Tremerchion, or Dymeirchyon (Trê-Meirchion)
TREMERCHION, or DYMEIRCHYON
(TRÊ-MEIRCHION), a parish, in the union of
St. Asaph, Rhuddlan division of the hundred of
Rhuddlan, county of Flint, North Wales, 3½
miles (E. S. E.) from St. Asaph; containing 613 inhabitants. The village of Tremerchion is delightfully situated on the brow of a hill, under the Clwydian range of mountains, and commands a rich and
luxuriant prospect of that unrivalled vale, of the
mountains forming its western boundary, and the
lofty chain of Snowdon. Lead-ore has been found
in the parish, but the works are discontinued. A
little below the church stands the mansion of
-y-Bryn; bella, once called Bâchegraig, embosomed in
woods, and some time since the property and
residence of Signor Piozzi, in right of his wife,
previously Mrs. Thrale, widow of Henry Thrale,
Esq. She was daughter and heiress of John Salusbury, Esq., to an ancestor of whom, named Roger
Salusbury, the ancient house, and certain tithes in
Carnarvonshire, were given, as a marriage portion
with one of his daughters, by Sir Richard Clough,
an eminent merchant in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, by whom the house was erected in the year
1567. The old edifice inclosed a quadrangular
area, and was a curious brick mansion, with three
sides composed of different buildings, the former six
stories high, including the cupola, and forming from
the second floor the figure of a pyramid, having
probably been erected from the model of buildings
in Flanders; the bricks were of a very superior kind,
and are supposed to have been made either in
Holland, or by a Dutchman on the spot. This
edifice was taken down, and the present house
erected, about the end of the last century, by
Mrs. Thrale. The property now belongs to Sir
John S. Piozzi Salusbury, Knt.
The living is a discharged vicarage, rated in the
king's books at £5, and in the gift of the Bishop of
St. Asaph; the tithes have been commuted for a
rent-charge of £539. 14., equally divided between
the impropriator and the vicar. The church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is a small neat edifice,
and contains an organ, a very unusual appendage to
country churches in Wales. Under a finely ornamented arch lies the effigy of Davydd Ddû, or
Davydd the Black, of Hiraddug, in ecclesiastical
robes. He was incumbent of the parish about
the middle of the fourteenth century, and is celebrated throughout Wales for his poetry and prophecies; he translated the Psalms of David into Welsh
metre, and assisted greatly in regulating the Welsh
prosody. Beneath the figure is inscribed Hic jacit
Dafid ap Roderic ap Madog. Here is also a mutilated effigy of Sir Robert Pounderling, constable
of Dyserth Castle, represented as a Knight Templar, cross-legged; and the church anciently contained a cross (long since demolished), in great fame
for the miracles reputed to have been performed
at it, which are described in a poem published about
the year 1500, by Grufydd ab Ivan ab Llewelyn
Vychan. There is a place of worship for Wesleyan
Methodists.
Margaret Vaughan, in 1707, gave the sum of
£100, directing that part of the interest should be
annually distributed among the poor, and the remainder appropriated in apprenticing a child. A school
was built contiguous to the churchyard, about the
year 1765, which is partly supported by an endowment in land by the same lady, producing £4 per
annum, partly by the landed proprietors, and partly
by payments from the children. It is in connexion
with the Established Church, and there is also a
Church Sunday school. Divers small sums have
been given for the benefit of the poor; among
which are a rent-charge of £1. 5., by Edward Mostyn,
Esq., in the year 1733, and another of £1. 6., by
Mrs. Grace Price, in the year 1741. Mrs. Williams,
in 1729, left a house and about two acres of land,
increased by a small addition under the Skerring
inclosure act, the whole now paying a rent of £6;
and Robert Davies, in 1823, bequeathed £30,
lodged in the Holywell savings' bank. The produce
of all these benefactions is distributed annually.
Sir Richard Clough, the founder of the mansion of
Bâchegraig, was the son of poor parents at Denbigh,
and became a chorister in Chester Cathedral, whence
he was removed to London, and apprenticed to Sir
Thomas Gresham, with whom he afterwards became
a partner: he is even said to have contributed a few
thousand pounds towards founding the Royal Exchange. He lived chiefly at Antwerp, and amassed
so much wealth in mercantile pursuits as to render
his name proverbial, on the attainment of riches by
any person. His descendants are stated to have
been deprived of the bulk of his immense estate by
virtue of an agreement between him and Sir Thomas Gresham, to the effect that, on the decease of
either, the survivor should inherit the whole of his
property.
Trê'rcoed
TRÊ'RCOED, a township, in the parish of
Disserth, union of Builth, hundred of Colwyn,
county of Radnor, South Wales, 4½ miles (N. N. E.)
from Builth; containing 277 inhabitants. The township is bounded on the north by a stream which falls
into the river Ithon, and near which is Maes Madoc,
celebrated as the scene of one of the last engagements between Prince Llewelyn ab Grufydd and
the English. On an elevated common are some
square fortifications, conjectured to be British, notwithstanding their form.
Trêtower (Trêf-Y-Twr)
TRÊTOWER (TRÊF-Y-TWR), a chapelry,
in the parish of Llanvihangel-Cwm-Dû, union
and hundred of Crickhowel, county of Brecknock, South Wales, 3 miles (N. by W.) from
Crickhowel; containing 282 inhabitants. This place
derives its name, signifying "the town of the tower,"
from its castle, supposed by some to have been originally the residence of one of the native lords of Brycheiniog. By whom, however, or when, the castle
was founded, has not been distinctly ascertained. It
was perhaps built by Pycard, a Norman knight, to
whom Bernard Newmarch gave the manor, to be
held by knight's service, as of the paramount lordship
of Blaenllynvi. From the Picards the manor and
castle descended, by marriage, to the Bloets, of Raglan Castle, Monmouthshire, with whom the estate
continued till the reign of Richard II., when, by the
marriage of Isabel, or Elizabeth, only daughter and
heiress of Sir John Bloet, it passed to Sir James
Berkeley, second son of Lord Berkeley, of Berkeley
Castle, Gloucestershire. In 1403, Sir James was
commanded by Henry IV. to fortify his castle of
Trêtower against Owain Glyndwr, by whom it was,
notwithstanding, partially demolished; and at present, in some of the remaining walls are several
parts which appear to have undergone repairs, probably at the time here alluded to, as they display
evident marks of haste in the execution of the work,
some of the ancient ornamental carving having been
walled up. The manor and the remains of the castle
were given by Edward IV. to the family of Herbert,
from whom the property has descended by inheritance to the Duke of Beaufort, in whose possession
is a sketch of the castle as it appeared in the reign
of Elizabeth.
