| Ffestiniog | |
|---|---|
 Blaenau Ffestiniog | |
  Ffestiniog Location within Gwynedd | |
| Area | 56.99 km2 (22.00 sq mi) |
| Population | 4,875 (2011) |
| • Density | 86/km2 (220/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SH705455 |
| Community |
|
| Principal area | |
| Preserved county | |
| Country | Wales |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BLAENAU FFESTINIOG |
| Postcode district | LL41 |
| Dialling code | 01766 |
| Police | North Wales |
| Fire | North Wales |
| Ambulance | Welsh |
| UK Parliament | |
| Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament | |
| |
Ffestiniog (/fɛsˈtɪnjɒɡ/;[1][2] Welsh pronunciation: [fɛstˈɪnjɔg] ⓘ) is a communityinGwynedd, Wales, containing several villages, in particular the settlements of Llan Ffestiniog and Blaenau Ffestiniog. It has a population of 4,875.[3][4]
Ffestiniog was a parish in Cantref Ardudwy; in 1284, Ardudwy became part of the county of Merionethshire, which became an administrative county in 1888.[5] Mary Evans (1735–89) founded a sect in Ffestiniog around 1780, whose believers held that she had married Christ in a ceremony held in Ffestiniog church. The sect soon died out after her death.[6] The parish was created an urban district in 1894.[5] On 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, Ffestiniog Urban District was abolished, becoming merged with other districts to form Meirionnydd District, which was itself abolished in 1996. Ffestiniog became a community with an elected town council.
Ffestiniog Golf Club was founded in 1893. The club closed at the end of March 2014.[7]
Celtic place-name in *-ākon "place of", then, "place belonging to, territory of" > Old Welsh -auc, -awg > Welsh -og. The form -iog with an additional /i/ can be explained by the preceding element, which is a personal name ending with -i-us : Festinius. The whole name should be *Festiniākon. Probably same name as Festigny (France, e.g.: Festigny, Marne, Festiniacus in 853)
