Llanigon (Llan-Igon)
LLANIGON (LLAN-IGON), a parish, in the
union of Hay, hundred of Tàlgarth, county of
Brecknock, South Wales, 2 miles (S. S. W.) from
Hay; and containing 547 inhabitants, of whom 488
are in the body of the parish, and the rest in the
township of Glynvâch. It derives its name from the
dedication of its church either to Eigen, a female
saint, or to Eigion, the son of Caw, a saint who
flourished in the sixth century. The parish is situated on the turnpike-road leading from Hay to
Tàlgarth, and comprises a considerable tract of
land, of which the greater portion is arable, though
much consists of excellent meadows in the valleys,
and of elevated commons. Its surface is finely
varied; and the soil, in some parts of a rocky nature,
in the lower districts is tolerably fertile, affording
good crops of grain and valuable pasturage for cattle
and sheep, upon the rearing of which the farmers
principally depend: one of the chief manures employed is lime, burned on the hills above. Some
small veins of lead-ore have been discovered at
various times in the hilly parts of the parish, but not
of sufficient value or extent to justify the establishment of any works. The tramroad from Brecknock
to Hay and Kington passes within little more than a
mile of the village. The scenery is diversified, and
in many parts beautifully picturesque; some of the
vales and hills are richly clothed with wood, and the
distant views are strikingly distinguished by features
of grandeur and magnificence.
Llanthomas, an ancient mansion in the parish,
was occupied during the time of Henry VIII., by
Walter Devereux, Earl Ferrers, Lord Chief Justice
of South Wales, and in the following reign by
William Thomas, one of the clerks of the council,
and the principal instructor of the young King
Edward VI., and who, in the time of Mary, was
arraigned and executed for treason. It has been modernised with great taste, and now forms a handsome
object in the scenery of the village, close to which it
is situated. Upon a high bank to the south-east of
the church is Penyrwrlodd, now a farmhouse, originally built in 1651, by William Watkins, an active
officer in the army of the parliament during the reign
of Charles I., and one of the principal agents of the
propagators of the Gospel in South Wales. In this
mansion, where he resided till his death, he left a
great number of coats of mail and other armour,
which were preserved here till the middle of the last
century. From the grounds, and more especially
from the well-wooded hill immediately above the
house, is obtained one of the most magnificent views
in South Wales, being remarkable for its grandeur,
richness, and variety. This splendid prospect combines features of the most interesting and romantic
character: hills of varied elevation and of diversified
aspect recede in long succession towards the town of
Brecknock, beyond which towers the majestic chain
of the Beacons; and on the declivity of a barren
hill, at the distance of seven or eight miles, the
white-washed village of Llanvillo forms a conspicuous object. On the west and north-west are seen
Maesllwch Castle, with the beautiful grounds by
which it is surrounded; the numerous villas that
enrich the scenery about Glâsbury; and the graceful
windings of the river Wye, which, after a devious
course through a tract of highly picturesque country,
is at length lost among the majestic woods of Llangoed.
The living is a discharged vicarage, rated in the
king's books at £7. 12. 8½., and in the patronage of
the Lord Chancellor; present net income, £202: it
is endowed with one-half of the tithes, and the other
half belongs to Viscount Hereford, and J. Spencer,
Esq. The church is a spacious and lofty edifice, but
not distinguished by any architectural details of importance, and is situated on a gentle eminence, sheltered on one side by the hill above Penyrwrlodd,
and on the other by an abrupt eminence called
Wènallt: the belfry, containing three bells, is a kind
of loft over the porch. In the hamlet of Glynvâch
is a chapel, called Capel-y-Vîn, or "the chapel of the
boundary." There is a place of worship for Calvinistic Methodists. Lewis Watkins, in 1712, gave
an estate named Cae'r Bwla, consisting of about
thirteen acres of arable, meadow, and copse, now
producing from £10 to £12 per annum, for the
endowment of a free school: the income is paid to
the master of a Church school established in 1838.
