Threap-Wood
THREAP-WOOD, an extra-parochial district,
in the union of Wrexham, said to be partly included
in the hundred of Broxton, county of Chester, in
England, but chiefly in that of Maelor, county of
Flint, North Wales, 3 miles (W. S. W.) from
Malpas; the Welsh portion containing 126 inhabitants. This district is surrounded by the parishes
of Malpas, Hanmer, and Worthenbury, and, until of
late years, formed a tract of waste common, which,
on account of its extra-parochial exemption from
local jurisdiction, was long the resort of abandoned
characters. For the purposes of the Militia act it
was annexed to Worthenbury, and by the Mutiny
act was connected with Malpas; but the inhabitants,
considering themselves beyond the reach of all legal
authority, opposed, even with force, the execution of
the assize and other laws within their precinct. At
length a chapel was erected, which, being endowed
in 1817 with £1800 parliamentary grant, is a perpetual curacy, with a net income of £87 and a
parsonage-house, in the gift of the Bishop of Chester. In 1843, schools in connexion with the Church
were established; they are under the patronage
of Lord Kenyon, and, in conjunction with the civilizing influence exercised by a resident clergyman,
have produced a very salutary effect on the character
of the population. A Church Sunday school is also
held.
Tîr-Esgob (Tîr-Yr-Esgob)
TÎR-ESGOB (TÎR-YR-ESGOB), with Rhôsmaen, a hamlet, in that part of the parish of Llandilo-Vawr which is in the Lower division of the hundred of Perveth, in the union of LlandiloVawr, county of Carmarthen, South Wales, 1
mile (N. by E.) from Llandilo-Vawr; containing 590
inhabitants. It is situated on the western bank of
the river Towy; and the road from Llandilo-Vawr
to Llangadock passes through it, in a direction
parallel with that stream.
Tîr-Ivan (Tîr-Ieuan)
TÎR-IVAN (TÎR-IEUAN), a township, in that
part of the parish of Yspytty-Ivan which is in the
hundred of Isaled, county of Denbigh, in the union
of Llanrwst, in North Wales, 2 miles (S. S. W.)
from Pentre-Voelas; containing 268 inhabitants. It
is situated near the source of the river Conway, on the
borders of Carnarvonshire and Merionethshire, where
the mountains form elevated and extensive wastes,
from which numerous streams descend. The name
Tir Ivan signifies "the ground or territory of
Ieuan," or John, and is derived from the circumstance of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem
having had an hospitium here, founded by Ivan ab
Rhŷ;s about the year 1189. The tithes have been
commuted for a rent-charge of £70.
Tîrmynych (Tîr-Y-Myneich)
TÎRMYNYCH (TÎR-Y-MYNEICH), a township, in the parish of Llanvihangel-Geneu'r-Glyn, union of Aberystwith, Upper division of
the hundred of Geneu'r-Glyn, county of Cardigan, South Wales; containing 276 inhabitants,
who are exclusively employed in agriculture.
Tîr-Rosser (Tîr-Rhos-Hîr)
TÎR-ROSSER (TÎR-RHOS-HÎR), with
Blaenau, a hamlet, in the parish of Llandebie,
union of Llandilo-Vawr, hundred of Iscennen,
county of Carmarthen, South Wales; containing 251 inhabitants. The name signifies "the long
marshy ground," and is descriptive of the situation of
this hamlet among the streams which unite to form
the Loughor river.
Tîr-Y-Brenken (Tîr-Y-Brenin)
TÎR-Y-BRENKEN (TÎR-Y-BRENIN), with
Briskedwin, a hamlet, in the parish of Llandeilo,
union and hundred of Swansea, county of Glamorgan, South Wales, 7 miles (N. N.W.) from Swansea; containing 485 inhabitants, of whom 188 are in
Tîr-y-Brenken. The road from Swansea to Carmarthen passes through this hamlet, in which are
some respectable residences.
Tîrymynach (Tîr-Y-Myneich)
TÎRYMYNACH (TîR-Y-MYNEICH), a
hamlet, in the parish of Guilsfield, hundred of
Pool, county of Montgomery, North Wales, 5
miles (E.) from Welshpool; containing 283 inhabitants. The name implies "the monks' ground,"
and is derived from the circumstance of the hamlet
having belonged to the abbey of Strata Marcella, in
the neighbouring parish of Welshpool. A portion,
amounting to about five hundred acres, is tithe-free;
the tithes of the remainder have been commuted for
£163, of which £121. 10. are payable to the Dean
and Chapter of Christ Church, Oxford, and £41. 10.
to the vicar of Guilsfield. The surrounding country
is well cultivated, and productive.
Towyn (Tywyn-Meirionydd)
TOWYN (TYWYN-MEIRIONYDD), a
market-town and bathing-place, and a parish, in the
union of Machynlleth, hundred of Estimaner,
county of Merioneth, North Wales, 16 miles
(S. W.) from Dôlgelley, and 221 (W.N.W.) from
London; containing, with the sea-port and bathingplace of Aberdovey, 2907 inhabitants. This town
is beautifully situated at the distance of about a mile
from the sea-coast, near the mouth of the river
Dysynni, in a small and pleasant vale, watered by
that stream, and on the verge of a tract which once
formed a very extensive morass, but which has been
secured by an embankment from the inundation of
the tide. The surrounding scenery is strikingly
diversified, combining features of romantic grandeur
with picturesque beauty. In the rear the town is
sheltered by a distant chain of lofty mountains,
among which the summits of Cader Idris appear in
all their majesty; while in front it commands a fine
expansive view over the bay of Cardigan. The
houses, which are built principally of the coarse grey
stone found in the neighbourhood, are of respectable
appearance, and the general aspect of the place is
neat and prepossessing. The fine beach near the
town, being remarkably convenient for sea-bathing,
has made it the resort during the summer season of
numerous visiters, from Llanidloes, Newtown, Montgomery, &c.; and valetudinarians are also attracted
hither by a well, called St. Cadvan's, in a field below
the church, much celebrated for the cure of rheumatic, scrofulous, and cutaneous disorders. This
well was formerly quite open, but for the better accommodation of the public has been inclosed, and
made into two baths, each about six feet square, with
four dressing-rooms attached; the whole under the
care of a person appointed for the purpose. Several
improvements have taken place in the town of late
years; some new houses have been erected, and a
line of road has been constructed, forming an easier
approach. The sands are firm and smooth, and the
drive over them to Aberdovey, a rising village about
four miles distant, especially at low water, is very
pleasant. A beautiful line of road to that interesting spot has been constructed under the auspices of
Athelstan Corbet, Esq., whose seat is near the town,
and is continued from Aberdovey to Pennal, affording an extensive ride through a tract of country
abounding with picturesque scenery, and commanding views of Snowdon, Aran Mowddy, Cader Idris,
and Plinlimmon. Races were formerly held on the
marsh below the town, on the 6th and 7th of September: they are now held near Aberdovey.
