Llangorwen
LLANGORWEN, in the county of Cardigan,
South Wales.—See Clarach.
Llangower, or Llangywair, (Llan-Gower)
LLANGOWER, or LLANGYWAIR,
(LLAN-GOWER), a parish, in the union of Bala,
hundred of Penllyn, county of Merioneth, North
Wales, 3 miles (S. by W.) from Bala; containing
368 inhabitants. This parish, which is about five
miles in length and three in breadth, is beautifully
situated on the south-eastern side of Bala lake, and
on the turnpike-road leading from Dinas-Mowddwy
to Bala and Corwen. The surface is in some parts
rocky and mountainous, and in others swampy and
marshy, producing a great abundance of peat, which
forms the principal fuel of the inhabitants. In some
places the scenery is highly picturesque, the parish
comprising part of the Berwyn range of mountains,
from which is a fine view of Bala lake, of the Aran
and Arenig mountains in the distance, and of the intervening country, rich in every variety of beauty.
The living is a discharged rectory, rated in the
king's books at £5. 5., and endowed with £200 royal
bounty; patron, the Bishop of St. Asaph. The tithes
have been commuted for a rent-charge of £182;
there is a glebe-house, and the glebe comprises three
acres and a half, valued at £15 per annum. The
church is dedicated to St. Gwyr, or Cywair, whose
festival is held on July 11th. It is an ancient structure, in the early style of English architecture, and is
beautifully situated, with the small village around it,
on the side of the lake: in the churchyard is an old
yew-tree of remarkable growth. There are one or
two places of worship for Calvinistic Methodists, and
three Sunday schools are supported by the same body.
At the north-eastern extremity of the lake are two
mounds of earth, one of which bears the name of
Castell Gronw Bevr o Benllyn, "the castle of Goronow the Fair of Penllyn," from its having been the
site of a stronghold occupied by that chieftain, who
is said to have lived in the time of Maelgwyn Gwynedd, about the beginning of the sixth century. Near
this place is Fynnon Gwyr, a well to which, under
the auspices of St. Gwyr, extraordinary virtues were
attributed. The Rev. Edward Lloyd, A.M., known
as the author of a work in the Welsh language, entitled Meddyginiaeth, a tract on the Sacrament,
which he translated from that published by Bishop
Patrick, was for forty years incumbent of the parish;
he died in 1685.
Llangranog (Llan-Garanog)
LLANGRANOG (LLAN-GARANOG), a
parish, in the union of Newcastle-Emlyn, Lower
division of the hundred of Moythen, county of
Cardigan, South Wales, 20 miles (W. by N.) from
Lampeter; containing 884 inhabitants. This place
derives its name from the dedication of its church to
St. Caranog, who flourished towards the close of the
sixth century, and is said to have had a small chapel
or oratory among the rocks on this part of the coast,
where he spent his days in religious seclusion. The
parish is situated on the shore of Cardigan bay, by
which it is bounded on the north-west; and on the
turnpike-road from Cardigan to Aberystwith. The
village is seated in a deep dingle, sheltered by hills
on each side, and opening at one extremity towards
the sea. Its situation on the bay of Cardigan, affording excellent opportunities for bathing, occasionally
attracts to it a few visiters during the summer. The
scenery is pleasingly diversified; and from the higher
grounds are obtained fine views, extending over the
bay and the adjacent country. At some distance
above the village stands Pigeonsford, formerly the seat
of the Parry family. The herring-fishery is carried
on to a considerable extent during the season; and
in the trade of limestone and culm, the former being
burnt into lime on the sea-shore, from eight to ten
small vessels are generally engaged, in the management of which from twenty to thirty men are occupied. Below the village is a small creek, affording
shelter to the craft employed in the fishery, and also
a facility of communication with other places on the
coast. A fair is held on May 27th.
The living is a vicarage not in charge, annexed
to the living of Llandysilio-Gogo, and endowed with
£600 parliamentary grant: the commutation for the
tithes of Llangranog amounts to £240, of which £130
are payable to the impropriator, and £110 to the
vicar: there is also a glebe of sixty acres, valued at
£42 per annum. The church is a neat plain edifice
without either tower or spire, consisting of a nave and
chancel separated by a pointed arch; the font is
square, and is supported by a circular pillar. A
small but elegant vicarage-house has been built on
the glebe land under Gilbert's Act. There are places
of worship for Baptists and Independents. A schoolroom has been lately built, partly by subscription,
and partly by a grant of £52 from the Committee of
Council on Education; and there are three Sunday
schools in the parish, one of which is in connexion
with the Church. Above the harbour is a rock,
which, from its fancied resemblance to a large chair,
has obtained the appellation of "Eisteddva Cranwg,"
though by some writers the name is supposed to be
derived from its having been anciently a place of
meeting for the bards; and on the summit of an
eminence in the immediate vicinity is a large tumulus,
in form resembling an inverted pan, and thence
called Pen Moel Badell.
