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Llanfachreth

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"LLANFACHRETH, a parish in the hundred of Talybont, county Merioneth, 3 miles N.E. of Dolgelly, its post town. It is situated in a hilly neighbourhood, watered by a tributary of the river Maw, and abounds with good pasturage. The parish includes the townships of Isafon and Uwchafon-Nannaw. Copper is obtained here. The village is situated at the N. foot of Moel Orthrwm, in the valley of the Mawddach. Here is a romantic pathway called the Precipice Walk. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Bangor, value £92. The church is dedicated to St. Mackreth, and was restored partly at the expense of the patron in 1820. The Calvinistic Methodists have two chapels. The parochial charities produce about £9 per annum. This was the birth-place of Rice Jones, the Welsh bard. Fairs are held on the 22nd April, 30th June, 15th August, and 23rd October." [From The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868) - Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003]

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Bibliography

Harris, Mary C. Llanfachreth - bygones of a Merioneth parish. Dolgellau : Merioneth County Record Committee, 1973. 188p

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Business & Commerce Records

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

  • Merioneth Mill Account Books  "Photocopies of two account books of mills in Llanfachreth, Merioneth, 1857-1864 and Rhyd-y-main, Merioneth, 1847-1863."
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Census

1891 census of Llanfachreth  A transcription and surname index by Alwyn Humphreys

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Church History

Church and chapel data from The Religious census of 1851 : A Calendar of the returns relating to Wales, Vol 11, North Wales. Ed. by Ieuan Gwynedd Jones, UWP,   1981. The names given towards the end of each entry are those of the informants.

Parish statistics; Area 10000 acres; Population 406 males, 474 females, total 880

  • Llanfachreth Parish Church                 Attendance - morning 45 + 22 scholars      Service in Welsh       "The Tithes of this Parish, the Annual Value of which is between 300 and 400 (?£) belong to the Patron and Proprietor, Sir R W Vaughan, Bart, out of which he pays his poor Curate the paltry sum above specified - a sum at which sum his scullery girl would turn up her nose......"     George Phillips A.B, Perpetual Curate
  • Rhydymair Chapel, Independents                  Erected before 1800              Attendance - morning 66 scholars, afternoon 149, evening 138                Robert Ellis, Minister, Brithdir
  • Carmel Chapel, Calvinistic Methodists               Erected 1834       Attendance - morning 60 scholars, afternoon 70, evening 75                Griffith Roberts, Elder, Tyn Twll
  • Hendre House, Hendref, welsh Calvinistic Methodist      Not a separate building - Not used exclusively as a place of worship               Attendance - morning 25 scholars, afternoon 34         John Roberts, Elder, Hendre
  • Siloh, Independents          Erected 1839          Attendance - morning 23 scholars, afternoon 32, evening 35               Rice Rice, Member, Corsygarnedd
  • Capel y Llan, Welsh Calvinistic Methodists             Erected 1815            Attendance - morning 55, afternoon 92 scholars, evening 117                 Hugh Pughe, Member, Grocer
  • Abergeirws, Welsh Calvinistic Methodists                Erected 1820              Attendance - morning 39, afternoon 29 scholars, evening 40                    Silvanus Jones, Elder, Brynlliw

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

  • Llanfachreth parish papers  ": Papers relating to Llanfachreth parish and St Machreth parish church, Merionethshire, 1881-1979, including administrative records, 1902-1975; papers relating to parochial matters, [1910]-1964; an Ecclesiastical Court presentment, 1897; forms of prayer and other items, 1914-1918, 1964; financial records, 1889-1974, including accounts, 1889-1922, 1974, bills and receipts, 1903-1922, papers relating to Church repairs, 1961-1974, and insurance records, 1904-1922; education records, 1901-1970, including papers relating to Llanfachreth School, 1901-1904, 1961-1970, and Cwm National School, 1903-1904; tithe records, 1881-1922; and miscellaneous letters, 1898-1979."
  • Capel Hermon, Llanfachreth, cofysgrifau (records)   "....... including two volumes, 1937-1961, recording the number of those present in the Sunday School classes, Hermon Chapel, Llanfachreth, details of their activities there and the collections' total; a number of 'teacher's books' kept by Sunday School teachers, 1959-1968, listing the names of children in individual classes with details of their attendance; together with an account book, 1912-1927, noting members' contributions to various collections, and a series of questionnaires, 1916-1929, containing details regarding the chapel and the members."