The parish, which comprises a wide district of
about thirty thousand acres, is bounded on the north
by the river Dysynni, on the south by the Dovey,
on the west by Cardigan bay, and on the east by the
parishes of Tàlyll-y-Bryn; and Pennal. It extends eight
or nine miles in length, and from five to six in
breadth, including, besides part of the Vale of
Dysynni, a large tract of land on the banks of the
river Dovey, and reaching to within a very short distance of the church of Pennal. The surface is
greatly diversified, and the high grounds above Tàlgarth, Penmaen Dovey, and the town, embrace fine
prospects of the Vales of Dovey, Pennal, and
Dysynni, with the surrounding hills and Cardigan
bay. The soil is various. Some copper and lead
mines in the parish have been let by their proprietor
to a company in London; and there are slate-quarries near the port of Aberdovey, which is described
under its appropriate head. Webs and flannels are
manufactured in various parts of the parish, affording employment to a portion of the inhabitants. The
market is on Friday; and fairs are held on March
16th, May 14th, September 17th, and November
18th. Towyn is one of the places at which the poll
is appointed to be taken in the election of the parliamentary representative of the county.
The living consists of a rectory and a vicarage.
Of these, the rectory, which is an appropriation
annexed to the bishopric of Lichfield, by a forced
exchange in the reign of Edward VI., is rated in
the king's books at £60. 13. 4.; the vicarage, which
is discharged, is rated at £6. 13. 4., and is of the net
annual value of £224, with a glebe-house, and in the
patronage of the Bishop of Bangor. The tithes
have been commuted for £980, of which a sum of
£800 is payable to the Bishop of Lichfield, and
£180 to the vicar. The church is dedicated to St.
Cadvan, a native of Armorica, who is said to have
come to Britain, with other missionaries, about the
commencement of the sixth century, and to have
been afterwards abbot of Bardsey. It is a spacious
and ancient cruciform structure, in the Norman style
of architecture; the building contains some very old
monuments, and on the north side of the chancel,
under arched canopies, are the effigies of two persons, of whom one, wrapped in a winding-sheet, is
supposed to represent Cadvan, and the other, in
armour, Grufydd ab Adda, of Dôlgoch in the
parish. There is also a stone, seven feet and a half
long, having sculptured upon it several inscriptions,
in very ancient characters, and so mutilated as to be
almost illegible; it is called St. Cadvan's Stone, and
formerly stood erect against a tomb in the churchyard. In the cemetery was another upright stone
rudely carved, which commemorated some warrior.
At Aberdovey is a chapel in connexion with the
Established Church, in the Vicar's gift. There are
places of worship for Independents, and Calvinistic
and Wesleyan Methodists.
Lady Moyer, in 1717, gave £400 three and a half
per cent. consols. for the foundation and endowment
of a school, which was further endowed, in the same
year, by Athelstan Owen, Esq., with £4 per annum;
twenty-two children are gratuitously instructed, and
others paid for by their parents: the master's salary,
under the endowments, is £16. 12. per annum. A
British and Foreign school is also held, and the parish
contains eleven Sunday schools. Some almshouses in
the village for five widows were founded, and endowed with lands now producing £20 a year, by
Mrs. Anne Owen. From the Rev. Edward Morgan's
charity at Llangelynin 20s. per annum are received,
and distributed on Easter Monday, among such poor
people and children as can best repeat the Church
catechism. Lewis Lloyd, Esq., of Dôl-y-Cletur,
county of Cardigan, in 1691 bequeathed a tenement
and land, designated Abergroes, in the township of
Is-yr-Avon, consisting, with mountain, of 128a. 3r.
35p., and paying £15 per annum rent, for the benefit exclusively of the poor of the township; and
the commissioners of charities lately directed that
this benefaction, together with 23s., the produce of
others in the township of Cynval Vawr, should in
future be applied to the support of a school in the
former.
On the contracted summit of an immense rock,
rising to a considerable elevation from the vale in
which the town is situated, are some remains of an
ancient castle of great strength, whose fortifications
comprehend the entire summit of the eminence: one
of the apartments, thirty-six feet in diameter, was
hewn out of the solid rock. This fortification, which
is called Tebeni, Mr. Pennant conjectures to have
been the strong castle of Bere, fortified by Davydd
ab Grufydd, and taken in 1283 by William de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, a short time prior to the
entire subjugation of the principality by Edward I.,
by which monarch it was committed to the custody
of Robert Fitz-Walter, who at the same time obtained the privilege of hunting in the circumjacent
country. The Roman road from Cevn Caer, a Roman station in the parish of Pennal, to the village of
Carreg, on the opposite bank of the river Dovey,
passes through the parish. Near Towyn a battle
was fought between the Welsh partisans of the house
of Lancaster, under the command of Thomas ab
Grufydd ab Nicholas, of Dynevor, and those of the
house of York, under Henry ab Gwilym, of Court
Henry, one of the Earl of Pembroke's captains; in
which the former gained a decisive victory. Here
also the same Thomas ab Grufydd encountered in
single combat David Gough, a near kinsman of
Matthew Gough, a celebrated warrior in the reigns
of Henry V. and Henry VI.; whom he slew. A
tumulus situated in the grounds of Tàlgarth is said
to have been raised over the body of Thomas ab
Grufydd, and some of his followers, who were murdered while asleep on the spot, by a party of the
adherents of the vanquished.
At a small distance from the town is Ynysymaengw-y-Bryn; the seat of A. Corbet, Esq., a noble mansion,
pleasantly situated in grounds tastefully laid out,
comprehending much beautiful scenery, and embellished with flourishing plantations, and timber of ancient growth, among which is an evergreen oak, considered to be the finest tree of its kind in the kingdom.
The gardens rank among the first in the principality,
being very extensive, and containing many curious
and rare trees and plants. This seat, during the
parliamentary war, was burnt to the ground, to prevent its affording any shelter to the parliament's
forces; and on a farm in the immediate vicinity,
called -y-Bryn Castell, is a circular mound of earth, near
which, some years since, the half of a cannon ball,
weighing seven lb., was found, which is now in the
possession of Mr. Corbet. At Dôlgôch is a small but
very picturesque waterfall. Craig-y-Deryn, or "the
rock of birds," about four miles from Towyn, up the
Vale of Dysynni, derives its name from the number
of birds that shelter in its crevices during the night;
the scenery around it is extremely wild and romantic,
and the discordant clamour which announces the birds'
retreat to this sequestered spot adds greatly to the
effect of the scene. Its summit was once occupied
by an ancient fortress or stronghold, of which there
are some vestiges; and several other strongholds of
the same kind, occupying similar situations, are found
near this part of the coast.