Llangrystyolys (Llan-Grist-Iolus)
LLANGRYSTYOLYS (LLAN-GRIST-IOLUS), a parish, in the hundred of Malltraeth,
union and county of Anglesey, North Wales, 3
miles (S. S. W.) from Llangevni; containing 938 inhabitants. This parish takes its name from the dedication of its church to St. Christiolus, who flourished
about the middle of the seventh century. It is situated on the great road to Holyhead, and is bounded
on the north-east by the parish of Llangevni, on the
east by that of Llanvihangel-Ysceiviog, on the southeast by that of Llanidan, on the south-west by that of
Trevdraeth, and on the north-west by that of Cerrigceinwen. In its southern portion it reaches nearly to
the upper part of the Malltraeth marsh, over which a
road is continued by a noble embankment, extending
about a mile in length. In 1788 and 1790, acts of
parliament were passed for constructing an embankment to secure this low tract from the encroachment
of the sea, and for inclosing it: the whole formed an
extent of about 3000 acres, of which about 800 are
comprised within the limits of this parish. Under
the provisions of these acts considerable progress had
been made in the execution of the work, and many
thousand pounds expended on it, when, in 1796, a
violent irruption of the sea destroyed the greater part
of the embankment, and the enterprise was for some
time abandoned. This desirable work was, however,
resumed under the sanction of an act of parliament
obtained in 1815, and the undertaking was successfully completed in 1819.
The parish comprises by admeasurement 3683
acres, of which 823 are woodland, marsh, and waste,
and the remainder arable, to a great extent inclosed,
and well cultivated. Its surface is varied, gently
sloping to the marsh; and the scenery is ornamented
with clusters of various kinds of trees, ash and sycamore being the most prevalent: there are several
rivulets, and the Cevni, the most considerable stream,
running along the eastern boundary of the parish,
separates it from that of Llanvihangel-Ysceiviog.
The soil on the more elevated grounds is clayey, and
in the other parts is a fine rich loam, producing good
oats, barley, and potatoes, which, with the cattle
reared here, constitute the chief disposable produce.
Limestone, grit, and freestone, of excellent quality,
are quarried; and beds of coal exist, but they are
not at present worked. The only gentleman's seat
is Hênblâs, which is an ancient mansion, built in the
seventeenth century, and beautifully situated on the
brow of the slope, commanding an extensive view of
the range of the Carnarvonshire mountains: it is the
property of Charles Evans, Esq., of whose family
were, Dr. William Lloyd, of St. Asaph, one of the
seven bishops prosecuted by James the Second; and
Dr. Henry Rowlands, Bishop of Bangor in 1600.
The living is a perpetual curacy, with that of Cerrigceinwen annexed. The Rev. Dr. Lewis left £25
per annum, for a sermon to be preached every Sunday
in each of the churches of Llangrystyolys and Cerrigceinwen, of which latter parish he was a native. The
rectorial tithes of the parish have been commuted for
a rent-charge of £331. 12. 4. The church is supposed to have been originally founded about the year
550; it is uncertain when the present structure was
built: it is seventy-nine and a half feet in length and
twenty and a half in breadth, and contains some interesting architectural features. There are one or
two places of worship for dissenters, and a Sunday
school is held. The Rev. Hugh Jones bequeathed
to the parish £100; John Griffith Lewis, £10;
Owen David ab Owen, £10; and various other benefactors, smaller sums of money; amounting in the
whole to £140. This sum was placed on mortgage;
but having been received from the late mortgager by
an attorney, he expended £100 of the amount in
building six cottages, now occupied by poor families
rent-free, and the residue, £40, was never paid, as he
died insolvent shortly after. Two other donations
amounting to £8, and a rent-charge of 10s., have
been lost; and the only charity now available to the
poor is £2. 10., arising from a bequest of £50 left by
the Rev. Dr. Lewis, above mentioned, whose bequests for education and other purposes, not particularly connected with this parish, are noticed in the
article on Cerrigceinwen, his native place. Dr.
Henry Maurice, of Jesus' College, Oxford, and
Margaret Professor of Divinity in that university,
was born in this parish, in 1648; he accompanied his
patron, Sir Leoline Jenkins, to Cologne, and greatly
distinguished himself as a polemical writer.
Llanguicke, or Llanguic (Llan-Gîwg)
LLANGUICKE, or LLANGUIC (LLAN-GÎWG), a parish, in the union of Neath, hundred
of Llangyvelach, county of Glamorgan, South
Wales, 8½ miles (N. N. E.) from Swansea; containing 2813 inhabitants. This place is situated on the
road leading from Neath to Llandilo and Llandovery;
and is bounded on the north by the parish of YstradGunlais in the county of Brecon, on the south-east
by that of Kîlybebill, and on the south-west by Llangyvelach. Upon the south-east side, the river Tawe
flows along the romantic vale to which it gives name,
affording in some parts pleasing views, and sheltered
on both sides by lofty hills of varied appearance, and
rich in mineral wealth. The parish comprises by
admeasurement 12,000 acres, a large portion of which
is common land. The scenery is diversified, many
parts being wild and dreary, and others beautifully
picturesque. Much of the land is swampy and stony,
with a clayey soil, but that on the banks of the river
is fertile, and produces good grain, which, with sheep
and cattle, constitutes the chief produce. The mines
of anthracite or stone-coal, culm, and argillaceous ironore, which are almost inexhaustible, are worked to a
very considerable extent: there are large iron-works
at Ystalyfera, six collieries in the parish, and some
brick-works at Ynysmydw. The gentlemen's residences are Gelligron, Garth Hall, and Alltycham.
The Swansea canal, passing through the parish,
affords the means of conveying produce to the port of
Swansea; and the road above mentioned, and a road
from Swansea to Brecknock, which passes by the village, give a facility of intercourse with the neighbouring districts.
The Ystalyfera iron-works, within the parish of
Llanguicke, which are situated about thirteen miles
from Swansea, and ten miles from Neath, were erected
about ten years ago, and are conducted by the resident partner of the concern, James Palmer Budd,
Esq., of Ynis-y-Daren. Seven or eight smeltingfurnaces are generally in blast here, and when the
works are in full operation, there are as many as
eleven furnaces, blown by two sets of engines, at opposite ends of the buildings. The fuel used is anthracite coal, which is said to make a quality of iron
the nearest to that produced with charcoal; the quantity of iron, however, is not so great as if coke were
used, the yield of each furnace not being above fifty
tons weekly on an average. The produce is employed for making tin-plates, and other superior purposes, as malleable iron; and also as cast-iron, to mix
with Scotch and other fluid but weak descriptions.
