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Laugharne

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"LAUGHARNE, otherwise TÀLYCHARN, an incorporated sea-port and market-town, and a parish, in the higher division of the hundred of DERLLYS, union and county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH WALES, 12 1/2 miles (S.W.) of Carmarthen, and 228 (W.) from London; containing 2011 inhabitants, of which number 1390 are in the township of Laugharne . . . The TOWN is beautifully situated on a level plot of ground, inclosed on every side, except towards the sea, by lofty eminences richly clothed with timber, and consists principally of one long and spacious street, intersected at right angles by a shorter thoroughfare, leading to that part of it called the Cors, in which are some new buildings. The houses are in general well built, and of respectable appearance; the streets are partially paved, and the inhabitants are amply supplied with water. . . The parish . . . is in general fertile and productive . . The church, dedicated to St. Martin, is a spacious and venerable cruciform structure, with a square embattled tower, supported on pointed arches . . . The remains of the ancient castle, which crowns the summit of a cliff at the mouth of the Tâf, near the southern extremity of the town, are extensive and in an excellent state of preservation . . ." [From A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (S. Lewis, 1844).]

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Church History

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, Laugharne parish Church J G Mitford, Churchwarden, Laugharne
  • Bwlchnewydd Baptist Erected in 1802 David Davies, Minister, Bwlchnewydd
  • Providence, Cliff St Ind Erected in 1850 "Philadelphia the old chapel was Rebuilt in 1800, but gone out of Repairs. Providence was built in cliff street by the same Denomination in 1850" Richard John, Deacon, Smith, Laugharne
  • Tabernacle CM Erected in 1833 Rees Havard, Minister, Cal. Methst. Minister, Laugharne
  • Newbridge WM Erected in 1811 Thomas Harding, Minister, Llanelly

Parish entry for Laugharne with Llansadurnen from The Welsh Church Year Book, 1929 (Cd by (Archive CD Books).

  • St Martin & St Sadwrn (Llansadurnen)
  • Incumbent and Curates; S B Williams (D T Owen)
  • Rural Deanery of St Clears
  • Acreage 8,635 & 1,473 ; Population 1,521

See John Ball's site Welsh Churches and Chapels Collection for a photograph/data re St Martin's Church

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • Laugharne Church Choir 1970
  • Choir, St Martin's Church, Laugharne  early 1930s ?
  • Flower Service Laugharne 1920s?

Griffiths, G. Milwyn. A Visitation of the Archdeaconry of Carmarthen, 1710 National Library of Wales journal. 1974, Summer Vol XVIII/3. Includes the parish of Llacharn

Thomas, D.M. History of Nonconformity in Laugharne: The Congregationalists, Trans. Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society and Field Club, vol. 13, (1918-19).

Thomas, D.M. History of Nonconformity in Laugharne: The Methodists, Trans. Carmarthenshire Antiquarian Society and Field Club, vol. 16, (1922-23).

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Church Records

Laugharne Church -photograph and basic information from Dyfed FHS

Parish registers: Christenings (1651-1974), Marriages (1639-1971), Banns (1801-47, 1857-1907) and Burials (1645-1972) are at the Carmarthenshire Record Office.

Facsimile Parish registers: Christenings (1651-1812), Marriages (1639-1800) and Burials (1645-1812) are at the National Library of Wales and the Society of Genealogists.

Copy ts PR index CB (1813-75) M (1639-1875) at NLW and Carm.RO

Bishops' Transcripts, covering the period (1672, 1677-9, 1681-2, 1686, 1704-5, 1711, 1715, 1717, 1721, 1725-1800, 1802-39, 1841, 1854-5, 1857, 1859-61, 1864, 1868-82, 1884-5, 1887-9) are at the National Library of Wales, and have been microfilmed by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Marriage index for this parish - see Dyfed Marriages, 1813-1837, Vol. 14 - Derllys Hundred (Dyfed Family History Society, c1989)

See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg

Nonconformist Chapels:

  • Bwlchnewydd (Baptist, 1798), near Bwlchnewydd farm in upper Laugharne parish SN3010 Built 1802. Rebuilt/modified 1852. Still open 1998 Coflein
  • Tabernacle (Calvinistic Methodist, 1748), Wogan St, Laugharne town SN30151076 Built in 1833 & rebuilt/modified 1872. Demolished pre 1998 Coflein
  • Providence (Independent, c1696), King St, Laugharne Births and baptisms (1825-37) PRO RG4/4015, LDS 828112, IGI; and see Bethlehem (St. Clears) and Henllan (Henllan Amgoed) SN30341087 Old English Congregational chapel (Providence), Cliff St, Laugharne Built c.1750; rebuilt/modified 1809 & 1853. Demolished by 1998 (1950?) Coflein
    Rees, Thomas & John Thomas. Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes (published 1871+). Here is the entry from this book for this chapel (in Welsh ) - with translation by Maureen Saycell (Feb 2009)
  • New Congregational (English)chapel, King St, Laugharne SN30211098 Built c 1890 Still open 1998 Coflein
  • Philadelpha Independent chapel, Laugharne SN3010 Rebuilt 1800 Coflein
  • Chapel (Wesleyan Methodist, 1800?), Newbridge near the Cors, Laugharne town Records with those of Wesleyan Chapel (Carmarthen) English Wesleyan, Newbridge St SN30131087 Built in 1810/11. Demolished by 1998 Coflein Old Chapel, Newbridge St, Laugharne - See Capeli (2005 list of chapels under threat)
  • Chapel (Moravian, 1763), Laugharne parish until 1810 then new chapel in Pendine parish Records with those of Moravian Chapel (Haverfordwest)
  • Quakers' Burial Ground, Cross Inn, Laugharne SN29881156 Demolished pre 1998 Coflein
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Description & Travel

