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Tregaron

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"TRÊGARON (CARON, or TRÊV-GARON), a market-town and parish (formerly a borough), 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 (W. by N.) from London, comprising the chapelry of Caron-Uwch-Clawdd, or Strata Florida, and containing 2282 inhabitants. This place is said to derive its name from being the burial-place of Caron, a Welsh king, who, from a low situation in life, raised himself, by his bravery and generous deportment, to the sovereignty, which he held for seven years ..."
[From Samuel Lewis's A Topographical Dictionary of Wales 1833]

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The areas coloured blue above represent the 2 sections of this parish, Tregaron being the bottom one and Strata Florida the top one -  See also  Kain Maps  1  &  2 

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Census

1891 census ; Tregaron, Gwnnws sub district , and , Tregaron, Llangeitho sub district ; searches within their Research Service from Cardiganshire Family History Society

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Church History

Some church and chapel data from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales. Ed. by I.G Jones, & D. Williams. UWP, Cardiff, 1976. The names are those of the informants

  • Argoed and Ystrad township
  • Caron or Tregaron Parish Church John Hughes, Vicar of Caron
  • Tref-Lynn township
  • No returns
  • Croes and Berwyn township
  • No returns
  • Blaen-Aeron township
  • No returns

Parish entry from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by Archive CD Books).

  • St Caron
  • Incumbent and Curates; D Jones
  • Rural Deanery of Ultra Aeron
  • Acreage 14,142 ; Population 1,364

      St Caron - photograph on Dyfed FHS

      Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

      • Eglwys S. Caron, Tregaron  
      • Men's sunday school class, Tregaron

      Evans, William. Saint Caron's Church, Tregaron .Tregaron : 196-?

      Powell, S M. The Vestry Book of Caron Lower. Transactions of the Cardiganshire Antiquarian Society Vol 11 1936 Welsh Journals Online

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      Church Records

      See Notes on Church/Chapel Records page

      Parish Register;
      Baptisms 1653-1931. Marriages 1653-1979 [Banns 1830-1915]. Burials 1653-1937 NLW/Cer.RO
      Copy ts PR M 1653-1837 with index NLW/Cer.RO
      Bishops Transcripts;
      1678, 1680, 1700, 1811-17, 1828-9, 1831-9, 1841-66, 1869-79, 1882 NLW

      See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg

      Nonconformist Chapels; see Chapels database

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      Description & Travel

      Having difficulty in finding references to this parish ? It is referred to as "Caron" in early documents such as the Crosswood Deeds and all the census returns including 1891. It will be interesting to see how the parish is denoted in the 1901 census.It seems to be much later, possibly this century, when the whole parish became known as Tregaron, rather than just the town. The leather covers of the parish register have "Tregaron" inscribed on them as the church is, of course, in the town of Tregaron. The registers for the parish are listed under Tregaron in the NLW list of parish registers. Strata Florida/ Ystrad-fflur/Caron uwch clawdd parish records follow a similar pattern; older documents are under "Caron" or "Caron uwch clawdd". Extract from Cardiganshire FHS journal Vol 2-No 6, Oct 2000.

      The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales., by Jones, I.G. & Williams, D. UWP, Cardiff, 1976. These statistics for this parish or chapelry are extracted from this book which in turn got them from the 1851 census itself;

      • Caron-ys-Clawdd Parish consisting of the Townships of Argoed and Ystrad, Tref-Lynn, Blaen-caron, Croes and Berwyn, Tre-Cefel, Blaen-Aeron, and Caron-Uwch-Clawdd (Strata Florida)
      • Area 39138 acres; Population 1188 males, 1405 females, total 2593
      • Argoed and Ystrad
      • Population 372 males, 467 females, total 839
      • Tref-Lynn,
      • Population 70 males, 99 females, total 169
      • Blaen-caron
      • Population 46 males, 54 females, total 100
      • Croes and Berwyn
      • Population 104 males, 122 females, total 226
      • Tre-Cefel
      • Population 72 males, 68 females, total 140
      • Blaen-Aeron
      • Population 119 males, 140 females, total 259
      • Caron-Uwch-Clawdd (Strata Florida)
      • See Strata Florida