Traian-Glâs
TRAIAN-GLÂS, a township, in the parish of
Llywel, hundred of Devynock, union and county
of Brecknock, South Wales, 12 miles (W. N. W.)
from Brecknock; containing 625 inhabitants. It
comprises an area of 10,667 acres. On the west it
is bounded by the Black Mountains on the border of
Carmarthenshire, across which the road from Llandovery to Trêcastle passes, and thence descends into
a rich vale near the head of the river Usk, which
rises not far distant, and flows through the township.
There are some agreeable residences in the vale.
The tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of
£248, of which two-thirds are payable to the Dean
and Chapter of St. David's, and one-third to the
vicar of Llywel.
Traian-Mawr
TRAIAN-MAWR, a township, in the parish
of Llywel, hundred of Devynock, union and
county of Brecknock, South Wales, 10 miles
(N. W. by W.) from Brecknock; containing 703 inhabitants, of whom 289 are in Trêcastle ward, at
one time part of the borough of Brecon. It forms a
mountainous district of 5891 acres, on the borders of
Carmarthenshire. The tithes have been commuted
for a rent-charge of £183. 10., of which two-thirds
are payable to the Dean and Chapter of St. David's,
who have also a glebe of 12 acres, valued at £16 per
annum; and one-third to the vicar of Llywel.
Trallong (Trallwng)
TRALLONG (TRALLWNG), a parish, in
the hundred of Merthyr-Cynog, union and county
of Brecknock, South Wales, 5½ miles (W. by N.)
from Brecknock; containing 284 inhabitants. This
parish is bounded on the south by the river Usk, and
on the east by the Brân, which separates it from the
adjacent parish of Aberyscir; it is also watered by
the little river Kilieni. Trallong is surrounded by
the parishes of Llywel, Devynock, Aberyscir, and
Llanvihangel-Nant-Brân; and contains 3384 acres,
nearly equally divided between arable and pasture,
with a large portion of woodland: 245 acres are
common or waste. The soil is composed partly of
gravel and clay, and produces different sorts of corn,
but chiefly barley and oats; the prevailing timber
consists of oak, ash, and fir, and the scenery in
several situations is very beautiful. The parish is
said to have been at an early period entirely covered
with woods, which were frequented by wild boars.
Its surface is undulated, in some parts hilly; and the
great road from London, through Brecknock, to
Milford Haven passes within half a mile to the south
of the parish.
The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with
£600 royal bounty; net income, £59, arising principally from three farms in the parishes of MerthyrCynog, Llandevalley, and Llanthew, respectively;
patron, the Prebendary of Trallong in the Collegiate
Church of Brecknock. The church, dedicated to St.
David, is a plain ancient edifice, about 120 feet long
by 20 broad, and contains 38 pews, twelve of which
are free. There is a place of worship for Calvinistic
Methodists. A day school in connexion with the
Established Church is held, and two Sunday schools
are supported, one of them belonging to the Church,
and the other to the Calvinistic body. On a hill at
the eastern extremity of the parish are the remains
of a British fortification, called Twn-y-Gaer, overlooking the river Usk, on the other side of which is
another of the same appellation, crowning a hill in
the parish of Llanspythid, directly opposite to the
former, from which it is about a mile and a half
distant. The celebrated Owain Iolo Gôch is said to
have been buried in a field in the parish, that still
retains his name.
Trallwmgollen
TRALLWMGOLLEN, a township, in the parish and hundred of Welshpool, incorporation of
Forden, county of Montgomery, North Wales;
containing 209 inhabitants. This township, with
Tyddyn-Pridd, Dysserth, and Stredal-Vecan, forms
the Upper division of the parish.
Trane
TRANE, a hamlet, in the parish of Llantrissent, poor-law union of Cardiff, hundred of Miskin, county of Glamorgan, South Wales: the
population is included in the return for the parish.
Trawscoed
TRAWSCOED, a hamlet, in the parish of
Carno, union of Newtown and Llanidloes, Lower
division of the hundred of Llanidloes, county of
Montgomery, North Wales; containing 374 inhabitants. The name of this place implies that it
was formerly well wooded; but the mountains now
afford only herbage for sheep, and the valleys are
chiefly under tillage.
Trawscoed
TRAWSCOED, a hamlet, in the parish of
Llanyre, union and hundred of Rhaiadr, county
of Radnor, South Wales, 5 miles (N.) from
Builth; containing 524 inhabitants. It takes its
name, which signifies "the cross wood," from having
formerly abounded with timber; and is situated between the rivers Wye and Ithon, near where the
latter flows into the former. These rivers are crossed
by two bridges, that over the Ithon being on the line
of road between Builth and Rhaiadr, which passes
through the hamlet along the banks of the Wye, and
is remarkable for its picturesque views.
Trawsvynydd (Traws-Fynydd)
TRAWSVYNYDD (TRAWS-FYNYDD), a
parish, in the poor-law union of Festiniog, hundred of Ardudwy, county of Merioneth, North
Wales, 12 miles (N. by W.) from Dôlgelley; containing 1545 inhabitants. This parish is surrounded by
the parishes of Maentwrog, Llandecwyn, Llanvachreth, and Llanycil; and is of large extent, being estimated to contain 25,000 acres, and to extend ten
miles in length by eight in breadth. It is exceedingly
mountainous throughout; and is intersected by the
turnpike-road from Dôlgelley to Tan-y-Bwlch (at
which latter is the post-office), the road passing
through the village, which is situated on an eminence
in an exposed and hilly district. Considerably more
than one-half of the parish consists of barren and
uncultivated hills, affording only scanty pasturage for
sheep and young cattle. The country is strikingly
varied, presenting in some parts the dreary wildness
of rugged mountain scenery, in others the softer
features of rural beauty, combined with objects of
romantic grandeur. The lake called Rathlyn is a
fine sheet of water, noted for a peculiar species of
perch, having the lower extremity of the back-bone
strangely distorted: the interesting waterfalls of
Pistyll Caen and Pistyll Mawddach, in the parish,
are described in the article on Dôlgelley. Fairs,
which are in general well attended, are held here on
April 23rd and September 29th, for horses, cattle,
and pedlery; and at Penystryd, in the parish, others
take place on August 17th and September 21st.
