Extracts from 'A Topographical Dictionary of Wales' by Samuel Lewis 1833

Llanbadarn Fawr townships

"BRONCASTELLAN (BRON-CASTELLAN), a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR which is in the upper division of the hundred of GENEU 'R GLYN, county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, 14 miles (E.) from Aberystwith, containing 144 inhabitants. This place occupies a rugged and mountainous district near the foot of the Plynlimmon mountain, and the road from Llanidloes to Aberystwith passes through it. It is separately assessed for the support of its poor, the average annual expenditure being £8.16."

"CLARACH, a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR which is in the upper division of the hundred of GENEU 'R GLYN, county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, 3 miles (N. E.) from Aberystwith, on the road from that town to Machynlleth, containing 290 inhabitants. The river Clarach, which gives name to the township, flows through a pleasing vale here, and falls into the bay of Cardigan, where the shore expands into a fine sandy beach, and the water is extremely shallow at ebb tide. From the northern part an extensive bank of sand, called Sarn Gynvelyn, stretches in a south-western direction for several miles into the bay of Cardigan, terminated by sunken rocks, and with only two fathoms of water on its surface at ebb tide. This township separately supports its own poor: the average annual expenditure is £68.5."

"CWM-RHEIDOL [CWM-RHEIDIOL], A township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR which is in the upper division of the hundred of GENEU 'R GLYN, county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, containing 649 inhabitants. The river Rheidol, which gives name to the township, flows through a vale here, remarkable for its varied and picturesque scenery. There are extensive lead mines, which yielded, in 183 1, forty-five tons of that metal and sixty tons of ore, and afforded employment to the greater portion of the inhabitants. This township separately supports its own poor: the average annual expenditure is £ 154.17."

"ELERCH [ELEIRCH], a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR which is in the upper division of the hundred of GENEU'R GLYN, county of CARDIGAN,SOUTH WALES, 8 1/4 miles [E.N.E.] from Aberystwith, containing 179 inhabitants. The average annual expenditure for the support of the poor amounts to £41.10."

"LLANBADARN IS‚ YN Y CROYTHEN (LLAN -BADARN -Y- CREUDDYN), a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR ,which is in the upper division of the hundred of ILAR, County of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, 4 miles (E. S. E.) from Aberystwith, containing 891 inhabitants. This large township, which forms a portion of the district of this extensive parish lying south of the river Rheidol, extends from that river to the northern bank of the Ystwith, and contains some pleasing residences, the principal of which is Nant Eos, the seat of Col. William Powel. The township is in general well wooded, and the roads from Aberystwith to Rhaiadr and Llanidloes and to Cardigan pass through it. A separate assessment is made for the maintenance of the poor: the average annual expenditure amounts to £346.8."

"LLANBADARN UCH‚ YN Y CROYTHEN (LLAN-BADARN Y CREUDDYN), a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR, which is in the upper divisionof the hundred of ILAR, county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, 12 1/2miles (E.) from Aberystwith, containing 743 inhabitants. It is situated in the upper part of the parish, which is here wild and mountainous, and on the eastern bank of the river Rheidol, which rushes in foaming torrents along a rocky bottom, in a deep precipitous gulph, with its sides covered with thick brushwood, until it is joined by the Mynach at a short distance. The small chapel of Yspitty Cynvyn dedicated to St. John the Baptist, is situated in this township. The living is a perpetual curacy, in the archdeaconry of Cardigan, and diocese of  St. David's, endowed with £1000 royal bounty, and £600 parliamentary grant, and in the patronage of the majority of the landholders in that part of the parish which is above Nant Lymystaw, who pay sixpence in the pound, on an old survey, towards the minister's stipend. In the burial-ground are four large stones, the largest eleven feet high and six broad, standing upright, and forming the periphery of the quadrant of a circle, having the chapel in the centre, which were probably a Druidical enclosure. Through the burial ground of the chapel a footpath leads to a rude wooden bridge, composed of one plank, thrown over a vast chasm, between two precipitous rocks, beneath which the Rheidol rushes with great force: it is called the Parson's bridge. The tithes of this township belong to the Chichester family. The celebrated Devil's bridge with its romantic and picturesque scenery, is ,situated  in this township, but is described in the article on the parish. A separate assessment is made for the support of the poor, the average annual expenditure being £153.16."

"MELINDWR (MELIN-DWR), a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR which is in the lower division of the hundred of GENEU 'R GLYN, county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, containing 555 inhabitants, the population having increased nearly two-fold since the census of 1821. The situation of this township in the vale of the Rheidol is extremely picturesque, more especially at Pont y Pren, where the dark rocks rise on one side nearly four hundred feet above the bed of that river. Through a chasm among these a mountain stream issues, forming a fine cascade, and turning a small mill, which can only be approached by a rude bridge composed of the trunk of a tree. This district is well wooded, and there are some lead mines. The poor are supported by a separate assessment, the average annual expenditure amounting to £170.10."

"PARCEL CANOL (PARSEL-CANOL), a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR which is in the upper division of the hundred of GENEU 'R GLYN, county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, 5 miles (E) from Aberystwith, containing 497 inhabitants. It is situated to the north of the river Rheidol, and contains some pleasing and respectable residences surrounded with timber. There is an endowment of £6.2.6. per annum for a free school, arising from a bequest of £ 150 by Richard Lewis, Esq., late of Abercumdole. A new church, or chapel, is about to be erected at Tyn' y Llidiart, in this township, towards defraying the expense of which several hundred pounds have been already raised by public subscription. The poor are maintained by a separate assessment, the average annual expenditure amounting to £99.7."

"TRÊVIRIG (TRÊV-VEIRIG), a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR which is in the lower division of the hundred of GENEU'R-GLYN, county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, containing 496 inhabitants. It is situated contiguous to the valley of the Rheidiol. The poor are maintained by a separate assessment, the average annual expenditure being £129.14."

"VAINOR ISA (VAENOR - IS‚V), a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR. which is in the lower division of the hundred of GENEU'R GLYN county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, 1 rnile (N. N. E.) from Aberystwith, containing 186 inhabitants. It lies on the sea-coast, and contains several pleasing residences. The Duke of Leeds, as lord of the manor of Vainor, receives five shillings per ton on the coal brought coastwise to Aberystwith, by virtue of a grant made by Charles I. A portion of the township is included within the new boundaries of the contributory borough of Aberystwith. The poor are maintained by a separate assessment, the average annual expenditure amounting to £90.11."

"VAINOR UCHA (VAENOR-UCH‚V ), a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN-VAWR which is in the lower division of the hundred of GENEU'R GLYN, county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, 2 miles (E. N. E.) from Aberystwith, containing 384 inhabitants. The northern part of this township is partially wooded, and here are a few large upright stones, standing apart, which are apparently of great antiquity; it is bounded on the south by the river Rheidiol. The poor are maintained by a separate assessment, the average annual expenditure amounting to    £ 86.14."

"YN DRE UCHA (YN -Y- DRE - UCH‚V), a township in that part of the parish of LLANBADARN -VAWR which is in the lower division of the hundred of GENEU'R GLYN, county of CARDIGAN, SOUTH WALES, 1 3/4 miles (E. by S.) from Aberystwith, containing 347 inhabitants. It is bounded on the south by the river Rheidiol, and contains a portion of the village of Llanbadarn -Vawr. There is a separate assessment for the support of the poor, the average annual expenditure amounting to £77.19."

[Gareth Hicks: 17 Dec 1999]