The village is pleasantly situated on the left bank
of the river Rhiangoll, which, after flowing along the
beautiful Vale of Cwm Dû, falls into the Usk within
a short distance of it, between the lofty mountains
near the entrance of the vale, through which the
road from Crickhowel to Brecknock is carried. It
contains but few houses, and independently of its
situation and the remains of the ancient castle, presents scarcely any objects of interest. The living
is a perpetual curacy, endowed with £800 royal
bounty; net income, £64; patron, Morgan Morgans, Esq.; impropriator, Mr. Jones. The chapel
is dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, but whether
it was founded by the monks of the priory of St. John
the Evangelist, Brecknock, or, as is more probable, by
Pycard, as an appendage to the castle, has not been
satisfactorily ascertained: it was rebuilt in 1776, the
expense being defrayed by a parish rate. A round
tower, and some ruined walls mantled with ivy, are
all that remain of the castle, which was situated in a
very low and damp spot, on the bank of the Rhiangoll, south-west of the village.
Adjoining the castle grounds is the "fair place of
Henry Vehan, Esq.," noticed by Leland, which is
now only a farmhouse. Among the ancestors of
this family, some of whom represented the county in
parliament, and were high sheriffs of it, may be
noticed, the gallant Sir Roger Vaughan, who was
knighted on the field of Agincourt, together with
Sir David Gam and others of his brave countrymen,
who saved their sovereign's life by the sacrifice of
their own; Thomas, who, in the reign of Henry VI.,
was attainted for his attachment to the house of
York; Sir Roger, who, fighting in the same cause,
was killed in the great battle of Danesmoor, near
Banbury; and Sir Thomas, chamberlain to the
young Edward V., who, with the Lords Grey and
Rivers, was beheaded at Pontefract by Richard III.
Some of the descendants still reside in the village,
though not possessed of any of the property; the
ancient mansion and the demesne of Trêtower Court
having been sold by Charles Vaughan, Esq., about
sixty years ago.
Trêvdraeth (Trêf-Draeth)
TRÊVDRAETH (TRÊF-DRAETH), a parish,
in the hundred of Malltraeth, union and county
of Anglesey, North Wales, 6 miles (S. W.) from
Llangevni; containing 950 inhabitants. The name
of this place signifies "the town on the sands." The
parish is situated near the Malldraeth marsh, and is
bounded also by the parishes of Newborough, Llangafo, Llangrystyolys, Cerregceinwen, Aberfraw, and
Llangadwaladr. It comprises a tract of inclosed and
cultivated land extending more than three miles in
length, and two miles and a half in breadth; and, in
addition, about 1000 acres of land which, since the
inclosure of the marsh in 1818, has been recovered
from the sea. The lands are interspersed with a
great number of prominent rocks, which give the
surface a singular appearance; the soil, however, is
generally fertile, the agricultural produce being
chiefly barley and oats. There is very little woodland, but the distant hills of Carnarvonshire constitute pleasing objects as seen from the parish.
Two collieries have been opened, which are worked
with success, employing about 100 persons; and
though the coal hitherto raised is inferior in quality
to that found in Flintshire and Denbighshire, it has
proved highly advantageous to the inhabitants of this
part of Anglesey, who would otherwise be compelled
to derive their supply of fuel from those counties.
The strata through which the pits are sunk consist,
first of sand to the depth of five feet; secondly of
freestone, to a further depth of sixty-six feet; thirdly
of black shale, for a depth of six feet; fourthly of
good coal to the further depth of three feet and a
half; fifthly of indurated clunch, for two feet; and
lastly of freestone, to an unknown depth. The dip
of these strata is reported to be only one yard in ten,
towards the east-by-south. There are likewise
several quarries of limestone, and of stone for building. Since the inclosure of the marsh, and the
opening of the collieries, the parish has increased in
population, and many new buildings have been
erected; and its situation on the road from Holyhead to Moel-y-Don ferry, and near the Holyhead
railway, affords facility of conveyance for the produce
of the collieries, and of intercourse with the neighbouring districts. Fairs are held on May 1st and
November 1st.
The living is a rectory, with the living of Llangwyvan annexed, rated in the king's books at
£14. 8. 11½.; present net income, £465; patron,
the Bishop of Bangor. The tithes of the parish
have been commuted for a rent-charge of £380;
and there is a house, with a glebe of nine acres and
three-quarters, together valued at £30 per annum.
The church, dedicated to St. Beuno, and supposed to
have been originally founded in the year 616, is a
small plain edifice, situated at the extreme border of
the parish, and has an east window of modern date
and of good design. It is about sixty feet long and
fifteen broad, and will contain nearly 300 persons,
of whom seventy can be accommodated in free sittings. The parish register, which is quite legible
from the year 1550, is the oldest in North Wales,
with the exception of that of Gwaenyscor. Siamber
Wen, the rectory-house, situated about two miles
from the church, on the margin of Ll-y-Bryn; Goron, was
erected in 1819, and is a spacious and handsome
building, surrounded with pleasant grounds, and
commanding a view over the most beautiful portion
of the parish. There are places of worship for
Calvinistic and Wesleyan Methodists, with a Sunday
school held in each of them.
