Edeyrnion Rural District

It was created under the Local Government Act 1894 from that part of the Corwen rural sanitary district which was in Merionethshire. It continued in existence until 1974, when it was abolished, becoming part of the district of Glyndwr in Clwyd (the only part of Merionethshire not to be part of the Meirionnydd district in Gwynedd.

Edeyrnion was also the name of an ancient cantref and petty kingdom in early medieval Wales and takes its name from early ruler of the area (Edeirn). Edeyrnion was nominally a part of the kingdom of Powys but was often subject to border intrusions by the neighbouring kingdom of Gwynedd. These rumbling border disputes caused a great deal of friction between the two realms. Edeyrnion was occupied and annexed by Gwynedd at the time of Llywelyn Fawr but returned to Powys following a treaty with England after his death in 1240. The territory was again occupied by Gwynedd after 1267 before being returned again to Powys. This continuing dispute and the appeal by Llywelyn the Last to King Edward I of England to see the resolution of this dispute settled by Welsh Law was one of the main reasons the principalities of north Wales were unable to unite in opposition to English hegemony and was a contributing factor to the final war between Gwynedd and England which ultimately saw the end of Welsh independence.

References

• http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10008207
• Local Government Act 1972