In these works may be seen the application of the
waste heat from the top of the blast furnaces, to save
coal in the stoves and boilers, and also in the minekilns: Mr. Budd has a patent for this invention,
which he states saves £1000 a year on each furnace
at work. Besides the iron-ore raised on the spot,
large quantities of ore are imported from Ulverston
in Lancashire, and other places. The blackband
ironstone has been discovered here, but has not as
yet been introduced at the works.
The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with
£600 royal bounty and £1200 parliamentary grant,
and in the patronage of the Leach family, to whom
the impropriation belongs; net income, £103: the
tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £300.
The church, which is dedicated to St. Ciwg, was built
about five centuries ago, and contains 500 sittings.
There are places of worship for Independents and
Wesleyans, two or three day schools, and seven Sunday schools. The late Mrs. Elizabeth Turberville,
of Kîlybebill Place, by indenture in 1795 granted a
moiety of £10 per annum, which is distributed at
Christmas, among the poor of the parish, by the
clergyman and churchwardens. In 1740, Mary Herbert gave a rent-charge of £5, one moiety to be distributed among the poor housekeepers not receiving
parochial aid; and accordingly £2. 10. are so disposed of at Christmas and Easter.
Llangunllo (Llan-Gynllo)
LLANGUNLLO (LLAN-GYNLLO), a parish, in the union of Newcastle-Emlyn, Upper
division of the hundred of Troedyraur, county of
Cardigan, South Wales, 4 miles (N. E. by E.)
from Newcastle-Emlyn; containing 641 inhabitants.
This parish, which derives its name from the dedication of its church to St. Cynllo, is pleasantly situated
on the turnpike-road from Cardigan through Troedyraur to Lampeter. It is bounded on the north by
the parish of Troedyraur, on the south by the parishes
of Hênllan and Llanvair-Orllwyn, on the west by that
of Brongwŷn, and on the south-east by that of Llandyssil. It comprises by computation 3500 acres, of
which 1000 are arable, 2000 pasture, and 500 woodland; the soil is in some parts stony, but in general
fertile, running into several varieties, and the chief
produce of the parish is corn, pigs, and horned cattle.
The surface is undulated and mountainous; the
upper grounds command some extensive and interesting prospects, and from the eminence on which
the church is built is obtained a fine view over a
beautiful vale, above which stands the mansion of
Bronwydd. The only streams are two inconsiderable
rivulets, which, however, contribute to the interest
and beauty of the grounds through which they take
their course, and are ornamented with several fine
plantations of fir. Bronwydd, the residence of the
late patriotic Colonel Lloyd, who commanded the
Teivy-side volunteers, and subsequently the Fishguard and Newton fencibles, is a handsome mansion,
beautifully situated on the summit of an eminence
richly clothed with wood, and overlooking the abovementioned deep and sequestered vale, watered by a
rapid and turbulent stream, which falls into the Teivy
at Hênllan. Gernôs, formerly the mansion of the
family of Lewis, afterwards of Major Parry, by marriage of his ancestor, Thomas Parry, of Cwm Cynon,
Esq., with the heiress of that family, is a good house,
pleasantly situated in grounds comprehending much
varied and pleasing scenery. There is a flag-stone
quarry in which two or three hands are occasionally
employed.
The living is a discharged rectory, rated in the
king's books at £6. 13. 4., and in the patronage of
the freeholders and leaseholders of the parish: the
tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £175;
and there is a glebe of 120 acres, valued at £80 per
annum; also a glebe-house. The church, dedicated
to St. Cynllo, a saint of the fifth century, who was
eminent for the sanctity of his life and the austerity
of his manners, is a neat edifice, situated on a commanding eminence, and rebuilt at the sole expense
of the parishioners; it is thirty-five feet in length
and sixteen in breadth, and consists of a nave and
chancel. There is a place of worship for Independents, with a Sunday school held in it; and a Sunday
school is also held in connexion with the Established
Church. A bequest of £20 by William Hugh, in
1779, for the benefit of the poor, has been lost by
the party in trust becoming insolvent.
Llangunllo (Llan-Gynllo)
LLANGUNLLO (LLAN-GYNLLO), a parish, in the union of Knighton, county of Radnor,
South Wales, 4 miles (W.) from Knighton; comprising the Upper and Lower divisions, in the hundred of Kevenlleece, and part of the township of
Cwm-Heyop, in the hundred of Knighton; and
containing, exclusively of the Cwm-Heyop portion,
444 inhabitants, of which number 284 are resident in
the Upper, and 160 in the Lower, division. This
place derives its name from the dedication of its
church to St. Cynllo, an ancient British saint who
flourished about the middle of the fifth century. It
is situated in the north-eastern portion of the county,
about two miles west of the road leading from Knighton to Pen-y-Bont; and is bounded by the parishes
of Beguildy and Heyop on the north, on the south
by the parish of Blethva, on the east by that of
Knighton, and on the west by that of Llanbister.
