastal town at the western edge of the county, where the Carneddau come down to the sea. Its promenade looks out over the sands of Traeth Lafan towards Anglesey.
Llanfair Talhaiarn
A village in the Elwy valley, south of Abergele. The 19th-century poet John Jones, known by his bardic name Talhaiarn, was born here.
Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr
A small village on the Afon Alwen at the southern edge of the county, near Clocaenog Forest. It was the birthplace of Owain Myfyr, the 18th-century London Welsh antiquarian who helped publish early Welsh literature.
Llangernyw
An inland community taking in Llangernyw, Gwytherin and Pandy Tudur. The Llangernyw Yew in St Digain’s churchyard is thought to be one of the oldest living trees in Britain.
Llangwm
Remote upland farming country near the border with Denbighshire and Gwynedd, including Llangwm, Dinmael, Maerdy, Glan-yr-afon and Ty-nant.
Llannefydd
A hilltop village and its surrounding farmland above the Elwy valley, between Llansannan and St Asaph.
Llanrwst
The market town of the Conwy valley. Its three-arched Pont Fawr dates from 1636 and is traditionally attributed to Inigo Jones, with the ivy-covered Tu Hwnt i’r Bont cottage on the far bank.
Llansanffraid Glan Conwy
Usually just called Glan Conwy, this village sits on the east shore of the Conwy estuary opposite Conwy and Llandudno Junction.
Llansannan
A village on the River Aled at the edge of Mynydd Hiraethog. A statue of a young girl by the sculptor William Goscombe John stands in the village, honouring the Welsh writers associated with the parish.
Llysfaen
A hill village above Old Colwyn, with views along the coast. Until 1923 Llysfaen was a detached part of Caernarfonshire surrounded by Denbighshire.
Mochdre
A village between Colwyn Bay and Llandudno Junction, beside the A55. Its name, “pig town”, is linked to a tale in the Mabinogi.
Old Colwyn
The original village of Colwyn, east of Colwyn Bay town centre. It is a community in its own right but shares Bay of Colwyn Town Council with Colwyn Bay and Rhos-on-Sea.
Penmaenmawr
A coastal town beneath the quarried headland of Penmaenmawr mountain, including Dwygyfylchi and Capelulo. The mountain was the site of a Neolithic stone axe factory at Graiglwyd.
Pentrefoelas
A former estate village on the A5 between Betws-y-Coed and Cerrigydrudion, built to serve the Voelas estate.
Rhos-on-Sea
A seaside district west of Colwyn Bay, with a harbour and promenade. St Trillo’s Chapel, one of the smallest churches in Britain, stands on the shore. Rhos-on-Sea is a separate community within Bay of Colwyn Town Council.
Towyn and Kinmel Bay
A low-lying stretch of coast between Abergele and Rhyl, popular for holiday parks and beaches. Towyn uses Abergele (LL22) addresses and Kinmel Bay uses Rhyl (LL18).
Trefriw
A village on the west side of the Conwy valley, including the hamlet of Llanrhychwyn. Trefriw Woollen Mills have used the power of the Afon Crafnant for generations, and the village was once known for its spa waters.
Ysbyty Ifan
A village on the upper River Conwy, named after the hospice founded here by the Knights of St John in the late 12th century. Much of the surrounding land is part of the National Trust’s Ysbyty Estate.