A Sunday school is also held, on Church principles;
and the parish shares in the Boughrood charity in
St. David's, Brecon, for apprenticing poor children,
under the bequest of Rice Powell.
Of the antiquities with which it is said the parish
formerly abounded, there are but very few remains.
On the hills are some circular intrenchments; and
near the spot where the counties of Brecknock,
Hereford, and Monmouth unite, is a large barrow,
called Twyn-y-Beddau, or the "mound of the
graves," 270 feet in circumference, and 12 feet high,
which is supposed to have been raised to commemorate some battle fought here, and also as a place of
interment for the warriors who fell in the conflict.
In the hamlet of Cîlonw, a little south-west of the
village, are the ruins of an old chapel, thought to
have been dedicated to Celin, an eminent British
saint who flourished in the sixth century, from
which circumstance the hamlet derived its name.
Llanilar (Llan-Ilar)
LLANILAR (LLAN-ILAR), a parish, consisting of the Upper and Lower divisions, in the
union of Aberystwith, Upper division of the hundred of Ilar, county of Cardigan, South Wales,
6 miles (S. S. E.) from Aberystwith; containing 1010
inhabitants, of whom 514 are in the Upper, and 496
in the Lower, division. This parish, which derives
its name from the dedication of its church, is situated
on the southern bank of the river Ystwith, and near
the high road from Aberystwith to Cardigan. Part
of it is hilly, but some of the land is flat and liable
to be flooded; the soil is in general shallow and dry,
but produces good crops of corn, hay, &c. The
scenery is in some parts pleasingly varied, and here
are the seats of Birch Grove and Castle Hill. Fairs
are held on March 14th, May 13th, July 8th, and
November 14th. The living is a discharged vicarage, rated in the king's books at £6. 13. 4.: patron,
the Bishop of St. David's; impropriator, J. P. B.
Chichester, Esq. The impropriate tithes have been
commuted for a rent-charge of £313. 16., and the
vicarial for one of £136. 4.: the vicar's glebe comprises four acres, valued at £8 per annum; and there
is a glebe-house. The church, dedicated to St.
Hilary, and pleasantly situated on the bank of the
river, is a low ancient structure in good repair, with
a square massive tower at the west end; the body
consists of a nave and chancel, formerly separated by
an old carved screen of elegant design, which has
been removed. There is a place of worship for Calvinistic Methodists. Richard Jones, of St. Clement
Danes, London, in 1792 bequeathed £300 Bank
annuities, the dividends on which he directed to be
paid to a proper person, being a member of the Established Church, for teaching six boys and six girls
of the parish English, writing, and arithmetic: the
interest, amounting to £9 per annum, is accordingly
paid to the master of a Church school here. Of two
Sunday schools, one is in connexion with the Church,
and the other with the Calvinistic body. Mr. Jones
also left the interest of £100 to be given yearly to
the poor; and the Rev. Mr. Edwards gave £40, the
interest to be distributed among poor tradesmen.
The vicar of Marston-upon-Dove, in the county of
Derby, in 1761 bequeathed £30; and Jenkin Williams in 1732, and Morgan Parry in 1762, gave £10
each; but these three charities have been lost.
Llanilid (Llan-Ilid)
LLANILID (LLAN-ILID), a parish, in the
union of Bridgend and Cowbridge, hundred of
Cowbridge, county of Glamorgan, South Wales,
5 miles (N. by W.) from Cowbridge; containing 150
inhabitants. The name of this place is derived from
the dedication of its church to St. Ilid, who is boldly
conjectured to have been a converted Israelite, and
to have accompanied Brân ab Llŷr, the deposed
Prince of Siluria, from Rome, about the year 70, for
the purpose of introducing the Christian faith into
Britain. The parish is situated under the lofty ridge
that extends from east to west through the county,
and on the east bank of the river Ewenny, which has
its source in the vicinity, and joins the Ogmore near
its influx into the Bristol Channel. It is bounded
on the north by the chapelry of Peterstone-superMontem, on the south by the parishes of Llansannor
and St. Mary Hill, on the east by those of Llanharan and Llanhary, and on the west by Coychurch
parish; comprising about 1700 or 1800 acres, of
which about 300 are arable, 900 pasture, 100 woodland, and the remainder furze and waste. The surface is undulated, and the higher grounds command
some fine views over the adjacent country and the
Channel. The soil comprehends gravel, clay, peat,
and bog; the land is generally inclosed, and by far
the greater part is in a state of good cultivation.