The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 1, South Wales., byJones, I.G. & Williams, D. UWP, Cardiff, 1976. These statistics for this parish are extracted from this book which in turn got them from the 1851 census itself;

  • Laugharne parish; Area 14708 acres; Population 259 males, 271 females, total 530
  • Laugharne township; Area inc above ; Population 672 males, 809 females, total 1481

    Laugharne Castle - on Castle Wales

    The Dylan Thomas Boathouse site

    Page, Claude A. About Laugharne: the home of Dylan Thomas. Tenby: H. G. Walters (Publishers), 1972. 32p: ill, map; 21cm.

    You can see pictures of Laugharne which are provided by:

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    Directories

    Hunt, E.C. Directory and Topography for the Cities of Gloucester and Bristol: and the towns of Carmarthen, Kidwelly, Laugharne, Llanelly, and St. Clears [etc.]., London, B.W. Gardiner (1849) iv, 558 p.

    Pigot & Co. South Wales Directory for 1830. Here are Extracts relating to St Clears, Laugharne and Neighbourhoods

    Pigot & Co. South Wales Directory for 1844. Here are Extracts relating to Laugharne and Neighbourhoods

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    Gazetteers

    The transcription of the section for Laugharne from The National Gazetteer (1868) provided by Colin Hinson.

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    History

    Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

    • LAUGHARNE CASTLE, various
    • RCAHMW colour transparency of Laugharne Town Hall, taken by Iain Wright, 1979
    • Town Hall & Market Street, Laugharne  early 1900s
    • Cross on the Grist, Laugharne.
    • King Street Laugharne c1910
    • Silos at Honeycorse farm near Laugharne
    • Clifton Street, Laugharne 1905
    • The Strand, Laugharne from the Castle  c1900?
    • Benjamin Tucker's Workshop 1930s?
    • Laugharne Estuary 1903
    • The Grist Laugharne 1960s
    • Laugharne from Castle Wall c1923
    • Laugharne: Town Hall and Goal, sic A.D. 1905
    • Dylan Thomas's Boathouse, Laugharne, 28 July 1955
    • The Farmers' Arms, Laugharne, 28 July 1955. This historic tavern is in the village of Laugharne, a short distance away from the boathouse where the poet Dylan Thomas (1914-53) lived and worked.
    Avent, R. Laugharne Castle, Cardiff, Cadw: Welsh Historic Monuments (1995) 48 p., ill. (chiefly col), geneal. table, maps, plans, ports. [ISBN: 1857600665 (pbk)]

    Curtis, Mary. The antiquities of Laugharne, Pendine, and their neighbourhoods: Carmarthenshire, Amroth, Sandersfoot, Cilgetty, Pembrokeshire, South Wales. (2nd ed.) London: Printed for the author by R. Clay, 1880. viii, 339p: ill, geneal tables; 19cm.

    Price, D.M. and O'Brien, M.L. Greatest of the three: a historical survey of Laugharne and Pendine, [Pendine] (Llanmiloe Primary School, Pendine, Carms.) : [D.M. Price] (1973) [7], 66 p. : p., ill., maps, plans. [ISBN: 0950287105] p.

    Tucker, J. A. G. Yesteryear: Laugharne in the inter-war years. [s.l.]: J.A.G. Tucker, 1988. ca 60p: ill; 22cm.

    Laugharne: local history and folklore. [Llandysul]: Gomer, [1985?] 64p: ill; 20x21cm. [Reproduction of manuscript copy.] [ISBN 0863831540]

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    Land & Property

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Llan-dawg estate 1784-1920 "The Edwardes family owned extensive lands in Pembrokeshire (including Skomer Island, Midland, Grassholm and Gateholm islands), in Carmarthenshire (including Castell Llwyd, Llan-dawg and Westmead in the Laugharne area), ........................"

