Just opposite Mallwyd, close to the banks of the Dyfi, are houses called Camlan Uchaf and Camlan Isaf (Upper and Lower Camlan), and above them there are hills named Camlan and Bron Camlan. There's a Maes-y-Camlan (= Field of Camlan), another Camlan 3 miles up the road from Dinas Mawddwy, towards Cross Foxes, and an Afon Camlan even further over the hills, draining into the Mawddach. So why so much Camlan tradition in the area? Search me. For a seemingly scholarly discussion on Camlan being the location of King Arthur's last battle, go to:

http://www.earlybritishkingdoms.com/arthur/kabattles.html#Camlann

Rev. John Davies, Mallwyd

For 30 years Rector of the parish, he died in 1644 and is buried at St. Tydecho's, Mallwyd. For more on this translator of the Bible and producer of a Welsh dictionary/grammar, take a look at:

http://www.britannia.com/wales/lit/lit10.html on The Welsh Renaissance.

Thomas Pennant reports in his 1778 "A Tour in Wales" that Dr. Davies defied his archbishop by moving the altar of Mallwyd church from its "imaginary superstitious site at the east end" to the middle of the church.

Canon Vaughan-Jones

Canon Geraint Vaughan-Jones (1929-1996, bardic name Erfyl Fychan) was vicar of Mallwyd and Llanymawddwy from 1976. He devoted much time to researching and rescuing for posterity an ancient oral tradition of Welsh carol singing, plygain, a modified version of a pre-Reformation Christmas service. Unaccompanied, and often in 3- or 4-part harmony, these carols were traditionally sung by local families in rural churches before dawn on Christmas day, and the words of the carols were often unique to a particular family. He published his collections of carols in 1987 and 1990 (Lolfa Press).

Hauntings

High up in Cwm Cewydd, way beyond Mallwyd, is a house called Castell, and it is here that a number of apparitions have been reported, all connected with an unfaithful husband and his dead wife.