The living is a discharged rectory, rated in the
king's books at £8. 12. 1.; patron, the Bishop of
Bangor: the tithes have been commuted for a rentcharge of £280, and there is a glebe of half an acre,
valued at 10s. per annum; with a glebe-house. The
church, dedicated to St. Madryn, is an ancient
structure in the early style of English architecture, in rather a dilapidated state. There are places
of worship for Independents, and Calvinistic and
Wesleyan Methodists. A day school is held, and
the parish has about ten Sunday schools. David
Lloyd, in 1686, bequeathed to the poor the sum
of £20, the produce of which has been in abeyance since 1819; Robert Roberts, in 1756, gave
£12 to be distributed in bread; and Mrs. Jones,
near Corwen, and her daughter-in-law, bequeathed
£180, with which a house and field in the village of
Trawsvynydd were purchased, now yielding a rent
of £8. 10. This sum, agreeably with the directions
of the donors, is appropriated to the annual distribution of £4, in sums of five shillings each, to sixteen
poor women, and the remaining £4. 10. a year to the
apprenticing of a boy once in two years.
There are some remains of an ancient fortress
called Castell Prysor, the name of which implies its
hasty erection; it is of small extent, and occupied a
situation in a pass between the hills on the left of the
road from Trawsvynydd to Bala. The origin of this
fortress, which is built of stone without any cement,
is not precisely known; but from the discovery of
several urns and coins near the site, it is supposed to
have been built or at least occupied by the Romans;
and part of a Roman road, now termed "the Sarn
Helen," which is still visible at no great distance, in
some degree corroborates the opinion. On a farm
in the parish, called Llêch Idris, is Bedd Porus, or
"the grave of Porius," over which is a flat stone
with the inscription "Porius. hic in tumulo jacit.
homo pianus fuit.," with a more modern addition of
the figures "1245," and the letter E. Near this is
an upright stone, Llêch Idris, from which the farm
is named, and concerning which there is a legend
stating it to have derived its appellation from Idris a
giant; it appears to be simply one of those monumental stones so frequently found in this country.
Not far from the Sarn Helen are several tumuli,
in one of which were found five urns, and several
fragments of bricks that had been placed round
them to protect them from injury: there is also a
tumulus on Gw-y-Bryn;vynydd farm. Humphrey Lloyd,
Bishop of Bangor, was born at Bôdyvudda, in the
parish, about 1600. Sion and Rhŷs Cain, both eminent bards, were also natives of the parish.
Trêbrys (Trêv-Brys)
TRÊBRYS (TRÊV-BRYS), a township, in
that part of the parish of Yspytty-Ivan which is in
the hundred of Isaled, county of Denbigh, in the
union of Llanrwst, in North Wales; containing
159 inhabitants. This township, which is sometimes
called Prees Uchâ, lies near the head of the river
Clettwr, on the border of Merionethshire, in a
mountainous district, and on the road from Corwen
to Llanwrst. The incumbent of the parish receives
a tithe rent-charge of £56 a year from the township.
There is a meeting-house for Independents.
Trêcastell
TRÊCASTELL, with Llanlluan, a hamlet,
in the parish of Llanarthney, hundred of Iscennen, union and county of Carmarthen, South
Wales, 5 miles (E.) from Carmarthen; containing
1053 inhabitants, of whom 376 are in Trêcastell and
the remainder in Llanlluan. It is situated on the river
Towy, and the road from Llandilo-Vawr to Carmarthen passes through. At Capel Dewi was anciently a chapel.
Trêcastle
TRÊCASTLE, an ancient ward of the borough
of Brecknock, in the parish of Llywel, hundred
of Devynock, union and county of Brecknock,
South Wales, 11 miles (W. by N.) from Brecknock;
containing 289 inhabitants. It derives its name
from a castle, said to have formerly existed here;
but by whom the fortress was erected, or at what
time, cannot be clearly ascertained, neither are there
at present any vestiges of it, except an artificial
mound or tumulus on the northern side of the turnpike-road, which is supposed to have been its site.
The origin of the place is involved in great obscurity, nor has it been satisfactorily shown by what
means it became a part of the borough of Brecknock,
from which it was separated, as regards municipal
jurisdiction, on the recent abridgment of the limits of
that town. It is conjectured that, having formed
part of the lands of Idio Wyllt, son-in-law of Bleddyn
ab Maenarch, Trêcastle fell, with the other territories belonging to the family, to Bernard Newmarch; and that, thus becoming connected with
Brecknock, the head of that baron's possessions, it
continued to form part of the great lordship of
Brecknock, from which it was not divided even
when, in the reign of Henry VIII., Brecknock first
became shire ground. The present small village of
Trêcastle seems to have formed the old town of
Lluel, or Llywel, under which name it is frequently
mentioned in the charter of Brecknock. It is
situated on the northern bank of the river Usk, on
the high road from Brecknock to Llandovery, and
consists of a cluster of several houses, including a
good inn and posting-house, from which it derives all
the little importance it possesses. Fairs are held on
January 17th, April 5th, May 21st, August 14th,
November 13th, and December 14th.
Trêcastle
TRÊCASTLE, a hamlet, in that part of the
parish of Llandilo-Vawr which is in the hundred
of Iscennen, in the union of Llandilo-Vawr,
county of Carmarthen, South Wales, 4 miles
(S. E.) from Llandilo-Vawr; containing 378 inhabitants. In this hamlet, about two miles and a half to
the east of the turnpike-road from Llandilo-Vawr to
Swansea, stand the picturesque and romantic remains of Carreg Cennen Castle, on a perpendicular
isolated rock, rising nearly 300 feet above the river
Cennen, which flows at the base. The situation
of the castle is peculiarly interesting; and though
surrounded by lofty hills, the views from it are rich
and varied, especially on the right, where the Vale
of the Towy presents itself, in front the Vale of
Llangendeirn, and on the left the Vale of Llandebie,
with a part of that of Loughor. It is said to have
been erected by Urien Rheged, lord of Iscennen, a
knight of King Arthur's round table; the chief
circumstance in its authentic history is its capture
from the English by Rhŷs Vychan, whose mother
had delivered it up to them out of dislike to him.
Roman coins, among which have been some of the
Emperor Domitian, are continually found in the soil,
at the foot of the rock on which the castle stands;
and an ancient British celt has been discovered in
the immediate vicinity. For a fuller account of this
fortress, see the article on Llandilo-Vawr.
Trêcevel (Trêf-Gefail)
TRÊCEVEL (TRÊF-GEFAIL), a hamlet,
in the parish and union of Trêgaron, Lower
division of the hundred of Penarth, county of
Cardigan, South Wales, ½ a mile (S. W.) from
Trêgaron; containing 126 inhabitants, who are
wholly employed in agriculture. It is situated on
the road to Lampeter, which passes along the right
bank of the Teivy. There is a bridge over the river
at this place.