A National day school was founded in 1828, by
subscription, aided by a grant of £35 from the
parent society; it is open to children of this parish
and that of Llangadwaladr, and is under the superintendence of the rector. John Pugh Gwilim, in
1633, and Robert Roberts, bequeathed to the poor
£46. 13. 4., which sum, with other money, was expended some years since in erecting eight cottages,
on ground purchased by the parish, for the occupation of indigent families rent-free. Owen Williams
bequeathed land at Newborough for apprenticing
children, containing 1a. 2r. 14p., to which an allotment was assigned of 2a. 3r. 4p., on the inclosure of
Malldraeth common; and the whole is now let at
£3. 15. per annum, appropriated according to the
will of the donor. Richard Williams, in 1777, left
a rent-charge of 10s. for the use of the poor; and
Ellen Griffith, at some period unknown, one of £2
for a similar purpose. There are some other small
donations, and a few have been lost.
Trevecca
TREVECCA, a hamlet, in the parish and hundred of Tàlgarth, union of Hay, county of Brecknock, South Wales, 8 miles (S. S. W.) from Hay;
containing 259 inhabitants. This hamlet is situated
on the road from Crickhowel to Hay, at the foot of
the Black Mountains, near the right bank of the
river Llynvi; and contained a remarkable religious
establishment, founded by Mr. Harris, and described
in the article on the parish. The railway from
Brecknock to Hay passes along the bank of the
Llynvi, near the village.
Trêvechan
TRÊVECHAN, with Rhŷdonen, a hamlet, in
that part of the parish of Llanynys which is in the
hundred of Ruthin, in the union of Ruthin,
county of Denbigh, North Wales: the population is included in the return for the parish.
Trêveglwys (Trêf-Eglwys)
TRÊVEGLWYS (TRÊF-EGLWYS), a parish,
in the union of Newtown and Llanidloes, Upper
division of the hundred of Llanidloes, county of
Montgomery, North Wales, 4½ miles (N.) from
Llanidloes; containing 1853 inhabitants. This parish comprises a pleasant vale of the same name,
towards the southern part of the county; it is bounded
by Llanidloes, Llandinam, Llanwnnog, and Carno,
and intersected by the small river Tarannon, which
flows into the Severn near Caer-Sws. The area
by admeasurement is 27,000 acres, including a great
portion of mountainous land, and a considerable
share of arable and pasture, the pasture principally
in sheep-walks. In the lower part of the parish the
soil is very heavy, and well adapted for wheat and
barley; oak is the prevailing kind of timber. An
allotment of the common land took place about
fifteen years since. The scenery is varied, in some
parts highly picturesque; and the village, which is
small, and surrounded by sheltering hills, is seen
with beautiful effect from the Llanidloes road, at
the distance of a mile from which it is situated. The
inhabitants are employed in agriculture, and the
manufacture of flannel.
The living is a discharged vicarage, rated in the
king's books at £5. 8. 4.; present net income, £103,
with a glebe-house; patron, Lord Mostyn; impropriators, Lord Mostyn, Sir W. W. Wynn, Bart.,
the Dean and Chapter of Bangor, and another. The
church, dedicated, according to some authorities, to
St. Luke, but as others state, to St. Michael, is an
ancient structure in the early style of English architecture, and contains some remains of carved oak of
elegant design. It is about sixty feet long and
thirty feet broad. In the churchyard are some yewtrees of luxuriant growth. There are places of
worship for Baptists and Calvinistic and Wesleyan
Methodists; and numerous Sunday schools. Ursula
Evans bequeathed to the poor a rent-charge of £1,
the payment of which has been discontinued for some
years, from neglect of the parishioners in enforcing
it. Mrs. Pugh gave £10, which, with two other
small bequests, were vested in a turnpike bond of
£20. Richard Baxter left £100, and Hugh Baxter
£50, both which sums have been appropriated to the
purchase of a rent-charge out of the land of Maesy-Gwaelod, producing £8 per annum; and John
Swancoat bequeathed land, yielding £6 per annum,
to the poor of the parish, for whose relief there are
also some smaller charitable donations. A few other
bequests have been lost. An urn was found near the
farmhouse of Finnant some years ago, containing a
quantity of coins, and ashes of a dark colour: the
person removing the urn broke it accidentally into
pieces. There are still considerable traces of a
Roman road that passed through the parish.
Trevgarn, Great
TREVGARN, GREAT, a parish, in the poorlaw union of Haverfordwest, hundred of Rhôs,
county of Pembroke, South Wales, 5 miles (N.)
from Haverfordwest; containing 100 inhabitants.
The parish is bounded on the east by Spittal and
part of St. Dogmael's, south and west by Camrhôs,
and north by Hayscastle; and is intersected by a
stream called the Nant-y-Coy, and from north to
south by the Western Cleddy river, up the valley of
which, and through the village, passes the turnpikeroad from Haverfordwest to Fishguard. It is computed to contain 1200 acres, including that part of
it termed Little Trevgarn, lying east of the Cleddy;
700 acres are arable, 400 pasture, and 100 woodland,
chiefly oak. The surface is generally hilly, with a
southern inclination, so as to command extensive
views over the south-western part of Pembrokeshire,
embracing St. Bride's bay and Milford Haven. Of
the cultivated portion, consisting of a very good soil,
the principal produce is oats, barley, and wheat; but
the north-western part is composed chiefly of the
Trevgarn and Leweston mountains, which form an
elevated, heathy, and barren tract, unfit for tillage.
Trevgarn Hall, situated a little to the west of the
village, was erected in 1824 by the late proprietor,
Dr. Evans, and commands a fine view over the
district of Rhôs.
