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A History of Carmarthenshire

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Lloyd, Sir John E., (Ed.). 2 vols., Cardiff, London Carmarthenshire Society (1935, 1939).

With the kind permission of the publishers sundry snippets from this book have been extracted by Gareth Hicks onto some parish pages, these below are in random order.

Here is a list of the book's contents and contributors.


Nonconformity and Methodism

"The three years' Propagation Act expired in 1653 and was not re-enacted......early in 1654 the Commissioners for Approbation of Public Preachers came into force (fortunately known for short as Triers)......who had the fullest powers to to review and revise all previous Puritan appointments...............the Triers also made a bold attempt to fill some of the vacant parishes by approving new ministers...........(the following name is in the list of the Trier nominees ) ..........William Jones, Cilmaenllwyd, 1655 (the year of presentation to the living)....."

"It must be at once admitted that, with four exceptions, these new nominees of the Triers were obscure and mediocre men, who have left but little impress on the records of the time. The four exceptions were.............and William Jones at Cilmaenllwyd................the greatest of the latter was not discovered until after the Reformation."(see Baptists)


Baptists

"William Jones was a unique personality, his journey a momentous journey. He had been minister at Cilmaenllwyd under the Triers, (see above) was for some dangerous words or conduct thrown into Caramrthen prison in the early days of the Restoration, and there had his mind unsettled on the question of baptism -- its purpose, mode, time...........after some anxious cogitation, he decided on the journey to the eastern border, and was baptised there by immersion.....then returned to establish in 1667-8 the strict Baptist church with its headquarters at Rhydwilym, just on the Pembrokeshire border....."

"It becomes apparent, from an examination of the list of baptisms, that  at the juncture of the two centuries the strength of Rhydwilym begins to gravitate more and more towards Pembrokeshire (especially under the new leader, John Jenkins); at the Visitation of 1710, only four professed Anabaptists were reported at Cilmaenllwyd........"


Economic and Social Life

Stone quarrying

A section about the poorer class of farmers and labourers in Carmarthenshire........."their dwellings were pitiable hovels, and when pne considers that the expense of building a mud hut amounted to the sum of £10 one can imagine the type of home inhabited bt these unfortunate people. In the neighbourhood of Laugharne and St Clears, they were able to cover their hovels with a thin stone which they transported from Pen Arthur near Cilmaenllwyd........"


High Sheriffs of Carmarthenshire, 1541-1900

Includes the entries;

  • 1745, Hector Rees of Cilmaenllwyd.
  • 1795, John Rees of Cilmaenllwyd


Castles , Boroughs and Religious Houses

Monastic Lands and Revenues

"The bulk of the possessions of Talley (Abbey) is set out in the charter of Edward II dated 1324......the lands (listed) include........... the Grange of Carreg Cennen and Cilmaenllwyd............


Prehistoric and Roman Times

Early Bronze Age

Examples of perforated stone axe-hammers found in Wales includes one at ;

  • Parc-y-cerddi Bach, Marchgwyn, Cilmaenllwyd (in Carms Museum, photo in book)

The Topographical Index includes the entry;

  • Y Merydd (Cilmaenllwyd). "Earthen vessel" containing a "considerable quantity" of coins (technical descriptions given in book)


Prehistoric and Roman Times

List of Carmarthenshire Megaliths, includes following standing stones;

  • Stone on Maen Hir Farm, Cilmaenllwyd
  • Coynant Maen Hir, Cilmaenllwyd
  • Pantyrodyn Meini Hirion, Cilmaenllwyd
  • Rhos Maen Hir, Cilmaenllwyd


Gareth Hicks