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hundred"LLANDEBIE (LLAN-DYBIEU), a parish in the union of LLANDILO-VAWR, hundred of ISCENNEN, county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH WALES, 5 miles (S.) from Llandilo-Vawr, containing 2534 inhabitants. This parish, which derives its name from the dedication of its church to St. Tibieu, is pleasantly situated on the river Loughor, and on the great road from Llandilo to Swansea . . . The lands, of which the soil is wet and clayey, but yet fertile, are in general in a good state of cultivation, a small portion only being waste, and this consisting chiefly of the mountain of Mynydd-Mawr which is within the parish. . . The mountainous district abounds with coal and limestone, which are obtained in great quantities for the supply of the neighbouring districts, and the procuring of which affords employment to a large portion of the poorer inhabitants. A small woollen manufactory employs about a dozen hands; and there are five mills for grinding corn. . . The church is a neat plain structure, with a lofty square embattled tower, and contains about 500 sittings, of which 80 are free. There are two places of worship for Independents, two for Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, and one each for Baptists and Wesleyans; also thre day schools, in which 80 children are taught at the expense of their parents . . ." [From A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (S. Lewis, 1844).]
Beckley, S. Focus on Ammanford and the Amman Valley. J. of the Dyfed FHS, vol. 2, no. 3, (1986) pp.70-73. [Listing of Documentary Sources at Carmarthenshire R.O.]
Griffiths, Pennar. Cofiant Watcyn Wyn. Cardiff, 1915Thomas, Averil. Canon Griffith Jones (1845-1907). Dyfed FHS journal Vol7/6 Dec 2001. Griffith Jones was born in Cross Inn, the son of a labourer, became a Canon of St Asaph Cathedral.
Wynne Davies, J E (ed). Gwanwyn Duw (The Spring of God). Gwasg Pantycelyn, Caernarfon; 1982. A tribute to the Rev. Gomer Morgan Roberts, details of his life and works with a collection of essays in his honour published by his colleagues in the Historical Society, contains a full bibliography of his writings. The essays are titled;
- John Penry A'i Genedl (Glanmor Williams)
- Williams Hyd At Thirlwall (R Buick Knox)
- Howel Harris: Ymgeisydd Am Ordeiniad (Griffith T Roberts)
- Rhyfel A Gorfoledd Yng Ngwaith William Williams, Pantycelyn (Derec Llwyd Morgan)
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
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
See Cwmgors & Gwauncaegurwen for a history database of Amman Valley chapels and churches
Cwmamman Auxiliary of the British & Foreign Bible Society. Subscribers' List from the 1931-1932 report, compiled by Rina Callingham
Llandybie Church - on the Ammanford site
Parish entry for Llandebie from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by (Archive CD Books)).
Parish entry for Cwmamman from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by (Archive CD Books)).
Parish entry for Bettws with Ammanford from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by (Archive CD Books)).
Davies, W M. Hanes Cychwyniad a chynydd y Trefnyddion Calfinaidd yn Nosbarth yr Hendre [A History of the Rise and Progress of the Calvinistic Methodists in the Hendre District]. Llanelli, 1908.
James, John. 150 mlynedd y Christian Temple (Gellimanwydd), Rhydaman: cyfarfodydd dathlu'r iwbili. (Merthyr Tydfil, 1932), [16]p.
Lewis, T.H. Sion, Llandybïe: braslun o'i hanes, 1895-1945, (Porth, 1945), 24p.
Richards, John. Hanes eglwys y Christian Temple, Ammanford: papyr a ddarllenwyd yn nghyfarfodydd jubili yr eglwys uchod, dydd Llun, Mehefin 15fed 1903, (Ammanford, 1903), 8p.
Rhys, W.J. Braslun o hanes Carmel, ger Llandybie: erbyn dathlu canmlwyddiant y corfforiad, Mai 1960 [A Brief History of Carmel, near Llandybie]. Llandysul, Gwasg Gomer (1960) 91 p., [6]p. of pl., ill., ports.