 

Rees, Thomas & John Thomas Hanes Eglwysi Annibynnol Cymru (History of the Welsh Independent Churches), 4 volumes (published 1871+). The Rhydymain  section (in Welsh) has been extracted  - with translation by Maureen Saycell (April 2011)                Also Llanfachreth chapel (with translation by Eleri Rowlands 6/2020)

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales  site

  • LLANFACHRETH WELSH BAPTIST CHURCH (Internal/external) 
  • BETHESDA INDEPENDENT CHAPEL, LLANFACHRAETH
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Church Records

Joyce Hinde has supplied a list of Parish Registers held at Merioneth Record Office.

Bishop's Transcripts 1750-1753, 1813-1832. Contributed by Alwyn Humphreys

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Description & Travel

Llanfachreth - on the Dolgellau.com site

Various items  - on the People's Collection Wales  site

  • Watercolour and pencil of the village of Llanfachreth by Penry Williams
  • Various landscapes
You can see pictures of Llanfachreth which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Genealogy

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

  • Briscoe Rowlands, teulu, casgliad (collection) 1879-1979   "Papers of the Briscoe Rowlands family, 1879-1979, including letters, 1934-1972, from Patagonia and elsewhere; ..... newspapers, magazines and cuttings, 1919-1979, including Llanfachreth obituaries.............. "
  • Ystumgwadnaeth, Llanfachreth, papurau (papers)  "Papers relating to the Evans family of Ystumgwadnaeth and the parish of Llanfachreth, Merionethshire, 1883-1936, including ......... Llanfachreth Sunday School register, 1905-1911; records relating to the creation of a War Memorial, 1919-1921; and Church Tower Restoration Fund papers, 1926-1927"
  • Nannau Manuscripts 1420-1947    "Nannau, situated in Llanfachreth parish, Merionethshire, was for centuries the home of one of the most powerful families in the county. The 'sprouting root', according to the bards, was Ynyr Hen who flourished in 1200-1250..................."
  •  Papers of Rev. John Henry Williams, Canwy     "Rev. John Henry Williams, also known by his bardic name, Canwy , was a native of Llanfachreth .........."            ".................... The miscellaneous material includes a summary of the history of Hermon chapel, Llanfachreth ................."
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Land & Property

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

  • Bryson, Merionethshire, deeds    "Deeds relating to properties in Llanfachreth, Dolgellau, Llandrillo and other parishes in Merionethshire and in Mallwyd, Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire, 1665-1869"
  • The Hengwrt-Uchaf Collection  "Deeds, 1641-1912, relating to the Hengwrt-uchaf estate mainly in Llanfachreth, Merionethshire, and Llanwrin, Montgomeryshire"
  • Lloyd-Jones collection of Nanney [Llanfachreth] papers 1681-1776  
  • Mary Vaughan Papers (relating to Nannau, Rug and Hengwrt) "Papers relating to the Hengwrt, Nannau and Rug estates, comprising deeds, sale catalogues and accounts, 1788-1923, estate and personal correspondence, 1859-1939, and papers relating to Llanfachreth church, 1868-1889, 1955"
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Maps

Gwynedd Family History Society  have a diagram of the ecclesiastical parishes of Merionethshire (under Parishes)  - with some links to photographs of parish churches

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference SH780242 (Lat/Lon: 52.801154, -3.811612), Llanfachreth which are provided by:

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Occupations

Glasdir Mine, Llanfachreth - on the Mindat.org site

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Public Records

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

  • Llanfachreth Rate Books "This collection consists of three rate books for the years 1840 (5339), 1842-1843 (5340) and 1848 (5341). They record details of Llanfachreth's rate paying inhabitants ............."
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Social Life & Customs

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

  • Llanfachreth Women's Institute Records and Correspondence    " Records of Llanfachreth Womens' Institute, comprising minute books, 1946-1966; and record books of monthly meetings, 1946-1972"

Various items - on the People's Collection Wales  site

  • Mrs. Kate Jones baking cakes on a griddle, Llanfachreth, 1940s 
  • Llanfachreth village shop in darkness after the electricity supply was cut off, 31 January 1957