Caernarvonshire

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Llanllechid

"LLANLLECHID, a parish in the hundred of Uchaf, county Carnarvon, 4 miles S.E. of Bangor, its post town, and 10 N.E. of Carnarvon. It is situated on the river Ogwen, and includes seven hamlets, the principal being Bethesda and Tal-y-bont. The mountains Carnedd Llewellyn and Carnedd Davydd are nearly 3,500 feet in height. This is considered one of the largest parishes in the principality. There are several extensive slate quarries. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Bangor, value £471, in the patronage of the bishop. The church is dedicated to St. Llechid. There is also the district church of Glanogwen, the living of which is a perpetual curacy,* value £180. The charities, including a small school endowment, produce about £28 per annum. Côchwillan was the birth-place of Bishop Williams, and the residence of Archbishop Williams. A fair is held on the 29th October." [From The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]

Bibliography

Bassett, T M. Canmlwyddiant Bethel (Caellwyngrydd). 1985. 11pp

Caffell, Gwenno. Cerrig Cannan, Llandegai and Llanllechid. Archaeology in Wales 28 (1988), p. 85-6

Crew, Peter. The excavation of a group of mountain-top Cairns on Drosgl, Llanllechid, Gwynedd. Bulletin of the Board of Celtic Studies 32 (1985), p. 290-325

Eglwys Annibynnol Carmel Llanllechid : 1839-2000. Llanllechid : Eglwys Annibynnol Carmel, (Bangor : 2000 Argraffdy Menai)] 40p

Eglwys Sant Cross, Plwyf Llanllechid = St. Cross Church, Parish of Llanllechid : 1892-1992. [Bangor] : Eglwys Sant Cross, 1992. 14p

Evans, Emlyn. O'r Niwl a'r Anialwch. (Hanes Dyffryn Ogwen). Gee

Evans, W J. Peniel Llanllechid 1834-1991. [Llanllechid] : W. J. Evans, 1992. 5p

Hughes, Hugh D. Antiquities of Llandegai and Llanllechid = hynafiaethau Llandegai a LlanllechidBethesda : Argraphwyd dros yr awdwr gan R. Jones, 1866. 160p

Hughes, M. A list of quarrymen who were accidentally killed in the Penrhyn slate quarry, Bethesda, parish of Llanllechid, Caernarfonshire. Gwreiddiau Gwynedd/Gwynedd Roots 9 (1985), p. 13-15

Jones, Ann R. Cup-marked stones at Plas Uchaf, Llanllechid. Transactions of the Caernarvonshire Historical Society 58 (1997), p. 113-15

Jones, Ann R. Lloffion o hanes plwyf Llanllechid. Llanllechid] : Ann R. Jones, [1992?] 19p

Jones, Edward. Hanes dechreuad a chynydd y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd, yn Llanllechid, Sir Gaernarfon. Bangor : Evan Williams, arg., [1891?] 48p

Parry, William. Hanes llenyddiaeth ac enwogion Llanllechid a Llandegai : sef, Traethawd buddugol yn Eisteddfod Gadeiriol Bethesda, 1867. Bangor : Argraffwyd gan J. Mendus Jones, 1868. 123p

Roberts, Dafydd. Y chwarelwyr a'r Sowth. [Caernarfon] : Gwasanaeth Llyfrgell Gwynedd, 1982. 26p (Bethesda Annual Lecture)

Valentine & Sons Ltd . Photographic view album of Bethesda, Nant Francon Valley, Ogwen and District. Bethesda : G. Roberts, [18--]. 16p

Williams, G J.   Hanes cerddoriaeth yn Nyffryn Ogwen. 1965. 54pp

Williams, Hugh J. Hanes Eglwys Llanllechid. Bangor, Gwynedd : Jarvis & Foster, 1910. 77p

Williams, John L. Tair chwarel ym mhlwyf Llanllechid, Bethesda. Trafodion Cymdeithas Hanes Sir Gaernarfon 57 (1996), p. 65-84

Williams, John L. Two powder magazines in the Parish of Llanllechid, Bethesda : their significance in the industrial turmoil of the late nineteenth century.  Industrial Gwynedd 2 (1997), p. 7-17.