Coal and limestone are found, and the latter is worked,
and used to a small extent for agricultural purposes.
The parish comprehends the manors of St. John of
Jerusalem, Rhythin, and part of Tàlyvan.
The living is a discharged rectory, with the living
of Llanharan consolidated, rated in the king's books
at £7. 15. 7½., and in the patronage of the Lord
Chancellor; present net income, £253, with a glebehouse. The church is an ancient edifice, forty feet
long and fifteen wide, and contains upwards of seventy
sittings, all free. A Sunday school is also held in it.
Charles Price, about the year 1704, bequeathed £50;
and William Thomas, in 1737, £10; the interest of
which sums is annually distributed among the poor
not receiving parochial relief. At the distance of
about thirty yards north of the church are the remains
of an encampment, the form of which resembles that
of an inverted basin, and which contains a large open
space in the interior. A house called Trê Brân,
"the house of Brân," is said to have been the residence of Brân, the father of Caractacus; who, upon
his return from Rome, where he had been kept as a
hostage for his son, brought with him the Jewish
proselyte to whom the foundation of the church is
ascribed.
Llanilterne, or Chapel-Ilterne (Llan-Illteyrn)
LLANILTERNE, or CHAPEL-ILTERNE
(LLAN-ILLTEYRN), a parochial chapelry, in the
union of Cardiff, hundred of Dinas-Powys, county
of Glamorgan, South Wales, 6 miles (W. N. W.)
from Cardiff, on the road to Llantrissent; containing
136 inhabitants. It is stated to have been separated
from the parish of St. Fagan's about the reign of
Queen Elizabeth; but the inhabitants still contribute
one-third to the repairs of the church and bridge of
that place. The living is consolidated with the rectory of St. Fagan's: the chapel, dedicated to St.
Illtyd, is a very small building, with a curious inscription, not wholly legible, at the south-western
angle of the exterior wall, said to be in memory of
the wife of the renowned King Arthur. There is a
place of worship for Independents, in which a Sunday school is also held. At Llanvairvawr, an ancient
farmhouse destroyed some time ago by fire, are the
ruins of a religious house, founded about the year
508, by St. Illtyd, as "a place for education in
human learning, as well as religion:" the chapel is
entire, and has been converted into a barn.
Llanina (Llan-Ina)
LLANINA (LLAN-INA), a parish, in the
union of Aberaëron, hundred of Moythen, county
of Cardigan, South Wales, 15 miles (N. W. by W.)
from Lampeter; containing 447 inhabitants. This
parish is situated on the shore of Cardigan bay, by
which it is bounded on the north; and is intersected
by a small river, which, formed by the union of two
streams on the south, pursues a northern course, and
falls into the bay of Cardigan. The lands are mostly
inclosed, and in a tolerable state of cultivation: the
scenery is pleasingly varied, in some parts enriched
with thriving timber; and the views, extending over
the open bay, are not destitute of interest. The
living is a perpetual curacy, annexed to the vicarage
of Llanarth; the tithes have been commuted for £61.
13. 4. payable to the Bishop of St. David's, £30.
16. 8. to the vicar of Llanarth, and £22. 10. to the
rector of Llanllwchairn. The church, a neat edifice
erected not many years ago near the shore of the bay,
at the extremity of a well-wooded dingle, is dedicated
to St. Ina, King of the West Saxons, who, devoting
his life to religious pursuits, resigned the government of his kingdom to his kinsman Ethelred, and
went on a pilgrimage to Rome: having passed the
remainder of his life in retirement, he was canonized
after his death. There is a place of worship for Independents; and two Sunday schools are held, one of
which is in connexion with the Established Church,
and the other supported by the Independent body of
dissenters.