Trech-Gwinnon
TRECH-GWINNON, with Miawst, a hamlet,
in the parish of Llanarthney, hundred of Iscennen, union and county of Carmarthen, South
Wales; containing 375 inhabitants. It is situated
near the head of Gwendraeth Vâch river.
Trêclâs
TRÊCLÂS, with Myddvay, a hamlet, in the
parish of Llanarthney, hundred of Iscennen,
union and county of Carmarthen, South Wales,
7½ miles (E.) from Carmarthen; containing 405
inhabitants. It is situated on the left bank of the
Towy, and the parochial church stands in the hamlet,
within a short distance of that river, the views of
which from this place are extremely beautiful.
Tredderwen-Vawr (Tré-Dder-Wen-Fôr)
TREDDERWEN-VAWR (TRÊ-DDER-WEN-FÔR), a hamlet, in that part of the parish of
Llansantfraid-yn-Mechan which is in the Upper
division of the hundred of Deythur, in the poorlaw union of Llanvyllin, county of Montgomery,
North Wales, 9 miles (N. N. E.) from Welshpool;
containing 152 inhabitants.
Trêgaron (Caron, or Trêf-Garon)
TRÊGARON (CARON, or TRÊF-GARON),
a market-town and parish (formerly a borough), and
the head of a union, partly in the hundred of Ilar,
but chiefly in the Lower and Upper divisions of the
hundred of Penarth, county of Cardigan, South
Wales, 39 miles (E. by N.) from Cardigan, and 202
miles (W. by N.) from London; comprising the chapelry of Caron-Uwch-Clawdd, or Strata-Florida; and
containing 2572 inhabitants, of whom 692 are in
the town of Trêgaron. It is said to derive its name
from being the burial-place of Caron, a Welsh king,
who, according to tradition, from a low situation in
life, raised himself, by his bravery and generous deportment, to the sovereignty, which he held for
seven years; after his death, he was canonized, and
became the tutelar saint of the church. The town
is small and indifferently built, presenting only the
appearance of a village. It is situated on the high
road from Lampeter to Rhaiadr, at the south-eastern
extremity of the parish, and on the small river Berwyn, within a short distance of its conflux with the
Teivy, which runs about half a mile to the west; a
new bridge of stone has been erected over the
former, at an estimated expense of £120, defrayed
partly by subscription, and partly from the county
rate. In the vicinity are two small lakes, one called
Berwyn, about a mile and a half in circumference,
which contains abundance of trout, and the other
Maes Ll-y-Bryn, "the lake of the field," where tradition reports the town to have once stood; the latter
is situated about two miles to the east, is a mile in
circumference, and produces trout and eels. Silver
and lead-ore are stated to exist in small quantities in
Cwm y Graig Gôch, but the mines have not been
worked for many years. The market is on Tuesday,
for the sale of provisions, stockings, flannel, &c.; an
annual fair is held on March 15th, 16th, and 17th,
and another on the first Tuesday in May, chiefly
for the sale of pedlery, homespun cloth, hose, horses,
pigs, &c. Trêgaron was formerly incorporated,
and its burgesses, in common with those of Aberystwith, Atpar, and Lampeter, had the privilege
of voting in the election of a parliamentary representative for the county town; but, in consequence
of some acts of corruption, it was deprived of that
liberty by a committee of the House of Commons,
on the 7th of May, 1730. The only electoral right
now exercised by the inhabitants is that of the freeholders in the choice of a county member, for which
this town, by the act of the year 1832 to "Amend
the Representation," is constituted a polling-place.
It is under the jurisdiction of the county magistrates;
and a court leet is held twice a year by the lord of
the manor.
The living is a discharged vicarage, rated in the
king's books at £8; present net income, £156, with
a glebe-house; patron, the Bishop of St. David's:
the prebend of Trêgaron, an impropriation that was
attached to the ancient college of Llandewy-Brevi,
was rated in the king's books at £13. 6. 8. The
church, dedicated to St. Caron, is a neat structure,
agreeably situated on a rocky elevation in the middle
of the town, and consists of a nave, chancel, and an
embattled tower sixty feet in height, in the later style
of English architecture; the churchyard contains
four ancient monumental stones, supposed to have
been set up in the sixth century, two of which have
inscriptions. There are places of worship for dissenters, and some Sunday schools, one of which is in
connexion with the Established Church. The poorlaw union of which this town is the head, was formed
May 15th, 1837, and comprises the following twentytwo parishes and townships; namely, Trêgaron,
Bettws-Leike, Blaen-Penal, Caron-Uwch-Clawdd,
Cugian, Dothie-Camddwr, Dothie-Pyscottwr, Garth
with Ystrad, Gartheli, Godwidd, Upper and Lower
Gwnnws (forming Llanwnws parish), Gwynvil, Llanbadarn-Odwynne, Llangeitho, Llanio, Upper and
Lower Lledrod (forming the parish of LlanvihangelLledrod), Nantcwnlle, Prisk with Carvan, YspyttyYstrad-Meuric, and Yspytty-Ystwith. It is under
the superintendence of twenty-three guardians, and
contains a population of 10,253.
At the distance of three miles northward from the
town is a large encampment, called Castell Flemys,
forming the greater segment of a circle, and defended on three sides by an impassable morass: it
is thought to have been constructed by a body of
the Flemish settlers in South Wales. There is
another, which is designated Castell Sunnyhill, from
its proximity to Sunnyhill farm. In the parish also
are several sepulchral heaps of stones, termed carneddau; a curious bank of earth, extending several
miles in length, styled Cwys Ichain Banawg, or
"the furrow of the Bannog oxen," supposed by the
late Sir S. R. Meyrick to be the remains of an
ancient British road; and an artificial mound, encompassed by a moat, denominated Tommen Llanio,
but by whom or for what purpose erected is uncertain.
Thomas Jones, a Welsh antiquary and poet, who
flourished about the commencement of the seventeenth century, was born at a house called Porth
Fynnon, a little to the east of Trêgaron. In addition
to his literary reputation, he enjoyed, according to
tradition, a less enviable distinction, from his practice
of plundering his neighbours; being represented,
under the name of Twm Sion Catti, as an expert and
dexterous robber. He acquired a considerable fortune by marrying the heiress of Ystrad-Fin by an
ingenious stratagem, and was subsequently appointed
sheriff of the county.