Census

1851 Census of Llanllechid. A full transcription by Joyce & Douglas Hinde in both "As Enumerated" and "Name Order" form.

Church History

See Welsh Chapels and Churches for a photograph of Bethesda Independent Chapel

Bangor, Caernarfon and Tregarth Wesleyan Methodist Circuits papers  - details of extant records on Archives Network Wales 
"Include chapel records; ............... Salem Church, Llanllechid, 1976-1989; Siloam Church, Bethesda, 1871-1991......" Bethesda Congregational Chapel Certificate of Registration 1820  - details of extant records on Archives Network Wales   ".....but the existence of records held at the National Archives, reveal that the cause can be traced as far back as 1790...."

Thomas Williams, Rhiwlas Diaries 1867 - 1908  - details of extant records on Archives Network Wales 
"28 diaries, entitled Y Dyddiadur Wesleyaidd , the Wesleyan diaries. The entries made by Thomas Williams contain information about preachers and the subjects of their sermons as well as notices of district meetings and other religious meetings. The lock-out at the Cae Braich y Cafn quarry [in Llanllechid parish] in 1870 is recorded, as well as the religious revival of 1904 - 1905.

Rees, Thomas & John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes (published 1871+). Here is the entry from this book for Bethesda chapel (in Welsh )- with translation by Eleri Rowlands (Aug 2009)    Also Bethlehem chapel    Also Carmel chapel      Also Salem chapel   Also Saron,Ty'nymaes    Also  Nantybenglog         All with translations by Eleri Rowlands (Sept 2009-March 2013)

Church and chapel data from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 11, North Wales. Ed. by Ieuan Gwynedd Jones, UWP, 1981. The names given towards the end of each entry are those of the informants.

 Llanllechid Parish; Statistics; Area 18111 acres; Population 3094 males, 2854 females, total 5948

• Llanllechyd Parish Church    Consecrated 1846 in place of the ancient parish church       Attendance - morning 320 + 160 scholars, evening 500        Services in Welsh     Evan Lewis, Curate
•  
• Bethel, Ty'n y Maes, Welsh Calvinistic Methodist    Erected 1843   Attendance - morning 1 + 90 scholars, afternoon 32 + 107 scholars, evening 15 + 93 scholars     John Edwards, Elder, Tyn y maes
• Bryn Ogwen, Independent             Erected 1846     Part of a dwelling house          Attendance - afternoon 32, evening 42            Owen Jones, Pregethwr Cynorthwyol, Bryn Ogwen, nr Bethesda
• Jerusalem, Calvinistic Methodist           Erected 1842               Attendance - morning 437 scholars, afternoon 402 + 365 scholars, evening 368 + 330 scholars            "Temperance meeting held between afternoon and evening service on 31st March 1851......"                  William Williams, Secretary, Braich Melyn, no 22, Bethesda
• Bethesda Chapel, Independent             Erected 1820          Attendance - average - morning 390, afternoon 1024, evening 1219            Llewelyn Samuel, Minister
• Siloam Chapel, Bethesda, Wesleyan Methodist             Erected 1835          Attendance - morning 103, afternoon 115, evening 202               John Evans, Wesleyan Minister, Bangor
• Caersalem, Seperate Baptist              Erected 1834   Not used exclusively as a place of worship        Attendance - morning 48 scholars, afternoon 46 + 56 scholars, evening 22 + 56 scholars      Thos. Llewelyn Morris, Baptist Preacher and Deacon, Bethesda
• Latter Day Saints, Bethesda              Dwelling house used exclusively as a place of worship             Erected 1840              morning 34, afternoon 22, evening 80   ".........Started about the beginning of November 1850"        David Williams, Elder
• Carneddi, Welsh Calvinistic Methodist          Erected 1816            Attendance - morning 402, afternoon 440 scholars, evening 456          Richard Jones, Elder, Abercaseg, Bethesda
• Peniel, Calvinistic Methodist             Erected 1838             Attendance - morning 256 scholars, afternoon 350, evening 355        "There was another Chapel in the neighbourhood Erected before 1800. We have Built our Chapel now instead of the other not exactly in the same Place"       David Jones, Elder, Draper, Llanllechid
• Carmel Chapel, Independent              Erected 1839            Attendance - morning 176 scholars, afternoon 227, evening 221                  Llewelyn Samuel, Minister
• Salem, Wesleyan Methodists          Erected 1843           Attendance - morning 50, afternoon 70 scholars, evening 66               John Evans, Wesleyan Minister, Bangor
• Bethlehem, Independent              Erected 1825             Attendance - morning 138, afternoon 121 scholars, evening 173             Llewelyn Samuel, Minister
• Gatehouse, Welsh Calvinistic Methodist               Erected before 1800         Attendance - morning 160, afternoon 154 scholars, evening 177            (No Signature)
• Gilfach, Particular Baptist              Erected 1814                   Attendance - afternoon 74, evening 68         Humphrey Ellis, Elder, Cefnfaes