The most remarkable natural feature of the surface, is that which gave name to the parish, Trevgarn signifying "the town of the rock." It consists of three separate piles of rocks, of striking
aspect, rising perpendicularly and abruptly to a
considerable height from the ridge of the moor,
and presenting the appearance of ruined castles, an
idea that seems confirmed to the eye by their being
situated so as to command the narrow pass of the
mountain through which the Western Cleddy here
flows, and which, on the opposite eastern side, exhibits a fine grove, feathering down to the water's
edge. They are of the transition formation, containing, it is said, valuable veins, and situated about
500 yards from each other, the whole chain running
west and east, and continued on the eastern side of
the river Cleddy, in Little Trevgarn. The western
or most elevated, called "Polegarn," appears, when
viewed from the south-east, like a huge dismantled
tower, and is visible from distant parts of the county:
on a nearer approach, it is found to consist of disrupted masses, covered with lichens of varied and
vivid colours. The second pile, termed "Picketgarn," exhibits the most irregular and grotesque
forms, displaying from the south the aspect of a vast
dilapidated castle, while from the east it presents
among its outlines the figures of two lions couchant.
On the northern side of this stupendous group,
and detached from the great mass, is a very large
equilateral and triangular stone, twenty-one feet
long and five deep, supported by a few points of its
base on a cubical block about seven feet six inches
square, the whole suggesting some artificial means
for its erection. The third group rises in fearful
grandeur from the brink of the Cleddy, and is
intersected by the new Fishguard road, offering to
artists from its colour, form, and composition, studies
for striking and effective display. It has been
surrounded by a ditch and rampart, part of which is
still remaining: doubts are entertained whether
these are of Roman or British structure.
The living is a discharged rectory, rated in the
king's books at £1. 13. 9., present net income, £60,
with a glebe-house adjacent to the church, of ample
and convenient form, built in 1832 by the incumbent; patron, John Evans, Esq., who is lord of the
manor, and proprietor of the whole parish. The
church, a plain but neat edifice, measures, with
the chancel, about sixty feet in length, and eighteen
in breadth; all the sittings are free. The old road
to Fishguard passed over the hill, through the village
of Trevgarn, where a tradition still prevails that it was
once the seat of Cambrian royalty; which receives
some countenance from the circumstance, that in
1798, on pulling down some buildings used as a barn
and out-offices, the massive walls were found to be
built upon circular arches almost buried in the earth,
and these arches supported on some rude stone columns: on digging up the floor of the subterraneous
pile, a quantity of coins and silver and gold trinkets
were discovered and secreted by the persons employed. Some old encampments were formerly
traceable in different parts, but their defences have
been levelled.
Trèv-Helyg
TRÈV-HELYG, a township, in that part of
the parish of Castle-Caer-Einion which is within
the liberties of the borough of Welshpool, in the
county of Montgomery, North Wales; containing 42 inhabitants. It is a detached township,
bounded on the east by the river Severn; and the
Montgomeryshire canal passes through it in a parallel line with that river, and also the road leading
from the town of Welshpool to that of Newtown,
both in this county.
Trêvilan (Trêf-Ilar)
TRÊVILAN (TRÊF-ILAR), a parish, in the
union of Lampeter, Lower division of the hundred of
Ilar, county of Cardigan, South Wales, 7 miles
(N. by W.) from Lampeter; containing 317 inhabitants. This parish comprises 2201 acres, and is
pleasantly situated in the Vale of Aëron, on the
high road leading from Lampeter to Aberystwith;
the country is boldly varied, and the scenery in some
parts picturesque. In the southern part is the small
village of Tàlsarn, deriving its name from a branch
of a Roman road or causeway that terminated here;
it is situated on the bank of the river Aëron, and
fairs are held in it on September 8th and November
7th. The living is a discharged rectory, rated in
the king's books at £5, and endowed with £400
royal bounty; patron, the Bishop of St. David's: the
tithes have been commuted for £110, of which £5
are payable to an impropriator, and £105 to the
rector, who has also a glebe of three acres, valued at
£9. 9. per annum. The church is dedicated to St.
Hilary, from whom the parish is supposed to have
derived the name Trêv-Ilar, said to be its proper
appellation. Having fallen into a state of dilapidation, the church was taken down in 1806, and rebuilt: the present is a neat edifice, consisting of a
nave and chancel, but of much smaller dimensions
than the original building: the ancient font, a square
basin upon a round pillar, has been preserved. There
is a place of worship for Calvinistic Methodists. A
day school, and two Sunday schools, are supported;
and a bequest by Samuel Evans in 1706, producing
10s. per annum, is given to a few poor persons.
Near the churchyard is a mound surrounded by a
moat, called Castle Trêvilan, thought to be the site
of a fortress of that name, which was begun by
Maelgwyn ab Rhŷs, and completed by his son
Maelgwyn Vychan, in the year 1233. Here is a
strongly impregnated chalybeate spring, which is
occasionally resorted to for medicinal purposes.
Trêvirig (Trêf-Feirig)
TRÊVIRIG (TRÊF-FEIRIG), a township, in
that part of the parish of Llanbadarn-Vawr which
is in the Lower division of the hundred of Geneu'rGlyn, in the poor-law union of Aberystwith,
county of Cardigan, South Wales; containing
633 inhabitants. It is situated contiguous to the
valley of the Rheidiol.
Trêvllŷs
TRÊVLLŶS, a township, in the parish of Llangammarch, union and hundred of Builth, county
of Brecknock, South Wales, 9½ miles (W. S. W.)
from Builth; containing 494 inhabitants. It forms
the upper part of the parish, between the rivers
Irvon and Dulas; and the road from Builth to Llandovery passes through the township, which is hilly,
and has some clumps of well-grown timber trees in
the valleys. The tithes have been commuted for
£187, two-thirds payable to the Bishop of St. David's,
and one-third to the vicar of Llangammarch. At a
place called Llwyn-y-Vynwent tradition reports that
a chapel of ease anciently stood, but no traces of it
can now be discovered.
Trêvlyn
TRÊVLYN, a hamlet, in the parish and union
of Trêgaron, Upper division of the hundred of Penarth, county of Cardigan, South Wales, 2 miles
(N. by E.) from Trêgaron; containing 180 inhabitants.
It is situated near the Teivy, on the left bank of
which, between this place and Trêgaron, is a bog
of excellent peat; and higher up is a beautiful lake,
about three-quarters of a mile in circuit, called Ll-y-Bryn; y
Maes, or "the lake of the field," from which the hamlet takes its name, and which tradition states to cover
the original site of the town of Trêgaron. A Roman
road from Loventium to the northern parts of the
county passed through the hamlet; and the remains,
consisting of a bank of raised earth, are still visible.