            Various items  - on the People's Collection Wales site

            • Various landscapes 
            • View of Tregaron from an elevated vantage point; featuring houses, streets, a shop and a church tower; hills in background. c1885
            • A shot of the [railway] tracks at Tregaron, which are facing towards Pencarder + other items

            Tregaron - on Wikipedia

            Three photographs relating to Tregaron;  On Ceredigion Archives/Catalogues with photographs, postcards

            Davies, R Isgarn. Old roads in the parish of Caron. Transactions of the Cardiganshire Antiquarian Society Vol 11 1936 Welsh Journals Online

            Jones, Emrys. Tregaron, a Welsh market town. Geography, Vol XXXV

            Jones, Ieuan Gwynedd. The Tregaron of Henry Richard (NLW's site) Ceredigion XI

            Powell, S.M. etc. Tregaron, Cardiganshire, Rural District. [With a map and illustrations.].London, 1949

            Tregaron : the W.I. looks around it's town and country. Tregaron Women's Institute.Tregaron, 1984.The more recent version published in 2000 is available for lookups on the Wales Lookup Exchange.

            You can see pictures of Tregaron which are provided by:

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            Directories

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            Gazetteers

            The transcription of the section for Tregaron from The National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

            Description of the parish of Tregaron from A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (1833) by Samuel Lewis.

            Descriptions of Townships in Tregaron parish from Samuel Lewis's A Topographical Dictionary of Wales 1833

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            Genealogy

            Unveiling of the Henry Richard monument, Tregaron, 1893 - on the People's Collection Wales site
            "Henry Richard (1812-88) was born in Tregaron, Cardiganshire. He was a Nonconformist minister in London before being elected the Liberal Member of Parliament for Merthyr Tydfil in 1868................."

            Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

            • Henry Richard Family Papers 1808-1904 "Henry Richard (1812-1888) was born at Prospect House, Tregaron on 3 April 1812, educated at Llangeitho school and then was apprenticed to a draper at Carmarthen. Having resolved to enter the Christian ministry, he went to Highbury College, London ........... "
            • Williams, Dai, Tregaron, papurau (papers) 1903-1959 "Dai Williams (1899-1971)of Tregaron, humourist, musician and broadcaster,...................."

            Hart, Alan H. A Tregaron family with links to St Caron's Church and the Church of England. Dyfed FHS journal, Vol 8/9 Aug 2005. The Rees family

            Usoro, J M Mrs. David Roderick Jones, Operatic Baritone (1910-1992). Cardiganshire FHS journal vol 3/8 June 2004. Born in Ferndale but 'from' Tregaron. Follow up article by Shirley Martin in vol 3/9 Oct 2004

            Wilson, Delyth. The Hughes Family of Tregaron. Cardiganshire FHS journal, vol 3/4 Feb 2003. Features Richard/Anne Hughes of Pensarnhir and Pwllswyddog in Tregaron, married in Lampeter in 1818.

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            History

            Various items  - on the People's Collection Wales site

            • A two pounds promissory note issued by the Aberystwyth and Tregaron Bank in October 1814. The design of the note includes sheep, reflecting their importance to the local economy.
            • The square at Tregaron featuring The Talbot Hotel, Henry Richard's monument and buildings.
            • Tregaron Storws wen
            • Henry Richard memorial, Tregaron
            • Crowds attending the unveiling of the Henry Richard monument next to the Talbot Hotel in Tregaron. nd
            • Home of Theophilus Jones, Tregaron c1885
            • Nani'r Coed, Tregaron

            Jones, Ieuan Gwynedd. The Tregaron of Henry Richard[1812-1888] .In Ceredigion 11 (1990), p.147-69

            Martin, Shirley A. Sir Bulstrode Whitelocke , his connections with Hersham, Surrey and Tregaron, Cardiganshire, involving Sir Richard Pryse of Gogerddan, William Lilly and Carleton Whitelocke of Hersham, Surrey : Walton and Weybridge Local History Society,Year: 1996.