Church Records

Joyce Hinde has supplied a list of Parish Registers held at the Caernarfon Area Record Office.

Description and Travel

Fieldscape around Llanllechid - on the Gwynedd Archaeological Trust site

Rachub - on Wikipedia Edmund Hyde Hall Papers  - details of extant records on Archives Network Wales
"Comprises a manuscript copy of A Description of Caernarfonshire, 1808-1811by Edmund Hyde Hall. Also contains a photocopied portion of a draft of this work, relating to the parishes of Llandygái, Llanllechidand Aber."

John Morris Poetry and Essays  [1920s - details of extant records on Archives Network Wales
"Three poems and two essays on the subject of place-names in Llanllechid and industries in Llanllechid and Llandegai, Caernarfonshire"

Gazetteers

• The transcription of the section for Llanllechid from The National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.
• A Topographical Dictionary of Wales by Samuel Lewis, 1833

Genealogy

Photocopies of Dafydd Ellis Manuscripts  - details of extant records on Archives Network Wales
"Include; ......... List of the inhabitants of Llanllechid and Llandygai, who died between 1866-1913. Includes personal names, house names, dates of death and burial and place of burial. List of those who died in Caebraichycefn Quarry from 1784 - 1905............."

History

Pantdreiniog Quarry - "This Quarry is situated at Bethesda, in the Parish of Llanllechid, County of Carnarfon, and less than one mile from L. & N. W. Railway Station at Bethesda......"

What I saw at Bethesda by Sheridan Jones, C. (Special Correspondent of the Daily News)

Land and Property

Mrs Eluned Wanhill Deposit 1860-1977 - details of extant records on Archives Network Wales
"Deeds and documents relating to ... the parish of Llanllechid and the village of Bethesda, e.g. Coed Quarry. Some lands belonged to the Cefnfaes Estate, Bethesda. Also, a history of the missionary school in Coetmor Bethesda .........."

Maps

Gwynedd Family History Society  have a diagram of the ecclesiastical parishes of Caernarfonshire (under Publications)  - with some links to photographs of parish churches

Schools

Pages from Llanllechid National School Admission Register 1901-1903 - on the People's Collection Wales site
"It is seen that a number of children left the area during this period as their families went in search of employment in south Wales. The Register also shows that the children were embroiled in the tensions and divisions which had become evident within the local community during the strike......................" Llanllechid Charityand Llanllechid National School papers - details of extant records on Archives Network Wales
"The parish .... consists of Llanllechid village, with the church, the hamlet of Tâl-y-Bont, and the upper part of the parish, Nant-y-Bernglog, with Capel Curig Church. Llanllechid Parish School had been started in the parish church; from 1828 it operated on the National Plan, supported by subscription. Llanllechid National School was built in 1851............."

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