Dolgelly is the chief and largest town in the county of Merioneth. It is ten miles East of the port of Barmouth, forty South of Carnarvon, twenty West of Bala, twenty North of Machynlleth, thirty-five from Montgomery, and 205 from London. It is situated on the river Avon, at the bottom of that romantic hill called Kader-Iris, well known as one of the loftiest mountains in Wales, and on a good road leading from Shrewsbury to Carnarvon and Holyhead. As it is surrounded with mountains, they are commonly called its walls: it has a steeple that grows in it, and its bell hangs in a yew-tree. Here is a modern-built parish-church. The buildings, in general, are low and irregular.
About five miles from hence is the cataract of Dol y Myllyn, which falls thirty-five feet into a large bason, and from thence twenty feet more, with an awful noise.
The markets are on Tuesdays and Saturdays; and there are seven fairs in the year. The tide flows within a mile of the town.
The town and its vicinity are remarkable for the manufacture of what they call webbing or white plains, a kind of coarse woollen cloth undyed, chiefly for exportation. – The principal inhabitants of the town are as follows:
Physic
Evans Ellis, Surgeon
Roberts Griffith, Surgeon
Law
Anuyl Edward, Attorney
Jones Hugh, Attorney
Parry Howel, Attorney
Traders, &c.
Davies William, Merchant
Evans Evan, Grocer
Evans John, Web-manufacturer
Evans Evan, Merchant
Griffiths Evan, Web-manufacturer
Griffiths John, Web-manufacturer
Griffiths Robert, Web-manufacturer
Humphreys John, Web-manufacturer
Humphreys Benj. Web-manufacturer
Jones Lewis, Skinner
Jones Griffiths, Skinner
Jones John, Merchant
Jones Robert, Grocer
Jones Edward, Grocer
Jones Thomas, Merchant
Jones William, Merchant
Jones William, Web-manufacturer
Jones Ellis, Web-manufacturer
Jones Evan, Web-manufacturer
Lloyd John, Mercer
Lloyd William, Tanner
Lloyd Hugh, Currier
Lloyd Evan, Corn-factor
Lloyd Evan, Timber-merchant
Lewis David, Carrier
Lewis Hugh, Woolstapler
Lloyd Robert, Plumber and Glazier
Owens David, Plumber and Glazier
Owens Rowland, Tanner
Owen Hugh, Sadler
Parry Hugh, Sadler
Pugh Lewis, Web-manufacturer
Pugh David, Web-manufacturer
Pugh Robert, Web-manufacturer
Pugh Lewis, Skinner
Pugh Griffith, Skinner
Roberts Cadwallader, Merchant
Roberts Robert, Tanner
Roberts John, Web-manufacturer
Williams William, Tanner
Williams Ellis, Grocer
Williams Joseph, Merchant
Source: The Universal British Directory of Trade, Commerce, and Manufacture 1791. Vol. 2.
