The Town and Borough of Criccieth came into being some 723 years ago  on  22nd November 1284 when a charter was granted by Edward the First. Edward had made four visits to Criccieth. He came in August [15th]1283 and again in May [22nd] and August [3rd] 1284 having been on a pilgrimage to Bardsey and again in October [26th] of that year .

Although the original charter is now lost, copies were made and kept for confirmation by successive monarchs .Edward II. Richard I. Henry IV and Henry VI .

Attached to the Charter was a great seal . The Societie’s Logo echoes the style  in its design  

The first Mayor was William de Leyburn, who was ap­pointed Constable of the castle a month after the signing of the Charter. After the town had been brought into being, and a number of Burgesses had settled there, the Borough continued to function normally throughout the fourteenth century, during which time the standard Courts were held regularly at their appointed times, such as the Three-weeks court, the Leet, the Pie-powder and Fair courts. The weekly market was on a Thursday and there were two annual Fairs on the 25th of April and 18th of October, the Tolls levied being all collected and recorded. One of the last Constables of the Castle, and the most famous, Sir Hywel. y Fwyall. His father, Gruffydd ap Hywel ap Maredudd, was one of the prin­cipal landowners in Eifionydd, and his brother, Einion ap Gruffydd of Chwilog, was a High Sheriff. Hywel was knighted on the field of battle at Crecy in 1346 and was Constable and Mayor of Criccieth from about 1360 until his death some twenty years later, lolo Goch in a poem of praise describes him as 'a puissant knight, head of a garrison guarding the land'.

The Town and Borough of Criccieth