It extends nearly four miles in length and three in
breadth, comprising 5627 acres, of which 1000 are
arable, upwards of 4000 pasture and common, and
the remainder woodland. The surface is mountainous, and the scenery, though not distinguished by
any striking peculiarity of features, is in general
pleasing, and, on the side towards Knighton, in many
parts highly picturesque. The Lûg, an inconsiderable stream, runs through the lands; the parish is
rich in oak coppice, and commands from the more
elevated grounds some interesting and finely varied
prospects over the valley of Cwm-Heyop, which is
partly within the parish. The hills are dry, and
afford good pasturage for sheep; in the vale the soil
is rich and fertile, and produces wheat, oats, barley,
and turnips.
In ancient writings this place is styled "Llan
Gynllo cum Capellis," and the parish church of
Pilleth is said to have been formerly a chapel to the
church of Llangunllo. The living is a discharged
vicarage, with the perpetual curacy of Pilleth annexed, rated in the king's books at £5. 1. 0½., the
vicarage endowed with £200 royal bounty, and the
perpetual curacy with £800 royal bounty; patron,
the Bishop of St. David's. Three-fourths of the
tithes of this parish and Pilleth belong to the impropriator, and the remainder to the vicar; they have
been commuted for a rent-charge of £400, of which a
sum of £300 is payable to the impropriator, and £100
to the vicar. The incumbent also has a glebe of four
acres, valued at £5 per annum, and a glebe-house.
The church is an ancient edifice, consisting of a nave
and chancel; it is eighty feet in length, and thirty in
breadth in the middle, and contains about 200 sittings.
There is a place of worship for Baptists.
A Church day school is endowed with a house and
four acres of land, purchased in 1766 with a bequest
of £40 by Thomas Holland; it is further supported
by school-pence, and by subscription. A Sunday
school in connexion with the Established Church is
also held. John Blashfield, in 1795, left £30, the
interest to be expended in clothing the poor not receiving parochial aid; and it is distributed accordingly, after being allowed to accumulate for two or
three years. William Bryan, in 1829, bequeathed
£40, the interest of which, £1. 16., is divided on
Good Friday, agreeably to the will of the donor,
among such poor people as have attained the age of
eighty and upwards. Andrew Clarke, in 1752, bequeathed a rent-charge of £2; and Thomas Meyrick, in 1764, gave a charge of £1. 10., to be annually
distributed among the poor; but these two charities
have been either lost, or never came into operation,
under the Mortmain Act.
Llangunnock (Llan-Gynog)
LLANGUNNOCK (LLAN-GYNOG), a
parish, in the Higher division of the hundred of Derllŷs, union and county of Carmarthen, South
Wales, 6 miles (S. W. by S.) from Carmarthen; containing 800 inhabitants. This parish is situated a
little to the north of Carmarthen bay, and is bounded
by the parishes of Mydrim and Merthyr on the
north, by the parish of Llanstephan on the south,
on the east by that of Llangain, and on the west by
that of Llanvihangel-Abercowin. It comprises about
5429 acres of good land, chiefly arable, and has been
greatly improved since the year 1806, when an act
of parliament was obtained, under the provisions of
which more than 5000 acres within its limits have
been allotted and inclosed, the greater part of it being
now in a good state of cultivation. The home scenery,
with few exceptions, is tame and uninteresting, though
some of the distant views are picturesque; and the
only stream, except a few brooks, is the river Cywyn,
which falls into the Tâf some miles below St. Clear's.
The soil is in many parts poor, rocky, and barren;
the chief produce is oats and barley, with a little
wheat. The manor of Penryn, which is co-extensive with the parish, contains an ancient family
mansion called Cwm, situated in a well-wooded,
romantic spot, and which appears to have been
formerly a place of considerable extent and importance. There is also a neat, genteel residence, named
Fern-hill, which is pleasantly situated.
The living is a perpetual curacy, annexed to that
of Llanstephan; the tithes have been commuted for
a rent-charge of £252. The church, dedicated to
St. Cynog, is a very plain edifice, consisting of
two aisles, and had originally windows in the early
English style, which have been changed for modern
sash-lights; it is sixty-three feet in length and thirtytwo in breadth, and contains sittings for 200 persons,
all of which are free, except those in two large pews,
the property of the Cwm estate. There are places
of worship for Baptists and Independents. On the
common in the manor of Penryn is a parochial school,
founded, it is said, by Judge Vaughan, of Derllŷs,
and endowed with two cottages and about two acres
of land, which endowment was subsequently augmented, by Mr. John Vaughan, with a rent-charge of
£5: the school has also an allotment of above an acre,
assigned on the in closure of the parish in 1808.
This establishment, called the New Well Charity,
is traditionally said to have originated from a cure
performed on Judge Vaughan with the water of a
spring called the New Well, near the site of the present school-house, over the entrance to which is a
stone with the following inscription: "This is a
charity school for ever, built at the recommendation
of the Archbishop of Canterbury, by the lord, freeholders, and inhabitants of this manor of Penrin,
A. D. 1705." There is also a Sunday school, held in
the Baptists' meeting-house. Mr. John Popkin, in
1713, bequeathed £10, now lost; and in 1771, Mr.
David James left £100, the interest of which, together with the dividends arising from £214 three per
cent. Bank annuities, bequeathed in 1822 by Miss
Theodosia Laugharne, of the town of Laugharne, is
annually distributed among the aged and infirm poor
of the parish.