Trêvlyn
TRÊVLYN, a township, in the parish of Llanidloes, union of Newtown and Llanidloes, Upper
division of the hundred of Llanidloes, county of
Montgomery, North Wales: the population is
returned with the parish. Three-fourths of the tithes
belong to Sir W. W. Wynn, Bart., and the remaining
fourth to the vicar of Llangurig.
Trêvlys (Trêf-Lys, or Trêf-Llys)
TRÊVLYS (TRÊF-LYS, or TRÊF-LLYS),
a parish, in the union of Festiniog, hundred of
Eivionydd, county of Carnarvon, North Wales,
3 miles (S. W. by S.) from Trêmadoc; containing 87
inhabitants. It is situated on the northern shore of
Cardigan bay, and is but of small extent. The living
is a perpetual curacy, annexed to the rectory of
Criccieth; the tithes have been commuted for a rentcharge of £34. The church, dedicated to St. Michael,
is a small ancient edifice, without any architectural
claim to notice. There are places of worship for
Independents and Methodists, and poor children of
the parish are eligible to the school at Criccieth,
founded by the Rev. David Ellis. Bron-y-Voel, in
the parish, was the birthplace of Sir Howel y Vwyall, who resided here when governor of Criccieth
Castle: he was a commander under the Black Prince
at the battle of Poictiers, when he took John, the
French king, prisoner; and is supposed to have been
buried at Penmorva. On the farm of Tŷmawr is a
very ancient grave.
Trevor-Traian
TREVOR-TRAIAN, a chapelry, in the parish
of Llangollen, union of Corwen, Nanthewdy division of the hundred of Chirk, county of Denbigh,
North Wales, 3 miles (E.) from the town of Llangollen, on the road to Wrexham: the population,
though formerly returned separately, is now included
in the return for Llangollen-Traian, with which Trevor-Traian jointly forms one of the two divisions of
the parish. This chapelry comprises the mountainous range to the north of the town and the river
Dee; and contains the ruins of Castell Dinas Brân,
an historical notice of which is given in the article on
Llangollen. It abounds with very extensive rocks
of limestone and other formations; and the navigable
feeder of the Ellesmere and Chester canal passes
within its southern boundary, along the northern
bank of the river Dee, extending from the main
branch of the canal near the north end of the Ponty-Cysylltau aqueduct, to a junction with the river, at
a short distance below the church of Llantysillio. The
living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with £400
private benefaction, £600 royal bounty, and £800
parliamentary grant; net income, £87: the patronage and impropriation belong to the Misses Thomas.
The chapel is a small plain edifice, built by John
Lloyd, Esq., of Trevor Hall, in 1742, for the use of
his family, but not consecrated until 1772. The
chapelry shares with Llangollen-Traian in the produce of some bequests.
The remains of Castell Dinas Brân are situated on
the summit of a conical isolated hill, rising to a considerable height out of the vale, and very steep; they
extend about one hundred and ninety feet in length,
and one hundred and fifty in breadth, having on one
side a deep trench cut in the solid rock. To the
north of them is Craig-Eglwyseg, exhibiting for the
distance of half a mile a vast assemblage of rocks
composed of different tiers, like an immense flight of
steps. Near Trevor Hall is a very interesting natural cavern, extending into a limestone rock to an
unknown distance under the range of Trevor hills,
and adorned by a great variety of very beautiful
specimens of stalactite; in it have been found fossil
remains of the hyena and of animals of the antediluvian world.
Trêvreyan (Trêf-Rhewin)
TRÊVREYAN (TRÊF-RHEWIN), with
Myhatham, or Mallaen, a hamlet, in the parish
of Llanarthney, Upper division of the hundred
of Iscennen, union and county of Carmarthen,
South Wales; containing 338 inhabitants.
Trêvriw (Trêf-Riw)
TRÊVRIW (TRÊF-RIW), a parish, in the
poor-law union of Llanrwst, Uchgorvai division of
the hundred of Nantconway, county of Carnarvon, North Wales, on the road from Conway to
Llanrwst, 2 miles (N. N. W.) from Llanrwst; containing 426 inhabitants. The village is situated on
the western bank of the river Conway, up which the
tide flows to it; and vessels of sixty tons' burthen
come to this place, bringing coal, lime, and other
heavy goods for Llanrwst and the neighbouring parishes, and conveying downwards the produce of the
slate-quarries of Llanrhychwyn. Lead-ore and zinc
exist in the parish, and have been procured to a considerable extent. Fairs are held on May 12th, September 3rd, and November 7th. The living is a
discharged rectory, with the perpetual curacy of
Llanrhychwyn annexed, rated in the king's books at
£7. 15. 10.; patron, the Bishop of Bangor: the
tithes of this parish and that of Llanrhychwyn have
been commuted for a rent-charge of £200, payable
to the incumbent; and there is a glebe of nearly 1½
acre. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, a small
edifice consisting of a nave, chancel, and north aisle,
is stated to have been built by Llewelyn the Great,
about the year 1230, "for the ease of his princess,
who before was obliged to go on foot to Llanrhychwyn, a long walk among the mountains." There
are places of worship for Independents and Calvinistic Methodists; a day school, in connexion with the
Established Church; and two Sunday schools, conducted by the Calvinistic Methodists. Llewelyn is
said to have had a palace here, in a place now called
Gardd-y-Neuadd, where some hewn stones were discovered, which have since been used in building a
wall, and are pointed out as the only remaining
fragments of the royal habitation. Dr. Thomas
Williams, a physician, who compiled a Latin and
Welsh Dictionary, and wrote some other works,
which are preserved in manuscript, was, according
to Mr. Owen, a native of Trêvriw, where he died
about the year 1620.
