Carmarthenshire 
Contents
Parish based
sketch map
of the
hundred"MOTHVEY (MYDDFAI), a parish, comprising the Upper and Lower divisions, in the union of LLANDOVERY, higher division of the hundred of PERVERTH, county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH WALES, 3 miles (S.) from Llandovery; containing 1073 inhabitants, of which number 476 are in the Upper, and 597 in the Lower, division. . . The surface is boldly undulated, and in some parts hilly and even mountainous; the lands, with the exception of a considerable portion of rocky and sterile ground, are inclosed and in a high state of cultivation . . . The luxuriant richness of the vales is finely contrasted with the rugged barrenness of the mountains; and the numerous rivers that flow through the lower grounds add greatly to the beauty of the scenery. . . A small woollen manufacture is carried on; and there are two king's mills in the parish, Kilgwyn and Brān, each of which pays a chief-rent of £2 to the lord of the manor, to whom also is paid a fee of ten shillings on the marriage of every freeholder, in lieu of the feudal custom of a first night's lodging with the bride . . . The church, dedicated to St. Michael . . . is an ancient structure, situated in a vale at the foot of the mountainous district . . . adorned with many handsome monuments and tablets. . . There are two places of worship for Independents, and one for Calvinistic Methodists. . . During the thirteenth century this place was much frequented by physicians, among whom was Rhiwallon . . . tradition affirms that his descendants continued to follow the practice of medecine in the parish till within the memory of persons living at the beginning of this century." [From A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (S. Lewis, 1844).]
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
St Michael's Church, Myddfai - photographs by Venita
Parish entry for Myddfai (otherwise Mothvey) from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by (Archive CD Books)).
Anthony, T J. Capel Berllandywyll, Myddfai, Sir Caerfyrddin [ Berllandywyll Chapel, Myddfai, Carmarthenshire]. London, 1908
Dyfed FHS have photographs and data relating to various churches and chapels on their site
Parish registers: Christenings (1653-1992), Marriages (1653-1971), Banns (1823-1925) and Burials (1653-1992) are at the National Library of Wales.
Facsimile Christenings (1653-1854), Marriages (1653-1971) Banns (1823-1925), Burials (1653-1851) at Carm.RO
Bishops' Transcripts, covering the period (1671-3, 1677-9, 1681-4, 1686, 1690, 1693-4, 1696-9, 1703, 1707, 1790, 1718-22, 1724-88, 1790-4, 1796-1800, 1802-6, 1808-68) 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. 21 - Perfedd Hundred (Dyfed Family History Society, c1989)
Nonconformist Chapels:
St. Michael's Church photograph and basic information, Bethania Chapel photograph and basic information and Seion Chapel photograph from Dyfed FHS.
Places, villages, farms etc within Mothvey/Myddfai parish 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)
Myddfai Community site
Myddfai - on Wikipedia
James, D.B. Parish Profiles - Myddfai. J. of the Dyfed FHS, vol. 2, no. 2, (1985) pp.49-51.
Rhys, S.J. and Selwood, A. The legend of Llyn-y-Fan-Fach: a legend of the Lady of the Lake on Carmarthen Black Mountain, Felinfach, Llanerch (1993) 32 p., ill. [Text from Y Cymmrodor based on the account in: Meddygon Myddfai (Llandovery: D.J. Roderic, 1861). Originally published in: Y Cymmrodor, 1881]
The Physicians of Myddfai, by Alan Dix.
The Physicians of Myddfai - on the Gathering the Jewels site
Anthony, T.J. Capel Berllandywyll, Myddfai, Sir Caerfyrddin, London, (1908).
James, David B. Parish profile - Myddfai, Carmarthenshire. Dyfed Family History Journal 2/2 (1985), p. 49-51
James, David B. Myddfai: its land and peoples. Bow Street: David B. James, 1991. 278p: ill (some col), maps; 31cm. [ISBN 0951747002. Here is a name index and also extracts of data from the book
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.
Pughe, John, and Williams, John, Ab Ithel. The Physicians of Myddvai: or, The medical practice of the celebrated Rhiwallon and his sons, of Myddfai, in Caermarthenshire .... (Facsimile ed.) Felinfach: Llanerch, 1993. xxx, 470 [i.e.430]p: ill; 21cm. Original ed: Llandovery: D.J. Roderic; London, Longman & Co, 1861 [Published for The Welsh Mss Society]. Includes index. [ISBN 1897853157 (pbk)]
Rowlands, J. Legend of Myddfai. 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), p40.
Williams Ab Ithel, J. Meddygon Myddfai, Felinfach, Llanerch (1993) 298 p. [ISBN: 1897853122 (pbk)] [Facsim. reprint of ed published: Llandovery: D.J. Roderic, 1861]
Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;
Documents at the National Library of Wales:
[Gareth Hicks: 6 June 2009]
Find help, report problems, and contribute information.
Copyright © GENUKI and Contributors 1996
to date |