Thomas, Eirina. Llandybie Church. Amrywiaeth Llanelli Miscellany (1990), p. 15-18
Thomas, Rachel. Christian Temple: eglwys Annibynnol Gellimanwydd, Rhydaman, 1782-1982, (Abertawe, 1982), 72p.
Dyfed FHS have photographs and data relating to various churches and chapels on their site
Parish registers: Christenings (1695-1765, 1778-1919), Marriages (1695-1925), Banns (1823-63, 1866-1962) and Burials (1695-1765, 1778-1948) are at the Carmarthenshire Record Office.
Copy ts PR index CB (1813-75) M (1695-1875) at NLW and Carm.RO
Bishops' Transcripts, covering the period (1672, 1677-8, 1681-2, 1711, 1713, 1717-22, 1724-5, 1730-3, 1735-7, 1739-57, 1761, 1763, 1767-73, 1776-84, 1787-99, 1802-70) are at the National Library of Wales, and have been microfilmed by the LDS.
Marriage index for this parish - see Dyfed Marriages, 1813-1837, Vol. 18 - Iscennin Hundred (Dyfed Family History Society, c1989)
Nonconformist Chapels: (See also Cwmgors & Gwauncaegurwen for a database of Amman Valley chapels and churches)
Ammanford/Rhydaman, St Michael [formed out of Llandybie and Betws 1903]
Marriages (1893-1971) Banns (1892-1964) Burials (1885-1956) are at the Carmarthenshire Record Office.
Ammanford/Rhydaman, All Saints
Christenings (1915-40) Marriages (1915-23, 1935-43, 1953-71) Banns (1915-73) are at the Carmarthenshire Record Office.
Cwmaman [formed out of Betws, Llandybie, Llandeilo fawr and Llangiwg in 1843]
Christenings (1840-1930) Marriages (1842-1948) Banns (1842-67, 1887-1949) Burials (1842-1959) at Carm. RO
BTs ; 1840-52, 1854-67, 1869-74 NLW
New Saron Chapel photograph and Old Saron Chapel photograph from Dyfed FHS.
Llandybie Lime Kilns - on David Kitching's site
Places, villages, farms etc within Llandybie as shown on the parish map on 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 Gareth Hicks)
Kelly's Directory of South Wales, 1910. Here are Extracts relating to Ammanford
Kelly's Directory of South Wales, 1923. Here are Extracts relating to Ammanford
Jones, Bill & Dr Huw Walters. On the American Frontiers: Amman Valley Emigrants in Texas, 1879-1880. The Carmarthenshire Antiquary, 37/2001. This article describes the background of the emigration to Texas of Hopkin Hopkin and his family from Gwauncaegurwen, a journey that started at Brynaman Station. Hopkin had links to Carmel, GCG; Bethesda, Cwmamman; and the famous Swansea Valley based choral society of Ivander Griffiths. They went to New Philadelphia under the scheme known as the Texas Freehold Farm and Emigration Company Ltd., one of whose key promoters was Mabon. They were in the first group from South Wales, the other family being that of George and Catherine Davies from Ton Pentre, Rhondda.There are quotations from letters from Hopkin home to GCG, published in Tarian y Gweithiwr; people they met in Texas included; in Dallas, Elias Thomas of Neath; in McAlaster(now in Oklahoma), John Williams of Glynbeudy, Brynaman; and in New Cambria (near Jacksboro), Morgan and Mary Hughes who had links to Ty'nywern Farm, Glanaman.