Trêgayan (Trêf-Gîan, or Trêf-Gaian)
TRÊGAYAN (TRÊF-GÎAN, or TRÊF-GAIAN), a parish, partly in the hundred of Menai,
partly in that of Tyndaethwy, and partly in that
of Malltraeth, union and county of Anglesey,
North Wales, 2½ miles (N. N. W.) from Llangevni;
containing 188 inhabitants. This parish, which derives its name from the dedication of its church to
St. Caian, is situated nearly in the centre of the
island, upon the market-road from Llangevni to
Llanerchymedd. It is bounded by the parishes of
Llangevni, Llanddyvnan, Llanvihangel, LlanbedrGôch, and Llangwillog; and is computed to contain
2000 acres, one-half arable, and one-half pasture, with
a little woodland. The surface is boldly undulated,
and the soil of a light quality, the principal agricultural produce being oats: the whole, with the exception of a small portion, is inclosed, and under
tolerably good cultivation. There is a mill on a
branch of the river Cevni. Trêgayan Hall, the
seat of Rear-Admiral Lloyd, is a handsome mansion,
pleasantly seated amid some flourishing plantations,
and forming a prominent object in the scenery of the
place.
The living is annexed to the rectory of Llangevni;
the tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of
£195. The church is simple and primitive in its
construction; it measures forty-five feet by fourteen
feet and a half, external dimensions, and only eight
feet in height to the wall-plate. At the western end
is a single bell-gable, of good design: a southern doorway, with trifoliated spandrils, under a square label,
leads into the church, and is answered by a smaller
doorway on the northern side. The eastern window
is of rather singular design, and on the walls of the
edifice are some monumental tablets; the font is
probably of the twelfth century, and belonged to an
earlier church. There are eighty sittings, threefourths of which belong to the tenantry of the soil.
The parish register contains an entry recording the
death of William ab Howel, in the year 1587, at the
advanced age of 105 years; he is said to have been
the father of forty-two children, of whom the oldest,
at the time of his decease, was eighty-nine, and the
youngest eight years of age. A rent-charge of 2s.,
bequeathed by John Griffith Lewis, is paid to some
deserving person not receiving parochial relief.
Tregîb (Tre-Gîb)
TREGÎB (TRE-GÎB), a hamlet, in that part
of the parish of Llandilo-Vawr which is in the
Upper division of the hundred of Iscennen, in the
union of Llandilo-Vawr, county of Carmarthen,
South Wales, 1 mile (S. E.) from Llandilo-Vawr;
containing 308 inhabitants. The river Towy runs
on the northern side of this hamlet, and here receives the small tributary streams called the Cennen
and Cib: the road from Llandilo-Vawr to Swansea
passes through it; and it is also crossed by a Roman
road, the Via Julia. An ancient residence here,
once a fortified place, gives its name to the hamlet.
The union workhouse of Llandilo-Vawr, a handsome
structure in the Elizabethan style, with a front of cut
stone, is situated within the limits of Trêgib.
Trêgoed
TRÊGOED, county of Brecknock, in South
Wales.—See Velindre.
Trêgorn (Trê-Gâr)
TRÊGORN (TRÊ-GÂR), a hamlet, in the
parish of Llandarog, Upper division of the hundred
of Iscennen, union and county of Carmarthen,
South Wales, 6 miles (E. by S.) from the town of
Carmarthen; containing 303 inhabitants.
Trêgynon (Trêf-Gynon)
TRÊGYNON (TRÊF-GYNON), a parish, in
the union of Newtown and Llanidloes, Lower
division of the hundred of Newtown, county of
Montgomery, North Wales, 5½ miles (N. by W.)
from Newtown; containing 709 inhabitants. This
parish is situated on the turnpike-road from Newtown
to Llanvair, and surrounded by the parishes of Bettws,
Manavon, and Aberhavesp. It comprises 5000 acres
of arable, pasture, and woodland, principally in old
inclosures, and about 1336 acres of uninclosed land,
incapable of cultivation, and affording only pasturage
for sheep and young cattle. The surface is agreeably diversified with hills and vales, with abundance
of good oak and fir timber; the river Rhiew flows
through a part of the parish, and there are some
smaller brooks. Gregynog Hall, a seat of Lord
Sudeley's, adds considerably to the beauty of the
district; and the views from the higher grounds embrace a well-cultivated tract of country: the soil in
the lower lands is rich, and there are some good
turbaries in various parts, affording fuel to the inhabitants. About 500 acres were inclosed, under an
act of parliament passed in the year 1794. The population of the parish consists of weavers and agricultural
labourers.
The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with
£200 private benefaction, £400 royal bounty, and
£800 parliamentary grant; net income, £87; patron
and impropriator, Lord Sudeley, whose tithes have
been commuted for a rent-charge of £90. The
church, dedicated to St. Cynon, is an ancient edifice,
in the early English style of architecture, with a
tower, apparently of great antiquity; and contains
some neat monuments, among which is one of white
marble to the memory of the benevolent Arthur
Blayney, Esq., at whose expense the church was
new-pewed and embellished. There are places of
worship for Independents and Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists. A day school in connexion with
the Established Church is principally promoted by
Lord Sudeley, and the Calvinistic Methodists have
two Sunday schools. Four persons are nominated
from this place as inmates of the almshouses founded
in 1709, by Arthur Weaver, Esq., in the parish of
Bettws. A fund for distribution among the poor on
New Year's day and Easter Monday amounts to
£23. 12. annually; arising from two tenements, and
pieces of land containing about seven acres and a
quarter, yielding a rent of £13. 16. per annum, the
gift of unknown benefactors; and a grant of £6. 6.
by the late Arthur Blayney, Esq.; together with a
rent-charge of 10s., by a member of the family of
Foulkes, and a bequest of £5 per annum, by Mr.
Weaver, founder of the almshouses, of which last £2
are expended in repairs and firing. The Roman Via
Devana passes across the parish, and some remains
of it were here visible until of late years.
Trelêch-Ar-Bettws (Trêf-Llêcha'r Bettws)
TRELÊCH-AR-BETTWS (TRÊF-LLÊCH
A'R BETTWS), a parish, in the Higher division of
the hundred of Elvet, union and county of Carmarthen, South Wales, 8 miles distant (N. W. by
W.) from the town of Carmarthen; containing 1620
inhabitants. This parish comprises a large tract of
arable and pasture, inclosed, and a very extensive
district of uncultivated land, consisting chiefly of
heath and turbaries, from which latter the inhabitants
principally obtain their fuel, and which also afford a
supply to the neighbouring parishes. The surface
is uneven, and in some parts hilly. The petty-sessions for the hundred are held here every month. Trelêch constituted a prebend in the ancient college of
Llandewy-Brevi, rated in the king's books at £16,
and in the gift of the Bishop of St. David's. The
living is a discharged vicarage, rated in the king's
books at £6. 13. 4., and endowed with £400 royal
bounty, and £1200 parliamentary grant; patron, the
Bishop; impropriators, the Earl of Lisburne, and
Richard Price, Esq. The impropriate tithes have
been commuted for a rent-charge of £390, and the
vicarial for one of £95; the impropriate glebe comprises above forty acres, and the vicarial above thirtytwo acres, with a glebe-house. The church, dedicated to St. Teilo, and situated within two miles of
the turnpike-road from Carmarthen to Cardigan, was
rebuilt in 1834, and is a neat and commodious structure: Capel Bettws is a chapel of ease to it. There
are two places of worship for Independents, one for
Calvinistic Methodists, and one for Baptists.
