Why was Capel Celyn flooded?

Liverpool Corporation needed an additional water supply and obtained a private Act of Parliament in 1957 to build the Tryweryn reservoir. The scheme proceeded despite extensive opposition from residents, Welsh councils and all but one Welsh MP.

What was submerged at Capel Celyn?

Official records state that 800 acres were flooded, including 12 farms and land belonging to four others, together with the school, post office, chapel and cemetery site. Buildings were demolished and the cemetery was moved before Llyn Celyn filled.

Can visitors see the ruins of Capel Celyn when water is low?

Some cleared landscape features may be exposed, but the village was demolished before flooding and does not reappear intact. Stay off unsafe reservoir beds, follow signs and visit the memorial chapel and garden for the clearest surviving record.

The Lost Villages

Capel Celyn: The Welsh Village Flooded for Liverpool

Capel Celyn was a Welsh-speaking farming community submerged by Liverpool Corporation's Tryweryn reservoir. Its loss became a defining political symbol—but several familiar statistics and claims need careful correction.

8 August 20266 min read