Includes biographical notes on Hopkin Hopkin by Rina Callingham
Held at Carmarthen Archives;
See Not everyone knows this.. for random snippets about this parish
Ammanford - Terry Norman's site . A treasure trove of local history articles, for example ;- THE DYNEVORS - FROM DYNASTY TO DINOSAUR A brief history of a Carmarthenshire dynasty and the building of Ammanford
THE ARCHAEOLOGY AND EARLY HISTORY OF AMMANFORD "...a brief summary of the archaeology of Llandybie, the Amman Valley, and Betws taken from the Amman Valley Heritage Audit prepared by Cambria Archeology in January 2003 (Report No: 2003/5), by Paul Sambrook and Jenny Hall). The study area encompasses the modern parishes of Llandybie, Llanfiangel Aberbythych (Carmel), Cyngor Bro Dyffryn Cennen, Cwmamman, Llandadog and Quarter Bach (Brynamman) to the north of Ammanford and Llanedi, Betws and Gwaun Cae Gurwen to the south.." - on Terry Norman's site
There is data for the parish and the Ammanford area on The Carmarthenshire Roll of Honour site
Edwards, Hywel Teifi [ed.] Cwm Aman [Amman Valley] .Gomer 1996. In Welsh. There is a list of chapter headings and photographs on Cwmgors & GwauncaegurwenEvans DA & Walters H. Dyffryn Aman 'Slawer Dydd [The Amman Valley Long Ago: A Collection of Photographs];Gomer 1987. Bilingual. Here is the book's introduction and an Index by Gareth Hicks
Lewis, Brian The Amman Valley: A Photographic Portrait. (1996). Here is an Index by Gareth Hicks
Llandybie: 1940-1990, Llandybie, Llandybie Village Community Project (1990) 96 p., ill. (some col), ports.
Lloyd, Sir John E., (Ed.). A History of Carmarthenshire (2 vols.), Cardiff, London Carmarthenshire Society (1935, 1939). Extracts from this book can be accessed on some parish pages, see here for this parish.
Locksmith, W T H. Ammanford: Origin of Street Names and Notable Historical Records. Cultural Services Department, County Hall, Carmarthen, 2000 ?.
Roberts, Gomer M. Hanes plwyf Llandybie. Caerdydd: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru dros Gyngor yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, 1939. 334p: ill, map, folded; 21cm. See also below
Roberts, G.R. The History of the Parish of Llandybie, Ivor Griffiths (1995).Translation of Gomer Roberts' original. (1939). Here is a contents listing and an Index by Gareth Hicks, and here are snippets from the book.
Rowlands, J. Llandebie. In Historical Notes of the Counties of Glamorgan, Carmarthen, & Cardigan, and a list of the Members of Parliament for South Wales, from Henry VIII, to Charles II., Cardiff, Hugh Bird (1866), pp.54-58.
Walters, Huw [Dr]. Canu'r Pwll a'r Pulpud. Cyhoeddiadau Barddas, Swansea; 1987, 397 pp. A study of the Welsh culture of the anthracite coalfield before 1914 - particularly Brynaman, and the Aman Valley areas. There are chapters on folk-lore, growth of industry and population, nonconformity, the eisteddfod etc. It brought the author the Welsh Arts Council Prize for the best work of literary criticism in 1988, the Board of Celtic Studies Prize and the Sir Ellis Jones Ellis-Griffith Prize in 1989. Here is a translation of the Preface by Professor Caerwyn William, list of Contents and brief Introduction.
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
Documents at the National Library of Wales:
Held at Carmarthen Archives;
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
Davies, Ifor. History of Coal Mining in the Amman Valley . Bi-lingual. Published by the author, 2001. Here is a list of chapter headings and photographs.
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
Davies, Howard G. The Centenary History of Amman United Rugby Football Club, 1903 - 2003. (Roll Along, Amman United, Roll Along) 2003. Here is a Contents listing and a listing of photographs by Gareth HicksSmith, Beverley. 'James Griffiths: An Appreciation' in James Griffiths and His Times [s.l.: s.n.]. 1977. An illuminating essay on the culture of the Aman Valley area
Walters, Huw. Cynnwrf Canrif : Agweddau Ar Ddiwylliant Gwern. Cyhoeddiadau Barddas, Abertawe, 2004. ISBN: 1900437678. Paperback, 372p.
A comprehensive collection of eight interesting and informative essays reflecting various aspects of the rich folk culture of the Aman and other south Wales valleys in the 19th century, written by a thorough researcher. Here is a review of the book by Tegwyn Jones (in Welsh)
[Gareth Hicks: 24 Nov 2008]
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