A school was founded in 1804, by Mr. William
Davies, formerly of Plâs-y-Park in the parish, and
afterwards citizen of London, who endowed it with
£4563. 15. 5., in the three per cent. consols., directing the dividends to be appropriated to the education, clothing, and apprenticing of children. It contains about seventy children, and the master's salary
is £40 per annum: the total income from the dividends amounts to £136. 18. The house consists of
a schoolroom on the ground-floor, and two apartments
above, one for the meeting of the trustees, and the
other used as a storeroom. Two or three children
are apprenticed yearly with premiums of about £4,
and are also supplied with clothes during their apprenticeship. The trustees are, the minister, churchwardens, overseers of the poor, and every inhabitant
possessed of a freehold of £50 per annum. There
are also six Sunday schools, four of them connected
with the Independents, one with the Baptists, and
one with the Calvinistic Methodists. Mrs. Elizabeth
Lewis, of Blaendewi in the parish, bequeathed
£100, of the interest of which she directed £1 per
annum to be paid to the support of a meeting-house,
and the remainder to be distributed among the poor;
but the sum was lost by the insolvency of a solicitor,
at Carmarthen, to whom it had been lent at interest.
A rent-charge of 5s., by an unknown donor, is annually divided among five persons.
In the parish is a remarkable barrow, called Crûgy-Deyrn, or the "king's barrow," about sixty paces
in circumference at the base, and rising with a
gradual slope to the height of six yards; on the
summit is a cavity, in the centre of which is a large
stone of elliptical shape, three yards in length, five
feet broad in the widest part, and about ten or twelve
inches in thickness. On searching underneath, it
was found to cover a cist-vaen, about four feet and
a half in length, and three feet broad, within and
around which were rude fragments of brick, and some
pieces of bone, the latter supposed to have been
brought there by foxes.
Trêllan (Trê-Llan)
TRÊLLAN (TRÊ-LLAN), a hamlet, in the
parish of Kilken, poor-law union of Holywell,
Northop division of the hundred of Coleshill, county
of Flint, North Wales, 5½ miles (W. N. W.) from
Mold; containing 390 inhabitants.
Trêllan (Trê-Llan)
TRÊLLAN (TRÊ-LLAN), a hamlet, in the
parish of Llandegley, union of Kington, hundred
of Kevenlleece, county of Radnor, in South
Wales, 1½ mile (E. by S.) from Pen-y-Bont; containing 150 inhabitants. The road from New Radnor to Rhaiadr passes through this hamlet, which
contains the parochial church; and a branch of the
Cymaron brook flows through it, near the northern
base of a lofty and barren mountain, which occupies
a great portion of the district. The manorial rights
of this hamlet and that of Graig, are vested in the
crown.
Trêlydan
TRÊLYDAN, a hamlet, in the parish of Guilsfield, hundred of Pool, county of Montgomery,
North Wales, 2 miles (N. by E.) from Welshpool;
containing 105 inhabitants. It is within the liberties
of the borough of Welshpool.
Trêlystan (Trê-Elystan)
TRÊLYSTAN (TRÊ-ELYSTAN), a township, in that part of the parish of Worthen which
is in the Lower division of the hundred of Cawrse,
county of Montgomery, North Wales, 3¾ miles
(S. E.) from Welshpool; containing 100 inhabitants.
This township is situated nearly at the southern extremity of the Long Mountain, on the border of
Shropshire; and, with the township of Rhôsgôch,
forms the Welsh chapelry of Wolston, or WestonnyEnd, attached to the rectory of Worthen, in Shropshire, in which county the principal part of the parish
is included. It is one of the places incorporated
by an act of parliament, for the support of their poor
in the house of industry at Forden.
Trêmadoc
TRÊMADOC, a market-town, in the parish of
Ynyscynhaiarn, union of Festiniog, hundred of
Eivionydd, county of Carnarvon, North Wales,
20 miles (S. by E.) from Carnarvon; containing 523
inhabitants, and, with Port-Madoc, 1353. This
place is of very recent origin, and is a signal instance
of the triumph of public-spirited perseverance over
accumulated and apparently insurmountable local
difficulties. It derives its name from a small rocky
spot close by the town, called from time immemorial
Ynys Madog or Madawg, and which used in former
times to be surrounded by water. Some persons,
however, with a pardonable latitude, derive the name
of the place from its patriotic and enterprising founder, the late William Alexander Madocks, Esq.
This gentleman, having projected a plan for regaining from the sea a portion of land on the western
side of the wide sandy estuary called the "Traeth
Mawr," purchased the estate of Tan-yr-Allt, in the
immediate vicinity, in 1798, and in 1800 succeeded
in recovering a tract of nearly two thousand acres of
rich land, then forming Penmorva marsh, which now
produces excellent crops of wheat, barley, and clover.
Encouraged by the success of his first attempt, Mr.
Madocks was induced to undertake the more arduous
enterprise of reclaiming the whole of the Traeth
Mawr; and for this purpose he obtained an act of
parliament in 1808, vesting in him and in his heirs
the entire extent of these sands, from Pont Aber
Glâslyn, at their head, to the point at Gêst, at their
lower extremity. According to the provisions of
the act, Mr. Madocks received a grant of two thousand acres in fee, and was to possess one-fifth part of
the land recovered from the sea, or secured from injury by the floods, the remainder to go to the freeholders who claimed right of common on the adjoining marshes. Notwithstanding the numerous unforeseen obstacles which threatened to frustrate the
undertaking, Mr. Madocks succeeded in constructing across the mouth of the Traeth Mawr, at the
eastern extremity of Cardigan bay, an embankment
of earth and stones, nearly a mile in length, from
north to south, varying from one to four hundred
feet in breadth at the base, and diminishing gradually
to a breadth of thirty feet at the summit, which is a
hundred feet high from the foundation. By means of
this embankment, which forms a line of communication
between the counties of Carnarvon and Merioneth,
a tract of more than two thousand seven hundred
acres of land was gained from the sea, besides a vast
extent of adjoining land, which was before overflowed
by the tides, but is now, by draining, rendered susceptible of cultivation. This arduous work was completed in 1811, at an expense of more than £100,000;
and, including the lands previously recovered, not
less than seven thousand acres have been obtained,
of which six thousand are now cultivated.
