The village was once a thriving community, but it was completely submerged to create a reservoir – and visitors can see its haunting memorial today and even spot the buildings if they’re lucky
Everything was taken from the village and its rich heritage (Image: Mirrorpix via Getty Images)
Once a thriving, proud Welsh-speaking community, this cherished village was entirely abandoned and left to disappear beneath the water without a trace.
The submersion of this much-loved settlement remains a deeply painful topic for those in the surrounding area, who fought with every ounce of strength to preserve their homes. Sadly, their determined efforts proved futile, as the UK government flooded the village entirely to provide water to a considerably larger English city.
In 1965, the village of Capel Celyn, tucked away in the Tryweryn Valley in North Wales, was lost forever when it was left to sink beneath the surface of a vast reservoir. It was a deeply contentious decision, to say the least, driven by the Liverpool Corporation to provide water to Liverpool and the Wirral.
For some, it may have appeared to be little more than a straightforward infrastructure project, but for the vast majority, the implications ran far deeper. The devastation it brought to the local area and the broader Welsh community had a profound political impact, fuelling a significant surge in support for Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru.
The fight for the village
It was in 1955 that the residents of Capel Celyn first discovered their homes had been earmarked for sacrifice to make way for a new reservoir, marking the start of a grueling decade-long struggle. Before long, the villagers banded together, forming what became known as the Capel Celyn Defense Committee, which debated, protested and condemned the scheme across the country and as far as Liverpool.
On several occasions, this led them to march directly to Liverpool to make their opposition unmistakably clear.
Despite their determined efforts, Liverpool councillors voted overwhelmingly in favour of pressing ahead with the plans, and in 1957, a private bill backed by Liverpool City Council was brought before Parliament.
All 35 Welsh Members of Parliament who cast their votes opposed the bill, yet it was passed regardless in 1962. Three years on, the village and all its buildings, including people’s homes, were submerged beneath the water.
In total, approximately 800 acres of land were consumed by the reservoir, taking with it the school, the post office, the chapel and the cemetery.
Some 48 people lost their homes out of the 67 who had lived in the valley, with many forced to relocate to entirely unfamiliar areas and rebuild their lives from scratch.
What made this so deeply controversial was the wholesale destruction of a traditional Welsh community, as the village had stood as a living symbol of authentic Welsh culture and its endangered language.
The site today
Visitors continue to flock to the site to this day. During particularly dry periods if the water levels drop enough, you can occasionally spot some of the ruins of the houses, school and post office. One TripAdvisor reviewer described the place as “beautiful but sad”.
They wrote: “This wasn’t my first visit to this beautiful area, but after researching the flooding of the village and being Welsh, we spent more time around where the village once stood.
“There is no doubt the scenery is outstanding, but I also found it to be quite sad; people’s lives were completely upturned, and their entire village was drowned. Well worth a visit, especially if you read the history of the village.”
The reservoir offers a breathtaking backdrop, framed by the gently rolling hills of the valley, and many visitors opt to take a stroll around the area. A memorial chapel stands as a tribute to the village that once existed, offering a place for people to reflect on its history.
One visitor remarked: “Poignant and stunning. The heartbreaking history of this reservoir should never be forgotten.”
There is every chance the village could resurface this year, as it only emerges above the waterline during spells of extreme heat. The ongoing heatwave may cause water levels to drop sufficiently, much as they did in 2018.