Llangunnor (Llan-Gynyr)
LLANGUNNOR (LLAN-GYNYR), a parish, comprising the Upper and Lower divisions, in
the hundred of Kidwelly, union and county of
Carmarthen, in South Wales, 1 mile (E.) from
Carmarthen, on the roads to Llanelly, LlandiloVawr, &c.; containing 1229 inhabitants. This parish
is situated on the river Towy, by which it is separated from the borough of Carmarthen. It is bounded
on the north by the parish of Aberguilly, on the
south by that of Llangain, on the east by the parishes
of Llandarog and Llanarthney, and on the west by
Carmarthen; and comprises, according to computation, 5770 acres, of which 1400 are arable, 4200
pasture, and 170 woodland, comprehending several
species of fir, with oak, elm, ash, sycamore, hazel,
&c. On the bank of the river is a ridge of elevated
ground, at the eastern extremity of which stands the
church, commanding a very fine view of the most interesting portion of the fertile and picturesque Vale of
Towy. This beautiful prospect embraces Merlin's
Hill on the left, and on the right the luxuriant woods
of Middleton Hall, with an elegant tower, raised to
the memory of Nelson, crowning one of the loftiest
hills in the vale. Opposite to these are, Grongar
Hill, and the abrupt eminence on which are the venerable ruins of Dryslwyn Castle, almost surrounded
by a bold sweep of the river; and a little higher up
in the vale is Dynevor Castle, embosomed in stately
oaks, above which, in romantic grandeur rise the
dilapidated towers of that once famous pile. The
vale is studded on each side with handsome seats and
villas, amongst which the newly-restored palace of the
Bishop of St. David's, and the pleasing little village
of Aberguilly, are conspicuous. The whole extent
of country beyond Llandilo, through which the
Towy pursues its winding course, lies open to the
view, forming a grand combination of objects, and a
continued succession of scenery of unrivalled beauty,
terminated by the Black Mountains in the distance.
The lands of the parish, with the exception of a small
portion, are inclosed and cultivated; and the soil,
though varied, is generally fertile, producing wheat,
barley, oats, clover, and hay. The gentlemen's seats
are, Mount-Pleasant, Mount-Hill Cottage, MyrtleHill, with several others. Lead-mines were formerly
worked, but not with much success. The Carmarthen race-course is situated on the bank of the Towy,
in the parish.
The living is a discharged vicarage, rated in the
king's books at £3, and endowed with £200 private
benefaction, and £200 royal bounty; present net
income, £225; patron, the Bishop of St. David's;
impropriator, the Rev. Sir E. H. G. Williams, Bart.
The church, dedicated to St. Cynyr, is a neat edifice, and, though possessing no architectural details
of importance, derives from its beautiful situation an
interesting and romantic appearance. It was rebuilt
about the year 1806, and, including the chancel, is
seventy-two feet long and thirty-five broad, containing 312 sittings, all of which are free: there is a neat
monument to the memory of Sir Richard Steele, who,
for some time prior to his decease, lived in retirement
in this vicinity, partly at Carmarthen, where he died
and was buried, and partly at a farm in this parish,
called Tŷ Gwyn, or the "white house," situated
near the base of Llangunnor Hill. On that hill,
within a short distance of the church, the incumbent
has erected a commodious vicarage-house, which commands a fine view of the Vale of Towy. There are
places of worship for Independents and Calvinistic
Methodists, and five Sunday schools, one of which is
in connexion with the Church. The parish participates in the benefit of Dr. Lawrence's and Mrs. Stephenson's distribution of blankets in Carmarthen.
Llangurig, or Llangirrig (Llan-Gurig)
LLANGURIG, or LLANGIRRIG (LLAN-GURIG), a parish, in the union of Newtown and
Llanidloes, Upper division of the hundred of
Llanidloes, county of Montgomery, North
Wales, 5 miles (S. W.) from Llanidloes, on the road
to Aberystwith; containing 1951 inhabitants. This
parish is situated on the northern bank of the river
Wye, at no great distance from its source in the
adjacent mountain of Plinlimmon. It is bounded
on the north by the parishes of Llanidloes and Trêveglwys, on the south by those of Cwm-Toyddwr
and St. Harmon in the county of Radnor, on the
east by Llandinam and Llanidloes, and on the west
by Llanbadarn-Vawr and Llanvihangel-y-Creiddyn
in the county of Cardigan. A new road leading
from the village to Rhaiadr in the shire of Radnor,
formed in 1830, has placed it on the nearest route
from London to Aberystwith, and added materially
to its interest and importance; this line of road is
nine miles and a half in length, and winds along the
beautiful Vale of Wye, abounding with diversified
scenery. The parish comprises by computation
35,000 acres, of which about 8000 are arable, 25,000
pasture and sheep-walks, and the remainder woodland.
Its northern, southern, and western parts are mountainous and dreary, but the eastern portion is marked
by less lofty elevations, is well-wooded, and ornamented with much romantic scenery. The distant
views from several parts are interesting; from GlynBrochan is an extensive and delightful prospect, embracing the Vale of Llanidloes, with the windings of
the river Severn, and the mountainous ridges by which
this district is bounded. A few persons are engaged
in quarrying flag-stones; and there are three or four
flannel manufactories, giving employment together
to about 150 men and children: four corn-mills
employ three or four hands each.
The living is a vicarage, rated in the king's books
at £9. 10.; patron, the Bishop of Bangor; impropriator, Sir W. W. Wynn, Bart.: the vicarial tithes have
been commuted for a rent-charge of £177, and the
impropriate for one of £420; the glebe comprises
four acres. The church, dedicated to St. Curig, a
saint of the seventh century, is an ancient structure
in the early English style, with a tower containing
three bells; it is thirty-seven yards long and fifteen
broad, and will afford accommodation to about 600
persons; the remains of an elaborately carved screen
and rood-loft, having become dilapidated, were lately
removed. There are places of worship for Baptists,
Independents, and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists. A day school was established in 1832, by
the Rev. E. James, M.A., curate; it is held in the
vestry-room of the church, and is supported by
school-pence and subscription. Of thirteen Sunday
schools in the parish, one is in connexion with the
Church. Mr. David Vaughan bequeathed £10 to
the poor. In 1826, a noble, coined in the reign of
Edward III., was dug up in the parish.