            Meyrick, Sir Samuel Rush.(1783-1848) The History and Antiquities of the county of Cardigan. Collected from the few remaining documents which have escaped the ravages of time, as well as from actual observation. Longman: London ,1810. The history and antiquities of the County of Cardigan ... to which are now added a parliamentary history, list of High Sheriffs, some notes on the present county families, &c., &c. repr. Brecon: 1907. This 1907 print has now been reprinted. The section relating to this parish is on pages 240/49; mentioned is Pentre Rhydfendigaid( also known as the village of Blessed Ford, partly in Gwnnws parish).

            Morgan, M.E. Cipdrem ar Hanes Tregaron a'r Cylch . Llanbedr: 1910

            Rees, Rev.D.C. Tregaron-Historical and Antiquarian. Llandyssul :1936. (includes extracts from the parish vestry book from 1786 to 1833; lists of incumbents, parish clerks & schoolmasters; a chapter called 'Ancient Families & Notabilities' with sections on the Shelby, Herbert, Powell & Stedman families; also a full list of subscribers.) Here is a Contents listing and other data

            Rees, Rev D Caron. 'A reverie' among the upper reaches of Blaencaron, four miles from Tregaron Transactions of the Cardiganshire Antiquarian Society Vol 7 1930 Welsh Journals Online

            Tregaron : taith drwy'r oesoedd [a journey through time]. Publisher [Tregaron] : Curiad Caron, [1995]

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            Land & Property

            Held at Ceredigion Archives;

            • Transcript and index for the Caron tithe apportionment.

            Martin, Shirley A. The Valuation Office Property Survey, 1910-1915 (also known as the Lloyd George Survey) for Tregaron and Strata Florida. Cardiganshire FHS journal, vol 4/3 Oct 2005

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            Language & Languages

            Aitchison, J.W. Immigration and the Welsh language : a case study of Tregaron and its region[Mewnfudo a'r iaith Gymraeg ]Publisher Aberystwyth :University College of Wales, 1989.
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            Maps

            Parish map (Kain/Oliver)

            You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SN738592 (Lat/Lon: 52.216343, -3.848691), Tregaron which are provided by:

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            Names, Geographical

            Places, villages, farms etc within Tregaron parish as shown on the online parish map from the CD of Historic Parishes of England and Wales: an Electronic Map of Boundaries before 1850 with a Gazetteer and Metadata [computer file]. (Kain, R.J.P., Oliver, R.R.). (Extracted by Dewi Evans)

            • Argoed Ystrad 38A; Tref-lyn 38B; Blaen Caron 38C; Tre Cefel 38D; Croes + Berwyn 38E; Blaen Aeron 38F
              Abercoed; Afon Berwyn; Afon Groes; Argoed; Banc; Bryn Hownant; Bryn Lloi; Cairns; Cammer Fawr; Carn Felen; Carn Fawr; Caron-is-Clawdd; Castell; Castell Rhyfel; Craig; Clogan; Craig Esgeirydd; Craig Pont Shiri; Craig y Ffridd; Crynfryn bychan; Cwn yr Olchfa; Cwys yr Ychain-banog; Cyrtau; Derlwyn; Derw Garon; Diffwys; Dildre; Esgair Fraith; Ffos y Cenglau; Ford; Glan Brennig; Glan yr afon uchaf; Golf Links; Goppa Isaf; Groes Fawr; Llan Berwyn; Llwyn yr Hwch; Maes Glas; Maes Llyn; Mill; Ochor; Pant Rhedwyn; Pant Shiri; Pant y crat; Pen Llanerch; Pen y Bont; Pont Einon; Sanatorium; School; Sunnyhill; Tan yr Allt; Tan y Craig; Teifi; Tre Cefel; Trefly; Tregaron; Ty'n y Swydd; Ty'n Eithin; Ty'n y Coed; Waun Fawr; Y Drwn; Y Garn; Y Glog;
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            Names, Personal

            Held at the NLW ;

            • Diaries of several members of the Jenkins family of Trecefel, Tregaron, 1839-1947.
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            Occupations

            Postcard of unnamed shop in Tregaron selling horse collars etc. Undated.  - on the People's Collection Wales site

