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YSTRADGYNLAIS - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868

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The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland - 1868

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer (1868)] "YSTRADGYNLAIS, a parish in the hundred of Devynnock, county Brecon, 8 miles N. of Neath, and 14 from Swansea. It is situated near the head of the Swansea canal and the river Tawe, here joined by the little river Llech. It is divided into Upper and Lower, and contains the chapelry of Capel Coelbren and the hamlets of Cribarth, Ellen, Garth, Gurnos, Palleg, and Pentrose, with the "Lamb and Flag Inn" at the head of the Swansea canal. At Scwd Hen Rhyd, in the chapelry of Capel Coelbren, the Llech tumbles over the rock at a height of 100 feet, allowing the traveller to pass dry-shod under the fall. The coal measures, which in the S. and E. divisions of the coal-fields are bituminous, are here anthracite. The population has of late years increased, owing to the working of the beds of ironstone, anthracite coal, and lime, with which this district abounds.

The living is a rectory in the diocese of St. David's, value £400. The parish church, dedicated to St. Mary, has several inscribed stones, supposed to be of Roman origin, built into the walls, probably brought from the ancient Nidum, now Neath. There is besides a chapel-of-ease at Capel Coelbren. In this parish are traces of a hermitage or church, called "Cradoc's Church", and several hill forts, cairns, and other antiquities, including erect fossil coal trees of the class Sigillaria, discovered by Sir W. Logan in the bed of the river."

"ABERCRAF, near Ystradgynlais, in the hundred of Devynnock, in the county of Brecon, 8 miles N. of Neath. Here was the Gwyns' old seat, now a farm."

"BULLFA, a village in Garth parcel in the parish of Ystradgynlais, and hundred of Devynnock, in the county of Brecon, South Wales, 10 miles to the N. of Neath."

"CABILLO, a village in Garth parcel of the parish of Ystradgynlais, hundred of Devynnock, in the county of Brecon, South Wales, 8 miles to the N. of Neath."

"CAPEL COELBREN, a chapelry in the parish of Ystradgynlais, hundred of Devynnock, in the county of Brecknock, South Wales, 11 miles to the N. of Neath. It is situated in a rich mineral district, on the banks of the river Tawe, near the ancient way called the Sarn Helen. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of St. David's, value £45, in the patronage of F. Gough, Esq."

"CRADOC'S CHURCH, a hermitage under the hills near Ystrad-gynlais, in the county of Brecon."

"CRIBARTH, a parcel in the parish of Ystradgynlais, in the county of Brecon, 7 miles N. of Neath. It is situated on the river Tawe."

"CWMYGIED, a village in the parish of Ystradgynlais, in the county of Brecon, 7 miles N.E. of Neath:"

"DYFNANT, a village in the parcel of Garth, in the parish of Ystradgynlais, county Brecon, Wales, 8 miles N.E. of Neath."

"ELLEN, a parcel in the parish of Ystradgynlais, county Brecon, 9 miles N.E. of Neath."

"GARTH, a parcel in the parish of Ystradgynlais, county Brecon, Wales, 8 miles N. of Neath. It contains the hamlets of Gabillo, Giedd, Dyfnant, and Bullfa."

"GIEDD, a village in the parcel of Garth and the parish of Ystradgynlais, county Brecon, South Wales, 8 miles N. of Neath."

"GURWOS, a parcel in the parish of Ystradgynlais, county Brecon, 9 miles N.E. of Neath."

"PALLEG, a parcel in the parish of Ystradgynlais, county Brecon, 20 miles S.W. of Brecknock. It contains Cwmgiedd and Ystrad."

"PENRHOSE, a parcel in the parish of Ystradgynlais, county Brecon, 8 miles N.E. of Neath."

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]

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