The village of Cwmpenmachno is situated about three miles north east of Blaenau Festiniog. It was built mainly to accommodate the quarry-men who worked at the Cwm-machno quarry (NPRN 40535). 'The quarry employed 70 men in 1872, 178 in 1898, and 108 in 1937-8. It finally closed in 1962.'
When the village primary school closed in 1966 it was bought by 'The Laymer Foundation.' They adapted it into 'well equipped residential Centre' for Latymer school, a selective grammar school in Edmonton, North London.
In 1999, the Cwm Community Action Group took over the lease of the old Shiloh Wesleyan Methodist Chapel (NPRN 7081). The converted it and it now 'provides a communal centre for village life.' The latest addition to Shiloh opened in 2012: a drop-in heritage room, which is described as 'an interpretative centre and timeline depicting the history and culture of Cwm Penmachno.'
The village had two other chapels - Rhyd-y-Meirch Welsh Calvinistic Methodist chapel (NPRN 7077) and Carmel Wesleyan Methodist chapel (NPRN 11972).
Sources: Latymer school website www.latymer.co.uk and Daily Post article 'New heritage room for Cwm Penmachno' published 30th August 2012.
M. Ryder, RCAHMW, 13th September 2018