Llanio
LLANIO, a township, in the parish of Llandewy-Brevi, union of Trêgaron, Lower division
of the hundred of Penarth, county of Cardigan,
South Wales, 8 miles (N. E.) from Lampeter:
containing 131 inhabitants. It is traversed by the
high road between Trêgaron and Lampeter, which
passes along the Vale of Teivy; and has produced
so many remains of Roman antiquity, as to leave
no doubt of its having contained a station of that
people. The site of the Roman Loventium is placed
here by antiquaries, between the right bank of the
Teivy and the road, at a place called Cae'r Castell,
where numerous vestiges of foundations are still discernible, and whence the Roman Via Occidentalis, or,
as it has subsequently been termed, Sarn Helen,
branched off in a northern and a south-western direction. Three inscribed stones are (or until lately were)
still preserved, two of them built in the walls of two
cottages, and the third used as a seat in the porch of
one of them. One of the two stones, placed over the
chimney, is inscribed OVERIONI; on the other, inserted in the wall, near the door, of the second cottage, can be decyphered letters and words that have
been interpreted to be Caii Artii manibus (or memoriæ) Ennius Primus. Upon the third stone can be
traced letters which have been considered to mean, in
full, Cohors Secundæ Augustæ Fecit Quinque Passus;
affording evidence, it is said, that a cohort of the
second Augustan legion built a portion of the station
walls. Other vestiges of the same people have been
discovered in the neighbourhood at various times,
such as coins, domestic utensils, bricks, &c., and on
one occasion a large piece of unwrought lead. The
tithes of the township have been commuted for a
rent-charge of £68.
Llanishen (Llan-Isan)
LLANISHEN (LLAN-ISAN), a parish, in the
union of Cardiff, hundred of Kibbor, county of
Glamorgan, South Wales, on the road from Cardiff to Caerphilly, 3½ miles (N.) from Cardiff; containing 418 inhabitants. Llanishen House, now
fallen to decay, was, for more than two centuries, the
seat of the family of Lewis; it previously belonged
to the Vaughans, the heiress of which family was
married to a younger son of the Lewises of the Vann.
New House is a handsome modern seat, pleasantly
situated at the southern foot of a lofty ridge of hills
running in a direction from east to west in this part
of the county. The living is a perpetual curacy,
endowed with £200 private benefaction, and £800
royal bounty; net income, £46; patrons, alternately,
C. K. Kemeys Tynte, Esq., and the representative
of the last Earl of Plymouth, the impropriators. The
church, dedicated to St. Isan, is a neat structure, in
the pointed style of architecture. There is a place
of worship for Wesleyan Methodists. Two day
schools in connexion with the Church are held, as
also is a Church Sunday school. In 1728, Mary
Lewis conveyed by deed a moiety of the great tithes
of the parish of Lisvane, in trust to certain parties, to
the intent that they should out of the rents and profits
employ masters here and at Lisvane, at a salary of
£5 each, to teach the poor children in both places,
and that the remainder should be employed in apprenticing them. These tithes, at present let for £70 per
annum, are also subject to a payment of £10 to the
perpetual curate. Edward Morgan, by will in 1669,
assigned a rent-charge of £2. 12., to be distributed
in bread among the poor; and Thomas Lewis, Esq.,
in 1775, gave one of £4 to the paupers in four almshouses, let by him to the parish; but this endowment
has not been paid of late years; and a rent-charge of
13s. 4d., bequeathed by Matthew Pritchard, in 1623,
for the benefit of the poor, is said to have been lost
by the river Tâf encroaching on the property. According to Leland, Richard William, otherwise Cromwell, afterwards Earl of Essex, who was beheaded
by order of Henry VIII., was born at the mansion
of New House; but the circumstance is doubtful.