Llangwillog (Llan-Gwillog)
LLANGWILLOG (LLAN-GWILLOG), a
parish, partly in the hundred of Llyvon, partly in
that of Menai, and partly in that of Malltraeth,
union and county of Anglesey, North Wales,
3½ miles (N. W.) from Llangevni; containing 260 inhabitants. This parish, which derives its name from
the dedication of its church to St. Cwyllog, a female
saint, who flourished in the middle of the sixth century, is pleasantly situated nearly in the centre of the
island, and on the turnpike-road leading from Llangevni to Llanerchymedd, from which towns it is
equidistant. A sanguinary battle is said to have
taken place on Maes Rhôs Rhyvel, in 1143, between
the forces of Owain Gwynedd, Prince of North
Wales, and the united armies of the Erse, Manks,
and Norwegians, who had invaded the island; in
which the Welsh prince was triumphantly victorious.
Upon that occasion the whole naval force of Wales is
said to have been brought into action, and to have
succeeded in capturing all the ships of the enemy off
Dulas bay. The victory is celebrated in Gray's
ode to the memory of Owain Gwynedd, in which he
eulogizes the exploits of that chieftain; but it is not
noticed by any of the principal Welsh historians.
The parish is bounded on the north by that of
Coedanna, on the south by Hêneglwys, on the
east by Trêgayan, and on the west by Bodwrog;
and comprises by computation about 1600 acres,
nearly all arable, and in general inclosed and well
cultivated, the surface being level and the soil light.
There are two gentlemen's seats, called Trescawen,
and Bryngoleu. The living is a perpetual curacy,
endowed with £400 private benefaction, £600 royal
bounty, and £800 parliamentary grant; net income,
£90; patron and impropriator, Sir R. B. Williams
Bulkeley, Bart. The church, situated in that part
of the parish which is in the hundred of Malltreath,
was originally founded in the year 605: the present
edifice, which is remarkably well built, measures
thirty-eight feet by eighteen, and has an ancient and
curious chapel at the west end of the nave; it contains sittings for eighty persons. There are places
of worship for Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists,
the former of whom support a Sunday school. The
only charitable benefaction in the parish is a rentcharge of 15s. bequeathed by John Griffith Lewis,
and paid by Mrs. Prichard of Trescawen; other
gifts, including one of £10 by William Prichard,
have been lost, owing to the insolvency of the
parties to whom they were lent. At a short distance
from Maes Rhôs Rhyvel is a place called "Castell,"
the origin of which is unknown. Coins of Nero,
Vespasian, and Constantine, have been found at
various times, in a state of good preservation; in
1829 a gold coin of Vespasian was dug up, the impression on which was quite perfect.
Llangwm (Llan-Gwm)
LLANGWM (LLAN-GWM), a parish, in the
union of Corwen, hundred of Isaled, county of
Denbigh, North Wales, 6 miles (W.) from Corwen; containing 1017 inhabitants. It is stated that
the inhabitants of North Wales, revolting against the
government of Meredydd ab Owain ab Hywel Dda,
Prince of South Wales, and nominally of all Wales,
about the close of the tenth century, invited Eidwal,
son of Meirig, to the throne: upon this, Meredydd
immediately called together his troops, and the rival
princes met at Llangwm, where, after a sharp conflict, Meredydd was totally defeated, and Tewdwr
Mawr, his nephew, slain. The parish, which is of
great extent, is situated in a moorland district, near
the extremity of the county, bordering on Merionethshire, and is intersected by the road from Shrewsbury
to Holyhead. It is bounded on the north by the
parishes of Cerrig-y-Druidion and LlanvihangelGlyn-y-Myvyr, on the east by those of BettwsGwervil-Gôch and Corwen in the county of Merioneth, and on the south and west by the parish of Llanvawr in the same county; comprising about 10,000
acres, of which 3500 are arable, 2000 meadow and
pasture, 500 woodland, and nearly all the rest common.
The scenery is highly diversified, the parish consisting of lofty hills and fruitful vales sprinkled with fir,
oak, and other trees, and watered by several pleasing
streams, the principal of which is the Geirw, abounding with fine trout. In one part of its course this
stream runs through a precipitous and romantic
dingle called Glyn Diphwys, where it is crossed
by a bridge, at which is a celebrated waterfall,
contributing to the impressive effect of the surrounding scenery.
The soil, though not naturally rich, admits of great
improvement, and where well cultivated produces
excellent crops of oats and barley, potatoes and
turnips, and sometimes small quantities of wheat; but
husbandry has been much neglected, and the land
left, to a great extent, to its own resources, in consequence of which, this district, in tillage, as well as
in planting and draining, is behind many others in
the principality. Both males and females are chiefly
employed in the summer in agriculture, and in the
winter in the spinning of woollen yarn, and the
knitting of stockings, large quantities of which are
sent to the neighbouring towns, and purchased for
the London and Liverpool markets. Others of the
males are occupied in tending herds and flocks, much
live-stock being sold to the English drovers, to be
fattened for the London market. The village is
small, but is noted for the large black-cattle fair held
in it, on April 18th.
