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Llangeler

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"LLANGELER (LLAN-GELER), a parish, in the union of NEWCASTLE-EMLYN, higher division of the hundred of ELVET, county of CARMARTHEN, SOUTH WALES, 5 miles (E. by S.) from Newcastle-Emlyn; containing 1747 inhabitants. . . It comprises by computation 6414 acres, of which nearly 2000 are arable, 3480 pasture, 900 waste, and the remainder woodland; the surface is undulated, and the surrounding scenery pleasantly varied, embracing a portion of the fertile and picturesque Vale of Teivy . . . The church, dedicated to St. Celer, is a plain and neat edifice, in good repair . . . an ancient chapel of ease, dedicated to St. Mary, and thence called "Capel Mair," has been entirely demolished. . . There is a place of worship which is jointly appropriated to Independents and Presbyterians: a day school is maintained by the trustees of Mrs. Bevan's charity; and a Sunday school is supported by voluntary contributions, aided by gratuitous teachers. . ." [From A Topographical Dictionary of Wales (S. Lewis, 1844).]

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Biography

Jones, John. Marwnad John Howell: yr hwn a fu farw Medi 1, 1817 yn 30 oed ac a gladdwyd yn Llangeler. Caerfyrddin: Arghraffwyd gan E. Jones, 1817. 8p; 16cm. [Re: John Howell, of Llangeler, 1787-1817.]
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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

  • Llangeler Parish Church John Griffiths, Vicar
  • Penrhiw Presbyterian Erected in 1771 John Thomas, Minister at Llandyssil and supply at the above place of worship
  • Drefach Calvinistic Baptist Erected in 1809, rebuilt in 1840 John Lewis, Deacon and Clerk, Llwynbedw, Penboyr
  • Saron Ind Erected before 1800 David George, Deacon and Clerk, Parkyotia, Llangelei
  • Clos y Graig CM Erected in 1754 David Jones, Daniel Rees, Deacon

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

  • St Celer & Capel Mair & St James
  • Incumbent and Curates; D L Daniel (J R George)
  • Rural Deanery of Emlyn
  • Acreage 8,193; Population 1,810

Llangeler Church - on Jeffrey Thomas' site

Various items  - on the People's Collection Wales site

  • Interior of Llangeler Church 1910s
  • Capel Saron, Llangeler, viewed from the graveyard.
  • St Barnabas' church, Felindre, Llangeler

Jones, A.L. Achos y Bedyddwyr Drefach 1793-1993, Drefach Felindre, Bethel (1993) 48 leaves, [1] leaf of plates: p., ill., facsims., ports.

Jones, D. and J. James. Hanes eglwys Annibynnol Saron, Llangeler (Llandysul, 1937), 73p.

Jones-Morris, Trevor. Cyfarfodydd dathlu canmlwyddiant eglwys Annibynnol Seilo, Llangeler, 1889-1989, dydd Sadwrn, Hydref 21ain a dydd Sul, Hydref 22ain, (Llandysul, 1989), 8p.

Rees, J. Derfel. Gwrando'r Gair: hanes eglwys Annibynnol Siloh, Llangeler, a rhai pregethau, (Llandysul, 1945), 70p.

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Church Records

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

PR B (1805-12) recorded in 1831 apparently lost

Parish registers: Christenings (1704-1877, 1900-93), Marriages (1704-1801, 1813-1943, 1945-87) Banns (1795-1833) St James (1904-69) Capel Mair (1906-59) , Burials (1704-1804, 1813-1900) are at the National Library of Wales.

Mf Christenings (1704-1877), Marriages (1704-1921) Burials (1704-1900) at Carm.RO

Copy ts PR index CB (1813-75) M (1704-7, 1764-1875) Banns (1795-1833) at NLW and Carm.RO

Bishops' Transcripts, covering the period (1674, 1678-9, 1681-3, 1685, 1687, 1689, 1705, 1799, 1801-11, 1813-63, 1865, 1874) 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. 15 - Elvet Hundred (Dyfed Family History Society, c1989)

See Bap/Mar/Bur data on FreeReg

Nonconformist Chapels:

