A History of Carmarthenshire

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 Propagation of the Gospel

"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 )  

• Thomas Jones, Llangan, 1657 "

"Another curious development was the restoration of Thomas Jones of Llangan to the selfsame living from which he was turned out in 1650.................For the appointment of Thomas Jones of Llangan, he being a person already sequestered by the Commissioners for the Propagation, the approval of the Triers was not sufficient, without the special sanction of the Protector and his Council. "

Independents, 1650-87

"The Restoration came as a shock --- a welcome and refreshing shock--- to the devourers of loaves and fishes that manned the Puritan ranks in Carmarthenshire. Of the nineteen so called Puritans who were nominated to livings by the Triers, eight conformed..............the eighth, Thomas Jones of Llangan, reverted to the principles which in truth he had never forsaken, burdened with the two unpleasant memories of having been outed by Puritan Commissioners in 1650 and restored by Puritan Triers in 1657.

The Older Dissent--Expansion and Organisation

"It may be well to exemplify this proces (of expansion) by giving some detail of the 'life history' of one or two of the 'mother-churches'...............No better example could be chose than the historic Presbyterian-Independent church of Henllan Amgoed. Henllan meeting house itself (1696-7) was but the metropolis of a far flung community which straggled over the whole of Carmarthenshire west of the river Cynin, and even strayed across the eastern Cleddau and the Crunwear brook into Pembrokeshire...................................in the meantime, Llwyn Drysni, a house in Llangan parish, had been registered, in 1749...."

Economic and Social Life

Elementary Education

"With the appointment of an agent for the British and Foreign School Society in South Wales (the Rev William Roberts, Blaina, a Baptist minister known as 'Nefydd') in 1853 and the decay of the 'voluntaryist' movement, greater activity was shown in the building of British schools in the county. Already by 1860 these numbered 22............Madam Bevan's Charity Schools remained until their abolition (c 1854) when they were nine in number...............Llangan etc..."

The Age of the Native Princes

The Intervention of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth

"(During 1217) the prince (Llywelyn) ......having demonstrated his might in the east (Glamorgan) turned west and proceeded to consolidate his gains in Dyfed. His purpose was to capture Haverford West and annex the cantref of Rhos, nor was he dissuaded from his intention by a deputation of Flemings who met him at Cefn Cynfarchan, a little to the west of Llangan..........."

Castles, Boroughs and Religious Houses

Monastic Lands & Revenues

"The lands that fell into the possession of the monastic houses were carved into manors and vills and were administered precisely as any other lordship. On them were established granges or farms where conversi tilled the land, and, if they were situated at some distance from the abbey, were housed.........Whitland possessed Iscoed in the parishes of Llanboidy, Llangan and Henllan Amgoed..........

Prehistoric and Roman Times

Typical Forts of the Early Iron Age

An example of a fortress using promontories etc is;

• Hafod Camp, Llangan East (there is a line drawing of this site in the book)

Gareth Hicks