The living comprises a sinecure rectory and a
discharged vicarage, both in the patronage of the
Bishop of St. Asaph; the former is rated in the
king's books at £11. 4. 7., and the latter at £6, and
endowed with £200 royal bounty. The tithes have
been commuted for £398. 8., of which £250 are
payable to the rector, who has also a glebe of 22¾
acres, and £148. 8. to the vicar, who has a glebe of
12 acres, with a house. The church, dedicated to
St. Hierom, is a neat edifice, seventy-two feet long
and eighteen broad, with a gallery at the west end,
and contains about 250 sittings. There are places of
worship for Independents and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists; and five Sunday schools, supported
by the dissenters. Various bequests have been made
for the benefit of the poor, but several of these have
been lost, and in the report of the parliamentary
commissioners for inquiring into charities only three
are mentioned as now existing, namely those of Ellis
Wynne, John Wynne, and David Williams, amounting together to £149, and producing £6. 5. 3. per
annum, which sum is distributed in money and bread
to the most necessitous parishioners, chiefly at Christmas. Llŷs Dinmael, an ancient mansion in the
parish, is stated to have been the residence of Dinmael, a petty prince: courts for the lordship of
Dinmael are held twice a year.
Llangwm (Llan-Gwm)
LLANGWM (LLAN-GWM), a parish, in the
union of Haverfordwest, hundred of Rhôs, county
of Pembroke, South Wales, 5 miles (S. E. by S.)
from Haverfordwest; containing 796 inhabitants.
This parish, the name of which signifies "the church
in the vale," is pleasantly situated on the western
side of Milford Haven, about the same distance from
Pembroke as from Haverfordwest. Great Nash,
formerly the residence of the family of Owen, and
long noted for its hospitality, is in ruins: Dumpledale is a handsome modern mansion, commanding a
fine view of the Haven. From the village, which
extends along the shore, is a horse-ferry to the parish
of Coedcanlais. The inhabitants are principally engaged in a lucrative oyster-fishery, the produce of
which is generally sold at two shillings per bushel
(Winchester measure), to dealers from the coast of
Kent, more especially from Chatham and Rochester,
by whom they are taken away in sloops for the supply of the London market; the average annual profit
of the fishery is about £2000, and in good seasons it
frequently exceeds £3000. Coal and culm are found
in great abundance; the mines are worked by Sir
John Owen, Bart., who is the principal proprietor,
and the produce is shipped at Hook Quay, for the
supply of the neighbouring districts.
The living is a discharged rectory, rated in the
king's books at £7. 12. 11., and endowed with £200
parliamentary grant; patrons, alternately, Sir J.
Owen, and Mrs. Owen Barlow: the tithes have been
commuted for a rent-charge of £190, and there is a
glebe of thirty-five acres, valued at £36 per annum;
also a glebe-house. The church, dedicated to St.
Hierom, is a spacious and venerable structure, in the
early style of English architecture, and contains some
ancient monuments, among which are several to the
family of Roch. It was in a very dilapidated state,
but has been repaired, its interior neatly ceiled and
thoroughly renewed, and the exterior preserved in
its ancient style, at a cost of £300, including a sum
expended by the incumbent on the chancel. There
are places of worship for dissenters, in one of which
a Sunday school is also held. Thomas Roch, Esq.,
in 1707, bequeathed a portion of a small rent-charge,
amounting to £1, for the instruction of the poor; but
the only school is the above-mentioned Sunday school,
supported by voluntary contributions.
Llangwnadl (Llan-Gwynodl)
LLANGWNADL (LLAN-GWYNODL), a
parish, in the union of Pwllheli, hundred of Commitmaen, Lleyn division of the county of Carnarvon, North Wales, 12 miles (W. by S.) from Pwllheli; containing 309 inhabitants. This parish is situated near the south-western extremity of the county,
upon the shore of Carnarvon bay, by which it is
bounded on the west; and comprises a small tract of
arable and pasture land, in the cultivation of which
the inhabitants are chiefly employed, except during
the season of the herring-fishery, which is here conducted upon an extensive scale. The scenery is
pleasingly diversified, and the distant views, extending over Carnarvon bay and the adjacent country,
are peculiarly interesting.
The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with
£1200 royal bounty; net income, £50; patron and
impropriator, Sir J. S. Piozzi Salusbury, Knt.: the
tithes have been commuted for £117. 8. 6., of which
the amount payable to the impropriator is £102. 8. 6.,
and that to the perpetual curate £15. The church,
dedicated to St. Gwynodl, who lived about the
middle of the sixth century, is situated in a very
picturesque spot, near the road from Nevin to Aberdaron, from which thoroughfare it is approached by
following the course of a little torrent, that winds its
way along a miniature ravine. The edifice is triplebodied, consisting of three nearly equal aisles, the
southern one being of rather a later date than the
others: over the middle aisle, at the western end, is
a single bell-gable. In the eastern window of the
middle aisle are a few fragments of stained glass; the
font is sculptured, and there are some other features
worthy of notice in the building. An account of this
church, with some illustrations, is given in the
Archæologia Cambrensis for April 1848. There is a
place of worship for Calvinistic Methodists, in which
a Sunday school is also held. Richard Griffith, of
Pen'r Orsedd, in 1788, bequeathed £40, with which
two tenements in the parish were purchased; and the
rental, with a moiety of Griffith Hughes' charity at
Bryncroes, together amounting to £6. 11. per annum,
is paid to the master of a Church day school here.
Two cottages, erected on the common with a few
small bequests, are occupied by paupers, at a nominal
rent of 6d. each.
Llangwstenyn
LLANGWSTENYN, county of Carnarvon,
North Wales.—See Llancystenyn.