The water of a spring called St. Dene's Well is
considered efficacious in the cure of scorbutic complaints.
Llankîlken
LLANKÎLKEN, a hamlet, in the parish of
Kîlken, union of Holywell, Northop division of
the hundred of Coleshill, county of Flint, North
Wales, 4½ miles (W. by N.) from Mold; containing
390 inhabitants. This hamlet, in which the parish
church stands, is situated in a valley surrounded by
lofty hills, and one of these, the stupendous Moel
Vammau, separates it on the west and south from
the Vale of Clwyd, which can only be approached
from this place by the elevated passes in the mountains.
Llanllawddog (Llan-Llaw-Ddog)
LLANLLAWDDOG (LLAN-LLAW-DDOG), a parish, in the Lower division of the hundred of Eelvet, union and county of Carmarthen,
South Wales, 8 miles (N. E. by N.) from Carmarthen; containing 779 inhabitants. This parish derives its name from the dedication of its church to
Llawddog, an eminent British saint, who flourished
in the early part of the sixth century. It is situated
nearly in the centre of the county, upon the turnpikeroad from Carmarthen to Lampeter; and comprises
7013 acres of land, of which a considerable portion is
open and uncultivated. The surrounding country,
though not distinguished by any striking peculiarity
of feature, is agreeably diversified with hill and vale,
and in some of the vales are interesting combinations
of rural beauty. At a short distance from the church
is the seat, lately rebuilt, of John Lloyd Price, Esq.,
high sheriff of the county in 1840, whose estate, on
which he annually employs a considerable number of
the poor, who would otherwise become burthensome
to the parish, is principally situate here. The living
is a perpetual curacy, with that of Llanpympsaint
annexed, the former endowed with £800, and the latter with £1000, royal bounty; net income, £150;
patron, the Vicar of Aberguilly; appropriators, the
Dean and Canons of Windsor, whose tithes in Llanllawddog have been commuted for a rent-charge of
£200. The church, which is not remarkable for any
architectural details, was formerly dependent upon
that of Aberguilly, but was separated from it by an
act of parliament. There are one or two places of
worship for dissenters, and two Sunday schools, one
of which is in connexion with the Established Church,
and the other with the Calvinistic Methodists. John
David bequeathed a rent-charge of £1, which, with
another of 5s., continued to be paid out of two farms
in the parish until 1832, when they were discontinued; and there are some smaller charitable donations, producing about 15s. per annum, for distribution among the poor.
Llanllawer (Llan-Llawen)
LLANLLAWER (LLAN-LLAWEN), a
parish, in the union of Haverfordwest, hundred
of Kemmes, county of Pembroke, South Wales,
3 miles (E. S. E.) from Fishguard; containing 114
inhabitants. This parish is pleasantly situated in the
northern part of the county, and on the river Gwayn,
which falls into Fishguard bay. It comprises 1163
acres, of which nearly one-third is mountainous, the
remainder being inclosed and cultivated. The scenery
is finely varied, combining features of picturesque
beauty with mountains of rugged aspect; and the distant views extend over a remarkably interesting tract
of country. Court House, in the parish, is a good
family mansion, occupying an agreeable situation.
The living is a rectory not in charge, annexed to
the living of Llanerchllwydog: the church is not remarkable for any architectural details. On the side
of Llanllawer mountain, which terminates in a rocky
point, and is hence called the Maiden's Breast, numerous Druidical relics and ancient carneddau are profusely scattered, supposed to have been places of
sepulture; and adjoining is a mineral well, formerly
in high repute for its efficacy in the cure of ague and
other diseases, but now neglected.
