Eglwys yn Eryri yn fuddugol annisgwyl mewn cystadleuaeth Reddit fyd-eang
Mae eglwys fach yn Eryri wedi denu sylw eang ar-lein ar ôl bod y lleoliad olaf i oroesi mewn cystadleuaeth fis o hyd a oedd yn cynnwys cyfranogiad miloedd o ddefnyddwyr Reddit.
Eglwys y Santes Fair, Beddgelert, oedd y lle olaf ar ôl mewn her a gynhaliwyd gan gymuned Reddit r/terriblemaps, a wahoddodd ddefnyddwyr i bleidleisio dro ar ôl tro i ddileu hanner map nes mai dim ond un lleoliad oedd ar ôl.
Dechreuodd y gystadleuaeth gyda’r byd cyfan wedi’i rannu’n ddau hanner. Pleidleisiodd defnyddwyr dros ba hanner ddylai gael ei ddileu cyn i’r ardal oedd yn weddill gael ei rhannu eto, gyda’r broses yn cael ei hailadrodd. Dros 29 rownd, cafodd cyfandiroedd, gwledydd, rhanbarthau a threfi eu dileu fesul tipyn nes i’r gystadleuaeth gulhau i ardal fach o amgylch Beddgelert.
Yn y rownd derfynol, Eglwys y Santes Fair oedd y lleoliad olaf i oroesi.
Mae’r canlyniad yn adlewyrchu agwedd adnabyddus ar ddiwylliant Reddit, lle mae cymunedau ar-lein yn aml yn cofleidio enillwyr annisgwyl ac yn creu jôcs parhaus o’u cwmpas. Wrth i ranbarthau mwy gael eu dileu ac wrth i’r map gulhau tuag at Feddgelert, dechreuodd defnyddwyr gefnogi Eglwys y Santes Fair fwyfwy. Lledaenodd newyddion am y gystadleuaeth y tu hwnt i Reddit hefyd, gyda thrigolion lleol yn ymuno â’r drafodaeth ar-lein ac yn helpu i feithrin cefnogaeth i’r pentref yn ystod y rowndiau olaf.
Canmolodd defnyddwyr Reddit y pentref a’r eglwys. Disgrifiodd un Beddgelert fel “lle hyfryd”, tra ysgrifennodd un arall: “Eglwys hardd. Dim syndod iddi ennill.” Wrth i’r gystadleuaeth ddod i ben, bu cefnogwyr yn annog pobl i ymweld â’r eglwys.
Dywedodd y ficer lleol, y Parch Kim Williams: “Roeddem wedi’n synnu o glywed bod Eglwys y Santes Fair wedi dod yn ganolbwynt cystadleuaeth ar-lein, ond mae’n braf gweld cymaint o bobl yn siarad mor gadarnhaol am Feddgelert ac Eryri.
“Efallai fy mod yn rhagfarnllyd wrth ddweud hyn, ond roedd hi’n sicr yn haeddu ennill! Mae Eglwys y Santes Fair wedi gwasanaethu’r gymuned leol ers cenedlaethau. Rydym bob amser yn falch o groesawu ymwelwyr sy’n dod i fwynhau’r pentref, y tirwedd a’r eglwys.”
Mae Beddgelert yn lle poblogaidd i dwristiaid sy’n archwilio Eryri, gyda Rheilffordd Eryri, llwybrau cerdded drwy Geunant Aberglaslyn, yn leoliad dechrau Llwybr Watkin i fyny’r Wyddfa, ac mae Mwynglawdd Copr Sygun gerllaw.
Saif Eglwys y Santes Fair yn agos at un o dirnodau enwocaf Beddgelert, Bedd Gelert. Mae’r bedd yn gysylltiedig â chwedl y Tywysog Llywelyn a’i gi ffyddlon, Gelert. Yn ôl y chwedl, dychwelodd Llywelyn o hela i ganfod bod ei fab bach ar goll a bod Gelert wedi’i orchuddio â gwaed. Gan gredu bod y ci wedi lladd y plentyn, lladdodd Gelert, cyn darganfod y baban yn ddianaf wrth ymyl corff blaidd yr oedd Gelert wedi’i ladd. Gall ymwelwyr gyrraedd y bedd ar daith gerdded fer ar hyd glan yr afon o’r eglwys.
Eryri church becomes unlikely winner in global Reddit competition
A small church in Eryri (Snowdonia) has gained widespread online attention after emerging as the final location remaining in a month-long online competition involving thousands of Reddit users.
St Mary's Church, Beddgelert, was the last place standing in a challenge hosted by the Reddit community r/terriblemaps, which invited users to repeatedly vote out half of a map until only a single location remained.
The competition began with the entire world divided into two halves. Users voted on which half should be eliminated before the remaining area was divided again and the process repeated. Over 29 rounds, continents, countries, regions and towns were gradually removed until the contest narrowed to a small area around Beddgelert.
In the final round, St Mary's Church emerged as the last surviving location.
The result reflects a well-known aspect of Reddit culture, where online communities often embrace unlikely underdogs and develop running jokes around them. As larger regions were eliminated and the map narrowed towards Beddgelert, users increasingly rallied behind St Mary's Church. News of the contest also spread beyond Reddit, with local residents joining the online discussion and helping build support for the village during the final rounds.
Reddit users praised both the village and the church. One described Beddgelert as "a gorgeous place", while another wrote: "Beautiful Church. No wonder it won." As the contest drew to a close, supporters rallied around the church and encouraged people to visit.
Local vicar Revd Kim Williams says, "We were quite surprised to learn that St Mary's Church had become the focus of an online competition but it’s nice to see so many people speaking positively about Beddgelert and Eryri.
“I might be biased saying this but it definitely deserved to win! St Mary's has served the local community for generations. We are always pleased to welcome visitors who come to enjoy the village, the landscape and the church."
Beddgelert is a popular tourist spot for exploring Eryri, with the Welsh Highland Railway, walks through the Aberglaslyn Gorge, the start of the Walkin Path up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), and the nearby Sygun Copper Mine.
St Mary’s Church stands close to one of Beddgelert’s most famous landmarks, Gelert’s Grave. The grave is linked to the legend of Prince Llywelyn and his faithful hound Gelert.
According to the story, Llywelyn returned from hunting to find his baby son missing and Gelert covered in blood. Believing the dog had killed the child, he killed Gelert, before discovering the baby unharmed beside the body of a wolf Gelert had slain. Visitors can reach the grave by a short riverside walk from the church.