Llangwyryvon, or Llangrwy-Ddon (Llan-Y-Gwyryfon)
LLANGWYRYVON, or LLANGRWYDDON (LLAN-Y-GWYRYFON), a parish, in
the union of Aberystwith, Lower division of the
hundred of Ilar, county of Cardigan, South
Wales, 8 miles (S. by E.) from Aberystwith; containing 642 inhabitants. The name of this place
signifies "the church of the virgins," and is derived
from the dedication of its church to St. Ursula and
the eleven thousand virgins. The parish is situated
on the southern bank of the Wyrai river, and comprises a considerable tract of inclosed and well cultivated land, with a large portion of open and elevated
common. The soil is generally fertile, and in some
parts argillaceous: there are turbaries in various
places, and some of the higher grounds are abundantly
productive of corn and hay. The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with £800 royal bounty, and
£1200 parliamentary grant; net income, £176;
patron and impropriator, J. P. B. Chichester, Esq.
The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of
£225. The church, situated on an eminence, is a
small ancient edifice, consisting only of a nave and
chancel, formerly divided by a curiously carved screen.
In the churchyard is an old monumental stone, highly
ornamented, and having the figure of a cross sculptured upon it, but without any inscription; it is now
used as a gate-post. Owing to the elevated situation
of the church, the churchyard commands a fine view
of the river and the surrounding country. There are
places of worship for dissenters, and some Sunday
schools. In the parish are the remains of an intrenchment, of a curvilinear form; but nothing is known of
its origin.
Llangwyvan (Llan-Gwyfan)
LLANGWYVAN (LLAN-GWYFAN), a
parish, in the hundred of Malltraeth, union and
county of Anglesey, North Wales, 9 miles (S. W.
by W.) from Llangevni; containing 193 inhabitants.
This parish, which is situated in the south-western
part of the county, on the shore of Carnarvon bay,
is bounded by the parishes of Llanbeulan and Llanvaelog on the north, on the south by the parish of
Aberfraw, and on the west by the sea. It comprises
1746 acres, three-fourths of which are arable, 125
acres common or waste land, and the remainder pasture; the surface is gently undulated, and the soil
rich and fertile, producing excellent crops of wheat,
barley, and oats, which, with sheep, cattle, and pigs,
constitute the chief dependence of the farmer. Plâs
Llangwyvan, an ancient mansion, is the property of
Owen Fuller Meyrick, Esq., lord of the manor and
owner of the parish.
The living is a perpetual curacy, annexed to the
rectory of Trêvdraeth: the tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of £242, and there is a glebe
of four acres, valued at £3 per annum. The church
is dedicated to St. Cwyvan, who flourished towards
the close of the seventh century, and from whom the
parish derives its name. From its position, the building is one of the most curious churches in Anglesey,
being situated on an island connected with the main
land by a rude causeway only, of large stones, covered
by spring tides. The island, which forms the churchyard, is daily falling a prey to the inroads of the sea;
considerable portions of it are sometimes washed away,
and from the nature of the soil, it is likely in future
times to be entirely destroyed. Until lately, the
church consisted of a nave, or principal aisle, with a
chapel, or subsidiary aisle, added to it on the northern side; but the latter, needing repair, was taken
down. The edifice is partly of the end of the fourteenth century, and is of small dimensions, not more
than about forty-eight feet in length externally; the
walls are only twelve feet high, and the gable to the
summit is but eighteen feet. During the prevalence
of easterly winds it is utterly inaccessible, on which
account divine service is seldom performed in it
during the winter months. The produce of some
charitable gifts in land and money is annually distributed among the poor. The principal of these is the
grant, by Margaret Wynne, of the farm of Cevn
Bychan, in the parish of Newborough, containing
thirty acres, now let at £9 per annum, to two poor
aged women, one of this place, and one of LlanbedrGôch, the recipient of the bounty in this parish to be
selected by the owner of the mansion of Rhôs Mor.
There is also a rent-charge of 10s. for the use of the
poor, payable out of Cae Gwyn, in Llanvaelog, the
property of Lord Boston. Several other benefactions,
which produced £2. 3. 6. annually, are lost.
Llangwyvan (Llan-Gwyfan)
LLANGWYVAN (LLAN-GWYFAN), a parish, in the union and hundred of Ruthin, county of
Denbigh, North Wales, 5 miles (E.) from the
town of Denbigh; containing 264 inhabitants. This
parish, which derives its name from the dedication of
its church, is situated in the north-eastern part of the
county, on the borders of Flintshire, and at the western base of the Clwydian range of mountains. The
scenery is beautifully picturesque, and the views from
the higher grounds over the fertile and extensive
Vale of Clwyd are rich and magnificent; the surface
is undulated, and the lands, with the exception of the
mountainous part of the parish, are inclosed and in a
good state of cultivation. The living is a discharged
rectory, rated in the king's books at £7. 18. 9., and
endowed with £200 royal bounty; patron, the Bishop
of Bangor: the tithes have been commuted for a
rent-charge of £256, and there is a glebe of thirteen
acres, valued at £20 per annum; also a glebe-house.
The church, dedicated to St. Cwyvan, is a small neat
edifice, undistinguished by any architectural details
of importance; the pulpit and reading-desk are respectively placed on each side, and adjacent to the
communion table. There is a place of worship for
Independents, in which a Sunday school is also held.
John ap Richards, by will, in 1725, left £3, and
Mrs. Lloyd by will, the date of which is unknown,
left the same amount, the interest of both bequests to
be given among the poor annually. These sums
were at interest in private hands until the year 1815,
when they were called in and applied towards the
new-pewing of the church; and the parish has ever
since paid six shillings a year out of the poor's-rate
as interest, to be distributed at Christmas.