Trévwalchmai, or Trewalchmai (Trêf-Walchmai)
TRÉVWALCHMAI, or TREWALCHMAI
(TRÊF-WALCHMAI), a parish, partly in the
hundred of Llyvon, and partly in that of Malltraeth, union and county of Anglesey, North
Wales, 5 miles (W.) from Llangevni; containing
699 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the line
of the great road to Holyhead, and comprises about
1540 acres of inclosed arable and pasture land, and
160 acres of common affording good pasturage for
sheep. The village, since the diversion of the Holyhead road in this direction, has considerably increased
in size, and improved in appearance; it is neatly
built, and, though still small, has, with its church,
which is on an eminence, a pleasing aspect. The
living is annexed to the rectory of Hêneglwys: the
tithes have been commuted for a rent-charge of
£204. 12. 6., and there is a glebe of three acres,
valued at £3 per annum. The church, dedicated
to St. Mordeyrn, was in a state of great dilapidation
until, in 1845, the incumbent, after restoring the
principal church of Hêneglwys, determined on repairing this also. The same judicious plan was observed
of adhering, in all details, to the exact style of the
date of the original building; and some excellent
improvements were introduced, such as the removal
of the unsightly pews that encumbered the interior,
and the destruction of a gallery built across the
middle of the principal aisle in modern times. At
the same time, the eastern window of Hêneglwys
was brought here to replace a very small one of the
same date, and the latter was again used in another
portion of the church where it was wanted. These
and other alterations were effected at a moderate
cost, and under the sole superintendence of the incumbent, the Rev. Wynne Jones. The church consists of a principal aisle of about the end of the fourteenth century, and a second aisle, or chapel, of the
fifteenth century, added on at the north-eastern end.
An account of it, as it now appears, is given in the
second number of the "Archæologia Cambrensis,"
from which the above particulars of the building are
derived. There is a place of worship for Calvinistic
Methodists, with a Sunday school held in it; and a
day school in connexion with the Established Church
is conducted in the parish.
William Bold in 1688, the Rev. Hugh Hughes,
and an unknown donor, severally bequeathed portions of land for the benefit of the poor. The benefaction of the first produces £14. 13. per annum, and
that of the second £1, half of which is applied to the
repairs of the church, and the other half to the poor;
the localities of both these grants are in the parish
of Hêneglwys. The third gift is situated in Cemmes
Parcel, and consists of above 5¼ acres, but being let
to a poor person, yields only £1 a year. Besides the
above, the parish is in possession of several small
pieces of land, producing £5. 2. per annum, distributed among the poor.
Trêv-Y-Coed
TRÊV-Y-COED, a hamlet, forming that part
of the parish of Lampeter which is in the Upper
division of the hundred of Troedyraur, in the union
of Lampeter, county of Cardigan, South Wales,
3 miles (W. by S.) from Lampeter; containing 90
inhabitants. This hamlet is a detached portion of
the hundred of Troedyraur, and situated nearly in
the centre of that of Moythen; it lies on the road
from Lampeter to Cardigan, and extends to the river
Teivy. Neuadd, a neat residence, standing on a
well-wooded eminence, north of the turnpike-road,
forms a conspicuous and pleasing object in the approach to Lampeter. Here was formerly a chapel
of ease, but it has long since been demolished.
Trêvydd-Bychain
TRÊVYDD-BYCHAIN, with Llewesog, a
hamlet, in the parish of Llanrhaiadr-in-Kinmerch, union of Ruthin, hundred of Isaled,
county of Denbigh, North Wales; containing
512 inhabitants.
Trevynon
TREVYNON, a township, in that part of the
parish of Llangorse which is in the hundred of
Pencelly, in the union and county of Brecknock,
South Wales: the population is included in the
return for the parish. The township is situated near
the river Llynvi, and for all parochial purposes is
united to the parish of Llandevailog-Tre'r-Graig.
Trewern (Trê-Wern)
TREWERN (TRÊ-WERN), a township, in
the parish of Buttington, within the liberties of
the borough of Welshpool, in the incorporation of
Forden, county of Montgomery, North Wales,
4 miles (N. E. by E.) from Welshpool; containing
372 inhabitants. It is situated on the right bank of
the river Severn, on the road from Shrewsbury to
Welshpool. A small stream, designated by the same
name as the township, here falls into the Severn.
A chapel, capable of accommodating 130 persons,
has been built at an expense of £260, partly defrayed
by voluntary contributions, and partly by a donation
of £50 from the Church Pastoral-Aid Society; the
minister's stipend is £100, and divine service is performed every Sunday, and Thursday evening. The
tithes of the township have been commuted for
£208. 10., of which a sum of £155. 10. is payable
to the Dean and Chapter of Christchurch, Oxford.
Trewern (Trê-Wern)
TREWERN (TRÊ-WERN), with Gwiller,
a hamlet, in that part of the parish of LlanvihangelNant-Melan which is within the liberties of the
borough of New Radnor, in the union of Kington,
county of Radnor, South Wales, 6 miles (W.)
from New Radnor; containing 153 inhabitants. It
forms the extreme western division of the parish, occupying the southern declivity of a lofty mountain
which anciently composed a part of the forest of New
Radnor. The area is 2423 acres, of which 800 are
common or waste. Trewern stands on the upper
portion of the eminence, and Gwiller on the lower,
with the road from New Radnor to Rhaiadr passing
between them. There are two large tumuli on the
hill. The tithes have been commuted for £168, of
which a sum of £100 is paid to the impropriator, and
£68 to the vicar of Llanvihangel-Nant-Melan.—See
Radnor, Old.
Trewylan
TREWYLAN, 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
union of Llanvyllin, county of Montgomery,
North Wales, 8 miles (E.) from Llanvyllin; containing 87 inhabitants. It lies on the south bank of
the river Vyrnwy. There is an ancient British fortification in the hamlet, situated in a low meadow,
which must have been surrounded on all sides by a
morass; it is seen very distinctly from the Meivod
road, about a quarter of a mile from Pont-y-Pentre.