The Town is situated on a portion of the tract
first recovered from the sea, and is built on the sides
of a spacious quadrangular area, having in the centre
a lofty stone column, round the pedestal of which is
a flight of four steps. The houses are of handsome
appearance; there is a commodious hotel, and the
town promises, when the plan is fully completed, to
be a great ornament to this part of the coast. It is
sheltered on the north by a chain of formidable rocks,
that line the side of the road leading from Bethgelart, which approaches it from the north-east, after
winding its way through the grand mountain pass of
Pont Aber Glâslyn: at the foot of that pass is seen a
picturesque bridge, springing from rock to rock, and
forming a means of communication between the
counties of Merioneth and Carnarvon, with the river
Glâslyn meandering beneath. On the west the
town is approached by the road from Pwllheli, which
passes through the neat little village of Llanystyndwy and the old town of Criccieth. Tan-yr-Allt,
the seat of the late W. A. Madocks, Esq., is a spacious modern mansion of elegant design, situated on
an elevated rock overlooking the town; it is surrounded with thriving plantations, and presents, with
its entrance lodge of neat design, a pleasing and
picturesque appearance. Morva Lodge, and T'wnti'r-bwlch, erected likewise by that gentleman, are
handsome villas in the immediate vicinity. Moel-yGêst, which is partly in Ynyscynhaiarn parish, and
partly in that of Trêvlys, is an isolated rocky eminence, about a mile from the town, and contiguous
to the sea, above which it attains an elevation of
nearly 1000 feet. The ascent to the top is easy, and
the prospect from it is exceedingly grand, embracing
the whole of Cardigan bay: on the sides of the entrance to the harbour of Port-Madoc are seen the interesting ruins of Harlech and Criccieth Castles; and
the interior view presents Snowdon and its group of
elevations, known by the name of the Snowdonian
mountains, with the mountains of Merioneth.
With a view to promote the commercial interests
of the town he had founded, Mr. Madocks obtained
an act of parliament in 1821 for improving the navigation of this part of the bay, under the provisions
of which he rendered the place accessible to vessels
of three hundred tons' burthen, which can now lie
here in safety, and constructed commodious quays
and wharfs for the landing and shipping of goods.
The last improvement carried into effect was the
erection of Port-Madoc, containing 830 inhabitants,
about one mile from the town, where many good
houses have been built: it is an increasing place,
and a considerable trade is carried on. The principal exports are slates and copper-ore, the former
brought from the Festiniog quarries, and amounting
to about thirty thousand tons annually; the chief
imports are timber, coal, and lime. Lead-ore has
been discovered at Gêst, near the town. An excellent road was constructed by Mr. Madocks from
Aber Glâslyn, through Trêmadoc, to Porth-Dinllaen
on the western coast of Carnarvonshire; and a tramway from the Festiniog quarries, and the mines in
the neighbourhood, to Port-Madoc, is carried along
the great embankment, with a good road for travelling on its north side, well sheltered from the sea,
being eight feet lower than the summit. Fairs are
held annually on the 2nd Friday in February, on
April 13th, June 30th, December 6th, and on November 12th, the hiring day for servants. Upon the
east side of the area is a commodious market-house,
above which is a handsome assembly-room. The
powers of the county debt-court of Port-Madoc,
established in 1847, extend over the registrationdistrict of Festiniog: the court is held monthly, in a
market-hall lately built. Mr. Madocks also built at
Trêmadoc, at his own expense, a small church in the
later style of English architecture, with a lofty spire,
which forms an interesting object as seen from the
coast: divine service is regularly performed in the
English language, every Sunday, which is a great
accommodation to families residing in the neighbourhood, as there is no other church within twenty miles,
where the service is conducted in English. There
are places of worship for dissenters at Port-Madoc
and Trêmadoc, a day school, and also some Sunday
schools.
The road from Trêmadoc to Bethgelart, along the
side of the Traeth Mawr, passes, as already mentioned, for some distance under perpendicular cliffs,
in which are numerous chasms and fissures; and after
heavy rains, or long-continued frosts, immense masses
are sometimes detached from the impending precipices, and fall with a tremendous crash, bestrewing
the way with fragments, sometimes of sufficient magnitude to obstruct the passage. The road commands
to great advantage the scenery of the Merionethshire
side of the Traeth, and affords a delightful ride to
Pont Aber Glâslyn and its vicinity.
Tremaen (Trê-Maen)
TREMAEN (TRÊ-MAEN), a parish, in the
Lower division of the hundred of Troedyraur, union
and county of Cardigan, South Wales, 4 miles
(E. N. E.) from Cardigan; containing 264 inhabitants.
It is thought to derive its name, signifying "the
town of the stone," from the vast rude stone termed
Llêch yr Ast, and the adjacent cist-vaens, situated
near the village, though within the limits of Llangoedmore parish. These relics, together with a
large tumulus on a farm in this parish, designated
Canllevarvaes, are supposed to commemorate a decisive battle that occurred here between the Welsh
and the Flemings, soon after a body of the latter had
effected a landing at a place called Mount, about
three miles distant, on the sea-shore. The parish is
situated on the summit and declivities of a hill, called,
from the stone above noticed, Llêch yr Ast; and
comprises about 900 acres of cultivated arable and
pasture land, with a tract of 30 acres of marshy
ground. Its soil is principally light, except in the
lowest part. The river Arberth runs through the
parish, and after turning four or five grist-mills,
falls into the Teivy: the turnpike-road from Cardigan to Aberystwith also intersects the parish, within
a short distance of the church. In the neighbourhood are Trê Prior, anciently a place of some note,
but now a farmhouse, and Trêv Wttial Vawr, similarly converted. The living is a perpetual curacy,
endowed with £200 royal bounty, and £291. 4. 10.
parliamentary grant; net income, £72; patrons and
impropriators, the Miles family, whose tithes have
been commuted for a rent-charge of £124. Attached
to the benefice is a small farm in the parish of
Llansawel, Carmarthenshire, the rent of which is
included in the above income. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, was rebuilt in the year 1810,
with the exception of the chancel, and is a plain
edifice, composed of a nave and chancel, fifty feet
long, twenty-two feet wide, and thirty-five high; the
height of the steeple is forty-five feet. In the
parish is a ford called Rhŷdwenwynvarch, supposed
to have derived that name from the water having
been poisoned, to destroy the army of an invading
enemy.