Dolcorsllwyn Hall

Dolcorsllwyn Hall is an imposing, Elizabethan-style , family mansion, situated on the banks of the River Dovey between the villages Cemmaes Road and Mallwyd. The Hall is situated in its own grounds with access via a short tree-lined drive from the main road. At its entrance is the privately owned Old Coach House. The Hall is now owned by the trustees of the Dolcorsllwyn Hall Association and used as a residential centre for Merseyside children. My memories of Dolly Hall go back to the 1960s and 1970s when I accompanied parties of children from Brookfield School, Kirkby. It was an ideal centre for studying Biology (my subject), Geography, and Local History. Visits included the seaside resorts of Aberystwyth and Aberdovey; the rural town of Machynlleth; the villages of Mallwyd and Cemmaes Road, and the Cader Idris mountain. Mallwyd was an interesting place - its parish church had a whale bone (found in the River Dovey) above its entrance. Nearby is Brigands Inn, named after a gang of robbers, whose leader was reputedly hanged from a tree near the bridge. There were many local walks including one to the local lake returning through the Dovey Forest. It was an unique experience for the Merseyside children, exchanging the hustle and bustle of city life for the calm and tranquility of the Welsh countryside. For me they were opportunities for discovering more of my Welsh heritage.