Troedyraur (Troed-Yr-Aur)
TROEDYRAUR (TROED-YR-AUR), a
parish, composed of the Upper and Lower divisions,
in the union of Newcastle-Emlyn, Upper division
of the hundred of Troedyraur, county of Cardigan, South Wales, 4 miles (N. N. E.) from Newcastle-Emlyn; containing 1062 inhabitants, of which
number 601 are in the Upper, and 461 in the Lower,
division. The ancient name of this place, Llanvihangel-Trêv-Deyrn, was derived from the dedication
of its church to St. Michael, and from its having
been the residence of some royal personage, perhaps
a prince of Ceredigion. Its present appellation of
Troedyraur, signifying "the foot of gold," originated
in an opinion that gold was formerly procured at the
foot of the eminence on which the church stands.
The parish is intersected by the direct road from
Lampeter to Cardigan, and comprises a very considerable tract of arable and pasture land. With the
exception of a comparatively small portion, the whole
is inclosed; and the surrounding scenery, though not
distinguished by any peculiarity of features, is pleasingly enlivened with the grounds and plantations of
some gentlemen's seats. Troedyraur House is a spacious mansion, beautifully situated. Alderbrook Hall,
the seat of John Lloyd Williams, Esq., by whom it
was erected, is also a handsome house; it stands on
an eminence above the church, commanding some
good views, and is environed with thriving and extensive plantations, which are highly ornamental to
the neighbourhood.
The living is a discharged rectory, rated in the
king's books at £13, and in the patronage of the
Lord Chancellor: the tithes have been commuted
for a rent-charge of £305, and there is a glebe of
twelve acres, valued at £12 per annum; also a glebehouse. The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a
neat structure, erected in the year 1795, by subscription among the parishioners, under the superintendence of the rector, who subsequently added to it a
very neat porch at his own expense. Here was an
ancient chapel, called Tŵr Gw-y-Bryn, upon the site of
which a parsonage-house has been built. There are
two places of worship for Calvinistic Methodists, and
one for Independents, with a Sunday school held in
each of them. A tumulus in the parish, called Crûg
Mawr, was opened in the year 1829, under the
direction of the Rev. Thomas Bowen, and found to
contain two earthen vases, and two lachrymatories:
one of the vases, soon after its exposure, crumbled
to pieces; the other, together with the lachrymatories,
was presented to the museum at Oxford. This
tumulus was on one side of a causeway, supposed to
be a part of a Roman road.
Trowsgoed
TROWSGOED, a township, in the parish of
Gwenddwr, hundred of Tàlgarth, union and
county of Brecknock, South Wales, 5½ miles
(N. E. by N.) from Brecknock; containing 65 inhabitants. This township is situated in the western
portion of the parish, and in a vale through which
flows a tributary of the river Llynvi.
Tryddin (Truddyn)
TRYDDIN (TRUDDYN), a parochial chapelry, in the parish and hundred of Mold, union of
Wrexham, county of Flint, North Wales, 5
miles (S.) from Mold; containing 1069 inhabitants,
the population having increased more than a fourth
since the census of 1831. This place is situated
among lofty hills in a rich mineral district, in the
south-eastern part of the county. It abounds with
coal and ironstone of superior quality; and of late
years some very extensive works have been established, which are carried on with great success.
The Coed Talon collieries and iron-works were first
erected in 1817, when the proprietors opened some
mines of coal, which being found of good quality
and in abundance, induced them to erect furnaces,
in 1821, for the manufacture of iron. These works,
after being conducted with profit for some time, were
sold in 1825 to the Welsh Iron Company, who
erected additional furnaces, and greatly extended
the mines and every department of the establishment,
and in 1830 sold them, under the provisions of an
act of parliament, to Edward Oakeley, Esq., the
present proprietor. The principal produce of the
works is pig-iron of a peculiar quality, which is in
great demand, and much used in making lighter
articles of machinery; and the whole of the iron
manufactured here is purchased by the makers of
machinery at Liverpool and Manchester. About
650 men are constantly employed in the collieries
and other works. In the coal and ironstone shale
are found numerous marine and vegetable impressions, and, in some instances, fossilized bones and
shells.
The living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with
£300 royal bounty, and £400 parliamentary grant;
net income, £105, with a glebe-house; patron, the
Bishop of St. Asaph: the tithes have been commuted
for £381. 12. 11., of which a sum of £317. 18. 8.
is payable to Mr. Knight, the impropriator, and
£63. 14. 3. to the incumbent. The church or chapel,
dedicated to St. Mary, is a neat small edifice, in good
repair. A Church school, containing about fifty
children, is partly supported by an endowment of
£12. 12. a year. Of this sum, £9. 10. form a portion of the rent of 13¼ acres of land in the parish of
Holt, now producing £25 per annum, granted in
1664 by Griffith Roberts, who directed £3 a year
should be paid to the curate for preaching six lectures. From the sale of timber on the property, in
1803, a sum of £40 was raised, with which a piece
of ground on Loughton Mountain was purchased,
now yielding a rent of £1. 9., which is divided between the two schoolmasters of this place and Nerquis: the Tryddin portion is included in the sum of
£12. 12. above mentioned. A school-house was
erected here in 1753, by Mrs. E. Hyde, of Nerquis;
and her successor, Mrs. Giffard, built a residence for
the master in the garden adjoining it. There are
places of worship for dissenters, and Sunday schools
are held. Some donations, producing about £2 per
annum, have been lost to the poor, owing to the
insolvency of a churchwarden.
Offa's Dyke, which commences on the bank of the
Wye, in Herefordshire, after passing through that
county, and the shires of Radnor, Montgomery,
Salop, and Denbigh, appears to terminate very
abruptly on a farm called Cae Twn, about a mile
from the chapel of this place. But there is every
probability that Offa completed this great work by
continuing it to the sea near the Point of Air, in the
parish of Llanasaph, as there are several remains of
an earthwork in the line between that place and
Tryddin, still retaining the appellation of Clawdd
Offa, especially near the race-course between Holywell and Caerwys, where it has been partially levelled
only of late years, and also below the stables, and to
the north of the grand stand. By early writers this
line of demarcation has been confounded with a
similar work called Wat's Dyke.
