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Llandefaelog

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"LLANDEVEYLOG (LLAN-DYFAELOG), a parish, in the hundred of Kidwelly, union and county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH WALES, 6 miles (S.S.E.) from Carmarthen; containing 1303 inhabitants. This parish is situated on the navigable river Towy, by which it is bounded on the west; and contains a large tract of fertile land, the whole, with a very trifling exception, is inclosed and in a good state of cultivation. The surrounding scenery is richly varied, and that portion of the parish situated between the turnpike-road from Carmarthen to Kidwelly, which passes close to the village, and the river Towy, is not inferior, for the variety and beauty of its scenery, to any district in this part of the principality. . . There is an ancient weir for taking salmon and sewin, attached to the Plâs Gwyn estate. Several good family residences are situated within the limits of the parish, but most of them have been deserted by their proprietors, and converted into farm-houses. . . The church, dedicated to St. Maelog, the reputed founder, is of great antiquity, and of a very irregular form, differing as to structure from the generality of parochial churches. There are places of worship for Welsh Methodists, Independents, and Unitarians, of whom the first assemble for divine worship in an ancient edifice, formerly a chapel of ease to the mother church . . . About 60 children of both sexes are instructed in two day schools, at the expense of their parents; and there are five Sunday schools . . ." [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

  • Llandefeilog Parish Church "As English is always performed on the last Sunday in the month at Llandefeilog Church in the morning, the Welsh who do not understand the Language do not attend, which was the case that so few attended March 30 1851" Daniel Jones, Vicar, Cwmafel
  • Rama Ind Erected in 1841 John Rees, Deacon, Placegwyn
  • Penygraig Ind Erected before 1750 Chapel rebuilt twice since 1810 David Gravell, Elder, Cwmfelin
  • Llangenheiddon Chapel CM Erected in 1824 John Evans, Deacon, Penymaes
  • Llandeveilog Chapel, village CM Erected before 1800, enlarged in 1820, enlarge in 1846 David Humphreys, Nantyllan

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

  • St Tyfaelog & Cwmffrwd St Anne
  • Incumbent and Curates; J J Davies (T C Jones)
  • Rural Deanery of Kidwelly
  • Acreage 8,622 ; Population 1,013

    Francis, Gwyn. Hanes Eglwys Annibynnol Rama, ger Caerfyrddin 1842-1992. Llandyfaelog: Rama, Llandyfaelog, 1992. 32p: ill, ports; 21cm.

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    Church Records

    Dyfed FHS have photographs and data relating to various churches and chapels on their site

    Parish registers: Christenings (1695-1966), Marriages (1695-1805, 1808-1970), Banns (1808-12, 1882, 1884, 1900-94) and Cwm-ffrwd Marriages (1877-1970) , Burials (1695-1911) are at the National Library of Wales with copies [except Banns] at Carm.RO

    Copy ts PR index CB (1813-75) M (1695-1875) at NLW and Carm.RO

    Bishops' Transcripts, covering the period (1672, 1679-80, 1684-8, 1690-1, 1693-4, 1697-1704, 1707-14, 1717-51, 1753-66, 1768-99, 1802-52, 1854-62) 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. 16 - Kidwelly Hundred (Dyfed Family History Society, c1989).

    See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg

    Nonconformist Chapels:

    • Ebenezer (Baptist, c1850), Coed-y-brain SN41031050 Built 1867 Coflein
    • Seion Baptist Chapel, Idole -  built in 1899 in the Simple Round-Headed style with a gable entry plan. In 1993 the chapel was converted into residential use. Coflein
    • Bancycapel (Calvinistic Methodist, c1830), Cwmffrwd SN42981504 Built 1834, rebuilt/modified 1844 & 1869 Coflein Banc y Capel CM chapel - still open in 2006
    • Chapel (Calvinistic Methodist, c1755), Llandyfaelog village SN41581180 Built c 1800 & enlarged 1820, rebuilt/modified 1844/6 & 1905. Still open 1977 Coflein
    • Penygraig (Independent, c1742), Penygraig Baptisms (1819-65) NLW Ms 1212E, LDS 104504/8 SN41291663 Built before 1750, rebuilt 1831 and possibly again in 1851. Rebuilt or modified in 1890. Still open 1998 Coflein Shown as still open on the Union of Welsh Independents site (Dec 2006)
      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 Gareth Hicks (Nov 2008)
    • Ramah (Independent, bef 1819), Llwynhelyg / Scyborfach Records with those of Penygraig, and Capel Sul (Kidwelly) SN41271398 Built 1841, enlarged 1845 & rebuilt/modified 1871 Coflein Shown as still open on the Union of Welsh Independents site (Dec 2006)
      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 Gareth Hicks (Nov 2008)
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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;

    • Area 7320 acres; Population 621 males, 700 females, total 1321
      You can see pictures of Llandefaelog which are provided by:

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      Gazetteers

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

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      Genealogy

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

      • Brigstocke Family Papers 1735-1965; and Brigstocke (W. Evans George) Estate Papers 1662-1895; and W. Evans George and Sons (Solicitors) Collection of Brigstocke family deeds 1496-1922; "The original residence of the Brigstocke family in Wales was Llechdwnni in the parish of Llandefaelog......................."
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      History

      History of Llandyfaelog, Carmarthenshire, Author Unknown. [Listed in Rawlins]

      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

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      Maps

      Parish map(Kain/Oliver)

      You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SN418138 (Lat/Lon: 51.800079, -4.295997), Llandefaelog which are provided by:

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      Names, Geographical

      Places, villages, farms etc within Llandefaelog 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)

      • Llandefeilog (78); Aber-Cyfor; Banc-y-capel; Bryn-coch; Cil-feithy; Cil gadan; Cil-y-march; Cloigyn-fawr; Coed; Coed-y-brain; Croes-y-ceiliog; Crugan-fawr; Cwm-Bwry; Cwm-ffrwd; Fforest; Gelli; Gelli-ddu; Gelli-deg; Glan-rhydw; Gwendraeth Fach (river); Idole; Is Coed-uchaf; Lan Ho; Llandefeilog (village); Llwyn-celyn; Llwyn-helyg; Llwyn-y-filldir; Moelfre; Nant Cwm-ffrwd; Nant Pibwr; Oaklands; Parr's Castle; Pen-y-fedw; Pen-y-maes; Pentre-poeth; Pibwr-wen; Pistyll; Plas-gwyn; Plas-y-wenallt; Towy Castle; Upland; Wenallt; Wern; Ystrad-fawr; Ystrad-ferthyr
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      Public Records

      Held at Carmarthen Archives;

      • Llandyfaelog parish council records C19 & C20.

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

      • Llandyfaelog Parish Council records 1782-1956 (accumulated 1894-1956) ".......including vestry books, 1782-1919; Parish Council minute books, 1894-1948; records relating to the Poor rate, 1839-1926; .............."
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      Schools

      Davies, J. Douglas. A brief history of Llandyfaelog School: talfyriad o'i hanes. [Llandyfaelog]: [Llandyfaelog V.C.P. School?], 1998. 37p: ill(some col), facsim, ports; 21cm.