    Documents at the National Library of Wales:

    • Deeds and papers deposited by D. Roy Evans including manuscripts of the works of Mrs A.A. Puddicombe [Allen Raine]; deeds relating to Laugharne, 1609-1756, and to the counties of Cardigan, Carmarthen and Pembroke, 1695-1877.
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    Maps

    Parish map(Kain/Oliver)

    Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

    • Township of Laugharne in the parish of Laugharne in the County of Carmarthen
    • Plan of the parish of Laugharne in the County of Carmarthen in 2 parts

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SN283114 (Lat/Lon: 51.77457, -4.490276), Laugharne which are provided by:

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    Merchant Marine

    Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

    • Laugharne Lifeboat
    • "The Sarah" at Laugharne c 1908
    • River Corran at Laugharne c 1900 [with boats]
    • Shipping ledger - Pages from a ledger, first entry 1817, records of loads inspected by Customs officer Arthur Howells at Laugharne and St Clears quays.
    James, Terrence, and Humphreys, Anna. The loss of the brigantine 'Amiable Martha' off Laugharne, September 1786: with a translation from the original French by Anna Humphreys. Carmarthenshire Antiquary 31 (1995), p. 67-74
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    Military History

    Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

    • Photograph - Stewart Bladen Nelson Bolton, Midshipman, Royal Navy - HMS Indefatigable. Of Laugharne. He died on 31 May 1916, aged 18, when his battle cruiser was hit by shells from a German ship in the Battle of Jutland. His brother John Ritso Nelson Bolton, Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery, died of wounds in France on 27th September 1915.
    • Levi Rees Davies, SS Iolo
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    Names, Geographical

    Charles, B.G. English place-names in Laugharne. In Camarthenshire studies, pp.122-135, Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire County Council, (1974).

    Places, villages, farms etc within Laugharne as shown on the online parish map from 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)

    • Laugharne (62); Brixtarw; Brixton; Camp; Castell-toch; Castle Lloyd; Colston; Cresswell; Cwm-brwyn; Cynog's Well; Great Hill Burrows; Great Newton; Halfpenny Furze; Hill Down; Laugharne Burrows; Llanmiloe Ho.; Maes-gwnda; Moor Fm.; Morfa-bach; Mylet; New Mill; Newton; Pen-coed; West Marsh; Westmead Fm.; Whitehill Down; Woodhouse Fm.
    • Laugharne township (63); Brill; Broadway; Castle; Causeway Fm.; East Ho.; East Marsh; Ginst Point; Gosport; Hillside; Hurst Ho.; Laugharne (town); Laugharne Burrows; Laugharne Sands; Longridge; Milton; New Ho.; River Taf; Roche Castle; Sir John's Hill; The Laques
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    Occupations

    Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

    • Bobby Gleed's Butcher's Shop, Laugharne
    • Pioneer Coaches, Laugharne
    • Gardener at Fernhill, Laugharne
    • Milking at Honeycorse Farm Laugharne 1930s
    • Laugharne Carpenter's Bill 1926
    • D.M. Jenkins Postmaster & Chemist, Laugharne
    • Cocklers with Donkeys at Laugharne c1915?
    • Ebsworth Double Decker Bus. Bus Company based in Laugharne and ran regular services from Carmarthen to Pendine, sharing the route with Williams' Pioneer Coaches.
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    Public Records

    Details of extant records on Archives Network Wales for the following;

    • Laugharne Corporation Records [c. 1283]- [20th century] "The town of Laugharne, on the west bank of the Tâf estuary, received its charter from Sir Guy de Brian, Lord of Laugharne, in 1290. He created a Corporation, administered by a portreeve and his court of aldermen and burgesses. The Corporation is still in operation ......................."
    • Laugharne Parish Council Records and Community Council Records 1895-1993
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    Schools

    Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

    • Laugharne School 1902/03?  group
    • Laugharne School 1920s (late) group
    • Laugharne School 1926 group
    • Miss Martha Howells' Class, Laugharne VCP School 1928?     *2
    • Laugharne School 1929-30
    • Laugharne School 1930 group
    • Miss Wilkins (Teacher Gwennie)'s Class Laugharne School c1932?
    • Laugharne VCP & Senior Centre School Staff  mid 1950s?
    • Laugharne V.C.P. School Staff  early 1960s
    • Laugharne School Football Team 1928-29
    • St David's Day, Laugharne School 1963
    • Brook School near Laugharne 1937
    • Brook School near Laugharne 1948-49
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    Social Life & Customs

    Various items - on the People's Collection Wales site

    • Procession to Laugharne Church for Flower Service
    • Cross Inn Venturers, Laugharne 1931[football team]
    • Motor bike with side car, Kelloe Cottage, The Butts, Laugharne, c1920
    • Laugharne Rugby Team early 1920s
    • Procession at Market Street, Laugharne early 1900s ?
    • Carnival Clowns, Laugharne 1919
    • Laugharne RFC c 1928
    • Laugharne Regatta 1930s?
    • Laugharne Common walk 1930 ?
    • Portreeve's Breakfast  1940s?
    • Laugharne Victory Carnival 1919
    • Laugharne Carnival Float  1913
    • The Portreeve's Banquet, Laugharne
    • Laugharne Common Walk 1948 & 1930
    • Laugharne Cricket Team  late 1930s?
    • Laugharne & Pendine Guides and Brownies 1955/56
    • Laugharne Badminton Club trip to Porthcawl c1940
    • Laugharne Drama Group Circa 1955
    J.A.G.T. (J A G Tucker). Yesteryear: Laugharne in the inter-war years, [Great Britain?], [J.A.G.T?] (1988) 1 v., ill., ports.