  • Bethel (Baptist, 1793), Drefach SN35463881 Built 1809 & rebuilt/enlarged 1840. Rebuilt/modified 1890 Still open 1998 Coflein
  • Closygraig (Calvinistic Methodist, c1740), Glynteg, Drefach SN36303785 Built 1754 & rebuilt/modified 1852 & 1900. Still open 2000 Coflein Still open in 2006
  • Saron (Independent, c1640): baptisms (1802-34), Saron NLW Ms 20688 SN37353824 Built 1792 & rebuilt/modified 1825 & 1898 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 Maureen Saycell (March 2009)
  • Bryn Saron Independent Sunday school, Rhos SN38143528 Built 1887 Coflein
  • Seilo Ind chapel, Rhos, Llangeler SN38333529 Built 1889 Still open 1998 Coflein Shown as still open on the Union of Welsh Independents site (Dec 2006)
  • Chapel at Rhos, near Llangeler SN37943545 Coflein
  • Penrhiw (Unitarian, 1760), near Drefach Schedules and notes NLW Ms 4457 SN35593864 Built 1777 & rebuilt/modified 1870. Moved to St Fagans late C20th 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;

  • Area 7999 acres; Population 783 males, 898 females, total 1681

    Canrif o Luniau. A Century of Photographs. Plwyf Llangeler Parish.Llangeler Community Council , edited by Alun L. Jones and printed by Gomer Press., June 2000. Here is a review and index by Mary Jane Stephenson

    Llangeler - on the Cistercian Way site

    Various landscapes  - on the People's Collection Wales site

    You can see pictures of Llangeler which are provided by:

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    Gazetteers

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

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    Historical Geography

    You can see the administrative areas in which Llangeler has been placed at times in the past. Select one to see a link to a map of that particular area.

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    History

    Jones, D.E. Hanes Plwyfi Llangeler a Phenboyr (1899) [History of Llangeler and Pen-Boyr parishes], Llandysul, J.D. Lewis, Gomerian Press (Facsimile reprint - Caerfyrddin: Adran Gwasanaethau Diwylliannol, Cyngor Sir Dyfedt, 1994) (1899) ii,423,xviip,[1] leaf of plates: il, map; 20cm. [ISBN 0860750922] [Here is an Index by Sian Bowi]

    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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    Land & Property

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

    • Llysnewydd and Llanllyr Estate records 1724-1876 "The Lewes family was descended from the Lewes family of Abernantbychan, Cardiganshire. John Lewes (1680-1742) of Carmarthen married Hester Beynon of Castell Gorfod and purchased the Llanllyr estate in Cardiganshire and Carmarthenshire in 1720 from Henry Sumner. John and Hestor's son, John Lewes (1711-1783) of Llanllyr married Rebecca Price of Dyffryn, Carmarthenshire. He inherited Llysnewydd in the parish of Llangeler ....................."
    • Llysnewydd Estate Records "Deeds relating to the Llysnewydd estate in Carmarthenshire, 1429-1954....................."
    • Jones, E. D. and M. E., collection of Llangeler deeds 1769-1891 "Penpistill farm, Llangeler, Carmarthenshire, was owned by the Evans family in the 18th and 19th centuries........"

    Documents at the National Library of Wales:

    • Deeds deposited by E.D. Jones and Mrs M.E. Jones, relating to the parish of Llangeler, Carmarthenshire, 1769-1891.
    • Estate and family records of Lewes of Llysnewydd, parish of Llangeler, and Dyffryn, parish of Llandybie, Carmarthenshire, mainly C16-C20.
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    Maps

    Map of the parish of Llangeler, Carmarthenshire  - on the People's Collection Wales site

    Parish map(Kain/Oliver)

    You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SN384371 (Lat/Lon: 52.009099, -4.355393), Llangeler which are provided by:

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    Names, Geographical

    Places, villages, farms etc within Llangeler 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)

    • Grange (37); Banc-y-ffordd (village); Blaen-cwm; Blaen-nant-Rhys; Blaen-Siedi; Blaen-tryal; Blaen-y-pant; Brafle; Carn Wen; Clyn-llwyd; Court Fm.; Dan-capel; Garn-wen-isaf; Gilfach-cynnydion; Hafod; Llwyn-ffynnon; Nant Gwyddil; Pen Castell Stone; Pen-pistyll; Pen-rhiw-fawr; Pen-y-waun; Pont Allt-y-cafan; Tan-y-coed; Tryal-brith; Tryal-maen-gwyn; Waun-meirch
    • Gwlad (38); Bwlch-clawdd; Cefn-isaf; Cil-gynydd; Coestre-isaf; Drefach (village); Gilfach-las; Glasbant; Glyn-teg; Hengae; Llangeler (village); Llwyn-pur; Llys-newydd; Mountain Hall; Nant Bargod; Parkswadog; Pen-ffynnon; Pen-lon; Pen-yr-allt Fagod; Pentre cwrt (village); Rhos (village); Rhos Geler; Saron; School
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    Public Records

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

    • Llangeler Parish Council Records and Llangeler Community Council Records 1947-1996