            A photograph, taken by Geoff Charles, was part of a special feature published in 'Y Cymro' on 8 September 1855. Postman David Lewis Jones, took nine hours to complete his round in the remote mountain areas between Tregaon and Abergwesyn, even though he only delivered to eight houses. He carried out his round on horseback.  + various other items - on the People's Collection Wales site

            Colyer, Richard. Welsh Cattle Drovers in the Nineteenth Century - 1 National Library of Wales journal. 1972, Winter Volume XVII/4. Here is a short extract; - "On his return to Tregaron from England via Abergwesyn, Williams could see Tregaron from Cwmberwyn. The view inspired him to pen the following lines:
            'Mae Tregaron fach yn mwgu
            Nid oes fater ta hi'n llosgi
            Os bydd newydd drwg ar gerdded
            Yn Nhregaron cewch ei glywed'.

            [See D. L. Rees Tregaron, Historical and Antiquarian. Llandyssul 1936].."

            Markey, Margaret. In the footsteps of Tregaron drovers. In Country Quest 26/1 (1985), p. 32-3

            Huws, Richard. Argraffwyr Tregaron (NLW's site) Ceredigion: Journal of the Cardiganshire Antiquarian Society. Vol. VIII, No. 2 (1977)

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            Poor Houses, Poor Law

            Tregaron Workhouse - on Peter Higginbotham's site

            Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

            • Cardiganshire Board of Guardians Records 1834-1936
              "Records relating to the Cardiganshire Board of Guardians, including Cardigan Union, 1834-1935; Newcastle Emlyn Union, 1916-1925; Lampeter Union, 1871-1930; Tregaron Union, 1912-1929; Aberayron Union, 1854-1922; and Aberystwyth Union, 1878-1936."
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            Public Records

            Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

            • Caron Lower (Caron Is Clawdd or Tregaron) Parish Council and Community Council Records 1894-1985
            • Gwnnws Upper and Caron Upper Bont Parochial Committee Records "The Gwnnws Upper and Caron Upper Bont Parochial Committee was active between 1895-1898, in the parishes of Gwnnws Upper and Tregaron, to provide a water supply to the area; its function was inherited by Tregaron Rural Sanitary Authority."
            • Tregaron Rural District Council 1863-1974
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            Schools

            Here is an extract from The Reports of the Commissioners appointed to enquire into the state of Education in Wales. 1847

            Various items  - on the People's Collection Wales site

            • Tregaron County School, 1910 [group]
            • Undated picture of County School,Tregaron [group]
            • Tregaron county school
            • Class photograph Ysgol yr Eglwys, Tregaron. Back of postcard annotated 'National School My Class 1940 Katie Morris'
            • Tregaron County School Hockey Team
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            Social Life & Customs

            Various items  - on the People's Collection Wales site

            • Eisteddfod chair won by John Watkins ('Ioan Gwent'), Tregaron, 1876. 
            • Tregaron Literary Society programme, 1907-1908
            Jones, Emrys. 'Tregaron: the Sociology of a market town in Central Cardiganshire ', in Welsh Rural Communities, see below

            Jenkins, David ; Jones, Emrys ; Hughes-Jones, T ; Owen, Trefor M. Welsh Rural Communities. [Edited by Davies, Elwyn and Rees, Alwyn]. Cardiff, UWP, 1960.
            Edited description of this book from Cardiganshire FHS Journal Vol 2~No 6, Oct 2000.
            " Four communities are described in this book, two of which are located within our area, namely Aberporth and Tregaron ........... In the second study, Emrys Jones describes everyday life in the market town of Tregaron. It begins with an useful map of the village showing its development during the years 1840 onwards. The town's population of 600 was divided into five well defined localities or 'neighbourhoods', each of which is described in this essay. The town's earliest phase of growth was linked to the cattle trade ; later the hosiery trade and wool manufacture were significant. During the third phase the town reverted to its basic function as a market .......... A sociological analysis illustrates the town's economic activity and the fields of education, religion and family and kindred make this essay essential reading for anyone with ancestors from this part of the country."

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            Societies

            Cymdeithas Hanes Cylch Tregaron (Tregaron and District History Society) - for details see Ceredigion Local History Forum

            This page has been partly compiled from material previously published in their journal
            by kind permission of Cardiganshire Family History Society