Llanllêchid (Llan-Llêchid)
LLANLLÊCHID (LLAN-LLÊCHID),
a parish, comprising the Upper and Lower divisions,
in the union of Bangor and Beaumaris, hundred
of Llêchwedd Uchâv, county of Carnarvon,
North Wales, 4 miles (S. E.) from Bangor; containing 4957 inhabitants. This parish derived its
name from the dedication of its church to Llechid, an
eminent female saint, who flourished in the beginning of the sixth century. It extends nearly thirteen
miles in length, and three miles in breadth, and
comprises a tract of about 18,000 acres, of which
comparatively but a small portion is inclosed and
cultivated. The surface is boldly undulated, and the
houses of the inhabitants, scattered widely over the
parish, have, from the diversity of their situations, a
pleasing effect in its scenery, some of which is of a
finely mountainous character, the parish comprising
within its limits the lofty mountains of Carnedd Llewelyn and Carnedd Davydd; the former with an
elevation of 3469, and the latter of 3427 feet above
the level of the sea. On these mountains, which form
prominent features in the surrounding scenery, are
some heaps of loose stones, supposed to be the remains of ancient watch-places. According to Geoffrey of Monmouth, a giant named Rhita was buried
on the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn. Near the base
of this mountain is Fynnon Llugwy, a fine lake
covering a surface of many acres, the source of the
river Llugwy, which, after traversing part of this
parish, falls into the Conway river near Bettws.
The village of Llanllêchid is pleasantly situated
in an open plain, in the north-western part of the
parish; but the greater portion of the inhabitants
reside in the hamlet of Pant-y-Vridlas, and the villages of Bethesda and Achub, and find profitable
employment in the adjacent slate-quarries of Penrhyn. Several attempts have been made to procure
slates in the parish, and some quarries have been
opened, but the undertaking has not been carried on
to any profitable extent; the quarries are wrought
only on a very limited scale, and afford but little
employment in comparison with the Penrhyn works.
The road from Shrewsbury to Holyhead runs for
twelve miles through the parish, and that from
Chester to the same place for about three miles, affording excellent facilities of communication with the
neighbouring districts. A fair is held on October
29th, in Llanllêchid village: at Tàlybont, a small
village, others take place on May 7th and August
11th; and of late years, three have been held at
Bethesda on the third Saturday in the months of
April, July, and October, respectively.
The living is a rectory, rated in the king's books
at £15. 13. 4.; patron, the Bishop of Bangor: the
tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of
£465, and there is a glebe of 16a. 1r. 12p., with a
glebe-house. The late church was a long, low, ancient edifice, consisting of a nave and chancel, with
a small chapel or oratory on the south side. The
present church, consecrated in the autumn of the
year 1846, and standing on a new site, close to the old
churchyard, is in the Anglo-Norman style, and comprises a nave and chancel, with a transition east
window filled with painted glass of good design, the
gift of a member of the Pennant family. The style
is well sustained throughout; the communion-table
and altar rails are of solid oak, beautifully carved,
and under the chancel steps is an eagle lectern: the
pulpit is of stone, the slate of the neighbourhood,
inlaid with designs expressive of the panoply of the
Christian. Accommodation is afforded for 500 persons, and all the sittings are free. This building,
whose severe exterior is suited to the mountainous
character of the scenery in which it is placed, is
situated at about an equal distance from the Chester
and Shrewsbury roads, on elevated ground. It cost
about £2500, and was erected by grants from the
church-building societies, and by subscriptions from
the gentry of the district; the Very Rev. J. H.
Cotton, Dean of Bangor (who holds the living),
Colonel Pennant, and Sir Edward Tierney of Dublin, being liberal contributors. There are places of
worship in the parish for Calvinistic Methodists,
Independents, Wesleyan Methodists, and Baptists.