Twinnel's (St.)
TWINNEL'S (ST.), a parish, in the hundred
of Castlemartin, union and county of Pembroke,
South Wales, 4 miles (S. S. W.) from Pembroke;
containing 234 inhabitants. This parish is pleasantly
situated in the southern part of the county, and comprises a considerable portion of inclosed and cultivated land, and a small tract of open downs affording
good pasturage for sheep and young cattle. Limestone is found in it, and quarries have been opened,
in the working of which some of the inhabitants are employed. The village is neatly built, on an eminence,
and is of prepossessing appearance. The living is
a discharged vicarage, rated in the king's books at
£3. 17. 11.; present net income, £150; patrons, the
Dean and Chapter of St. David's. The tithes have
been commuted for £184, of which £80 are payable
to the Dean and Chapter of Hereford; a like sum
to the vicar, who has also a glebe of 1½ acre, which,
with a house, is valued at £10 per annum; and £24
to certain impropriators. The church, dedicated to
St. Deiniol, is an ancient building, with a very lofty
tower, and, from its elevated situation, is an interesting and conspicuous object from all parts of the
surrounding country. There is a place of worship
for Calvinistic Methodists, and one or two Sunday
schools are held.
Tŷbrith Uchâv
TŶBRITH UCHÂV, in the county of Denbigh, North Wales.—See Garthgarmon.
Tŷbroughton
TŶBROUGHTON, a township, in the parish
of Hanmer, poor-law union of Ellesmere, hundred of Maelor, county of Flint, North Wales,
8½ miles (N. E.) from Ellesmere; containing 190
inhabitants. The tithes have been commuted for
£169. 6. per annum, of which £135. 7. are payable to
the impropriators, and £33. 19. to the vicar of the
parish of Hanmer.
Tydweiliog (Tudweiliog)
TYDWEILIOG (TUDWEILIOG), a parish,
in the union of Pwllheli, partly in the hundred of
Commitmaen, but chiefly in that of Dinllaen,
Lleyn division of the county of Carnarvon, North
Wales, 8 miles (W.) from Pwllheli; containing 433
inhabitants. This parish, which is but of small extent, is situated on the coast of St. George's Channel,
by which it is bounded on the south; and the inhabitants carry on a considerable herring-fishery. The
lands are inclosed and cultivated; the soil is in general
fertile, and, except during the fishing season, the
population is wholly employed in agriculture. The
living is a perpetual curacy, endowed with £1000
royal bounty; net income, £80; patron and impropriator, Sir J. S. Piozzi Salusbury. A tithe rentcharge of £166 is paid to the impropriator, one of
£23 to the perpetual curate, and one of £6 to the
parish-clerk. The church is dedicated to St. Cwyvan,
or, according to some, to St. Gwynen. There is a
place of worship for Calvinistic Methodists, with a Sunday school held in it; and a day and Sunday National
school is conducted, in connexion with the Established Church. William Jones bequeathed £10, and
Thomas John Morris made a donation of £1, to the
poor; the interest of which sums, together with £1
the rent of a piece of ground, is distributed among
them at Christmas.
Tythegston (Llan-Dudwg)
TYTHEGSTON (LLAN-DUDWG), a parish, comprising the Upper and Lower divisions, in
the union of Bridgend and Cowbridge, hundred
of Newcastle, county of Glamorgan, South
Wales, 3½ miles (W.) from Bridgend; containing
794 inhabitants, of which number 698 are in the
Upper, and 96 in the Lower, division. The present
name of this place is only a modification of its ancient Welsh appellation, Llan Dudwg, signifying
"Dudwg's town," and originally derived from the
dedication of the church to St. Dudwg, or Tudwg,
one of the disciples of Cenydd, who flourished about
the middle of the sixth century. The parish comprises 2871 acres, of which 278 are common or
waste. The Upper division abounds with iron-ore,
coal, and clay for brickmaking, of which considerable
quantities are procured, and, by means of a railroad communicating with the harbour of Porthcawl,
shipped off.
Within a few hundred yards of the railway, in
the Upper hamlet, are situate the Cevn Cwsc ironworks, having three blast-furnaces. These works
are the property of the Galvanized-Iron Company,
who are likewise the proprietors of iron-works in the
parish of Llangonoyd, and of the Corbyns Hall and
Lee-Brook works in Staffordshire, making altogether
ten furnaces belonging to the company. They have
also in the county of Stafford extensive mills and
forges for the manufacture of galvanized iron, which,
from its anti-corrosive quality, is much in request,
and in many instances has superseded copper as
sheathing for vessels. The roofs of the enginehouse and other buildings at the Garth works, in
Llangonoyd, are made of this material. A vein of
the blackband species of ironstone has recently been
discovered on the Cevn Cwsc property, by which a
considerable saving will be effected in the manufacture of iron here; the supply of blackband having
been hitherto obtained from Garth, at an expensive
rate of tonnage. The company have a yard at
Bridgend for the sale of coal, which is conveyed to
that town by railway, a distance of six miles.
The living is annexed to the vicarage of Newcastle; the church is a small ancient edifice, not
distinguished by any architectural details. There
are one or two places of worship for dissenters, a
day school, and several Sunday schools. Catherine
Lougher, by will, in 1722, gave 20s. for a sermon
to be preached every year, and she gave to Robert
Knight £100, to purchase lands for the purpose; but
her intention does not appear to have been fulfilled.
Thomas Leyson, in 1737, left two sums of 10s. each,
for two sermons to be preached yearly, and 10s. to
the minister of the parish where he should be buried,
for a sermon on the Sunday next after every anniversary of his death: these sums (and Catherine
Lougher's bequest) are incorrectly mentioned in the
returns of 1786 to have been for the poor; and
though paid to the minister down to 1825, they have
been discontinued since that period, owing to the
difficulty of identifying the land.