The area is governed by Ceiriog Uchaf Community Council,[1] and had a total population of 346, in 129 households, at the 2001 census.

The area was originally part of the Llansillin Rural District of Denbighshire and was made up of the civil parishes of Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog and Llangadwaladr.

The Local Government Act 1972 abolished all of these administrative structures, replacing them with the new Community of Ceiriog Ucha, part of the Glyndŵr district of Clwyd.

In 1923 a proposal was put before the British Parliament to flood 13,600 acres (55 km2) of the area, to form a reservoir to provide water to the Corporation of Warrington, evicting the local farming and working population and completely obliterating the village of Tregeiriog.

Opposers of the proposal, who were backed by a fund organised by the Western Mail newspaper, used the slogan "They want to take the "W" out of WALES and turn it into ALES".