A parochial school was founded in 1719, by the
Rev. Dr. John Jones, Dean of Bangor, who endowed
it with £100, for teaching twelve poor children to
read the Welsh language. A National school was
established in 1828, for which a house was built by
subscription, at a cost of £156, aided by a grant of
£30 from the parent society in London; and this
school, in which 130 children of both sexes receive
instruction, is supported partly by subscription,
partly by weekly payments of a penny from each
child, and partly by the endowment given to the
parochial school by Dean Jones. A large number
of males and females are taught gratuitously in
thirteen Sunday schools, one held in the church,
and the others in the meeting-houses. Dr. Griffith
Williams, Bishop of Ossory, in 1672, left an estate
in the parish, called Plâs Hwva, containing 10½ acres,
with a farmhouse and four cottages, directing its
produce to be distributed at the discretion of the
rector: the farm yields a rental of £13, annually
given in money and coal to the poor. William
Griffith bequeathed a rent-charge of £2. 16., in the
16th of Charles I.; Robert and Catherine George, a
sum of £50; Dr. Lloyd, Dean of Bangor, £20; and
Jane Thomas and Pierce Williams, £5 each: the
whole of these sums, with £32 saved from vacancies
in the school, were expended in erecting six cottages
at Gate House, paying a rent of £6. 2. 6., which,
with 5s. annually from a gift by Margaret Owen, is
expended in bread and money among the poor of
the parish. Two charities are lost; one of £60, by
Mrs. Fletcher, and one of £5, by Maurice Pritchard. Dr. Williams, Bishop of Ossory, was a native
of this place; and Dr. John Williams, Keeper of the
Privy Seal, and Archbishop of York, in the reign of
Charles I., resided at Côchwillan, in the parish.
Llanlleonvel (Llan-Lleon-Foel)
LLANLLEONVEL (LLAN-LLEON-FOEL), a parish, in the union and hundred of
Builth, county of Brecknock, South Wales, 7
miles (W. by S.) from Builth; containing, with the
whole of the hamlet of Gwravog, part only of which
is in the parish, 261 inhabitants. This place, the
name of which signifies the "church of Lleon the
Bald," is situated in a hilly district in the northwestern portion of the county, and on the rivers
Irvon and Dulas, over which are three bridges within
the parish, kept in repair at the expense of the
hundred. It is intersected by the road from Llanvihangel-Abergwessin to Builth; and bounded on the
north by the parish of Llanavan-Vawr, on the south
by that of Llangammarch, on the east by that of
Llanavan-Vechan, and on the west by the parishes of
Llanvihangel-Abergwessin and Llanwrtyd. It comprises, according to computation, 2697 acres, of which
674 are arable, 1700 pasture and common, and 323
woodland. The scenery is uninteresting, except
near Garth House, which has a very romantic appearance, being surrounded with oak and fir woods.
Some of the higher grounds command extensive views,
but in most parts the prospect is intercepted by the
mountainous elevations encircling nearly all this part
of the county. The soil, though not rich, is in general well cultivated, and produces good oats and barley;
the hills afford fine pasturage for sheep.
The manor that includes the parish is co-extensive
with the hundred, and is distinguished for the prevalence of several peculiar customs, the origin of
which is very obscure, and for certain singular payments. Of the latter the principal are the "Tâldiestyn," the "Comortha," the "Vuwch Larder,"
the "Porthant Herwyr," the "Maccwyn," and the
"Mabryddiaeth," the two last of which are altogether
inexplicable. From these payments certain inhabitants of the hundred are exempt. There are no
copyhold tenures in the manor, and the chief-rents
are collected for the lord by the officers of the parish.
A presentment by a jury in 1646, of which Rees
Gwyn, Esq., father of Marmaduke Gwyn, the Judge,
was foreman, states the custom of the lordship to be,
that no man's son dwelling within the lordship ought to
be summoned to do fealty within the said court during
the life of his father, if his father be seized of lands
within the lordship. The woollen manufacture is
carried on upon a limited scale, affording employment to a small number of persons. Baronial courts
continue to be held at an inn in the village, called
Maes-Cevn-y-Fordd.
The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with
£800 royal bounty; net income, £60; patron, the
Bishop of St. David's: there is neither parsonagehouse nor any glebe land attached to the benefice.
The church, the dedication of which is unknown, is
a small edifice, pleasantly situated on a gentle eminence on the north-western bank of the river Dulas,
about a mile north of the high road from Builth to
Llandovery; it is sixty feet in length and twentyfour in breadth, and contains sixteen pews, the whole
of the sittings in which are free. There are places
of worship for Baptists and Independents, and some
Sunday schools. A branch of the Sarn Lleon passed
through the parish, connecting Maridunum, at Carmarthen, with the Roman station at Cwm, in Radnorshire, and uniting at the latter place with the
great Roman road that led from Nidus, at Neath, to
Deva, now Chester. On an eminence opposite to
the church is the old mansion of Garth, noticed above,
formerly the residence of the family of Gwyn, or
Gwynne. In a field below the church, and at no
great distance from the Dulas, is a mineral spring,
resembling in taste and smell the water at Llanwrtyd,
but not so strongly impregnated with sulphur.
Llanllibio (Llan-Llibio)
LLANLLIBIO (LLAN-LLIBIO), a parish,
in the hundred of Llyvon, union and county of
Anglesey, North Wales, 1½ mile (E.) from Bôdedern; containing 87 inhabitants. This place takes
its name from the patron saint to whom its church
was dedicated. It is situated near the old line of
road from Bangor to Holyhead, and consists of a few
farms, the produce of which, owing to the poor argillaceous quality of the soil, is chiefly oats, with a very
small portion of wheat and barley: the entire parish
is the property of Sir Richard Williams Bulkeley,
Bart. The living is a perpetual curacy, annexed to
the rectory of Llantrisaint. The church, which had
been dilapidated for upwards of forty years, and suffered to fall into decay, at length entirely disappeared;
and the churchyard has been ploughed up: the present incumbent has, notwithstanding, marked out the
ancient boundaries of the churchyard, and rebuilt the
walls, and has it in contemplation to erect a church.
The inhabitants at present attend divine service at
Llantrisaint, where all ecclesiastical rites are performed.
Llanlligan, or Llanllugan (Llan-Llugan)
LLANLLIGAN, or LLANLLUGAN
(LLAN-LLUGAN), a parish, in the union of
Newtown and Llanidloes, Lower division of the
hundred of Newtown, county of Montgomery,
North Wales, 4 miles (S. W.) from Llanvair; containing 413 inhabitants. It is distinguished as the
site of an ancient Cistercian nunnery, which, according to Tanner, was founded prior to the year
1239, when the tithes of the parish of LlanvairCaereinion were given by Bishop Hugh to the "nuns
of Llanllugan in Powys," to whom also the tithes of
Llanllwchaiarn and Bettws were appropriated by
Anian, Bishop of St. Asaph, in the year 1265. This
establishment, of which the founder is not known, at
the Dissolution had a revenue estimated at £22. 13. 8.:
the site was granted, in the 37th of Henry VIII., to
Sir Arthur D'Arcy, Knt. The only remains of the
nunnery are some fragments of painted glass in the
chancel window of the church. The parish, situated
nearly in the centre of the county, is intersected by
the small river Rhiw, which has its rise in the immediate vicinity, and, after passing by the village,
pursues its course in an eastern direction, and falls
into the Severn at Berriew. It is about three miles
in length, and a mile and a half in breadth, and a
very large portion of it is uninclosed and uncultivated.
The scenery is diversified, in some parts highly
picturesque; and the views over the adjacent country
embrace many interesting features. A road from
Welshpool and Llanvair passes through the parish by
Cevn Côch to meet the road from Newtown to
Machynlleth, at Talerddig, in the parish of Llanbrynmair. The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed
with £1000 royal bounty, and in the patronage of
the Lord of the Manor, and other impropriators, who
are owners of land; net income, £49. The church,
dedicated to St. Mary, and situated on the bank of
the river Rhiw, is an ancient structure in the early
English style. There is a place of worship for Calvinistic Methodists, in which a Sunday school is also
held. About a mile south-west of Cevn Côch, and
to the right of the road from Newtown and Machynlleth, are the remains of a Druidical circle.